Here are some pictures from my adventures here in Fes, Morocco:

The Tannery in Fes draws crowds all day to watch workers soften, treat, and dye leather as they have been doing for centuries. They used to use natural dyes, but more recently have switched to harmful and perhaps toxic chemicals. Some men wade waste-deep in the vats without proper protection and I wonder about their health. Also, it smells pretty horrible. The leather is soaked in pigeon dung to soften it. It just smells like dead animals. I recommend bringing some mint to smell during the tour!

Don't fall in!

The ruins on the hill that sits above the medina. 

The view of Fes from the ruins. 

The gardens in Dar Bat Ha, Fes

The reflection of Madrasa Ben Inounia in its ablutions pool

All for now!

Love,

Michelle

Adventuring

Earlier this week, Kevin arrived in Fes! Since I was pretty busy most of the week with school, we decided to plan a weekend away from Fes to explore and relax. Of all the cities in Morocco, we chose Meknes and Ifrane to visit as they are both close to Fes thus minimizing travel time and costs.

We woke up Saturday and had breakfast with some friends in the medina (city center) at a wonderful place called café clock. Then we took a taxi to the train station to catch a train to Meknes. It was interesting to me that the train system in Morocco is ONCF, the french rail company. The train station in Fes is gorgeous!

It was 20 dh for the train to Meknes, about a 30 minute ride from Fes. We were rolling along and just as I was falling asleep against the window I heard a loud CRACK and saw that one of the windows in the train had been hit by a rock and shattered! Meknes was interesting. Many people told me before I left that Meknes "is just like Fes, but smaller with fewer tourists". I agree that it was smaller and there were far fewer tourists than in Fes, but it was nothing like Fes! The windy stone streets of the Fassi medina are a world away from the makeshift tent souks of Meknes. Kevin and I explored the souk in Meknes and were not hassled as tourists, or asked to come into anyone's shop! I bought a pair of simple black sneakers as close toed shoes are a must in the medina. I also found a set of magnetic arabic letters that I couldn't pass up! 

Kevin and I stayed at a Riad in Meknes. Riad's are traditional moroccan homes centered around a courtyard, many of which have recently been turned into guesthouses. Ours was clearly built recently to be a hotel, but it was absolutely gorgeous. The people at the front desk gave us a nice price for the room, as the original price was a little over our budget. Here is our room!

Since we splurged a little bit on our lodging arrangements, we went out looking for a cheap eat for dinner. We looked at the menu of one place but it was too expensive. As we walked out of the restaurant, the manager asked where I was going. I talked to him in arabic about how I am a student in Fes and it was a little too expensive for us. He asked our price range, and I said I wanted to pay 10 dh for dinner (about $1.20) and he smiled and told us he would feed us for 10 dh! We were treated so kindly just because I was a student of arabic, trying to learn their language! Kevin and I dined on the rooftop terrace overlooking the main square in Meknes, eating to our hearts content. 

The next day, we visited the sites of Meknes which basically means anything to do with Moulay Ismail, a one time ruler of Morocco who had 800 children and 350 wives! We visited his tomb, one of the few religious sites that non-Muslims can enter. The tomb was so beautiful! Then we visited an area of the royal palace which included the giant granary which once held 12,000 horses and all the food for the city. Next to the granary is the large reservoir that was build to irrigate the royal gardens. 

After we had had enough of Meknes, we walked to the taxi rank to head towards Ifrane. There are two kinds of taxis in Morocco: Petite taxis and grand taxis. The petite taxis are smaller, only holding 3 passengers, and only travel within city limits. Each city has their own color taxi. Fes is red, Meknes was blue and Ifrane was green. Grand taxis are old mercedes, and hold 6 passengers. 4 people in the back and 3 in front including the driver. This makes for quite a squishy ride. No seat belts. No wiggle room. Quite the experience. We whizzed along towards Ifrane as the driver blasted moroccan tunes. 

We arrived safely in Ifrane. For the first good while, Kevin and I stumbled around the city looking confused, as Ifrane is like no other Moroccan city. It can be compared to a Swiss town in the mountains. It was set up the the French as a skiing resort town, and it just stuck I guess. We stayed at the Grand Hotel in Ifrane which looks like a mountain resort hotel. Kind of expensive, but there were not many other options in Ifrane. There is only really a university there, and the king has his winter palace there too. I don't blame him! Its so beautiful! The streets are so clean, there were actually trash cans for once! People didn't hassle us either, some looked at us curiously wondering why two young americans would be wandering around Ifrane. 

Today we went on a hike through the juniper and ceder forests right outside Ifrane near a town called Ras El Ma. It was serene. The only noises were the birds chirping and our feet against the gravelly ground. Once in the forest, we noticed a boy our age following us on his bike. Everywhere we walked, he would follow us. At one point, Kevin picked up a rock just in case something happened. There was no one for miles, just us three in this forest! Luckily we walked back out of the forest into the river valley and he stopped following us. How strange! 

We saw patches of snow, giant trees (with moss!!!), and wildflowers! The area is known for a monkey species, but we saw no monkeys. Oh well! I got a slight forehead sunburn typical of long hikes in high altitude places, but it is absolutely worth that hike. Each breath I took was full of wonderful forest smells that I didnt realize I missed so much after city life in Morocco. The place reminded me a lot of Pinecrest, CA where the air so clean. Kevin and I made a pact to spend more time up at Pinecrest once we make it back to the U.S. 

Now I am back in Fes and preparing for a tough week at school! That's life I guess! It has been so great having Kevin around to explore Morocco with. This weekend was exactly what I needed, getting out of the city and into the countryside!

Till next time,

Michelle

A new month, new beginnings

Looking out my window on our bus as we arrived in Fes, I could tell that this would be an entirely different world from Marrakech. The green rolling hills abundant with trees and cleaner air called us further into the ancient medina of Fes. The first night was rough. I was placed in a homestay full of kind and generous people but it was not exactly safe. I was moved the next day to the house next to my institute. Basically I live in a Moroccan mansion (pictures to come). It is a riad style home with beautiful blue and white tile work, and all of the windows are framed with intricate plaster and wood carvings. The cat is well fed and the rooster, despite only having one foot, looks content. 

I am sharing a room with Alexa, another girl on my trip. Our room is the last floor of the house up 5 or 6 flights of trecherous stairs. Its a work out for sure! One flight up from our room is the roof terrace with beautiful views of the city and the possibility of hopping to school from roof to roof. All of the students are located very close to the center, I imagine we could make aluminum can telephones to talk and make plans. 

My host family is composed of Mama, Baba, a 19 year old girl Hesna, and a 12 year old boy Hamza. Mama is quite the character. She is always worried about something, whether its pickpockets stealing our brick sized cell phones or us not eating enough at dinner. I am so grateful to her for agreeing to host a second student in her home. She is a great cook, although she has a maid that helps with that. I am interested to see how the maid, an older, wise looking woman, fits in the family unit. 

Today we had our first Gender in Moroccan Society class taught by Fatima Sadiqi, a famous moroccan feminist and linguist. She is incredibly intelligent. I can tell I will learn a lot from this woman. 

We are continuing with moroccan arabic classes for one hour a day, four times a week, and will have every monday as a free day. That means 3 day weekends to travel! 

Kevin comes to Fes tomorrow, we are going to explore every nook and cranny of this city from its museums, libraries, and schools to the gardens and hiking trails that overlook the city. I can't wait!

Now that I have more consistent internet access I promise to blog more than I did in Marrakech! I Promise!

Love from Fes,

Michelle

Transitions...

My time in Marrakech has come to an end. I can't say I was terribly sad to say goodbye. I even sang and skipped around leaving. The hardest part was probably leaving our language center because we all felt close connections to our moroccan arabic teachers. I was overjoyed to leave the city knowing that the future would be a clean slate for me.
On the 18th, we had our last cous cous dinners with our Marrakechi families and got on a bus to catch an overnight plane to Dakar, Senegal!
Over a year ago when I was working on the Morocco application, I never dreamed that I would somehow end up in Senegal. Everything about my time there was incredible. From the chebbu jan, the national dish of senegal made up of delicious rice, veggies, and fish, to the hospitable language center, and of course an amazing hotel with hot water and a comfortable bed.
Our first excursion in Dakar was to the island of Goree which is known now for its history of colonial control and an important point in the Atlantic trade (including slaves). We had a great time walking around the small island and soaking up the sun on the beach.
The rest of the days we had lectures by mostly senegalese professors, music and dance lessons, and one class in Wolof, the language of Senegal. My favorite was the drumming, singing, and dancing class. It felt so great to express myself musically after my sedentary lifestyle in Marrakech.
One night, my friends and I went out to this restaurant with a terrace on the water. We danced to music until 3 in the morning. The best part is that they played songs that were popular in middle or high school so each tune was a time warp. We had so much fun!
The last day there, I soaked up some tropical rays on the beach and waded in the surprisingly frigid water letting the sand and kelp run through my toes. After I had my fill of sunshine, I went to Dakar's largest market to look for something to bring home. I found some senegalese fabric at a small shop filled with senegalese women. The people there never hassled me and were happy to cut the fabric to the amount I wanted. They gave me a great price compared to the more central and touristy fabric markets.
I came home to my comfortable and clean hotel room and heard loud music coming from outside. I went out on the balcony to search for the noise and right below me I saw dozens of men sitting in a large circle singing at the top of their lungs. It appeared to be a mosque. The structure was modest, the walls made of cinderblocks and the roof made of sheet metal and tires. Despite this, the mosque was absolutely beautiful. The entire neighborhood filled with the voices of these men, singing the same verse over and over again. I invited some friends over to enjoy the experience, especially since non-muslim women rarely get an opportunity to see muslim men in their prayer space. We all sat in silence in my room, just listening. Photos, recordings, and videos would not have done this experience justice. Out of nothing, a place of worship was created. No minaret, no steeple, no rugs, pews, or alters. Just shoeless men sitting on straw mats in the sand, singing their hearts out. Truly inspiring.
I could not sleep until the men stopped singing, which was around 11pm. Then, I got about 4 hours of sleep before getting up at 3:45 to get going to the airport. Our plane left Dakar at 6 am. I was so sad to say goodbye. I really fell in love with the country.
We arrived in Casablanca this morning and drove 4 hours to Fes where we were introduced to the neighborhood and ate dinner at our new language center.
Tomorrow we meet our host families!!! Wish me luck!

My host mother Fatima and my host sister Hafsa with my roommate Hanna and I.

Love,
Michelle

Nearly a month later...

It still feel like I just arrived here in Marrakech! The smells, sights, and sounds are still foreign to me. There are mostly differences however. Now I can speak, read, and write rudimentary Moroccan arabic, I sleep through the night without waking up during call to prayer, and I'm getting used to eating bread and olive oil for breakfast and taking showers with a pail of water. 

Life has been pretty scheduled here, not much time to relax. Each day we have 4 hours of Moroccan arabic (Dareeja) and some days we have lectures on Moroccan Modernity in english. On the weekends we go on excursions or stay in Marrakech to explore the labyrinth that is the souk (market) and the jma al fna (the large square in the old town where people gather). At night, the jma al fna comes alive with dancing, music, and the smell of delicious street food. I cannot compare it to any place I have been before. 

I have been living with quite an interesting host family. I've been eating delicious food each day. I have even ridden a camel! What a life! However a busy schedule takes its toll and I have been sick a couple of times. Sleeping and eating well usually solves that. 

Last weekend, we went to the Sahara desert where we rode camels for 2 hours into the dunes to find a lovely blanket tent to camp in. We ate a delicious meal of cous cous and laid in the dunes looking at more stars than I've ever seen before! In the morning we watched the sunrise come up in the desert and we went back on our camels to continue our journey. That was an experience I will never forget!

This weekend I am traveling to Essouaira, a coastal town, with some friends. I can't wait to see the ocean after all of this desert and mountains business! 

We have one more week in Marrakech, and then we are traveling to Senegal for 5 days before we go to Fes. Kevin is visiting me the first weekend we are in Fes. I can't wait! I have so much to look forward to. 

Morocco is a beautiful country and each city offers something new. I'm excited to move on from Marrakech and get to know Fes. 

I will try to update this blog more, perhaps in Fes I will have more steady internet than I do here. 

Until next time,

-Michelle

 (thats my name in arabic!) ميسيل تينان

 

Morocco!

I am officially safe and sound in Marrakech! We arrived last night here at 5 am, and I woke up at 6 am to the sound of call to prayer. Definitely not in Kansas (or France) anymore.
Today we are going to have our big orientation, walk around the city, and tomorrow we will meet our host families!
-Michelle

Valencia, Spain

From Venice, Kevin and I took a Ryanair flight to Valencia, Spain. We decided to go here after I met a man on a train in Germany in September who told me it was his favorite place in Spain. Luckily Ryainair flew from venice to valencia!
Kevin and I stayed in a great hostel really close to the central market and a museum that used to be someone's house I think? Valencia is not very touristy so all information is printed in Catalan and Spanish...no english. No french. No German. So we kind of made due with the context of situations.

Valencia is famous for its oranges!

The next day, Kevin and I rented 2 bikes for the day from a place next to the hostel for only 8 euros! That is a great deal! We found the streets of Valencia to be a bit dangerous for those on bikes. 

Valencia used to have a large river running through it like most european cities, however it often flooded and the city had no choice but to divert its path around the city. They were left with a river bed and several beautiful bridges. They converted this dried up river into an amazing park stretching throughout the city! On a map it looks like a green river. There are playgrounds, tennis courts, soccer fields, gardens, and even a science center with some very modern architecture in the park. We found this was the best route to bike through and we could get to anywhere in the city following the "green river".

Here is a christmas dinosaur outside the science center!

Then we rode our way along the park to the beach where we spent most of the day, had a pic-nic, and enjoyed the sunshine and warm weather! Too bad the water was too cold to swim in!

This woman had a lot of trouble walking and used a cane. She was with her husband who looked on proudly as she rolled up her pant legs and walked along the shore in the cold water. It was a beautiful site to see. 

So happy to see the sun again!

On our way back through the city we stopped at one of the cities landmarks, the old tower gates, which offered great views of the city at sunset. 

On our last day in Valencia, Kevin and I visited the botanical gardens. They were amazing, especially the cactus garden. We also discovered the botanical gardens' stray cat infestation. No wonder there's a problem, people come into the gardens to feed them! Most of the cats were really beaten up from cat fights. Needless to stay I kept my distance from them unlike this boy:

That's all for Valencia!

I've had an amazing time in Munich so far with Kevin. We've been rock climbing, swimming at the roman baths, and yesterday we spent the day snowboarding in the Alps where it was sunny and warm. 

Today I'm packing my bags up and tomorrow I leave for Morocco! 

Wish me luck!

Love you all,

Michelle

Whirlwind adventure part 1: Venice

VENICE! After a bone chilling but cozy christmas in the austrian alps, I was content to move to a warmer climate. The train ride between Innsbruck and Venice was absolultely stunning! You go through countless tunnels, and over many bridges until you emerge from a mountain tunnel and see something rather strange...the color green!!! All of the sudden, we found ourselves in Italian wine country, low rolling hills, small cute italian style homes, and castles! My favorite part of the ride however was when our train rolled on tracks right over the ocean! I was so happy to see water that I leaped out of my seat and ran to the door with my backpack, ready to explore the island of Venice.

This is a photo of the Grand Canal that cuts through the Island. I was so happy to see color again, including the lovely colors of the sky! No more grey!

Despite Venice's reputation for being impossible to navigate, Kevin and I easily found our hotel and got comfortable in our room. 

Our room with a view of a side canal! So exciting!!!

Every morning I was awaken by the stirring below our window of Venetians getting ready for the day, like a normal city, but with BOATS instead! So cool! I would open the shutters and watch the sunrise, and look at the venetians below commuting to work or delivering supplies to the bakery across the "street". 

Our goals were to see St. Marks square, including the hoards of pigeons, spend time by the ocean in the sun, and get completely lost in the back alleys of Venice. I am happy to say we accomplished all 3. 

St. Marks was you typical touristy place to be. So very beautiful but kind of stressful. I was happy to spend time in the sun by the water, where we had a lovely pic-nic. 

Gondolas put away for the off-season

Oh no! Venice is flooding!

The next day we had a new goal. Take a gondola ride! Another success! They sure do drive a hard bargain. 

Our gondola boat:

Kevin and I in the boat with our gondola guide in the back:

Well we didn't call it a whirlwind trip for nothing!!! Luckily 2 days in venice was all we needed to see just about everything. We seemed to avoid the notoriously awful food they target to tourists and ate at some great places, including a Jewish kosher restaurant that made the second best falafel I've ever had!

Next up, Valencia, Spain!!!