Saturday School

Today was our first day at our host school- Sidi o Sidi High School. Our host teacher Hassan Aitman picked us up and took us to school.  The students in Morocco go to school Monday through Saturday, but they don't go full days every day.  The students have variety to their days- for example they might only have English class two or three days a week..  They don't have a set first period that stays they same all year like we do in middle school.  I think it is a great idea to have a different daily schedule (minus the Saturday thing).  The school daygoes from 8-12, then the students go home.  Most days they come back for several hours from 2-6, but not all days of the week.  Because of this schedule, clubs are on Saturday afternoons when school isn't in session. 

 Host Teach Hassan Aitman and the principal of Sidi O Sidi High

One student looking American with Beyonce on her shirt stands by a friend in more traditional attire.  

 After observing and participating in two classes this morning, we went out to eat and back to the hotel for an hour to hang around the pool.  Then we went back to school and presented to the English Club.  The students shared so many insights and asked us so many questions- they are really quite amazing.  Some students asked why racism is a problem in American and wanted to know about gun violence.  One girl wanted to know if she came to America if we would be hateful to her and make her remove her scarf in public places...
After our presentation, we went out to the courtyard to join a celebration. 

My new Facebook friends (so cute and friendly!)

Boy with awesome hair

 Today at the school they were celebrating Woman's Day!  There was music, sports, and games.  One game some boys set up for the girls to play was an obstacle course.  They laid down a tarp that they covered with water and soap, then had stations.  Only the girls were allowed to participate since it's was Woman's Day celebration.  They had to run around the tarp to a bucket where they bobbed for an apple, then ran to the next station where they picked up candy with their teeth from a bowl filled with powdered sugar, then ran back to the starting point with out falling on the slippery tarp.  It was hilarious and they had so much fun.  I asked about it being a traditional game, but the kids said it wasn't and they just made it up like they do a lot of games.  

Fun times at the celebration

Some questions to answer:  Brianna C.-there are many popular candies here in Morocco.  I have seen all kids of American and European candy, too and yes it is ALL good. Shawn E, my favorite sweet here is cookies and they serve a lot of them.  Amanda, the most popular drink seems to be sweet green tea with mint, and Moroccan's prepare and pour it in a special way...

Tea pouring- it is an art here in Morocco

More questions- Genesis and Chase G, they do have China plates and bowls here, but it is Moroccan tradition to eat with your hands from a large serving bowl placed in the center of the table.  They are kind enough to give us Americans silverware...Adaya and Corey, the kids seem to like all kinds of food.  Noah and Alex J, Morocco does have a lot of technology like Smartphones, but the Wi-fi seems less reliable.  However, the schools have much less technology in the classrooms than we do.  Brooke K, kids also seem to like all different kinds of music. I asked one boy today and his favorite artist was 50 Cent.

Logan W, the King of Morocco is Mohammed VI and his wife is Lalla Salma.  They have two children and their son will be the next king of Morocco.

Welcome to Taroudant

After a long bus ride and a 1 1/2 hour ride in a cab, I reached Taroudant late last night with my travel partner Hina.   I woke up today it was sunny and hot.  I heard that schools are closed back home due to a pile of snow and freezing temperatures.  I am glad I don't have to deal with that!
Hina and I walked around the town and it is so colorful and people are so friendly.  We stopped to buy water at a street kiosk, and the man working there told us his name was Omar.  He explained that he met an American woman of Facebook and they "dated" for 4 years.  She came to vist him three months ago and they got married!  He told us she was lonely because she had no one to speak English to.  He called her and put her on the phone.  Her name was Tammy and  we made plans to meet her at 8pm and go to dinner.  Read on to find out what happened...

Hina and I hit the streets of Taroudant

View of Taroudant from the medina walls

My first camel spotting... (not really)

After a walking tour of Taroudant, our host teacher Hassan took us to his home for the traditional lunch of couscous and it was delicious!  We met his wife and sister-in-law and they showed us the wonderful Moroccan hospitality we have heard so much about.  

Couscous- Traditional Friday Meal

After lunch we walked around the streets and took in the sights and sounds.  When it was time to meet Tammy at 8pm, we were informed that her husband would instead pick us up and take us to his home for dinner with this family.  Sounds like something you wouldn't do in America, but here in Morocco it is the custom to invite visitors to your country into your home.  So...we went to Omar's home and met his American wife and the rest of his family.  "Mama" (his mother) brought us tea, cookies, chicken kabobs, salad, bread, bread, and more bread, roasted chicken, and fruit for dessert.  She watched us eat and insisted we eat more, more, more. Then she kindly forced us to take home cookies because we couldn't possibly eat another bite.  When you say goodbye here in Morocco, you kiss on the cheek multiple times and hug, so we left on that note and felt once again that Moroccans are certainly the most friendly people in the world.














                        Meeting Tammy from America

To answer some of your questions:  Hannah, Brandon S, and Prem- some famous spices here are cumin, saffron and paprika.  Mint is used. too.  Everything here is fresh and not processed.  Carleigh- I have not seen Cheetos, but they are probably here.  Pringles seem more popular.  Jayden J and Elaysia- the food is the best I've had in the world.  I have liked everything I have tasted, especially the couscous.

Long Trip

Today I spent 12 hours to reach the town where my host school is located.  I got to see a lot of Morocco by bus, and the landscape is beautiful.  It looks like America's southwest region, but with the huge Atlas Mountain range in the background.  The towns we passed through were modern and some looked like American towns minus the signs in English.  
Before we left for Taroudant, we went on our final school visit in Rabat.  This school was an international high school and the kids had a less structured classroom environment that the other schools we went to.  The class we spent the most time in was filled with 15 year-olds and their teacher plays music for them while they are learning. Their assignment while we were there was to write about their favorite app and tell why they liked it.  They all had their cell phones out in class and had wi-fi in the classroom.  One thing that was amazing about the school was that they were celebrating "Woman's Day".  They honor women across the country on this day, and since our visit there coincided with that special day, they gave all the female TGC teachers a rose.  

This student had almost perfect English.  When I asked him if he studied in the States, he said "No--youtube".  Notice his shirt... (he reminds me of Ramon in my 4th period class)

This sign is from a club that celebrates international human rights.  It says, "My body, my rights".

 This beautiful student gave roses to all the female teachers.  They then had cookies and tea for us.

A great school visit-- the top row is the name of the school in Arabic and the second row says the name of the school in Berber.  Both are official languages of Morocco, but Berber only since 2011 after centuries of this ethnic group being marginalized. 

To answer one of your questions:  Felix, yes they do eat a bit of goat, but it does not seem that popular.  If you look closely at the picture you will see goat heads in the center...

Question of the Day:  What are the three languages students learn in Morocco by 10th grade?

Day Two of School Visits

Day two of school visits here in the capital went well.  We started at a private school that was preschool through 12th grade.  I finally met some 6th graders and they reminded me of my students at Spring Mills Middle School.  When I asked them their favorite subject, it was French.  The students sit for up to two hours with one teacher, then have a 10 minute break outside.  Then the next teacher comes into the room, etc. That means they stay in the same room all day at this school. They said their attention span is about 1 1/2 hours before they get bored, and guess what?  There is no technology in the classrooms!  My favorite visit was to the preschool and kindergarten rooms.  One girl sang us a song in English and was so proud.  When we visited the high schoolers, they reinforced the fact that they spend a lot of time studying, and many even have private tutors after school.  When asked their favorite band, the girls yelled out "One Direction"!

Middle schoolers horsing around on their 10 minute break...

6th grade classroom!

School bus 

Preschool classroom door 

After our visit at the school, we went to an academy that prepares students to become teachers after 3 years of college.   When you are done "student teaching", the government in Morocco places you in a school anywhere in the country- you get no choice.  The student teachers told me the worse you do on the final exam, the farther out into the "country" they send you.  That is one reason the teachers at this academy study hard; they don't want to get sent the the more rural parts of Morocco.


After we returned from our visits, we ventured out into a nearby medina to shop.  The fabrics, pottery, and leather goods are beautiful here in Morocco.

The internet here at the hotel in Rabat has been up and down every minute.  It has taken me at least 2 hours every night to load these few pictures and post them.  Tomorrow morning I move to a more rural area, so we will see if the internet connection gets better or worse...if it is better I will post more pictures and answer more of your questions.

Question of the Day:  What is a medina?

First Day of School

Today was our first visit to a school in Morocco.  We went to a public high school in Rabat and went into 4 classrooms.  We introduced ourselves to the students and had a question and answer session in each room.  Here are some things we learned:

The classrooms are packed with up to 50 students and they are very small rooms.  The school we visited is only for students that are superior in science and math.  They all spoke English to us, and most spoke it very well (Moroccans learn 4 languages by the time they are in 10th grade- they start their third language in second grade) and they work and study very hard.  When we asked what they wanted our students back home to know, they said to tell them that they respect their teachers very much.  Almost all of the students at the school want to go to college outside of Morocco and asked how they could study in the U.S.  University education is free in Morocco, but the quality is not as good as in other countries, so many want to study elsewhere.  Some of the students in the school we visited today live in other towns, and so they stay in dorms in the school during the week.  There are 2-4 people per dorm and they are very tiny.  When we asked about technology and free time, the students said the school removed the wi-fi because kids weren't studying (they agreed it was true).  They said they have a lot of homework and don't have much time to play around, but when they do they like to use social media.  They can go to internet cafes and almost every tudent is on Facebook, Twitter, and likes to listen to music.  One student said her favorite musician was Lady Gaga and another said Justin Timberlake.  As far as video games, students said they do like them, but don't have much time for them (take note, American students!).  In Morocco, you have to receive passing scores on national exams to pass into middle school, and again to pass into high school.  Then each year in high school plus to graduate you need to pass exams.  If you don't pass the exam at the end of each year, you fail that grade.  After failing a grade three times, you drop out of school.  No passing on unless you prove yourself!  

High school chemistry classroom- looks like the 1950's

School courtyard

Student work on a bulletin board- note the multiple languages

On Thursday I will travel by bus about 12 hours to the school where I will be co-teaching for 5 days.  It will be interesting to see how the students in the public school there compare to the students today at the school for math and science superstars...

After we visited the school; we went to a kasbah.  A kasbah is a walled fortress where the local leader lived in the past.  It was also used for defense when a city was under attack.  This kasbah was built in 1150 and was made of red sandstone on the outside, but once you were inside it has walls painted blue and white and had narrow streets.

                                    Outside the Kasbah

                                 Inside the Kasbah

                                       Door inside the Kasbah

                                    Moroccan musician

I hope that I answered your questions about music Trinity, Jordan G, J.C, Megan N, Olivia M, Sierra B, Brandon S, and Kaii.

Question of the Day:  Who sings the 1980's song "Rock the Kasbah?"

A Busy Day

Today was a busy day in Rabat.  After breakfast we headed out to MACECE (Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange).  There we learned about amazing opportunities for both American and Moroccan students and teachers.  There are so many opportunities to go abroad starting in high school, so if you have a wonder and curiosity about the world and you are willing to work hard, you can find a programs that will support you in global endeavors.
After our visit at MACECE, we had lunch, then headed to the U.S Embassy.  The U.S Embassy in Morocco is a beautiful building, and approximately 400 people work there.  We met with some of the staff that work with education.  One of the big programs they support gives underprivileged children in other countries (including Morocco) English classes for two years.  English has become very popular in Morocco and is now being taught in schools along with Arabic and French (starting in 9th grade).  I learned that if you want a job in a global environment, you can become a foreign service officer.  The website  careers.state.gov is where you could start looking into such a career.
After our visit at the embassy, we went to a cultural site called the Hassan II Mausoleum and Hassan Tower.  The mausoleum is where previous kings are buried in a beautifully tiled building that is guarded by men in uniform.  The tower was intended to be the tallest minaret in the world when construction started on it in the year 1195, but it was left unfinished.  Today it is used for the call of prayer for Muslims, which occurs publically 5 times a day.

Everywhere in Rabat there are Moroccan flags.  Thousands of them!  The Moroccans are warm and friendly people.  One thing they are very proud of is that they have had over 1,000 years of independence without being colonized.  France and Spain signed "protective papers" with the Kingdom of Morocco, but never ruled outright here. 











 
Now to answer some of your questions:  
Chase R, Morocco is a capitalist country based on supply and demand.  Agriculture, telecommunications, and tourism are big industries here.  
Sapphire Z. and Emma T, as far as pets they aren't that popular here.  Cats and dogs seem to be common more as strays than house pets...

Question of the Day:  The "Treaty of Peace and Friendship" between Morocco and the United States is the longest unbroken treaty in U.S. history.  What year was it signed?

Arrived In Morocco

After a long flight, I arrived safely in Morocco's capital city.  I was greeted by warm temperatures, palm trees, and sunny skies only to find it was snowing back home!   After checking into the hotel, several of the TCG teachers and I went for a walk.  Several things really struck me as interesting.  The first was that people wear all kinds of clothing.  Some dress like me, others in the more traditional Moroccan clothing including hijabs (head scarves) and/or loose fitting garments called djellaba.  I have seen Nike and Converse shoes, t-shirts, and jeans with holes in them that American teens seem to favor.  However, overall people dress more modestly than we do in America.  
Another thing that struck me was how affectionate people are with each other.  Women walk down the street arm-in-arm and men even hold hands in friendship here as it is considered a warm expression of affection between friends. I am thrilled to be here and can't wait to learnmore about this amazing country!


I hope my description above answered your questions about clothing Brooke K, Nina S, Kyla B, Kayleigh A, and Sada B.  I also hope I answered your questions about shoes Thomas M, Jordan W, and Nathaniel P. 

Nick S, to answer your question about Morocco's flag, see the picture above.  It is a red flag with a green star in the center.

To answer your question about architecture Landon F, it is a mixture of traditional and modern, African and Islamic.  Colorful tiles are also used here in intricate patterns.  

Question of the Day:  What is the Capital of Morocco?  (The first student to correctly answer the question and include his/her name will win a prize.  If someone has already answered correctly, please do not answer it again, but you may send me a comment about something else ).