"Insallah"

Street market in the Old Medina of Rabat
New friends

Graffiti in Asilah

First cous cous of the trip in the DARNA Center for Women

The girls and me at the Roman ruins of Chellah

Cous cous yeahh!

An old Mosque and Mausoleum of Muhammad V

A village family we had lunch with in the Rif mountains

Me in the Rif mountains

Street market in Chefchaouen

A little girl I met in the village of the Rif Mountains

The girls and me at Asilah

Beautiful view at the edge of the Old Medina of Asilah

Riding a camel!

View of Tangier

"If God wills it" is a phrase all Moroccans live by. I must admit that I never really understood how different a culture could be from the one I am accustomed to in the United States, for better or for worse, until I went to Morocco. This is a country with strong ties to both Africa and the Middle East and most people are practicing Muslims. In Morocco I experienced nothing but generosity, hospitality, and a willingness from everyone I met to share their beliefs and traditions with me.

A few Thursday mornings ago I traveled with eighteen other students from the SU program on a Moroccan exchange. We visited Tangier, Asilah, Rabat, Chefchaouen, and a small village outside of Rabat in the Rif mountains. I must say this was by far the most wonderful thing I have experienced in my time abroad. When we arrived in Tangier, our first stop was at the DARNA center for women. DARNA works with women who are in difficult situations, such as being newly divorced or having a baby out of wedlock. The women who come to DARNA are given schooling, and the necessary skills to find a job. The women who toured us around DARNA were wonderful. Over lunch, we had a discussion about the importance of the head scarf they wear, dating, religion, their views of Israel, etc. They were very open to sharing their opinions with us.

After DARNA we were surprised by our tour guide with a group of camels waiting for us at the beach. I was the first to jump on one (a little too excited) and had a great time riding down the beach. It was a little cliche for a Moroccan trip but hey...when else am I going to do it? Next we had a short drive to a small town outside of Tangier known as Asilah. The old Medina of Asilah is known for its summer festival where artists come to graffiti its white-washed walls. Asilah is GORGEOUS with beautiful graffiti, aqua green and blue doors, and a view of the Mediterranean ocean. I could see myself being very content there.

We had a three hour bus ride to the city of Rabat, Morocco's capital, and were assigned to our host families. I stayed with my friends Tara and Monica with a very sweet woman who has a husband and two daughters. Her oldest daughter is married and lives out of the home, but her youngest is in high school and was able to speak some English with us. Most everyone speaks French, some Spanish and a dialect of Arabic. Luckily Monica took French in high school so she could communicate for us! We had a great dinner of pasta, naan like bread, tea, and fruit. One thing is for sure: I would go back to Morocco if only for its food and tea.

After an early breakfast the next day, we gathered with a group of young men who work for an after-school children's program. It was formed after the Casablanca bombings in the early 2000's in an effort to educate young children and help them find hobbies, take an interest in sports, etc. The men were very hospitable, and it was interesting to see that some of their views about religion and dating were different from the views that the women of DARNA had. After this discussion we went to the Roman ruins of Chellah. This area of old columns and buildings is overgrown with plants and has been turned into beautiful gardens and a home for storks. The day was very hot, and I was reminded that I was in Africa because of the temperature and all of the wildlife.

After Chellah we all went home to have lunch with our host families. It is tradition in Moroccan culture to spend all morning in the Mosque on Fridays and then come home for a large lunch of cous cous. Our host mom made a huge bowl of cous cous with meats and vegetables, and we all shared it. It was a little difficult for me to eat because it is necessary to use the right hand for such things, as the left hand is traditionally known as being bad. But I soon learned my host mom did not mind which hand I used to eat, thankfully! After lunch we met up with students from the University of Rabat and they took us to the Old Medina of Rabat where there are many outside venders and stores to see. We bought teas, jewelry, and gifts for our families.

Our second discussion of the day was held in a Moroccan family's home with two Peace Corps members and an American student learning in Rabat as an independent major. I have always wanted to learn about the Peace Corps, as it seems like one of the most challenging and rewarding things someone could ever do. We learned about the innovative projects the Peace Corps volunteers were working on, and the loneliness of living in a city where it is difficult to speak the language and you don't know anyone. After a long, hot day in Morocco, we were taken to a Hammam, a public bath house. I have never experienced anything like a Hammam, and I guess it's equivalent in the United States would be a steam room, public locker room, and spa! We went home after this feeling very relaxed for a late dinner with our families and went right to bed.

Saturday morning we visited the Old Mosque and Mausoleum of King Mohammed V. It consisted of exquisite old ruins of a giant mosque, and a preserved building where King Mohammed's tomb is. This King of Morocco was very significant because he negotiated with France for Morocco's independence. Then we drove up into the Rif mountains, through a beautiful countryside with nothing to see but shanty towns, cows, sheep and horses. We were greeted by a young family with two children living in a small house in a village of the Rif mountains. They served us vegetables, cous cous, and tea, and with a translator we were again able to have an open discussion. It was interesting to contrast their beliefs and contentment living in such a rural area, with the desires of the Moroccans we met living in a more fast-paced and urban setting. We took a hike to see the beautiful landscape of the Rif mountains, and I met a young girl in the village who begged me to carry her all the way up. It was a work-out, but the girl was so cute I couldn't say no!

That night we drove to Chefchaouen, an old city of white and blue walls, small winding streets, and markets for us to buy blankets, jewelry, slippers, spices, and more. We spent our last night eating dinner atop a restaurant with a stunning view of Chefchaouen lit up at night. We even saw a wedding celebration dance through the streets! For dinner I had a cheese salad, pastilla (a Moroccan tradition of bread and chicken, with cinnamon on top), and fruit yogurt for dessert. Sunday morning, we awoke early to pack our bags and leave for the airport :(

During our last evening we had a reflective discussion about everything we had seen and done in our short time in Morocco, and the things we wanted to take with us and never forget. Something that really surprised me about Morocco, especially the people of the Rif mountains, is their ease and ability to enjoy life. I am so used to a life style of wanting and feeling like I need more, and never being content until I have achieved a goal. I was thinking that when I met impoverished people of Morocco I would feel "bad" or "guilty" that I have so much more than them. But the only thing I have more of is stuff. Stuff doesn't really matter if you have a family and are happy with yourself. It is a simple lesson to learn, and it does sound quite cliche, but I am so glad I have learned it. The difficult part will be integrating it into my life in the U.S.

My friends are enablers

I look like I'm 12...but I had to rock this t-shirt

Waiting for the show to start

"MJ" singing Black or White

"MJ" making his first appearance

Forever!

My four best friends in Madrid surprised me with tickets to the Michael Jackson Espectaculo last night! If any of you don't know...I am insanely obsessed with the King of Pop. It was a night of singing, dancing, and talking about all of MJ's songs. There were two impersonators...and I must say at times I forgot I wasn't watching the real thing. The show lasted about three hours (the Spanish really know how to drag performances out) and by the end I think they had done about 25 of his songs.

It was a great night. Monica, Jacqueline, Kiki and Amity...thanks again!

An up close and personal Spanish history lesson

Amazing fruit at Barcelona's famous open market "La Boqueria"

Picasso museum

Magic Fountain show

Cave in Parc Guell

On the docks

View of Barcelona from a cable car

Gaudi's Sagrada Familia

Gaudi's Parc Guell

Ocean! Oh how I've missed you!

The Museum of Chocolate

This past weekend I visited Barcelona with my roommate Monica and our friend Amity. We left bright and early on Friday morning and were in our hostel by 10am. The sky was a little overcast on our first day, but other than that, it was perfect. Barcelona is a beautiful city full of amazing museums, shopping, Gaudi artwork and a magnificent beach!

For the three of us, this was our first weekend trip that wasn't organized by SU, so we were a little worried there would be some bumps in the road. Much to our surprise, everything from our hostel to getting around via the metro to finding all of the hotspot monuments went smoothly. On our first day we visited the Museum of Chocolate, Gaudi's Casa Battlo, the Picasso museum, the waterfront of the city, and the famous La Boqueria on Las Ramblas. My favorite, being the art lover that I am, was Picasso's museum. Instead of his famous works, the museum focused on his growth and transitions from one style to the next from his early childhood until his death. I had no knowledge of the great transformations Picasso made throughout his lifetime, nor of all the Spanish artists and landscapes he was inspired by. It was a beautiful museum enclosed in five gothic castles connected by open air staircases and walkways.

Saturday we woke up early (that's a relative statement...) and went straight to the Parc Ciutadella, rode the cable car above the shoreline of Barcelona, ate at a modern outdoor restaurant overlooking the city, visited the Sagrada Familia (another one of Gaudi's famous works), couldn't resist stopping at La Boqueria for some more 1 euro juices and chocolates, and spent the night at the magic fountain show of Montjuic.

We woke up on Sunday morning to sunshine and a clear blue sky, so we headed to Parc Guell (my favorite of Gaudi's work). It is a huge park with various sculptures, buildings, and pathways all decorated in ceramics or lush garden plants. It is amazing to understand how much Gaudi was inspired by the nature he saw, and how well-preserved his monuments are, even though some are still under construction.

The one aspect of our visit to Barcelona that was somewhat disappointing but very eye-opening was the distaste Barcelona feels for the rest of Spain, specifically Madrid. Barcelona is undeniably a beautiful place, but it has been taken over by tourists. The contradictions between Spanish speakers, Catalonians, and American study abroad students makes for tension and a less authentic experience. I cannot comprehend the identity crisis Catalonians and Spaniards must feel living in such a city. I'm still trying to understand the history of Spain, and how modern Spaniards feel about their government and culture, but for me, the closest similarity I can make between Barcelona's conflict with their identity as a Spanish city is the Civil War of America between the North and the South.

Overall, we had a wonderful time. I am still amazed by the amount of things we were able to do in just two and a half days. Hopefully I will someday be able to visit Barcelona again and lay out on the beach :) I have a busy week ahead of me before heading off to Morocco on Thursday!

Where does the time go?

Emily

I haven't forgotten my blog!

Beautiful flamenco show in Plaza de Espana

Such passionate dancers

In front of the Prado

Retiro with Mom

Peggy and I at Parque de Retiro

Peggy and I outside of their hotel right after visiting the Prado

Right behind Plaza Mayor about to go into a great market full of fresh fruits and veggies

Casa Mingo...great chicken!

Peggy and Mom during a stop on our bus tour of old Madrid

Bus tour!

A great Indian restaurant in Lavapies

Chicago the Musical

Plaza de Espana

It has been over a week since I posted a new entry, but so much has happened it has been difficult to find free time. This past Wednesday, Monica, Erin and I saw Chicago the Musical in Spanish right on Gran Via by Plaza de Espana. It was a great performance and so fun to listen to "All That Jazz" and "Mr. Cellophane" in another language. I never really thought about the lyrics they would have to change to make the songs rhyme in Spanish like they do in English, but Erin was able to explain some of the transitions to us.

Last Thursday, my Mom and Grandmother came to Madrid. Even though the weather was rainier and colder than usual, we all had a wonderful time. We were on the go for the entire week (except for our necessary siestas of course) and accomplished a lot in just a few days.

One of my favorite things we did was a bus tour around old and new Madrid. When I would see those bright red double deckers all over the city, I would think "pshhh they are too touristy for me." But I was wrong. After you pay you can get on and off the whole day at numerous stops, get a great history lesson, and see parts of Madrid you probably wouldn't see if you were walking or taking the metro. We toughed it out through the rain and cold and sat on the open top level. I could almost touch the beautiful buildings and got a great view of Retiro, Parque de Oeste, and much more.

Another very unique part of the week was seeing a flamenco show at Las Tablas in Plaza de Espana. I had seen one in Granada during the Azahar seminar, but they were very different. The dancers of Las Tablas were trained very well and had such dramatic presence onstage. There were two guitarists, two singers, and three dancers on a simple elevated black box stage. The culmination of all three aspects set the mood for an amazing show. I wish I could go every weekend. Hopefully I'll be able to treat myself again before the semester is over.

The rest of the week consisted of great restaurants, the Prado and Thyssen museums, a cable car above the outskirts of Madrid, Sol and Plaza Mayor, uniting my family with my closest friends in Madrid, and visiting the small neighborhoods of Biblao and Malasana. Mom and Peggy fit in even more while I was in class. They were able to spend one afternoon in Toledo, my first stop in Spain when I arrived in January.

It was such a special week, it is hard to describe how great every day was. Showing Mom and Peggy what my life is like here was awesome. It's funny how independent I am here, and how I was finally able to be the tour guide. My Spanish (thankfully) got us around the city very efficiently except for a few grumpy cab drivers. The week was perfect; I only wish everyone else from my family could have come.

Friday morning Monica, Amity and I are off to Barcelona for the weekend! I'm still reading Hemmingway and loving it! We're analyzing his first forty-nine short stories right now and will have to write a paper on a popular Hemingway theme of our choice. I've never looked forward to reading and writing so much.

Ciao!

Emily

A Forgotten Favorite

Symbol of Madrid in Sol

Me at the Prado

Dona Amalia de Llano y Dotres, condesa de Vilches

Juana La Loca!!!

At 0 Kilometers, the center of Spain

Prado Museo

The long line to see art for free...well worth it!

Me in Parque de Oeste

Arc de la Victoria right by my apartment

So I kind of forgot what it was like to walk around a city alone. It's actually pretty relaxing. I'm used to walking around Boston when I work there in the summers, and being in Madrid feels just as safe. Yesterday was a very busy Sunday. I spent the morning exploring the Parque de Oeste (West Park) right down my street. I JUST realized how big it is, oops! It's beautiful with winding paths, statues, and on weekends there are lots of skateboarders and bikers...shout out to my brother Matt! You would love it.

After visiting the park and eating lunch I decided to visit the Prado. Even though I go there every Thursday for class, there is only so much you can see with your teacher in a span of one hour. And we have to follow the outline of the course. But yesterday was a free for all. The Prado is free on Sundays from 5-8 pm. There was a long line winding around the building when I got there at 4:55, but I was in by 5:15. I love the Prado! Some of my favorite works are Las Meninas by Velazquez, The Royal Family of Charles IV by Goya, Dona Juana la Loca by Francisco Pradilla, and Dona Amalia de Llano y Dotres, condesa de Vilches by Frederico de Madrazo. I was in the Prado until it closed (hehe I'm such an art history dork) and bought a few postcards of my favorite images.

Then I took the metro to Sol and met up with my Intercambio partner, Jorge. It was SO great to meet him. He's a very interesting and sweet guy who I am really excited to get to know. He is just as eager to learn English as I am to learn Spanish. If you're traveling to Europe, you hear from most of your friends that if you're a young woman, you'll probably get lots of cat-calls and inappropriate comments thrown at you while at bars or walking down the streets at night. And sadly, this is pretty much true! I suggest getting to know people outside of such situations. This is only my first Spanish friend, but hey, hopefully I'll make more!

Jorge and I were able to laugh at each other and at our own mistakes, which is important when learning a new language. I laughed at his pronunciation of "Boston" and he made fun of Americans giving almost the same name to a woodland creature and an alcoholic drink (bear and beer). He can't figure out how to pronounce the two differently.

I was exhausted by the time I got home that night, but the day was well worth it. I'm meeting up with Jorge next week, and Mom and Peggy are coming to visit too. Lots of great things to look forward to!

Spanish story of the day: This is my favorite legend in Spanish history I've learned so far...Ferdinand and Isabella had a daughter named Juana. She married Felipe IV and was apparently madly in love with him. This wasn't a typical marriage just for land and power but the two of them were next in line for the Spanish crown. When Felipe suddenly died before becoming the new King of Spain, Juana was so devastated by his death that she became mad. Part of the legend even states that she forced his tomb open because she believed he would come back from the dead. Since Juana was in no state to rule the kingdom, her son, Charles, took over when he was old enough. Juana was deemed Juana "La Loca" in Spanish culture, and some historians today think she had schizophrenia. It's a pretty creepy story, but it gives deep meaning to the painting above.

Just spent an hour after dinner looking at magazines full of jewelry with my Senora instead of studying for my last midterm. Gotta get to work!

Besos,

Emily