First week of classes. Not first week of Ramadan yet. Only on the fifth day of that excitement. So, things here are good! I have private lessons, which means that the instructor and I sit across the table from each other and I ask questions about things usually in the packets that they give me, and we practice conjugations and mini-conversations and vocabulary, and then I go home and in theory review it all, but there are no grades for me so I do whatever I feel like with the language. No, it is not wasting time, but sometimes I'd rather listen to a song and try to make out the lyrics than write sentences about people being sick (the current unit theme.) Believe me, with my lovely research hanging over my head, I am plenty motivated! Besides, words for being sick in Morocco are useful when our pale sad stomachs are not accustomed to their foods and water. I've been able to keep mine ok and functioning, so don't worry, it's just kind of ok that it's Ramadan since I'm less hungry than usual. And then everyone else is a bit tired, too, so my tiredness from not eating quite as much is not noticed.
This morning I went out early and wandered through the old city with two others. Let me tell you, 'early' during Ramadan is the way to see it if you really just want to see the city and not the people or things to buy. It was even beautifully cool out! It was 8:15 by the time we got down there, and there were very few people around. Enough that it didn't seem super sketch (like I'm guessing 6:15 would have) but not so many that they were all yelling at us to buy things. Though I don't know if this city is like that, maybe it's not. But we walked for about 2 hours and by then the sun had decided it was time to actually beat down on us and we headed home.
So what could we see? Mosques that are older than our country, houses that are the same, lots of scrawny cats. I was brilliant and left my camera at home. I do useful things like that. We mostly just wanted to see what there is to see. There was a mausoleum where someone important to Islam is buried. Then a nice part of the old city where the shops were just starting to open up. We talked a bit to two women and a man working at a dessert store (desserts are very important here) and they looked at us like we were 3-headed aliens. All for speaking in Arabic. It is always hilarious that people can't get around the idea that other people can speak their language, even if just a little bit. I'm sure that #6 understands.
I also went out last night for the first time after Iftar (break-the-fast meal) and got to see the city really 'normal' for the first time. Our family doesn't go out much then, so we haven't had a chance to just head and explore. Luckily, there are two of us girls here, so we are allowed to leave then. If it were just me, I would have to find another person to rescue me from my "single female=target"ness. It's ridiculous in a way because if they would just insist that women on their own are NOT targets, then I wouldn't be one. I mean, in Austin I may not go to any neighborhood I feel like on my own at night, but I wouldn't go there in the day, either. And I'm not quite sure where more than one of those neighborhoods is, really.
Where was I? Oh, going out! Yes, we went toward a very lively part of the city and met with a friend for coffee. COFFEE!!! YAY! It's kind of hard to get coffee during Ramadan. As in, very hard unless you make it yourself. Very few places serve food or drink during the day. And, really, why would they? No one but tourists would buy it, and Ramadan is not a very touristy time! So we got to sit on the street (had a guy with us, so we attracted fewer looks) and watch people pass and see what the city looks like all busy. I bet it's busier during Ramadan nights than other times because that is when EVERYONE is suddenly like, "yay, it's cool enough to go outside, and I have the energy for it!" But that's just my take on things. I definitely liked that area - stores (food, books, clothes), cafés, people.
But I have to admit that I'm going to start a Ramadan count down. Because, really, I don't fast and as fun as it is to have empty streets in the morning and full streets at night it would be nice to be able to drink water while walking around. Maybe I'll call it motivation to learn the language faster? Yeah, let's call it that.
This morning I went out early and wandered through the old city with two others. Let me tell you, 'early' during Ramadan is the way to see it if you really just want to see the city and not the people or things to buy. It was even beautifully cool out! It was 8:15 by the time we got down there, and there were very few people around. Enough that it didn't seem super sketch (like I'm guessing 6:15 would have) but not so many that they were all yelling at us to buy things. Though I don't know if this city is like that, maybe it's not. But we walked for about 2 hours and by then the sun had decided it was time to actually beat down on us and we headed home.
So what could we see? Mosques that are older than our country, houses that are the same, lots of scrawny cats. I was brilliant and left my camera at home. I do useful things like that. We mostly just wanted to see what there is to see. There was a mausoleum where someone important to Islam is buried. Then a nice part of the old city where the shops were just starting to open up. We talked a bit to two women and a man working at a dessert store (desserts are very important here) and they looked at us like we were 3-headed aliens. All for speaking in Arabic. It is always hilarious that people can't get around the idea that other people can speak their language, even if just a little bit. I'm sure that #6 understands.
I also went out last night for the first time after Iftar (break-the-fast meal) and got to see the city really 'normal' for the first time. Our family doesn't go out much then, so we haven't had a chance to just head and explore. Luckily, there are two of us girls here, so we are allowed to leave then. If it were just me, I would have to find another person to rescue me from my "single female=target"ness. It's ridiculous in a way because if they would just insist that women on their own are NOT targets, then I wouldn't be one. I mean, in Austin I may not go to any neighborhood I feel like on my own at night, but I wouldn't go there in the day, either. And I'm not quite sure where more than one of those neighborhoods is, really.
Where was I? Oh, going out! Yes, we went toward a very lively part of the city and met with a friend for coffee. COFFEE!!! YAY! It's kind of hard to get coffee during Ramadan. As in, very hard unless you make it yourself. Very few places serve food or drink during the day. And, really, why would they? No one but tourists would buy it, and Ramadan is not a very touristy time! So we got to sit on the street (had a guy with us, so we attracted fewer looks) and watch people pass and see what the city looks like all busy. I bet it's busier during Ramadan nights than other times because that is when EVERYONE is suddenly like, "yay, it's cool enough to go outside, and I have the energy for it!" But that's just my take on things. I definitely liked that area - stores (food, books, clothes), cafés, people.
But I have to admit that I'm going to start a Ramadan count down. Because, really, I don't fast and as fun as it is to have empty streets in the morning and full streets at night it would be nice to be able to drink water while walking around. Maybe I'll call it motivation to learn the language faster? Yeah, let's call it that.
Excellent post, you always paint a wonderful picture!!!
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the "...3-headed alien..." comment. In the larger cities I don't get the look very often, but venture in to the countryside and they're just stunned when I speak the language, let alone use it properly.
Looking forward to more.