the easygoing way of life

The first thing that I noticed about Morocco were the smiles. People seem to genuinely care about each other, and aren't afraid to express it. They exchange at least five salutations and even strike up conversations with strangers when in elevators, waiting in lines, sitting on the bus etc.

I see familiar strangers each day on my walk to my placement, and they will often see people they recognize. Back home, I would expect people to acknowledge acquaintances with a nod, perhaps a wave, but here people will stop what they are doing, embrace their friend and kiss them, execute a brief conversation and continue with their day. I think that this has a lot to do with the laid back lifestyle; many people I've met work only a few times a week, and the average workday is ten to five. The emphasis of daily life seems not to be making money or producing the highest efficiency, but enjoying life as it comes, spending quality time with family and friends, and of course drinking tea. It was a little strange for me to get used to at first but I am starting to enjoy this easygoing way of life centered on personal interaction.

A few weeks ago I got to experience a traditional Moroccan wedding; someone at my placement invited me to go with her as her friend was getting married. The bride and groom didn't arrive until nearly midnight, and the place was beautifully decorated and the band was excellent, with an Arab tune but an African beat, and the bride's clothes were sumptuous. Dancing and eating continued until 6am, and then everyone went home.

Rabat is a relatively clean city and it tends to attract less tourists than others like Casablanca or Marrakech. However, there are still homeless people with kids on the streets asking for money, or selling used or random items. Morocco has taken a significant economic drag; the unemployment rate is about 9.4 percent and I wonder if the people selling goods illegally on the side of the streets are there by choice, or if they lost their previous jobs. At the end of the day the sidewalks decorated with goods for sale clear up, just to be set up the exact same way the next morning. They seem tireless and always seem to be coaxing a buyer with their Moroccan charm and persuasion.

I look forward to learning more and even talking to these vendors once I pick up some more street slang, with the help of my placement members and host family.

My co-intern and I in Timoulay, Southern Morocco at a Berber village where leaders and members from our placement were giving talks to women about their legal rights

We served tangine for lunch