Shopping

Pictured: The girls at the carrot stand in the souk; the spice guy

This was written after our first week of shopping in August. There are one-stop grocery stores an hour away, but shopping here is quite different. This is quite long - but so is shopping!

In the States, I had shopping down to an art. I could be back home an hour after I left with a week’s worth of groceries. My shopping list was in order of aisle (which Gerald thought was plain scary), and all was well.

Now here I am in Morocco where I make what I think is a reasonable shopping list. Off we go – a family adventure – to the first hanut (tiny store) – one where we can actually pick out groceries rather than using our meager Arabic to ask the grocer what to pry what we need off the shelf. Then back to the car to drop off the purchases. Then to the next hanut to try to get a few more of the items. Back to the car. Then to the butcher – no chicken here – and it’s too early to grind beef. Apparently the chicken butcher is in the marche across the street where huge slabs of meat hang from meat hooks only inches from where you walk and only feet away from all the guys selling fresh produce. I’ll have to work up the courage to go meat shopping later. Next to the bakery where we buy “khobs” – delicious Moroccan bread, and baguettes – French bread.

When we return, I ask my neighbor where you buy the things I could not find – Vaseline? At the pharmacy. Pepper? At the spice stand on weekends at the souk. Brown sugar? Ha! There isn’t any. Butter? Try next week. And the list goes on. You never know when things will be available. When you see something you want, buy a lot of it because you may not ever see it again. I was at friend’s house the other day when her husband returned from shopping. He recited the entire list she had given him and the substitute he bought for each – not one thing on her list was available that particular day!

The next day we venture out to the souk – the huge, outdoor farmer’s market/flea market. In the heat we wind our way through booth after booth, stopping to explore the many items on the way – used clothes, shoes, kitchen wares, electronics (and no electricity with which to test them) – all laid out neatly on rags or plastic on the dusty ground.

Then we buy a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice from the orange seller guy who happily washes our cups in the bucket of cold, dirty water at his stall. “It tastes like there are oranges in here!” exclaims Katrina. Then down past all the chicken butchers. “Look at all those chickens!” the girls exclaim joyfully not realizing their imminent fate.

Now on to the fruit and vegetables – an incredible and amazing selection! Merchants call out to us as we pass by, advertising their wares. “Why are all these people yelling?” asks Katrina. We see carrots, stacked four feet high, huge piles of parsley and cilantro, spice and nut stalls, and huge rags laid out with every kind of produce spread around the busy vendor who spends his time weighing what customers give him on his rickety scales. I tiptoe through the turnips, picking out my items and waiting my turn to have each one weighed.

The hardest part is the price – First of all, you have to figure out if they are giving the price in Arabic or French and switch you brain either way, then you ask three more times, because they say it so fast. Then you have to decide where the decimal is if they wrote it for you (Please tell me it’s not 4700 dirhams!!). Then you have to figure out if it is in dirhams or riyals (the old money system) – if it is in riyals, you have to divide by 20 to give the correct amount of dirhams. So you stand there for a really long time figuring out what on earth you are to pay, and finally dish out the cash hoping it is correct. In general, all food is more expensive than in the States except the fruits and veggies, which are much cheaper. I guess we’ll be very healthy!

Then we make our way back to the car back through the flea market again. Our last stop is at the chicken-lady tent where we buy a dozen eggs from a basket next to the chickens all tied up and panting on the ground, ready to become someone’s lunch. The eggs are placed in a plastic bag for us, and we carefully carry them back.

Then home where we all take naps, exhausted by this thing they call shopping.

Later, I wash the parsley and cilantro, roast the peanuts, wash and bake the raisins, de-bug the lentils, chop the beans, peel the garlic, etc.

There – our shopping is half done. To complete it, we will end up going to at least three stores, one pharmacy, one bakery, two butchers, and one farmer’s market totaling at least 5 hours over a week. By the time we are done, it will be time to shop for next week’s groceries!

Inside

Pictured: Our living room, Katrina and Kendra in their bunk beds.

We are very happy with our apartment. It is completely furnished and as of last fall, it is heated. Apparently no one wanted to live here before they put in the radiators, but now everyone is flocking back! This is the main reason we think we will stay here rather than move off campus next year as earlier planned. We hear wood is very expensive and the houses are almost impossible to heat. We have a living/dining room combination and a wide hallway surrounded by three rooms and a bathroom. The extra room we use as an office/school room/guest room. The kitchen is small but works just fine. My oven is an electric one which barely fits my 9 x 13 pan. We have a washing machine and use the apartment clothes lines or a dry rack in our hallway to dry our clothes. The strong sewer smell we have had is to be remedied this winter break when they will redo all the plumbing.

We have reliable electricity and our water comes from mountain springs so is safe to drink. We have hot water most of the time. Our guest room has been used several times already and we welcome you to come too!

I will never...

When we knew we were moving, I often said that I would never want to live in an apartment after having lived in a house. Well, here we are, in an... apartment. And we love it!

Pictured - the girls sitting in one of our windows (yes, that is a kitty on Katrina's lap, but that's another story), and the apartment complex. We live in the closest corner at the bottom. Beyond the apartments lies an international school, more apartments, and an empty hospital (yet another story...). Behind the apartments are clotheslines and a playground.

We have large, low windows meaning that people often drop by, lean in, or literally jump into our apartment! When people lean in, I feel like I own a drive-through window and should ask if they want fries with that... I think it's funny that one of my concerns in coming here is that I would be lonely - I am anything but that!

We have been treated with great kindness and generosity since being here. People often stop by bringing food - extra is not to be saved, but shared. Without a car for 3 1/2 months, we rarely had to go to the marche (market) with a taxi because several people either offered rides or called when in town asking what we needed. One day I ran out of clothes pins at the laundry lines, so I just called up to my friend Lynn, who dropped a bag down!

Everyone who lives here is in some way connected with the university, so it's a lot like living in a tiny town where everyone knows everyone else's business! So far this hasn't been a problem - it just means we all know a lot about each other. A simple walk to the playground behind the buildings can mean several stops, visits and the other day - a little girl who leaned out of her window for a kiss from us! Most of the occupants are Moroccans, others are American or German women married to Moroccans, there is one American family, and then there is a scattering of other nationalities. Almost everyone has traveled extensively and almost everyone knows English.

We live just outside of town and a few miles away from the university, so they provide a shuttle that goes back and forth several times a day which Gerald uses.

Kendra's thoughts on school

Kendra is not terribly interested in school unless we do art or songs. She hangs around when inspired then runs off to play on her own - which she does very well.

Here is Princess Kendra after informing me at rest time that she was not tired...

The chair is provided by the university and is our official "snuggle place" in their room.

October 21 - We are off to help out Ron and girls while Laurie is in France with family obligations. Will write again on Wednesday or Thursday this week when we get back - assuming I can get on! Happy end of Ramadan, everyone!

School Girl

Yes, Katrina wears glasses! She got them right before we came here and she wears them only for close-up work.

Homeschooling Kindergarten has gone really well. It has been a real joy to finally have enough time to sit down with the girls and do many of the the activities I had always planned to do but had never done!

Katrina is a willing pupil and it has been fun to watch her learn and grow in the few short months we've been doing this.

technical difficulties

After almost 2 weeks of problems, I think I'm back on. I'll add a few today then again late next week because we'll be gone most of this week (fall break!).

First Day of School

August 30, 2006

No, I'm not talking about Katrina, I'm talking about Gerald. Here he is before heading off the first day. He began his classes by introducing himself in Arabic and writing "Reimer" on the board in Arabic. When he was done, he got applause! He has had a good time getting to know his students. They are very friendly and have offered to help him with tours, car-buying and errands. He has one undergraduate class and two graduate classes all of which keep him extremely busy. He has also been assigned to two committees (sound familiar, teachers?). Today (October 20) is the last day of classes before fall break - when the end of Ramadan is celebrated. He hopes to catch up on work and sleep during the break. Towards the end of the week, we plan to take a short trip.

Harera Soup

Harera is by far the most common soup in Morocco. Right now it is eaten every single night to break the fast along with other foods mentioned yesterday. All ingredients are fresh. I'll give the recipe to you as it was given to me - with lots of room to wonder and to make it your own! This is how cooking has been here in Morocco so now you get to experience it!

(Our connection is not allowing me to add a picture)

Here is the recipe:

Harera Soup
(start soaking chickpeas at least the night before and lentils a few hours before)

Boil together for 90 minutes or until chickpeas are tender :
Tomatoes - mashed (I used about 4)
Fresh Parsley (I was not given amounts - they use liberally - so add whatever you think!)
Fresh cilantro (you decide amount)
Celery - diced - (you decide amount)
1 bowl chickpeas (soak overnight beforehand) - I'll let you figure out what a "bowl" is :) When I made it, I assumed it was a bit more than a cup.
1/4 bowl lentils (soak an hour or two beforehand)
A bowl of meat of your choosing - diced
2 "small" spoons of ginger - fresh grated
3 small spoons of salt
2 small spoons of pepper
1 diced onion
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 small spoon of cinnamon
1/4 small spoon of saffron
1 big spoon of cow butter mixed with spices (can't find at Dillons? No problem! Just use butter)
Water as needed - about a bowl

When chickpeas are tender,

Add:
1/4 bowl spaghetti noodles cut up small or 1/4 bowl of rice

boil until done

Thicken with 2 big spoons of flour mixed with water in a paste (I was told a bowl of flour, but I'll spare you that mistake!)
Add a little more parsley and cilantro

Enjoy and think of Morocco!

What is it like during Ramadan?

Sorry if you didn't want another Ramadan lesson, but the reality is that Ramadan affects us very much here ...

Here is a picture of one of Gerald's classes. All of his students fast - in public, anyway.

Moroccans break the fast at sunset, here around 6:00, with a meal that is translated "breakfast"- appropriate! It is announced by a cannon or a siren depending on where you are. It is also announced on the TV. They eat Harira soup (I'll give you the recipe tomorrow), boiled eggs dipped in cumin and salt, a type of fried bread, a type of pancake, orange juice, a sweet dessert, dates and mint tea or coffee. Later they eat "supper" - anywhere from 9:00 PM to 10:30 PM. This is a full meal with some type of meat and bread. At 4:30 AM, they wake up again for a protein-filled snack. Then they either go back to bed or pray and begin the fast officially at sunrise.

The evenings especially have a party atmosphere and many treats and food not normally made the rest of the year are brought out. Those of you who are women can imagine what that means for the female population - more work! People actually gain weight during Ramadan rather than lose! It appears to us that they eat the same amount as normal - it is just all eaten at night!

Right before they break the fast, they often exercise in a last burst of the remaining energy they have and because they know they will be allowed to drink soon. Gerald tried this once after fasting all day and was completely wiped out afterwards.

Although you are not to fast if you are sick, old, nursing, or younger than puberty, there is a great deal of pressure for the first three cases to fast anyway. Although we hear cheating is common, we have seen the opposite so far perhaps because we live in a small community where everyone knows everything about everyone else! For those who have to miss a day of the fast, they are to make it up at another time of year which is hard to do when no one else is fasting. We know a few women who are nursing and show all the signs of dehydration by the end of the day, but yet they continue. We also know a diabetic and a lady who has three abscessed teeth who do not take medication during the day. One woman told my friend she drank juice during the night and accidently licked her lips in the morning - so she felt like she had ruined her day already. Even though many Muslims here are very nominal and some do not even believe in God, they fast in public anyway, because of the pressure and the possibility of arrest by the police (though we have not heard personally of any arrests).

A friend of mine said she told her sister to stop calling during the day because they are not to gossip during the day! That makes me wonder about the nights! One student told a friend when accused of lying, "You know we wouldn't lie to you now - it's Ramadan!"

Gerald and I have both fasted a few times to empathize and also because for Gerald who had fasted more, food is hard to come by on campus! The hardest part for me is not drinking during the day and then eating a heavy meal so late - you wake up feeling sick. And they claim this is so healthy and good for the body! We have broken the fast in a restaurant several times. The waiter comes around and tells everyone they are allowed to eat, and no one waits! It is the only time in Morocco people are always on time!

When we eat during fasting times at home, we close our curtains and chow down - feeling only a little guilty! The American students on campus have had a hard time finding food during the day, so we made a big breakfast for some of them this Saturday which was fun.

Gerald's students have asked him to move tests to avoid being at the end of the day, and much of the schedule on campus is rearranged for the month. The shops are open late because people sleep in and work through lunch and end early. People are more likely to be grouchy, and in general is it a time to not visit Muslim countries!

In general, there is a sense of the difficulty of reaching God even when trying so very hard. One lick of the lips, and God is angry... Please pray for Moroccans and other Muslims during this time.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is a month on the lunar calendar which the Muslims follow for religious holidays. It is said that this is the month when the Qu'ran was revealed to Mohammad by the angel Gabriel while he was fasting. It is also thought that since Mohammad was influenced by Christians, he was exposed to the tradition of Lent and was creating a similar month for Arabs.

Muslims are required from sunrise to sunset to refrain from eating, drinking, or things that would make them unclean such as smoking and lying. It is a time of repentance, empathy for the poor, giving to the poor, and recognition of the sacredness of the month. On the "Night of Power," the 27th of Ramadan, heaven's doors are believed to open and Muslims are to pray through the night in hopes of receiving forgiveness for their sins. The entire Qu'ran is recited on this night and those who die then are said to go straight to heaven.

Goodbye, Heidi

Heidi, my niece, visited Morocco for 10 days on her way to the USA from Japan where she had been teaching English. Heidi is like a sister to me and we had a wonderful time. We went to Casablanca together when it was time for her to catch the plane there.

We took a taxi to Meknes and then a train to Casablanca. Along the 4-hour trip we were able to solve most of the world's problems just in time for her to catch the plane! The girls still call the room in which she slept, "Heidi's room" and we are so happy she came.

Kendra the Cuddler

Kendra loves the woods too, but can't quite keep up with her big sister. She needs a little help, but notices many things along the way. The other day she hollered to me, gasping with excitement, "Mommy! It's a weelly pweety sunset - yook!"

Although Kendra has always been a cuddler, she has been much more so since coming to Morocco. Hugs and kisses have been her comfort in the transition.

Katrina the Explorer

Katrina has really blossomed here in Morocco.

One of her favorite things to do is to go to the cedar or oak forests surrounding Ifrane. Her whole little self lights up when she gets out of the car. She loves to cross every stream and climb every tree she can find. I have to remember to bring an extra change of clothing when we go, because she has fallen into the cold water twice in her repeated stream-crossing expeditions. It has been so fun to watch her explore and exclaim over all the treasures she finds along the way. As we leave, she usually says, "I want to come here EVERY day!"

Professor Reimer

Here you see Professor Reimer in front of Al Akhawayn University (AUI)! All the roofs in Ifrane look like this for easy snow removal in the winter and because the former king liked them so much, he made a law that said all buildings in Ifrane must have these roofs!

As you can see, the campus is very modern and beautiful. "Al Akhawayn" means "Two Brothers-" those two being the former king, Hassan II, and the king of Saudi Arabia. Though not truly brothers, the two of them with their combined resources built the university in 1995.

When we first arrived in early August, Gerald worked for a few weeks preparing for classes. AUI provides a shuttle that runs several times a day from our apartment to the campus making it very convenient to go back and forth.

August 28 he began teaching accounting and business classes. He has one undergraduate class and two graduate classes which have never been taught before. With all the preparation and advising 35 students, he is enjoying himself but is extremely busy.

The Road to Ifrane

Driving up to Ifrane was a momentous day for us. We actually visited during July but did not move until August 5. Come along as we make the trip!

When leaving Meknes, you pass a huge vineyard - one of which makes Meknes the wine-making capital of Morocco. "Wine in Morocco???" you say. Yes, and lots of it. Though some of it is exported, most of it stays right here. Morocco constantly sways between being a Muslim country and being so close to Europe... and to the French!

On the side of the road you see laborers picking crops from the parched land. It is the dry season here and the difficulty of their lives is striking compared to the cars flying by them. They sell their produce on the side of the road in little baskets facing traffic - melons, cactus fruit, pomegranates, onions, etc. Then there are are others who sell a few Kleenex boxes stacked one on on top of the other. Donkeys walk parallel to the road carrying heavy loads or their owner. A few traditional black Berber (nomadic) tents dot the hillside. Flocks of sheep and goats are ushered along by their shepehers and sheep dogs.

Next you pass through a few little towns with their hyper-vigilant policemen and then barren landscape as you gradually go up in elevation all the while. Towards Ifrane you drive through three small lovely cedar forests between which there is more barren land. In the cedar forests are men selling honey. They stack up a rather wobbly looking bunch of rocks and perch their jar of honey on top. Then they go rest in the forest waiting for a customer. Katrina starts feeling a little woozy with the curves and the heat. She is not so sure about moving an hour away from her cousins.

After another barren stretch, you crest a hill and below you is a beautiful tree-filled valley dotted with red-roofed buildings. This is Ifrane. Finally. After years of hoping, dreaming, searching and praying - we have arrived. The time that has brought us here has been like the road - sometimes filled with beauty and sometimes barren. But always going up and aware that God was with us every step of the way. We are thankful!