September 25, 2010
Father’s Home Care Orphanage
One my last day in Ghana, I was signed up for a service trip to Father’s Home Care Orphanage. I really did not have a clue what I was doing, but I knew I wanted to do a service trip and I absolutely love African children. To my surprise, Father’s Home is a community for orphaned, abandoned and needy children from infancy to 18 years of age. However, because it is a home, those who have lived at Father’s home are always welcome back no matter what age they are. This particular blog has taken me the longest to think about because I really haven’t been able to think of words to describe this experience. I took a lot of photos and video while I was there, hoping that would capture my experience but I know you won’t be able to see that for a while. Father’s home is a home with “mothers” and “fathers” who take care of these abandoned children while they are at school until they have a job of their own. It is a grassroots organization that started when a local Ghanaian saw a child on the street crying under a piece of cardboard in the rain. When he asked the child why he was crying, the child replied that he couldn’t go home until he has some money so until he does, he has to sleep on the street. After this moment the man decided to make a place of safety and shelter for children similar to this one and provide them with the basic needs to live. Children are brought in by social services for a variety of reasons and as of now there are 28 children who live at the home. The home is composed of a few bedrooms some with three beds in a room, in order to accommodate all of the children, a kitchen, a dining room, a library, and a few bathrooms. The hardest thing for me was the lack of a play area for the children since they are all so athletic and love to play sports, especially football (soccer). The only outside area they have is the driveway and asphalt, no grass field. However, Father’s Home is building a new location that has a bunch of grass and more space for the children and it should be finished by next year.
We first started off by mingling with the children by drawing and coloring. Again, similar to the village, the kids were more intrigued by the cameras then they were by us. We colored, photographed, and talked for a while getting to know one another. They were all so great and they way the children interacted and treated one another was inspiring. Even though they were not related, they treated each other like true family, maybe even better. After meeting a few different kids (some who were even just a few years younger than me) I finally met Eunice. Eunice is a 16-year-old girl whose smile lights up an entire room. We started to talk and immediately bonded over our love to dance. I totally took her as any other 16-year-old girl and their love to dance, but Eunice she is different. This girl has a talent unlike any I have seen before. She can move her body in so many different ways it is absolutely insane! I cannot wait for you all to see my videos of her! It’s just wild. Some of the boys brought out their drums (yes they don’t use iPod speakers but instead traditional drums) and started to jam. Eunice was the first on the floor and it didn’t take long to convince me to start dancing. It was so much fun! After about 20 minutes of straight dancing we both had to run out into the rain to clean off all the sweat! But I wouldn’t take back one moment of that. It’s funny because although I would not consider myself to be shy by any means, I don’t necessarily always consider myself to be outgoing. When I was in Ghana, however, I never let a moment pass me by that I knew I would regret if I didn’t do it. If someone told me to dance, I danced. If I was told to try something, I tried it. I wanted to engulf everything at every moment and not let anything pass me by and I did. Being with such a range of kids that day really taught me a lot and how just a smile can mean the world to someone.
Leaving Father’s Home was not particularly easy. We all stood in a circle and the leader of the home said a few words to us. He told us that although we only came for a day and that many of us may not be back in the future, we made a difference to each of the children around us. Whether it was words of encouragement, your actions, a conversation you had, or even just giving them a smile and engaging with them, they will be affected because of it. It was truly amazing. Eunice and I exchanged addresses and she asked me to send her a post card from India, telling her all about it and I know I will. It was so great to meet all of these wonderful people who because of Father’s Home will have a better life and have a chance to succeed, which I know they will. Its so hard to leave, not knowing if you will ever see this person again, with the chances be really slim, and having a child who is 6 years old wondering why you have to say bye and why you are leaving. But it was all worth it. It is programs like Father’s Home, grassroots programs, that are going to transform these areas. When locals are involved and addressing their problems, it seems as if more is done because they know exactly what the issue is. Like I said, this was such an amazing experience and words can’t express my thoughts and feelings, but maybe you will get a little taste of this experience one day- I really hope you do.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Adjoa Poomah
September 24, 2010
Ghanaian Village Experience
My time at the village was a little different than what I was expecting. After such an authentic experience in Winneba, I assumed that for some reason the SAS trip to the village would be authentic as well. Instead there were about eighty of us students, which made the whole experience more of a tourist feel than realistic. Our drive up to the village was actually really great and we had an awesome tour guide named Yao accompany us to the village. He told us a lot about Ghana and the economy. Tourism is Ghana’s fourth main export with the mix of both tourism within the country and exporting items out for tourists to purchase elsewhere. We also learned that right now Ghana imports all of its oil and refines it in the country to be more cost effective. However, recently they have found an oil reserve off the coast and can drill/refine it themselves, hopefully boosting the country’s economy. Although Ghana is a poor nation similar to the rest of Africa, it is actually one of the more developing African nations. They are slowly growing and gaining the knowledge and proper resources to make the country prosper.
On the drive to the village, it was hard to ignore the poverty that surrounded you, but it also made you recognize the life that was around the areas. The village was off of a dirt road ten minutes away from the ‘main’ road that we had been on. It wasn’t necessarily in the middle of nowhere but there wasn’t really much around the area. When we arrived we were welcomed with a traditional welcoming ceremony with drumming and dancing from members of the local tribe. There were colors everywhere and each was so bright and lively. The dancers moved flawlessly but aggressive with fully of emotion at the same time. They were all barefoot on the bare ground, stomping and jumping around, but all you could see where the different emotions brought out by the dancing. We were then introduced to each of the tribal leaders before we were welcomed into their tribe. The main point of the village experience was to become a member of the tribe and given a traditional African name. Mine was Adjoa Poomah meaning born on a Monday, the firm one. It took awhile going through the people who were there and naming each and every one of them so we started to play with the children. It’s so funny how intrigued they are by the cameras and how much they love having their pictures taken or taking pictures themselves that we were all entertained until the ceremony was over. Afterwards, more dancing occurred but this time we were included and not only people from the tribe. Some of the women dancers were teaching us local dance moves and we were all soaking it in. It was then time for lunch, but instead of eating there in the village we were taking to a hotel. I was surprised by this since I assumed it was part of the village experience, but the locals there told us that we would not be able to handle the food they eat- our immune systems would not be able to process the food they eat there and instead we have to have it made special at a hotel. It, in the end, is kind of the same food, but made with clean food and water and in mass quantities for all of us. It's understandable since we are so used to eating in large quantities versus their smaller portions, but i do wish we would have had a completely authentic meal (minus the stomach pains that would have followed). Anyways, the food was delicious and I have a new obsession with plantains! :)
Ghanaian Village Experience
My time at the village was a little different than what I was expecting. After such an authentic experience in Winneba, I assumed that for some reason the SAS trip to the village would be authentic as well. Instead there were about eighty of us students, which made the whole experience more of a tourist feel than realistic. Our drive up to the village was actually really great and we had an awesome tour guide named Yao accompany us to the village. He told us a lot about Ghana and the economy. Tourism is Ghana’s fourth main export with the mix of both tourism within the country and exporting items out for tourists to purchase elsewhere. We also learned that right now Ghana imports all of its oil and refines it in the country to be more cost effective. However, recently they have found an oil reserve off the coast and can drill/refine it themselves, hopefully boosting the country’s economy. Although Ghana is a poor nation similar to the rest of Africa, it is actually one of the more developing African nations. They are slowly growing and gaining the knowledge and proper resources to make the country prosper.
On the drive to the village, it was hard to ignore the poverty that surrounded you, but it also made you recognize the life that was around the areas. The village was off of a dirt road ten minutes away from the ‘main’ road that we had been on. It wasn’t necessarily in the middle of nowhere but there wasn’t really much around the area. When we arrived we were welcomed with a traditional welcoming ceremony with drumming and dancing from members of the local tribe. There were colors everywhere and each was so bright and lively. The dancers moved flawlessly but aggressive with fully of emotion at the same time. They were all barefoot on the bare ground, stomping and jumping around, but all you could see where the different emotions brought out by the dancing. We were then introduced to each of the tribal leaders before we were welcomed into their tribe. The main point of the village experience was to become a member of the tribe and given a traditional African name. Mine was Adjoa Poomah meaning born on a Monday, the firm one. It took awhile going through the people who were there and naming each and every one of them so we started to play with the children. It’s so funny how intrigued they are by the cameras and how much they love having their pictures taken or taking pictures themselves that we were all entertained until the ceremony was over. Afterwards, more dancing occurred but this time we were included and not only people from the tribe. Some of the women dancers were teaching us local dance moves and we were all soaking it in. It was then time for lunch, but instead of eating there in the village we were taking to a hotel. I was surprised by this since I assumed it was part of the village experience, but the locals there told us that we would not be able to handle the food they eat- our immune systems would not be able to process the food they eat there and instead we have to have it made special at a hotel. It, in the end, is kind of the same food, but made with clean food and water and in mass quantities for all of us. It's understandable since we are so used to eating in large quantities versus their smaller portions, but i do wish we would have had a completely authentic meal (minus the stomach pains that would have followed). Anyways, the food was delicious and I have a new obsession with plantains! :)
Overnight to Winneba
September 23, 2010
Winneba Trip
9/22/10-9/23/10
I'm in love with it here. Yesterday I went on my trip to Winneba and was able to spend two days getting to know local Ghanaians. Winneba, like the majority of African towns, is engulfed in poverty, but is was a great place. There are shops everywhere that are full of color and life and then there are shacks upon shacks that are homes and shops combined. Yes I felt engulfed in poverty because I was, but at the same time all the people there are so wonderful and happy that it didn't seem all that bad. I know it was and I know they are lacking so many basic necessities but it was such a different experience that I don't even know how to explain it. I have two more days here in Ghana so maybe I can come up with words to describe this experience during those days, but for now (when I can post them) pictures might just have to suffice.
When we got to Winneba we were introduced to the city council and they were so excited to have us there. They did a traditional welcoming which was so interesting and different to anything I have experienced and we met some of the chief warriors of the town. Afterward, we went to the college. It was similar to a lecture hall (it reminded me of a presentation I went to at San Diego State) but instead the class was filled with Ghanaian students and we were the special guests. We talked about our relationship to Charlottesville (the sister city in VA to Winneba) and talked about Semester at Sea. We asked each other questions about the others education and so forth, and were trying to encourage them to participate on SAS because since they are sister cities and Charlottesville is where the University of VA is (who sponsors SAS) they want to get some Ghanaian students to participate on the program (obviously for way cheaper). After the formal Q & A we all just hung out for a bit and talked to the students. They were so interested about the Semester at Sea program and about us as individuals that it was a lot of fun talking to them and getting to know them as students and people my own age in such a different place.
We then went back to the hotel for dinner and it was delish! A lot of rice, potatoes, and plantains, but it was sooo yummy I ate everything they served me (which was a lot!) The hotel was interesting but I can't complain. It was really nice, but of course totally different than what were used to. I really like being engulfed in the culture and did not feel out of place at all (I mean other than being white) but I really feel like I could go back and stay for awhile and be so happy. Today when we woke up it was pouring rain. We had plans to meet the Chief Fisherman of the town but had to delay that for a bit and meet him at the "city hall" instead of the beach where he usually works. So we went to the court to see how local court systems work in Ghana. It was pretty cool and almost everything was in English, except for when the plaintiff or defendant spoke since they didn't speak English. The court systems is really similar to the court system in the US since it follows the Civil Law practice that was brought over by the English in Ghana. We completely lucked out though and it turned out that one of the cases happened to be a couple's wedding! We watched the short ceremony occur, took lots of pictures, and were on our way. We then went back to the city hall area to meet with the Chief Fisherman, learn about his title, and then focused on conflict resolution in the fishing business. All the men were in traditional cloth and did not speak English so our friend Joe Bani (who has been on the ship with us from Morocco to Ghana, who is actually from Winneba and came with us for the trip) was our translator. Our next stop was the elementary school to give the children a soccer ball we brought for them. It reminded me so much of Jamaica. The children were so great and were so excited that we were there. I got some great pictures and had such a blast playing with them. Some of the girls grabbed me and we started playing a game. Its so strange that even though they are speaking a different language I knew exactly what to do and what was going on. We played their version of Little Sally Walker ☺ Before I knew it, however, we had to leave. Our final stop was the local market where we met the market queen. About 20 other women accompanied her, interested in learning our reasons for coming. We talked for some time and then were given a few minutes to shop around and talk to some of the locals. I loved it.
I have been emailing Jake and talking to him about Africa (since he was in Uganda for about a month) and just listening to the advice he has been giving me. Something stood out to me though and I want to share it with you. "Africa is a most horrid place, in a certain scope, but the soul and beauty of the land and people still take my breath away." For the past three and a half years, I have never been able to understand Jake’s description of Africa and his time in Uganda. Of course I loved hearing about it and knowing what he felt, but as they say ‘going is knowing’ and I never really knew what he has meant throughout these years until I got here. I couldn't agree more to what he said and I get this perplexed feeling when I think of these two contradictory things. But I love it. I love the energy I have felt, I love the smiles I get when I walk by the people, I love these people who are living such a different lifestyle then anything I have seen, but the same lifestyle as the majority of this world. But there have been times (and all this again has only been in the past 2 days) when I have cringed at the smells around me, where I have felt uncomfortable for a moment when I get my camera to take pictures of people like they are zoo animals even though we were all friends the moment before, and when I was in a somewhat clean marketplace with colors and shops everywhere and then to the right of that are "homes" that aren't even fit for animals. The feelings here are intense, and I have already had to stop myself from crying. It was a mixture of everything, the sensory overload of me finally being in a place that I have dreamed of coming to for years now and the way it is all presented. And to know that I am finally here and seeing things that are so hard to even describe, all the feelings messed with me and I started to get really emotional. I'm so happy I am here and I cannot wait for the next two days. I am trying my best to soak it all in and engulf myself in this new environment and I know I will.
Winneba Trip
9/22/10-9/23/10
I'm in love with it here. Yesterday I went on my trip to Winneba and was able to spend two days getting to know local Ghanaians. Winneba, like the majority of African towns, is engulfed in poverty, but is was a great place. There are shops everywhere that are full of color and life and then there are shacks upon shacks that are homes and shops combined. Yes I felt engulfed in poverty because I was, but at the same time all the people there are so wonderful and happy that it didn't seem all that bad. I know it was and I know they are lacking so many basic necessities but it was such a different experience that I don't even know how to explain it. I have two more days here in Ghana so maybe I can come up with words to describe this experience during those days, but for now (when I can post them) pictures might just have to suffice.
When we got to Winneba we were introduced to the city council and they were so excited to have us there. They did a traditional welcoming which was so interesting and different to anything I have experienced and we met some of the chief warriors of the town. Afterward, we went to the college. It was similar to a lecture hall (it reminded me of a presentation I went to at San Diego State) but instead the class was filled with Ghanaian students and we were the special guests. We talked about our relationship to Charlottesville (the sister city in VA to Winneba) and talked about Semester at Sea. We asked each other questions about the others education and so forth, and were trying to encourage them to participate on SAS because since they are sister cities and Charlottesville is where the University of VA is (who sponsors SAS) they want to get some Ghanaian students to participate on the program (obviously for way cheaper). After the formal Q & A we all just hung out for a bit and talked to the students. They were so interested about the Semester at Sea program and about us as individuals that it was a lot of fun talking to them and getting to know them as students and people my own age in such a different place.
We then went back to the hotel for dinner and it was delish! A lot of rice, potatoes, and plantains, but it was sooo yummy I ate everything they served me (which was a lot!) The hotel was interesting but I can't complain. It was really nice, but of course totally different than what were used to. I really like being engulfed in the culture and did not feel out of place at all (I mean other than being white) but I really feel like I could go back and stay for awhile and be so happy. Today when we woke up it was pouring rain. We had plans to meet the Chief Fisherman of the town but had to delay that for a bit and meet him at the "city hall" instead of the beach where he usually works. So we went to the court to see how local court systems work in Ghana. It was pretty cool and almost everything was in English, except for when the plaintiff or defendant spoke since they didn't speak English. The court systems is really similar to the court system in the US since it follows the Civil Law practice that was brought over by the English in Ghana. We completely lucked out though and it turned out that one of the cases happened to be a couple's wedding! We watched the short ceremony occur, took lots of pictures, and were on our way. We then went back to the city hall area to meet with the Chief Fisherman, learn about his title, and then focused on conflict resolution in the fishing business. All the men were in traditional cloth and did not speak English so our friend Joe Bani (who has been on the ship with us from Morocco to Ghana, who is actually from Winneba and came with us for the trip) was our translator. Our next stop was the elementary school to give the children a soccer ball we brought for them. It reminded me so much of Jamaica. The children were so great and were so excited that we were there. I got some great pictures and had such a blast playing with them. Some of the girls grabbed me and we started playing a game. Its so strange that even though they are speaking a different language I knew exactly what to do and what was going on. We played their version of Little Sally Walker ☺ Before I knew it, however, we had to leave. Our final stop was the local market where we met the market queen. About 20 other women accompanied her, interested in learning our reasons for coming. We talked for some time and then were given a few minutes to shop around and talk to some of the locals. I loved it.
I have been emailing Jake and talking to him about Africa (since he was in Uganda for about a month) and just listening to the advice he has been giving me. Something stood out to me though and I want to share it with you. "Africa is a most horrid place, in a certain scope, but the soul and beauty of the land and people still take my breath away." For the past three and a half years, I have never been able to understand Jake’s description of Africa and his time in Uganda. Of course I loved hearing about it and knowing what he felt, but as they say ‘going is knowing’ and I never really knew what he has meant throughout these years until I got here. I couldn't agree more to what he said and I get this perplexed feeling when I think of these two contradictory things. But I love it. I love the energy I have felt, I love the smiles I get when I walk by the people, I love these people who are living such a different lifestyle then anything I have seen, but the same lifestyle as the majority of this world. But there have been times (and all this again has only been in the past 2 days) when I have cringed at the smells around me, where I have felt uncomfortable for a moment when I get my camera to take pictures of people like they are zoo animals even though we were all friends the moment before, and when I was in a somewhat clean marketplace with colors and shops everywhere and then to the right of that are "homes" that aren't even fit for animals. The feelings here are intense, and I have already had to stop myself from crying. It was a mixture of everything, the sensory overload of me finally being in a place that I have dreamed of coming to for years now and the way it is all presented. And to know that I am finally here and seeing things that are so hard to even describe, all the feelings messed with me and I started to get really emotional. I'm so happy I am here and I cannot wait for the next two days. I am trying my best to soak it all in and engulf myself in this new environment and I know I will.
Akwaaba!
September 22, 2010
Ghana- Day 1
I can’t believe I am finally in the Africa I have always wanted to be in. Although Morocco is in Africa it is so much different than what I have been looking forward too in an African experience. I woke up this morning, got breakfast and watched the ship get pulled in to port. I decided to start my morning by working out and doing some yoga before beginning my day. The air was much cleaner than Morocco and the sun was starting to shine through the clouds. I had to meet at 10am for Professor Toscano’s FDP (faculty directed practica) to Winneba. For this particular FDP, we would be going to Winneba, Ghana, the sister city to Charlottesville, Virginia (where the University of Virginia is located). We waited on the ship for a few delegates from Winneba to come join us for lunch and a tour of the MV Explorer. Most of the people who came worked for the municipal system of Winneba or were chiefs of tribes there. After lunch it was time to go. The drive was supposed to take about 90 minutes, but because there really is only one main road with a lot of people who want to drive on it, it took about 4 hours. The sites were insane, with the landscape changing every so often. There were markets left and right, then villages, then grass and trees and then it would repeat. The village/market scene was of course unlike anything I have seen before with so many colors and women and children walking around carrying everything on their heads. There were people everywhere and goats randomly roaming the streets- it was beautiful, but such a different beauty than one is used to. At times it felt familiar to me, like I was in Jamaica again, so I didn’t feel so out of place. After our drive we finally arrived in Winneba. I already love it here and it really hasn’t even started; can’t wait to see what the rest of the trip will hold.
Ghana- Day 1
I can’t believe I am finally in the Africa I have always wanted to be in. Although Morocco is in Africa it is so much different than what I have been looking forward too in an African experience. I woke up this morning, got breakfast and watched the ship get pulled in to port. I decided to start my morning by working out and doing some yoga before beginning my day. The air was much cleaner than Morocco and the sun was starting to shine through the clouds. I had to meet at 10am for Professor Toscano’s FDP (faculty directed practica) to Winneba. For this particular FDP, we would be going to Winneba, Ghana, the sister city to Charlottesville, Virginia (where the University of Virginia is located). We waited on the ship for a few delegates from Winneba to come join us for lunch and a tour of the MV Explorer. Most of the people who came worked for the municipal system of Winneba or were chiefs of tribes there. After lunch it was time to go. The drive was supposed to take about 90 minutes, but because there really is only one main road with a lot of people who want to drive on it, it took about 4 hours. The sites were insane, with the landscape changing every so often. There were markets left and right, then villages, then grass and trees and then it would repeat. The village/market scene was of course unlike anything I have seen before with so many colors and women and children walking around carrying everything on their heads. There were people everywhere and goats randomly roaming the streets- it was beautiful, but such a different beauty than one is used to. At times it felt familiar to me, like I was in Jamaica again, so I didn’t feel so out of place. After our drive we finally arrived in Winneba. I already love it here and it really hasn’t even started; can’t wait to see what the rest of the trip will hold.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Au revoir Maroc
September 13th- September 14th 2010
Our Last Days in Morocco
Day 4
When we got back from Marrakech we decided to take a formal tour of the inside of the Mosque Hassan. They had tours in every language and we were so lucky to find out that there was an English one available when we got there. We had to take our shoes off before going in, but the inside of the Mosque was absolutely beautiful. The religion professor on SAS happened to be in our group and had gone to Marrakech with us so her and I had bonded for a bit and kept asking the guide questions about the mosque and the Muslim religion as a whole. We learned about the separation of men and women within the mosque and how different areas are allowed for different sexes. I also learned that in Morocco women have choices on how they want to cover up (either just covering their head or their entire face). Our guide considered Morocco a liberal Muslim state where women are given more options and liberties, which I found interesting because I felt as if they were still pretty suppressed by the men. After the tour I decided to go back to the ship. I still wasn’t feeling to great and wanted to rest as much as I could.
Day 5
On our last day in Morocco I went to go shopping in the morning but unfortunately nothing was open or I had bad luck finding a place to go. Since it was our last day in Morocco I wanted to shop for more souvenirs, but I did not really have the option. I met up with some other people and we decided to go to the infamous Rick’s Café from the movie Casablanca. This restaurant was only recently put in because of the movie and did not even really serve Moroccan food, but it was fun to go to. After lunch I saw a small souvenir shop that was open as was able to buy a few more things (I was most excited for my teacups to match my teapot!)
Our Last Days in Morocco
Day 4
When we got back from Marrakech we decided to take a formal tour of the inside of the Mosque Hassan. They had tours in every language and we were so lucky to find out that there was an English one available when we got there. We had to take our shoes off before going in, but the inside of the Mosque was absolutely beautiful. The religion professor on SAS happened to be in our group and had gone to Marrakech with us so her and I had bonded for a bit and kept asking the guide questions about the mosque and the Muslim religion as a whole. We learned about the separation of men and women within the mosque and how different areas are allowed for different sexes. I also learned that in Morocco women have choices on how they want to cover up (either just covering their head or their entire face). Our guide considered Morocco a liberal Muslim state where women are given more options and liberties, which I found interesting because I felt as if they were still pretty suppressed by the men. After the tour I decided to go back to the ship. I still wasn’t feeling to great and wanted to rest as much as I could.
Day 5
On our last day in Morocco I went to go shopping in the morning but unfortunately nothing was open or I had bad luck finding a place to go. Since it was our last day in Morocco I wanted to shop for more souvenirs, but I did not really have the option. I met up with some other people and we decided to go to the infamous Rick’s Café from the movie Casablanca. This restaurant was only recently put in because of the movie and did not even really serve Moroccan food, but it was fun to go to. After lunch I saw a small souvenir shop that was open as was able to buy a few more things (I was most excited for my teacups to match my teapot!)
Marrakech- Camels and Delicious Food
September 11th- 13th
Marrakech, Morocco- On the morning of September 11th, we all met for our Semester at Sea Marrakech and Camel Riding in Palm Groves adventure. I do not know exactly how everyone around me was feeling but I was a bit nervous. The news isn’t exactly the easiest thing to get while you are at sea. Sure we have a few sites that are free for us to use, but to get them to load, not shut off, and see everything can be quite the task. When I had my cell phone I was able to have my news forwarded to read in the mornings, but without that I’m basically unaware of many US and global events. The day before we left for Marrakech (the morning we arrived and had our logistical pre-port meeting) the Executive Dean of SAS warned us about the Priest(?) in Florida who was planning on having a demonstration on 9/11, burning Qurans. Because we would be in Morocco, a predominately Muslim nation who are not very fond of United States citizens, they told us to be careful. This made me a bit nervous. Sure I am culturally sensitive and did not think the Moroccans would do anything to act out against us, but I was still a bit nervous. It was really frustrating to hear this news and to know that a religious figure would consider this action, especially when we were in a Muslim nation ourselves. Needless to say we were fine and only experienced ‘regular’ actions and behavior by the locals towards Americans. (I didn’t experience it myself but I guess some girls were spit on, people were chased out of shops, and some verbally attacked.) Fortunately, I had a positive experience in Morocco, but I will come back to that later.
Anyways, we all met up at 8 in the morning reading for our adventure to Marrakech. The bus ride took a few hours, but about halfway there we stopped at a little café called Oasis for pastries and orange juice. For some reason Morocco has some of the best orange juice I have ever tasted. It is fresh squeezed but very unique compared to the fresh squeezed at home. If you ever get a chance to go to Morocco I highly recommend you try it, just don’t forget to not have ice! The weather was quite hot, but I was still comfortable. It was strange how warm it would get throughout the day and even though I would be sweaty, the heat never made me really uncomfortable. When we started to get closer to Marrakech, the view outside of the bus was hard to ignore. There were a lot of sandy colors (mostly browns, reds, and oranges come to mind when I think of Morocco), but there were some palm trees (could have most likely been planted more recently since they did not seem to be part of the natural habitat or ecosystem). Before we knew it, there were camels randomly sitting on the side of the rode in the dirt, just waiting around. Many of them did have people with them, as if they were preparing for tourists to come ride them. I wondered if any locals would come ride the camels, but I am almost positive they were just for show. When we got to the camel trek site the other busload of students had taken all of the camels. To our surprise our bus was preparing to ride either dune buggies or 4-wheelers through the desert/palm groves! Kelly and I decided to team up together and I would lead us through the path. After that particular adventure I had probably half an inch of dirt all over my body! It was pretty crazy. We ended at our lunch spot which I don’t even know what it really was. It seemed to have been an old small village/house thing that was all outdoors except for two rooms. One of the rooms is where we ate lunch. It fit about 80 of us with cushions all over the ground and small tables set up randomly for the communal dishes.
This particular Moroccan meal almost perfectly reflected the Mediterranean diet with lots of grains, veggies, nuts, and olives. The food came out in stages. First we had hot mint tea poured out of the teapot in front of you. I later learned that some people show their respect for you by how high they pour the tea for you. I kind of really wish I had known before so I could see what my respect level was ☺ Even though it was extremely hot outside and we had all been sweating, the tea was still so delicious and we could not stop drinking it. Next we had fresh made bread with a ‘Moroccan Salad.’ The fresh made bread was always delicious (like all the Moroccan food I ate). When I go out to dinner back at home in the US, I can usually say no to the bread they bring, however, in Morocco I could not turn it down. You could actually taste how fresh it was and it tasted so different to the bread from home. The salad was a big bowl with five different sections of food inside. There were carrots, beets, green peppers, potatoes, and cucumbers. These vegetables were so fresh and tasted so different then the vegetables from home. Probably because they are actually fresh and not grown with chemicals like some vegetables are in the United States. The spices and herbs that the locals use to prepare their food also gave it so much more flavor then we are used to. Next part was the main dish. The chef’s had prepared large bowls of couscous for each table with garbanzo beans, carrots, caramelized onions, some other vegetables, sweetened raisins, and chicken. This is where the Moroccan meal became unlike anything I have ever experienced. I could have eaten this dish with no problem, picking out the pieces of chicken inside of this large dish, but that isn’t what they wanted me to do. Instead, the cooks had prepared the exact same meal for me in what they may have considered to be a smaller bowl (still giving me enough food for like five people). It was absolutely delicious. The variety of flavors was unreal. Of course I kept eating when I was completely stuffed because the food was so good! Finally the main dish was cleared, but then a plate of fruit was served as something sweet to eat after the big dish. It was then time for dancing! We danced to traditional Moroccan music that the men played out on the patio area of the village. While everyone danced and played, tea was again served in order to help our bodies digest the delicious Mediterranean meal. Last, but not least, a peanut butter tasting cookie was passed around with the tea for one last bit of sweetness before we were off. Needless to say the entire meal was made to perfection. Obviously I am obsessed with food but I had to give you a description of actually how good it was! I am definitely having Moroccan food nights at my house next year and all are welcome!
While we were leaving our lunch experience, the locals began to wrap our heads up in turbans for camel riding. Riding my camel was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. It was so strange and unreal, but I totally loved every moment of it. It is really hard to believe though that people use camels to cross long distances in the desert. Experiencing that feeling for just forty-five minutes was long enough and to know that people actually do that for days is mind-boggling and probably really uncomfortable. We came back to the hotel afterwards and were able to nap for a bit before getting dinner. Dinner was free at the hotel so we enjoyed the Moroccan buffet and again had delicious food. Our tour guide had informed us of this festival that was occurring that night for the end of Ramadan and so a large majority of us decided to go. I have no idea how to explain it but it was like a Moroccan Renaissance Fair with buildings that looked like palaces, tents covering dining spaces, camels walking in an arena sort of place, belly dancers, horse acrobats, fireworks, and even a magic carpet. Words can’t even really do justice in explaining that festival. It was so different and strange but really fun at the same time.
The next day we toured Marrakech. We went to the mosques, olive gardens, an old palace sort of place, until we ended up at the markets for lunch. After we ate we went to a Moroccan herbal pharmacy where I was blown away by all the herbal remedies. Needless to say I spent wayyyyy too much money there but I couldn’t help myself. We later went to the market, the medina, and the souks where I was able to use my great bargaining skills. I bought a few things there and I enjoyed spending time in the souks. Many of the people I was with did not like it in there and left because they felt violated for being pressured to shop. It did not bother me and I just went about my business talking my way through things. Not only were their clothing, craft, and jewelry shops, but there was food such as fresh(?) hanging livestock, spices, and almost any type of food you could imagine. Plus there were men with snakes and monkey’s trying to get tourists to take pictures with them and then charging them for the picture. Oh and apparently one of the ladies who works on the ship was bit by one of the monkeys! Creepy, right? Overall I really enjoyed the whole shopping experience and wish I had more money to keep shopping, but I had left it on the ship and it was time to go. We had dinner again at the hotel and later enjoyed the Moroccan hookahs on the roof deck of the hotel.
In the morning we left Marrakech and went back to Casablanca. I did enjoy my time in Marrakech, but I wished I could have seen Fez as well. I wasn’t feeling well (still sick with a cold) so instead of booking a train ride to Fez or staying in Marrakech, I decided to go back with SAS. Marrakech was a cool place; the only problem I found with it was that it was a bit on the touristy side. I felt like almost everything was created for tourists, but at the same time although it seems to have been that way, a lot of it was actually just how they lived. The market wasn’t created for us, but instead something that has been a part of their culture for years. It just seemed to be made for tourists since there were so many in that particular area. I enjoyed my time in Marrakech and Morocco in general and know it is a place I would like to visit again in the future.
Marrakech, Morocco- On the morning of September 11th, we all met for our Semester at Sea Marrakech and Camel Riding in Palm Groves adventure. I do not know exactly how everyone around me was feeling but I was a bit nervous. The news isn’t exactly the easiest thing to get while you are at sea. Sure we have a few sites that are free for us to use, but to get them to load, not shut off, and see everything can be quite the task. When I had my cell phone I was able to have my news forwarded to read in the mornings, but without that I’m basically unaware of many US and global events. The day before we left for Marrakech (the morning we arrived and had our logistical pre-port meeting) the Executive Dean of SAS warned us about the Priest(?) in Florida who was planning on having a demonstration on 9/11, burning Qurans. Because we would be in Morocco, a predominately Muslim nation who are not very fond of United States citizens, they told us to be careful. This made me a bit nervous. Sure I am culturally sensitive and did not think the Moroccans would do anything to act out against us, but I was still a bit nervous. It was really frustrating to hear this news and to know that a religious figure would consider this action, especially when we were in a Muslim nation ourselves. Needless to say we were fine and only experienced ‘regular’ actions and behavior by the locals towards Americans. (I didn’t experience it myself but I guess some girls were spit on, people were chased out of shops, and some verbally attacked.) Fortunately, I had a positive experience in Morocco, but I will come back to that later.
Anyways, we all met up at 8 in the morning reading for our adventure to Marrakech. The bus ride took a few hours, but about halfway there we stopped at a little café called Oasis for pastries and orange juice. For some reason Morocco has some of the best orange juice I have ever tasted. It is fresh squeezed but very unique compared to the fresh squeezed at home. If you ever get a chance to go to Morocco I highly recommend you try it, just don’t forget to not have ice! The weather was quite hot, but I was still comfortable. It was strange how warm it would get throughout the day and even though I would be sweaty, the heat never made me really uncomfortable. When we started to get closer to Marrakech, the view outside of the bus was hard to ignore. There were a lot of sandy colors (mostly browns, reds, and oranges come to mind when I think of Morocco), but there were some palm trees (could have most likely been planted more recently since they did not seem to be part of the natural habitat or ecosystem). Before we knew it, there were camels randomly sitting on the side of the rode in the dirt, just waiting around. Many of them did have people with them, as if they were preparing for tourists to come ride them. I wondered if any locals would come ride the camels, but I am almost positive they were just for show. When we got to the camel trek site the other busload of students had taken all of the camels. To our surprise our bus was preparing to ride either dune buggies or 4-wheelers through the desert/palm groves! Kelly and I decided to team up together and I would lead us through the path. After that particular adventure I had probably half an inch of dirt all over my body! It was pretty crazy. We ended at our lunch spot which I don’t even know what it really was. It seemed to have been an old small village/house thing that was all outdoors except for two rooms. One of the rooms is where we ate lunch. It fit about 80 of us with cushions all over the ground and small tables set up randomly for the communal dishes.
This particular Moroccan meal almost perfectly reflected the Mediterranean diet with lots of grains, veggies, nuts, and olives. The food came out in stages. First we had hot mint tea poured out of the teapot in front of you. I later learned that some people show their respect for you by how high they pour the tea for you. I kind of really wish I had known before so I could see what my respect level was ☺ Even though it was extremely hot outside and we had all been sweating, the tea was still so delicious and we could not stop drinking it. Next we had fresh made bread with a ‘Moroccan Salad.’ The fresh made bread was always delicious (like all the Moroccan food I ate). When I go out to dinner back at home in the US, I can usually say no to the bread they bring, however, in Morocco I could not turn it down. You could actually taste how fresh it was and it tasted so different to the bread from home. The salad was a big bowl with five different sections of food inside. There were carrots, beets, green peppers, potatoes, and cucumbers. These vegetables were so fresh and tasted so different then the vegetables from home. Probably because they are actually fresh and not grown with chemicals like some vegetables are in the United States. The spices and herbs that the locals use to prepare their food also gave it so much more flavor then we are used to. Next part was the main dish. The chef’s had prepared large bowls of couscous for each table with garbanzo beans, carrots, caramelized onions, some other vegetables, sweetened raisins, and chicken. This is where the Moroccan meal became unlike anything I have ever experienced. I could have eaten this dish with no problem, picking out the pieces of chicken inside of this large dish, but that isn’t what they wanted me to do. Instead, the cooks had prepared the exact same meal for me in what they may have considered to be a smaller bowl (still giving me enough food for like five people). It was absolutely delicious. The variety of flavors was unreal. Of course I kept eating when I was completely stuffed because the food was so good! Finally the main dish was cleared, but then a plate of fruit was served as something sweet to eat after the big dish. It was then time for dancing! We danced to traditional Moroccan music that the men played out on the patio area of the village. While everyone danced and played, tea was again served in order to help our bodies digest the delicious Mediterranean meal. Last, but not least, a peanut butter tasting cookie was passed around with the tea for one last bit of sweetness before we were off. Needless to say the entire meal was made to perfection. Obviously I am obsessed with food but I had to give you a description of actually how good it was! I am definitely having Moroccan food nights at my house next year and all are welcome!
While we were leaving our lunch experience, the locals began to wrap our heads up in turbans for camel riding. Riding my camel was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. It was so strange and unreal, but I totally loved every moment of it. It is really hard to believe though that people use camels to cross long distances in the desert. Experiencing that feeling for just forty-five minutes was long enough and to know that people actually do that for days is mind-boggling and probably really uncomfortable. We came back to the hotel afterwards and were able to nap for a bit before getting dinner. Dinner was free at the hotel so we enjoyed the Moroccan buffet and again had delicious food. Our tour guide had informed us of this festival that was occurring that night for the end of Ramadan and so a large majority of us decided to go. I have no idea how to explain it but it was like a Moroccan Renaissance Fair with buildings that looked like palaces, tents covering dining spaces, camels walking in an arena sort of place, belly dancers, horse acrobats, fireworks, and even a magic carpet. Words can’t even really do justice in explaining that festival. It was so different and strange but really fun at the same time.
The next day we toured Marrakech. We went to the mosques, olive gardens, an old palace sort of place, until we ended up at the markets for lunch. After we ate we went to a Moroccan herbal pharmacy where I was blown away by all the herbal remedies. Needless to say I spent wayyyyy too much money there but I couldn’t help myself. We later went to the market, the medina, and the souks where I was able to use my great bargaining skills. I bought a few things there and I enjoyed spending time in the souks. Many of the people I was with did not like it in there and left because they felt violated for being pressured to shop. It did not bother me and I just went about my business talking my way through things. Not only were their clothing, craft, and jewelry shops, but there was food such as fresh(?) hanging livestock, spices, and almost any type of food you could imagine. Plus there were men with snakes and monkey’s trying to get tourists to take pictures with them and then charging them for the picture. Oh and apparently one of the ladies who works on the ship was bit by one of the monkeys! Creepy, right? Overall I really enjoyed the whole shopping experience and wish I had more money to keep shopping, but I had left it on the ship and it was time to go. We had dinner again at the hotel and later enjoyed the Moroccan hookahs on the roof deck of the hotel.
In the morning we left Marrakech and went back to Casablanca. I did enjoy my time in Marrakech, but I wished I could have seen Fez as well. I wasn’t feeling well (still sick with a cold) so instead of booking a train ride to Fez or staying in Marrakech, I decided to go back with SAS. Marrakech was a cool place; the only problem I found with it was that it was a bit on the touristy side. I felt like almost everything was created for tourists, but at the same time although it seems to have been that way, a lot of it was actually just how they lived. The market wasn’t created for us, but instead something that has been a part of their culture for years. It just seemed to be made for tourists since there were so many in that particular area. I enjoyed my time in Marrakech and Morocco in general and know it is a place I would like to visit again in the future.
Salam Wa Aleikum!
Casablanca, Morocco
September 10, 2010
Sorry to be so behind on all of my blogs! Spain and Morocco were literally back-to-back so it was really difficult to keep up with everything on top of being super busy with school when I am on the ship. Overall, I really enjoyed Morocco, or as they say Maroc. It was a very interesting place unlike anything I have experienced (I have a feeling I am going to be saying that about all the places we are going). We were prepared to not be liked but the locals, for only 16% of the Moroccan population actually has a favored view of the United States, so I caught myself saying I was from either England or Canada a lot. The people were nice I thought, but not ridiculously over the top nice, but they were very hospitable. Of course it depends on each individual, but I personally did not have a bad experience while I was there. The only thing I would have changed was being with such a big group of Semester at Sea students. It brought almost too much attention and not a lot of the locals liked it. I would, however, love to come back to Morocco with my family, particularly Beth and Levin, and see Morocco through their eyes.
The strangest thing about Morocco was that almost nothing (except restaurants) had a set price. You basically had to bargain your way through everything. From taxi rides to shopping, there was not a set price and you could almost always guarantee that half of the price they start with is even too much. It is frustrating that they will try to rip you off the whole time, but it is already so much cheaper than anything we would pay for back at home that you start to feel bad for complaining. It was really difficult to shop or even get around at times because I don’t speak either French or Arabic, and although a majority does speak English, they do not if they don’t want to. I felt really bad and in a way disrespectful since I can only speak English and Spanish. I couldn’t even communicate a little in their languages but now I am more eager to learn other languages so that can be prevented in the future.
We arrived in Casablanca at 10 o’clock in the morning, ready to enjoy the day. I grabbed my green scarf, wrapped my shoulders and head, and viola my homemade burka ( I cannot think of the name of one only made for your head so burka will suffice for now) was ready ☺ We first decided to go to the Mosque in the town, Mosque Hasssan II, which is in a competition for the second tallest minaret in the world (second to Mecca and in competition to the Abu Dhabi mosque). There were so many people there since it was the last day of Ramadan. We marveled at the French architecture of this beautiful building and listened as the call to prayer was being sounded. Our next stop was the medina, which is basically the shopping center of a town in Morocco. It is like a marketplace with anything you can think of available to buy. It is all outside but the shops get so close together that at times you feel enclosed. Earlier that day during the SAS logistical presentation of Morocco we had a special presentation of photography in Morocco (and possibly the rest of the world). Unlike the United States where photos can be taken of anyone at anytime, in Morocco, you must ask for permission to take a photo for they see it as taking away their soul when you snap a shot. This became a lot more noticeable in the medina. There were some crazy sights there and any time I wanted to take a picture the looks I received from the locals told me it was not worth it. There were people everywhere, kids of the ground, adults too begging for money, fresh livestock just chopped up and ready to be sold, and stores after stores selling a wide variety of things. The smells were strong and changing up every so often. There were definitely some times that I did not think I could handle the smell anymore, but weirdly enough you start to get used to it. It was quite a scene as we got deeper and deeper in the medina. We lost track of direction, unsure of where we had ended up, but luckily (well luckily can be debatable here, since I would totally have rather been with 2 other people) there were ten of us so we were safe. I didn’t buy much that day, just a beach towel for necessary purposes, but instead I just soaked everything in.
We then went to dinner at a restaurant called La Fleur and it was packed with locals inside and out. I did notice the immense amount of men compared to women at these restaurants but that was more so during the day then at night. The food was absolutely delicious and I have a new obsession with Moroccan food, especially couscous. That was basically our day in Casablanca- chaotic, but extremely interesting and worthwhile.
September 10, 2010
Sorry to be so behind on all of my blogs! Spain and Morocco were literally back-to-back so it was really difficult to keep up with everything on top of being super busy with school when I am on the ship. Overall, I really enjoyed Morocco, or as they say Maroc. It was a very interesting place unlike anything I have experienced (I have a feeling I am going to be saying that about all the places we are going). We were prepared to not be liked but the locals, for only 16% of the Moroccan population actually has a favored view of the United States, so I caught myself saying I was from either England or Canada a lot. The people were nice I thought, but not ridiculously over the top nice, but they were very hospitable. Of course it depends on each individual, but I personally did not have a bad experience while I was there. The only thing I would have changed was being with such a big group of Semester at Sea students. It brought almost too much attention and not a lot of the locals liked it. I would, however, love to come back to Morocco with my family, particularly Beth and Levin, and see Morocco through their eyes.
The strangest thing about Morocco was that almost nothing (except restaurants) had a set price. You basically had to bargain your way through everything. From taxi rides to shopping, there was not a set price and you could almost always guarantee that half of the price they start with is even too much. It is frustrating that they will try to rip you off the whole time, but it is already so much cheaper than anything we would pay for back at home that you start to feel bad for complaining. It was really difficult to shop or even get around at times because I don’t speak either French or Arabic, and although a majority does speak English, they do not if they don’t want to. I felt really bad and in a way disrespectful since I can only speak English and Spanish. I couldn’t even communicate a little in their languages but now I am more eager to learn other languages so that can be prevented in the future.
We arrived in Casablanca at 10 o’clock in the morning, ready to enjoy the day. I grabbed my green scarf, wrapped my shoulders and head, and viola my homemade burka ( I cannot think of the name of one only made for your head so burka will suffice for now) was ready ☺ We first decided to go to the Mosque in the town, Mosque Hasssan II, which is in a competition for the second tallest minaret in the world (second to Mecca and in competition to the Abu Dhabi mosque). There were so many people there since it was the last day of Ramadan. We marveled at the French architecture of this beautiful building and listened as the call to prayer was being sounded. Our next stop was the medina, which is basically the shopping center of a town in Morocco. It is like a marketplace with anything you can think of available to buy. It is all outside but the shops get so close together that at times you feel enclosed. Earlier that day during the SAS logistical presentation of Morocco we had a special presentation of photography in Morocco (and possibly the rest of the world). Unlike the United States where photos can be taken of anyone at anytime, in Morocco, you must ask for permission to take a photo for they see it as taking away their soul when you snap a shot. This became a lot more noticeable in the medina. There were some crazy sights there and any time I wanted to take a picture the looks I received from the locals told me it was not worth it. There were people everywhere, kids of the ground, adults too begging for money, fresh livestock just chopped up and ready to be sold, and stores after stores selling a wide variety of things. The smells were strong and changing up every so often. There were definitely some times that I did not think I could handle the smell anymore, but weirdly enough you start to get used to it. It was quite a scene as we got deeper and deeper in the medina. We lost track of direction, unsure of where we had ended up, but luckily (well luckily can be debatable here, since I would totally have rather been with 2 other people) there were ten of us so we were safe. I didn’t buy much that day, just a beach towel for necessary purposes, but instead I just soaked everything in.
We then went to dinner at a restaurant called La Fleur and it was packed with locals inside and out. I did notice the immense amount of men compared to women at these restaurants but that was more so during the day then at night. The food was absolutely delicious and I have a new obsession with Moroccan food, especially couscous. That was basically our day in Casablanca- chaotic, but extremely interesting and worthwhile.
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