Taza!

I started this post for you, and then didn't finish it. So, here it is now, and I will finish it... sometime.

So, I just got back from a long weekend with my host mom’s extended family. It started out as supposed to be just for Eid, the big holiday at the end of Ramadan, but then it turned into Eid PLUS a wedding.

Let me start from the beginning. Well, but without every little detail. We took a 3.5 hour train with my favorite 2 year old to get there, and our first stop was the grocery store. It’s a big chain, probably of European origin, that is sort of Walmart-like in the fact that it has about everything, but it’s more focused on food. So put yourself in the grocery store on the eve of Thanksgiving or Christmas, and that’s about right. But add the whole family because apparently sending one or two people to pick up what you need just wouldn’t do. You need kids to get lost or nearly run-over by shopping carts to make it a more fun experience. Yay? We got what we needed and at least some of us got out of the way to wait while the ones with money did the checking out. While that was going on I talked to Host Uncle 1, who said that his wife was light like me (there’s one word for light-haired, light-skinned, blue/light brown eyed) and I didn’t think much of it. I did ask how old his wife was and was told 24. WHAAA??? Was my thought. Because he looked much older to me. But I’m bad at ages here.

So, we pile into the car (two kids in the ‘far back’ with the groceries and no seats) and continue on our way. My Host Mom did tell me that they live on a farm, but I guess I didn’t think about that meant they were ten minutes OUTSIDE the city. Not just from the center, but really out of it. Everyone was hanging around, waiting, and so I got to be introduced and probably heard names but didn’t even register that, and was definitely told ‘this is my sister, this is my brother’s wife,’ etc. And was told to come and sit.

There was a lot of that. Sit! A bit more polite, maybe ‘have a seat!’ But constantly. Because I was a guest and guests should be comfortable, and that means sitting. Although this guest is TERRIBLE at sitting still for extended periods and had just been on a train for 3.5 hours where she…. sat.  But, whatever, I tried very hard and was pretty good at sitting for the first 2.5 days. I started to rebel a bit and stand after that, but even that was hard because someone else would walk into the room and be like, ‘have a seat!’ and I’d have to say no thanks over again, and eventually someone would literally bring me a chair from another room as if the ones available were the problem. I tried to explain that I like not sitting all the time, but either I was unclear, or the concept was too weird. Hard to say. But I know all of the offers of seats were well-meant, so that’s something.

It’s funny to be able to half-understand what’s going on. I mean, I could often understand things, and I wasn’t usually uncomfortable, but I couldn’t understand what was going on fast enough to really participate unless something was addressed to me. With all of the sitting in the room with women, there was LOADS of chatter and I caught enough words to not glaze over too often, but not enough to actually add anything or participate.

4 weeks already?

You got a bit of an update yesterday, but considering that I wrote it 2 weeks ago I'm not sure it counts. So here's some more! It is almost the end of Ramadan. I've had four Moroccans tell me that "there's none of it left." Eïd dates are determined by citing of the moon with the naked eye, so at this point we know it's probably Thursday or Friday. Probably. But I'm hoping for Wednesday, haha. 

Last weekend I went to Tangiers with my host mom to visit her sister. It's different because it is really RIGHT next to Spain, and on the Atlantic/Mediterranean. Pretty cool location. There are ferries to Spain that apparently take about 45 minutes. there is a very nice beach there, and I walked along in the water holding up my skirt so I could really be in the surf. Before going I decided against taking my swimsuit because I wasn't going with anyone else who was going to swim, and that made it sound like less fun. I think it would have been nice, for a few minutes, but overall it would have been awkward. Normally the beach is really crowded, but because it was Ramadan it was mostly just kids. All of the adults are fasting (food and water) during the day, so they don't want to be really active or out in the sun. That was on Sunday.

On Saturday, the day we got there, we mostly stayed inside with the fasting family during the hot part of the day. There was a lovely two year old who was slightly sick and.... anyone who has been around a two year old who is sick enough to feel bad, but not enough to just sleep and cry will know how much fun that is. She is also the least communicative kid I've met that age. I don't know if it was b/c there were two weird girls in her house or what, but she said very little and when she did talk it was mostly "mama." She made some yelly sounds, too, and laughed. (Side note: All little kids I've been around here are seriously confused by me. Not sure if it's looks, accent, or both. Probably both.)

A couple of hours before dinner, we went out with my host mom and a third sister and walked through the city, saw a popular street market, and then my host mom made sure we had written down the name of the street we were staying on and told us how to get to the old city. I had brought my camera to Tangiers, but NOT out that day. Oops. The old city was really different, it looks like it was much more updated after the Moorish/Jewish expulsion from Spain. The Fes medina is super traditional with really narrow 'streets' and basic buildings. I think there are laws that make it have to stay the same, since it's a UNESCO world heritage site. But in Tangiers there were lots of balconies, white-washed buildings, and much wider streets. The stores were bigger, too, and I have no idea how to explain that one! After dinner we went out again to see the streets at night. They were very crowded, and EVERYTHING was open. We actually went down the the beach, too, which was cool to see at night. Of course I didn't have my camera because in crowded streets at night where I already stand out... I don't want to have anything that looks interesting. But there is one picture of it! In my host mom's phone...

It was a nice city, and nice to see, but I don't feel the urge to go back. We'll see. There are so many other parts of this country that I haven't been to yet!!

I guess the last thing is that my language class is ok, For the first three weeks I had one teacher who was new to it all, but did well with what she was given. It was ok, but we really stuck to the lesson plans, which are made to be approachable to first year students. Meaning that we went through about 10 pages an hour. I mean, I got a good bit out of it because I have some idea how to learn a language. Then this last week I got two more teachers added to the mix, since they had finished up their own classes (the students went back home) which was helpful but a little disorganized. And then on Friday I found out that my original teacher was temporary and that I will just have the other two for the last two weeks. Pretty nice because they are good teachers, but they were also both in Austin with me this year, lol.

Fes, just for a day

I forgot to tell you about Fes! I went there two weeks ago. I don't know why I didn't, other than that I was tired at first and then... who knows. I'll have a post for you about Tangiers tomorrow so that you're not overloaded with info. Also, anyone related to me should thank #6 because writing to him on Sundays is what reminds me to write here, too! Send him a postcard. Or pictures. Or both.

Well, Fes was pretty nice. Partly because it was a good reminder of how chill Meknes is in comparison, and partly because we were just somewhere different. I was officially more or less the tour guide, and I only got us seriously turned around once, but even then once we walked down the street I knew right where we were and was able to correct. We just had a less pretty 10 minutes of our walk than it should have been. We walked from the train station to the old city, which was really nice. Partly because it avoided obnoxious taximen and partly because it took us past interesting things. Plus it was really nice weather in the morning. Really, they day in general was pretty good by way of weather, but in the afternoon in the medina it got a bit sweaty. I was feeling sick, but really didn't want to sit around at home, so I was stubborn and went out.

So the first cool thing we saw was a mall. They were building a Carrefour right by where my school was when I was here before, and now it is done. Although it is not JUST a Carrefour -- it is a full-on, French-style commercial center with lots of FRENCH brand stores inside. Crazy! Although at 10:30AM only the Carrefour was open. That's ok, though, it was cool to look at and we really didn't need to go in the stores. We did go into Carrefour and the two others I was with bought peanut butter. I bought a French-style folder because they keep giving me papers at school, but I have nowhere to put them. And dried apricots and a thing of bread (that one was like 18 cents) because I really wasn't feeling well still.

Then, back off down the road! Past the odd little Coranic school behind its closed gates and past the king's palace where we took some pictures (me, being brilliant, left my camera at home again. When will I learn??) Then we walked through "Fes Jdid" which means 'new Fes' but it's actually the area that was built largely by the Merinids over 800 years ago. Yep, that's the 'new' timescale around here. The shops were starting to open up, and we saw all of the pretty, pretty local, traditional clothes, as well as some random stuff. Then I took us on the wrong turn and we missed a pretty garden, oops. But then we got to the Blue Gate, which is where I meant to go and the one closest to the two main Souqs, or markets. We walked down the big one all the way to the Karaouine Mosque, which is argued to be the world's oldest university. Around there is where I start to get lost, and I admitted it, but I still accidentally got us to a little open area where guys still do traditional metal work so it has a nice constant ringing or cutting and pounding, and near where the tanned leather comes out, so there is a donkey or horse laden with fresh leather every 5-10 min. Apparently donkeys and horses and mules count as pedestrians. There was also a small café there, serving during Ramadan, so we helped out his business by buying water, sitting down and having a snack. I had actually brought my own water, due to the yucky tummy I did not want to be in desperate need of it. Of course, that also mean that we got to watch everything going on in the square so that I can tell you about it now.

Then we headed back, and I was able to steer us through a nice covered market area that has lots of fabric and traditional clothes, and then we passed by a dagger shop and one of my friends had decided earlier that he needed one, but the first guy he had talked to had wanted too much for the one he liked. So he got this one, and the guy selling it looked vaguely annoyed, and in my book I think that's a sign of successful bargaining in Fes. They are known for always telling people way higher than it should be - apparently even other Moroccans whose accents tip off that they're not from there - so if they are willing to sell it to you for a certain price that you prefer, even if they look annoyed, I don't feel bad for them. We also talked to a few other vendors in different parts, and it was nice to be able to throw them off of their English or French greetings by all of us speaking Arabic decently. Maybe not fantastically on my part, but whatevs. Plus the guy with us has a super good accent in Syrian Arabic so he's much more convincing as "don't mess with me." And male. Because that makes a big difference here. Then I got us back to our starting place and both of my "guid-ees" were impressed. They don't know that it was part luck, and partly that I kinda recognized certain areas and knew they would take me SOMEWHERE I knew, even if not the exact path I was hoping for. But even that comes with having traipsed through the old city, either exploring and getting 'lost' on purpose with one girl or following on others' shopping trips just to be out and about. Oh, and at the train station I had orange/apple juice with ginger. I thought about an avocado-based smoothie (delicious!!), but didn't want to find out if that would aggravate my stomach.

All in all, it was very nice, considering that I had started the day not sure I should leave the house due to stomach issues. Really, it was quite good to get out and do something. Plus I got a little lucky that I wasn't any more sick and actually made it through the day. Then when we got home there was still time for a nap before dinner and to study afterward!

Made it through the first week!

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.

Made it!

Getting here was the most messy, ridiculous travel situation imaginable. I shall abbreviate it slightly. 

Got to the airport 2.5 hours before take-off. This airport was about the size of the Austin Greyhoud terminal. Which means, just about any bus terminal. There was NOTHING there. There is one flight that boards/leaves at a time. Half an hour later, they started checking in peoples' bags. Ryanair is friendly and make their money by charging for bags. Well, Ramadan is about to start so I was traveling with TONS of Moroccan families heading home. I saw no less than 3 French dads kiss their Moroccan wife and kids goodbye as they headed off for the holy month. I think the flight was easily 1/4th kids.

Ok, back to the bags. So with everyone going home for a month, loads of people wanted to take lots of stuff. But you can only have 20kg (44lbs) as the max for one bag, and if you want a second it's 15kg. After that, it's 20 euro ($28) per bag. Ouch. And where do you get to weigh your bags? Only once you are at the front of the line. This leads to many, many frustrated people trying to figure out what they really need, or trying to redistribute stuff in their bags. This leads to everyone else behind going "what's wrong with you people, don't you know how to read? Get on with it, move out of the way, hurry up!" And it's true that the system was ridic, they really should have just had a scale at the end of the line so that you could get out of the way if needed before reaching the counter. I remembered their brilliance from being in France before, and had weighed my bags this morning. And knew that one was 1kg over, but was hoping they'd be ok with it.

So, 1.5 hours later I finally make it to the front of the line. And put on my heavier bag. And their stupid scale said it was THREE kilos over instead of 1. I was shocked and annoyed. I told the lady I had weighed it that morning and it wasn't that much, but of course she wasn't having any of it. Then she had me add my second bag, and told me that it was also too much. And in my head I said "WHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT???" but I was so tired from sleeping just 5.5 hours (packing my bags, writing the last postcards) that I didn't think clearly. So I believed her and assumed their scale was off, and went to figure out what I could leave. 

Luckily there was one scale that you could use to re-weigh your bags as you were redistributing. So I kept weighing and shifting things around. Then at one point I realized that my smaller bag was at 10kg. As in, 5 less than my limit. And I had NOT taken out that much stuff. At this point, I started swearing at the lady in my head. Profusely. And stuck with the obnoxious new arrangement of my bags (because it was much less convenient) and went back to her. And, oh, look, your bags are all under the limit! How amazing! (More swearing at her in my head.) I did be sure to tell her that I didn't even need to take anything out in the end. Helpful, dear woman.

So then I went through the SLLLOOOOWWW security line. Apparently in Morocco you don't need to pay attention to liquids or electronics when going through the line. Which meant that lots of people didn't. The lady in front of me explained it to me. She grew up in France, but is Moroccan and lives in Rabat now. The teeny tiny airport did not have a very efficient security check to begin with, and then they kept having to argue with people who wanted to bring more than 3 oz of honey, or water, or liquidy snacks for the kids. I finally got through (and had forgotten that I had a small applesauce, but they didn't see it, so that was a nice bonus snack on the plane) and then had to do customs to leave. The guy was confused about why I didn't have a visa. Luckily the other dude was like "Americans don't need them for less than 3 months." I hope he was new? I guess Americans don't come through there often.

Finally, to the boarding area. Where I got directly in line because the flight was scheduled to depart then, but with how slowly everything had been going there was no chance of that. Got out to the airplane. Found an empty spot in the overhead bins for my bag. Sat down. Waited. And waited. And people kept trickling out. And then some more. We couldn't figure out why after a bit. Then a family of 5 came out. Sucks to be them was the general impression, as there were no seats together. But they made some room and the parents stayed with the kids (the youngest was a lap child.) Then we kept waiting. And waiting. 3 more came. More waiting. 8 more. Whaaa??? Where will THEY go? No idea, but they made it work. I believe it was then 12:15, when our scheduled departure was 11:30. 

The pilot made an announcement in ENGLISH that we missed our takeoff time by too much and may have to wait almost two more hours, but hopefully not that long. I don't think more than 4 other people on that plane understood it, b/c I was the only one outraged. Then after 5 min they tried to explain it in French, but the mic was too quiet. Then somebody came on in Arabic and THAT got people riled up. Can you imagine a plan, 1/4 kids, waiting for about 2 hours total?? Talk about a disaster. And at lunch time. I had assumed I'd be able to buy lunch at the airport, so I didn't have anything with me (b/c there was nothing to buy at the airport.) Then they tried to calm people in French when the lady who was in the security line with me storms up to the front and starts yelling in good French Mama fashion. And about 5 minutes later they tell us all to sit down because they found a departure window. She definitely decided it was her doing, and I'll let her think that because all that matters is that we left.

It was super cute because when the plane took off, and gave that roller coaster feeling, all the little kids cheered. When we landed they all yelled in surprise because it was a bit hard, but then cheered again.

The airport in Fes was actually really easy. The taxis there have posted, set rates, which is awesome because you always get ripped off those places. Then I went to the train station, bought a ticket for the next train to Meknes (40 min away = $2.50, but no AC and sometimes crowded.) and finally got to eat. First bought a delicious fresh-squeezed OJ because I could. Another $2.50, haha. Then had a sandwich for lunch in the mildly ACed 'fancy' restaurant there, that we used to turn our noses up at 2 years ago for being overpriced. After being in France, I was fine with it. I mean, it's at the train station after all! 

Then to the train! Got loads of help from people getting on and off the train, then down and up the stairs at the main station in Meknes. A girl who looked about my age was the one who took pity that time, and was surprised when I spoke to her in Arabic. Then she asked if I spoke French and we talked for a minute as we walked. Then I asked her if there was a trick to getting a taxi for a good rate and she just asked a guy. He told her less than half of what the institute had told me should be the max, so major win there! Turned out to be $2.50 again, come to think of it.  She actually told him it was a lot, and not a nice thing to do to foreigners, lol. 

Finally, got to the institute, met a bunch of people, and my host mom came to get me! I am writing this from the double bed I will be sleeping on. There is another American here for 3 more weeks, from UT as well, and we're sharing a room. She has her own bed, no worries. I am super exhausted from the heat (like 95 when I arrived) but the family (just the parents again!) seems really nice. And I am trying to wipe all of the rust off of my Arabic. We'll see how it goes!

Accro-branche

I've never done a ropes course in the US. I've heard about them. Team-building, fun, up in the trees wandering around on tottery rope and beam bridges. A friend here suggested that we all go ziplining near Lyon. Ziplining near the city??? That sounds awesome! So, off we went to France Aventures. Which, it turns out, is mostly rope courses. On steroids. Possibly while taking speed. With some ziplining thrown in, yes. The friendly little squirrel guy is so happy doing it, see? (Note: all pics are links to their original pages since I was brilliant and brought my camera.... with my memory card still in my computer. At least I realized it after two attempted pics.) http://www.france-aventures.com/index.php/fr/nos-parc-fr/lyon

It's up on a hill, and does have an awesome view like that. So, once we were there, I was still a bit confused. See, I was picturing something like this: http://www.saferoller.com/medias/Pictures/outdoor-artificial-trails/Saferoller_outdoor_mast_ropes_course_belay_saferoller.jpg. Up in the air, with a solid footing, even if it would be tough for someone afraid of heights. And the little kid/beginner course is fun and welcoming, with stuff like this: http://www.loisirs.fr/photo/activite/520/france-aventures-lyon-3.jpg and this http://www.123sejours.com/gestion/indigestimg/listesej/listesej7735/Accrobranche.JPG

It turns out, though, that those things aren't super stable. And sometimes the planks or ROUND log/branches don't always look in good condition: http://www.lyonpoche.com/cg_media/lieu/2521/images/600/1270218375418.jpg But then you quickly get to things like the tightrope. When I mentioned it to my host dad, he was like, "oh, so you walk on one cable, while holding the other above your head?" No, no, I wish. In fact, you walk on one wobbly cable while holding onto another wobbly cable NEXT TO YOU. Yeah, so when you start to lose your balance (as if I had any to start with) you are either going to fall and find out how it feels for the harness to catch you, or you get to fight leaning back and forth with the side cable, looking like a crazy. This doesn't quite capture it, but it's the one: http://tinyurl.com/mkz5f79

And there's stuff like this tunnel: http://www.encyclopedie-gratuite.fr/Definition/nature/image/accrobranche-tunnel.jpg Looks nice, right? Yeah. Kinda. But it's 30 feet in the air and wobbly, and is kinda fun at first. But... umm... how do I get to the next one. Ok, gap that gets wider as I lean out traversed. Then the second. and now.... platform, please? Get closer? I'm small enough that I just turned around and stuck my feet out first and pulled myself up holding onto the cable. I could just see a repeat of kindergarten when I tried to grab the last bar and landed on my head. Only instead of falling into the gravel, I would have smacked my head on the wooden platform and been bleeding, dangling from a cable (safely, yes) next to the tree.

In the middle of the last, hardest course we lost one of our group. Here: http://www.le-lyonnais.org/_uploads/tourismeweb-img/sitraACT422793_accrobranche-parc-yzeron-aventure.JPG They don't show that there is a trapeze that you have to hold onto and then you zip like a human fly for 50 feet and smack into this rope wall. You know what a PAIN rope walls are? Especially when there is nothing tethering the bottom, allowing them to swing freely as you struggle up them? Too much for our runner who will now start working on push ups as well. The nice boy who works there and had a good time laughing at us a LOT jumped impressively to grab onto the rope wall thing and climbed up past her, to grab her hand and help her up to the platform. Impressive. I want to jump up there like that!

Ugh, and I can't find a picture of the smaller rope wall, the one that WAS attached on the bottom. Why? Because you basically just jump into it. Your jump is 'guided' by a rope that doesn't have enough tension on it to actually SWING you, it just leads you as you fall, SMACK, into the rope wall. Um, thanks?

I don't know if you can see this one well: http://tinyurl.com/kdmevaz The lovely young man is walking by putting his foot through the bottom of those round-topped.... handles?? that are each suspended at the bottom of a rope. About 3 feet apart. Left, right, left, right. So you either get to kick at the next one and hope your foot goes in it, or you work on your balance and leg strength by letting go of the rope keeping the back leg straight while leaning forward and grasping at the next, hoping to catch it to then move up the back foot. It was tricky, but we all made it.

I can't find the pic of the last really hard part, where we lost another of our team. Four rope walls, unsecured, on opposite sides of the safety cable, that you had to go back and forth between and use a LOT of arm strength to hold on and move yourself forward. Let's just say that he lost strength and the poor boy who rescued the girl had to spend 20 minutes or so trying different things and eventually lowered him to the ground.

After ziplining twice for the grand finale, we then got some delicious ice cream to replace all of the important calories we lost during the previous 3 hours.

K, I know that was a lame ending, but I got tired. And I don't even have my own pictures!

Un leçon de café

It's amazing how much you can learn when you just ask questions. Today I was in a café with some others who wanted ice cream and I noticed that they had on their menu "café colombie - 100% Arabica." It also cost $1.30 more than their usual espresso. So of course I had to ask what it was. Then he told me it was pure Arabica. Now, I'm pretty sure that this is more or less standard in the US (or I never pay attention - entirely likely) so I asked what the difference was. And got a short history of coffee. Here is my retelling of his info.

You see, coffee is like wine: there are different varieties of the bean. There is Arabica, which is all aroma, and Robusta, which is all acid. Normally, coffees are mixed - up to half Robusta [he didn't say why, but I think it's partly price.] Now, when you have a good, 100% Arabica, then it is all aroma and more likely to be good.

But that's not all that matters in a coffee. You also have to pay attention to the roasting process. Too little and you don't have enough flavor, too much and it's burned, no good. Then to the beans themselves - the best coffees will have full beans (and here he got some out to show me) where the cheap kinds that businesses give employees (his description) will be all broken up. The full beans are more evenly roasted and will have a better flavor. For his espresso, he prefers a mix.

Then you have to pay attention to how you actually make it. First, your machine has to be kept in good condition and he makes sure that he's the only one to service his machine. In this area they have hard water, so they have a water softener installed before it even reaches the machine. Then the water temperature (at least for espresso) should be 80-85º C (175-185 F) and he makes sure to test his water in his machine at least once a week. [Interesting that it's so much below boiling!] After that, be careful how you grind it. Grind it too big and the water can't extract all of the goodness. Grind it to small and it becomes burned [over-extracted, I think, is our term] and bitter. When you get an espresso, you should look at it. The top should be a nice, foamy hazelnut color and should stick a bit to the sides of the cup and not change color when it does so. That means you did it right.

Finally, many cafés and restaurants here serve coffee with a bit of chocolate. He doesn't because he would rather charge for good coffee than mediocre coffee with a bit of chocolate, which is typically bad anyway. Be sure not to eat the chocolate first if you are in one of these places. If you do, you will have the taste of the chocolate on your palate and you won't be able to taste what the coffee actually tastes like.

And it was a nice espresso, at least. I mean, it would have to be after that.

But do you know where coffee comes from? [Yes, we did.] And how it was discovered? A herder was taking his goats to pasture and knew that the sheep normally had a nap during the hottest part of the day. One day he took them to pasture near bushes with red berries and the goats went wild, eating the berries, and then all afternoon they were running everywhere and didn't take a nap. The herder didn't think too much of it, but the next day went somewhere else. The following day he went back to the place that the goats had gone wild and noticed that they were all enjoying the berry bushes. Then he tasted one himself and got to experience the caffeine first-hand. Thus coffee was discovered. [And as unlikely as that sounded, I just looked it up and found that same story repeated many other places!]

After all of the stories he said that we should come back and we could help him with English while he helped us with French. I took a gamble based on looks and said I already spoke French, but if he spoke Arabic, maybe. He was born in France, but does speak some Arabic. I doubt I'll be back for lessons, but I will certainly be back for coffee!