Some thoughts on teaching and life in Ifrane!

Anyone who says teachers don't work hard is crazy.  I know I have a steep learning curve but it's hard, challenging work and I don't want to short change my students.  I played "Born to be Wild" and "Betty and Al" in one of my listening classes today.  They couldn't understand Paul Simon's New York accent but we had a lively discussion of the imagery in "Born to be Wild".  They told me that the song was about individual freedom without the constraints of law and commitment.  It was about enjoying the moment without goals, possessions and  rules to restrict one's freedom.  They all agreed that it was a "male fantasy" that the guys found attractive but the women found unappealing. It was a fun class - really good students.  It's amazing how quickly you can connect with people here.  Several students asked me the name of some good writers in English.  I told them that I would check with Doris - she would have a better selection for young women than I would.  One student is a big fan of Jane Austen so I advised her to check out Downton Abbey on BBC.  She is also a big fan of BBC News and has a delightful British accent with some words.  Living in Morocco has given me a completely different perspective of the world and especially the Islamic world.  It has given me emotionally what I always believed intellectually that you can find good and decent people everywhere.  Ifrane is an incredible place to live and AUI is an incredible place to work - it's all about the people.

I survived my first day of teaching!

Great day!  Great students - very engaged and intesting.  I have 60 students - will have to work on their names. My attempt a pronouncing them properly was very...very funny.  The door was locked for my last class but it was near my office so we all cramped in for the class - desks make useful chairs.  Later we were offered a class but the students wanted to stay...very cool students. Right now I am wired to the max and I need someone to turn me off...too much adrenlin. I will be glad when I relax and get into routine - better for me and better for my teaching.

Tomorrow is first day of class!

Tomorrow I have my first four classes to teach.  Take a deep breath and relax.  There's lots of work to do but I will do it.  I'm so focused on "work" - sound familiar my sibling - that I hardly notice that I am in Morocco so...no culture shock or fatigue - I hope.  AUI is a separate little academic bubble in the middle of nowhere - located in a beautiful little city in the mountains.  It already seems that I know everyone and it seems that everyone already knows me.  It is a very social, intimate enviroment.  I have an office but no working computer and I can't access the campus database or my campus email.  I'm constantly having to do "work arounds" but I must admit that it's lots of fun.  I hope I can still say that two weeks from now. Got to get some sleep - big day tomorrow.  It's showtime!

This is Doris writing: The semester in Ifrane has started, the campus is buzzing with students, in the summer you see the starkest contrast, miniskirts, tanktop-clad girls holding hands with veiled young women. There is a large number of foreign students this semester as study abroad programs in Egypt had to be cancelled and those students have been diverted to peaceful Morocco. Mike is busy embarking on his new career as a university lecturer, thus far he has been assigned a lot of classes but has yet to see his contract, get a computer and a phone on his spartan desk which is wedged between a young American couple, first time abroad. It is a bit like living on a military base, everyone knows everyone, frequent get-togethers for lunch, coffee, diner with colleagues who converse in all manner of languages aside from Arabic, French or English. So it is a very stimulating environment and Mike, I believe, is a bit overstimulated but thriving.

Rtirement is over - I have a job!

I was hired by the Language Center at Al Akhawayn University as an English instructor in a full time position this week.  Classes start tomorrow.  I will be teaching 2 sections of Academic Grammar II and 2 sections of Academic Listening and Speaking II.  I should have about 60 - 70 students.  It will be a busy semester.  I really like the department and everyone there has been great - very helpful.  I'm looking forward to starting my new career in teaching.

62 and living large in Morocco!

Doris and I went to Rabat last weekend.  We stayed with Souad at her new apartment near the beach.  She has an apartment on the top floor where she has a beautiful balcony.  From the balcony there is a perfect view of roof tops stretching to the Atlantic - satillite dishes grown from the roof tops like mushrooms after a summer rain.  We spent a lot of time on the balcony but I never saw anyone else on a balcony while I was there.  Souda told me that Moroccans are not "balcony people" - everything is directed inward toward the interior of the apartment.  You can see this with the blank walls of the medina where beautiful court yards within blank, ugly walls. I also got to meet Margaret Peron - she has the most fabulous, huge old colonial house near downtown Rabat - it was full of kids, cats and dogs...oh my.  We had a delightful lunch there - good company, good food and good conversation.  A large cat sat at the end of the table during the meal.  The kids at the end of the table spent most of their time building barriers with the dishes to stop the cat from stealing the fish in the center of the table.  It was a really good weekend.  I got to see a completely different Moroccan and Souad is a most delightful, interesting and funny person.  I'm looking forward to our next trip to Rabat.  My only regret is a very sore ass.  Is there any comfortable seat to be found on public transportation in Morocco? The grand taxi from Meknes to Ifrane must have had an iron plate under the seat and the driver must have hit everyone pothole and bump in the road.  Oh vey, what a pain in the ass that ride was!  I looked all over Rabat - millions of people - huge city - for oatmeal and nada.  I come back to Ifrane and walk the the Superette two minutes from the apartment - oatmeal on the shelf.  Oh, the irony!!!!

I enjoyed the train ride back and forth from Meknes to Rabat.  The train was packed because of the long weekend holiday.  Doris has taught me to scramble so I was able to grab a couple of seats in 2nd class before the train filled up. I sat and watched the landscape pass - wheat fields, corn, olive groves, cacti and huge succulents.  I thought, you're not no Kansas anymore Dorothy.  It was beautiful though. The train was airconditioned which surprised me.  I'm not sure why...erroneous expectations.  Nice thing about reality - it screws with erroneous expectations in the most delightful way. I tried not to have "expectations" about Morocco but I did and I do.  I prefer the reality to the fantasy created by the media and our own cutltural bias. This is a complicated country with a rich and varied culture and history - much to experience; much to learn.

This has been a busy week.  We had orientation Thursday and Friday.  We are trying to get all of our paperwork completed - the beauty of beureaucracy.   Doris is getting settled in to her new job - they didn't order any of the books for her classes so life has a new challenge for her right now.  I have any second job interview at the Language Center at AUI today.  Hopefully, I will know if I have a job or not today.  Classes start Wednesday so not much time to prepare if I get hired.  If I don't get hired, then my life will have a new challenge.  Zen mind is good here.  Everyone is friendly, incredibly warm and helpful. Lots of really interesting people at AUI from all over the world - many have worked and lived all over the world.

Morocco is what they call a high context culture - more is implied than what is said.  Life here is all about relationships and connections.  It is very diffferent from the West which is a low context culture. It reminds me of the Old South of my childhood - ask about the family before getting down to business.  When people complain about the heat here, I think...wow, this would be a perfect day in Tallahassee and they think I'm crazy.  I've found that retirement is not the end of an old life but the beginning of a new life.  It's good to be 62 and living large in Morocco.  I feel a tremor in the FORCE - Doris must be waking up!  Got to go.

The le grand taxi to Meknes!

Wednesday we took the le grand taxi to Meknes. We went to the Marché to catch the taxi but the location had _changed.  Doris asked someone where the new location was?  He pointed down the road and told us right at the round about.  We kept walking to each round about and kept asking where the taxi stand was?  Everyone kept point down the road and said right at the round about.  We finally ran out of town and road.  We arrived at the last round about and saw the taxi stand to our right. 

There are two types of cabs in Morocco.  The le grand taxi that travel on a fixed route between towns and the le petit taxi that carry passengers within a particular town – each town has a different color for the le petit taxi. There is set fee for the trip in le grand taxi and the cost is divided up among the passengers while the le petit taxi has a meter.  A single passenger can “rent” the le grand taxi but he or she would pay the full fee.  Tourists will do this but not local Moroccans.  By splitting the fee, it is cheap and affordable transportation.  The taxi can sit 6 people and a driver – 4 passengers in the back and 2 in the front.  If you sit in the back, you are packed in like sardines – you are intimate whether you want to be or not.   The grand taxi only leaves when the taxi is full – 6 passengers.  If you are lucky, it fills up quickly.  If not, you wait.  The taxis have no air conditioning.   Usually the driver’s window is open but Moroccans seem to have an aversion to opening any of the remaining windows not matter how hot it is.  Also many of the windows do not have a window crank so you have to ask the driver for “the crank” to roll down the window. Whoever sits by a window, controls the window.  Even if you can get someone to roll down a window, it mysteriously keeps closing.  Shared taxis are a cultural experience.  We’ve used them in Ghana and in Tunisia.  It’s a simple cheap system that works.

Our taxi filled up quickly for the trip to Meknes.  We sat in the back next to a slender young mother and her baby who was in a car seat.  Yes, the baby had to pay for a seat – a seat is a seat.  No one else in the car is going to pay for more than one seat.  This was incredibly lucky – there is nothing worse than sharing a cab with “large people” – you can’t breathe, you can’t move and the “forced intimacy” is uncomfortable for many westerners.  I actually enjoy using share taxis – it is a cultural experience that most westerners don’t allow themselves to experience.  Also it is an incredibly cheap way to travel.  Doris and I each paid 28 dirham ($3) for a 40 miles trip to Meknes.  The trip took about 45 minutes.  The driver drives like a bat out of hell, weaving in and out of traffic on curves and hills – it is better than the “scary ride” at Disney world.  

The countryside between Ifrane and Meknes reminds me of Colorado or New Mexico.   As you drop in altitude the heat increases dramatically – it was 90 degrees in Ifrane and 104 degrees in Meknes but a dry heat.  Along the way I noticed fields of onions and potatoes, corn, olive groves, apple and peach orchards and huge vineyards – Morocco is a major wine producer.  Once we arrived in Meknes, we caught a petit taxi to the Marché where Doris bought some flowers from a flower vendor – she has been buying flowers from the same vendor for years.  He always remembers her and gives her a few extra flowers from his people to her for her loss.  This always touches Doris deeply that he remembers.  From the Marché we walked to the French cemetery where visited Lancey’s grave. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon at the Medina.  We had lunch at the Restaurant Riad and coffee later on a roof top café overlooking the city near the Mellah, the Jewish Medina that is separate from the regular Muslim Medina.  The original meaning comes from the Arabic world “mel” = salt, it took this name because the Jews were the salt sellers at the time.  High walls surround the Medina – we passed through the Bab Mansour gate and entered the Medina.  We wandered through the streets and alleys of the Medina until we arrived at the Restaurant Riad where we had a lovely lunch in the garden.  We then visited the Mausoleum of Mouley Ismail that was constructed in the 18^th century.  The inner chamber had always been closed to non-Muslims when Doris had been there before but now it is open to tourists.  The inner chamber has fountain and is incredibly cool.  We hung out there for a while to escape the 104-degree heat.  After the Mausoleum we visited the Mellah, the Jewish medina, which lies outside the walled medina.  We stopped for coffee at a roof top café where we had a panoramic view of the Medina, the Mellah and Meknes.  By then we were ready to head home so we caught a petit taxi and then a le grand taxi and headed back to Ifrane.  The heat dropped dramatically as the altitude increased.  It was good to be back home again. 

BUCHENWALD!

We left Weimar, the center of German culture and civilization, and drove through a beautiful forest to Buchenwald.  The roadside was covered with wild flowers.  Before the construction of Buchenwald, the mountain top forest had been a favorite location for the people of Weimar to relax and enjoy the beauties of nature.  Next to Buchenwald was a formal garden attached to an estate - Shoah in paradise.   When we arrived in Buchenwald, I first saw the SS barracks that had been built by the prisoners.  They are now a youth hostel – I found this both practical and a little macabre.  I went to the bookstore and found a section in English.  I spent a few minutes reading exerts from various books - it was engaging and disturbing at the same time.  I left the bookstore and walked back to camp.  I walked through the Iron Gate that reads “JEDEM DAS SEINE” – TO EACH HIS OWN.  The gate, the barbed wire fence, the 4 watchtowers and the crematorium are the only structures still standing within the camp.  I walked to the crematorium and went inside – I saw the autopsy table where the gold teeth were pulled from the mouths of the dead, the cremation urns and a large photo on the wall of naked bodies stacked up against a wall like wood for the winter.  I stood there and looked the photo and then looked out the door at the wall where the bodies had been stacked.  There is a darkness in humanity that all to often demands expression in the most horrific ways.  It feeds on death, destruction and degradation until nothing is left but the ashes of the dead.

The barracks of the prisoners are gone – razed or burned to the ground.  The foundation of each barrack is filled with black cinders.  It is a field of desolation surrounded by barbed wire.  As I wandered among the ruins, I saw a small spray of beautiful, delicate white flowers – life struggling to live among the memories of the dead.  I eventually found the Jewish section.  Next to foundation of one of the barracks were words of remembrance in English and Hebrew etched in the ground.  Someone had left a small Israeli flag draped over the foundation – rocks and candles held it down.  One corner was loose and folded over so I unfolded it and put a black cinder on it to hold it down.  I recited the Shema and Kaddish.  I then left – it was too much.  I read “Jedem Das Sein” again as I exited the gate. 

Buchenwald was not an “extermination” camp but was a “forced labor” camp and was a transition camp for the exterminations camps further east.  There were over a 250,000 prisoners at Buchenwald.  Over 50,000 died of starvation, disease, abuse, neglect and over work.   Many were brutally murdered by the guards.  The prisoners were Jews, Romani, Sinti, communists, political prisoners, the handicapped, criminals and homosexuals.  There were rabbis, priests and ministers. Of the 12,000,000 killed in the Holocaust, half were Jews.  The other half needs to be remembered too.  Lest we forget.

Photos only - Meknes

Photos only - with Teresa in Berlin!

Photos only Weimar

Photos only of visit to Thiel's in Berlin - see the twins!

Photos only - new apartment in Ifrane!

Dinner with Teresa in Berlin!

Dinner with Teresa in Berlin!

We were on out way for a hike when the maintenance man arrived to complete some minor repairs on the apartment.  We had to forgo the hike so we could get the work done – otherwise he would leave and come back later (if ever).  Right now we are the only one here so we need to get all these little issues resolved before everyone is competing for attention. 

The last Monday that we were at Bad Saarow, we went to Berlin to have dinner with Teresa who is Doris’ niece.  Last year she completed her Masters degree with honors and took time off for a world tour.  She is currently working at a youth hostel in Berlin while she tries to get into the German equivalent of the Peace Corps for a tour in South American – preferably in either Argentina or Columbia.  She fell in love with South America when she was there.  She wants to spend a year there with the German “Peace Corps” to work on her Spanish.  She hopes to eventually work and live in South America.  It’s always fun to spend time with Teresa.  She is so funny, intelligent and articulate.  She actually speaks English better than I do with almost no accent.  She is one of the most adventurous people I know. 

When we arrived Teresa was not quite finished work so we sat outside and drank some water while we waited.  I watched people pass which is a favorite pastime for me in Berlin.  You never know who you will see or from where.   Teresa wanted to go to a new museum – when he got there it was closed.  We all forgot that museums are closed on Monday.  We then walked over the king’s palace and walked around the gardens along the river – enchanting.  We then drove to a restaurant on the Spree River where he had dinner – as usual excellent food.  It was a nice afternoon spent with family.  It was an excellent way to end the last day or our vacation in Bad Saarow.  

I'm still working on the photo issue. 

Veronica's twins in Berlin! Catch up blog re German vacation.

This is our 3^rd day in Morocco.  I am sitting downstairs trying to catch up on my blogs re Germany.  I have all the windows open and it is very nippy this morning – the air is cool, crisp and fresh.  Ifrane has not quite woken up yet.  I enjoy the quietness of the early morning.  Once I finish this blog, I will walk to a nearby café to pick up a round loaf for Berber bread.

We took our first trip to Berlin from Bad Saarow on the last Sunday that we were there.  We went to visit some friends, Norbert, Gertrude and Gabriel.  Norbert and Gertrude bought a large two-story house with a full basement a couple of years ago in southeast Berlin that they are in the process of renovating.  Norbert is an art dealer who runs his business from their home on the first floor.  Gertrude is a professor who trains teachers.  Gabriel is retired and rents an apartment in the house.  All three are old, good friends of Doris.  Doris’ children grew up thinking that Norbert and Gertrude’s children were their cousins and still refer to them as their cousins.  It was a 40-minute drive from Bad Saarow to Berlin, although we did get lost and had to call for directions.  When we arrived, Norbert who is an excellent cook was preparing a vegan meal – a nod to my dietary peculiarities.  I hung out in the kitchen with Norbert while he finished lunch.  Doris was upstairs chatting with Gertrude and Gabriel.  When lunch was ready, we all helped to set the table in the garden and bring out the food.   The food was excellent and we all enjoyed a nice lunch while chatting about life, work, retirement, kids, grandkids, the economy and politics – all the usual suspects.  All of Doris’ friends are very intelligent, engaged, articulate and the nicest people.  Often the conversation was in German but I never felt left out.  English was used frequently enough that I could follow what was going on.  Lunch ended with cake and watermelon – a nod to my southern roots.

After lunch Norbert and I went to pick up his daughter, Veronica, and her two twin daughters, Anna and Juana.  I enjoyed the drive through Berlin.  It is such a cosmopolitan city and so ethnically diverse.  It is one of the  “hot spots” in Europe for young men and woman along with Barcelona and Prague.  They come all over the world for school, work, economic opportunity and well the “Berlin ambience”.  Berlin has a certain energy that makes it an exciting place to live.  I can understand why so many young people are drawn to the city – the food, the music, the art scene, and the culture.  It is an exciting place to be young and ambitious.  Also Berlin is one of the cheapest cities in the world to live.  Doris and I have discussed living in Berlin once we “completely” retire but that is still so many years off so who knows – I do enjoy visiting Berlin and hope we can spend more time there. 

Veronica and her partner, Juan, live in a roomy two room flat in an older part of East Berlin.  In Germany, an apartment is described by the number of rooms that it has excluding the bathroom and kitchen.  Juan was funny, warm and welcoming – a truly nice guy.  He is originally from Columbia.  He and Veronica hope to eventually go back to Columbia for a few years for work and to be close to Juan’s family.  Right now Juan is interviewing for a position in Hamburg, Germany.  I understand that he is also an accomplished musician. The twins are adorable – healthy, happy and well loved. 

When we arrive back at the house, the twins who are six months old were the center of adoration.  This is the first time that Doris had seen the twins and it was the highlight of our trip.  Veronica’s brother, Felix, soon arrived on his bike.  Felix also lives in Berlin in a commune style house.  He recently graduated from college and is an automotive design engineer who is currently working on a project to redesign seatbelts.  Both Veronica and Felix grabbed some lunch.  The conversations continued.  The babies were pampered and adored, as they should be. 

Veronica and Doris took the babies for a walk.  They both wrapped about 8 yards of cloth around their bodies to form a kind a sling in the front the carry the babies while they walked.  I later noticed a number of women in Berlin using the same type of sling to carry their babies.  I admire Veronica’s energy – one baby is hard enough,

but twins are A LOT OF WORK!   Veronica is great mom. 

Doris and I had a great time visiting with everyone.  We finally left about 6:30 pm so we could get back to Bad Saarow for dinner with Elfriede.  It was a perfect ending to a perfect day – dinner on the deck with a view of the Scharmützelsee. 

I know y’all want pictures of the babies but our wi-fi situation does not allow me the capacity the upload and attach photos to the blog.  I will try to upload photos as soon as I can.  

Weimar - the center of German culture - dinner...ouch! (catch up blog re Germany)

Weimar – the center of German culture – dinner…ouch!

Last Tuesday we arrived in Weimar in time for lunch.  We checked into the Hotel Elephant that was built in 1696 and has been remodeled and restored since German unification.  It is now a 5 star hotel with a 5 star restaurant, the Anna Amelia.  Since it a historic building, there is no air conditioning but even though the weather was hot for Germany, the rooms were pleasantly cool.  The renovations were influenced by the Bauhaus movement that has a simple and clean style that reminds me of the Shaker movement in its simplicity and clean lines, but with a slight decadent touch with the extensive use of marble in the reception area and the modern bathrooms.  We had a quick lunch after check in.  Elfriede and I ate outside on the piazza at the Black Boar adjacent to the hotel.  Doris brought a bratwurst from a street vendor next to the restaurant and had to walk around the piazza eating it since there was a sign at the restaurant that no one could sit at the tables if they bought food from the street vendors.  Doris joined us later for a beer after she finished her bratwurst  – it was the best bratwurst that she had eaten since arriving in Germany.  After lunch, Elfriede took a nap and we took a walk around town checking out the cultural sites. 

We decided to stop for the night in Weimar because Doris’ mother had stayed at the Elephant 22 years ago with her husband – Doris’ father, Karl Heinz.  When they stayed there, the Elephant had not been restored to its former splendor and was at that time a cheap inn for commercial travelers.  At one time though, many of the great figures of German culture and politics had stayed there or had lived in Weimar – Goethe, Schiller, Bach, etc.  After our walk, we went upstairs for a nap before dinner. 

Right before dinner I went out to the car to get Elfriede’s coat.  I got caught in a rain and hailstorm on the way to the car – the hail was about the size of a peanut.  I grab an umbrella from the car but I was soaked and beaten by the hail on the way back to the hotel.   Tough guy that I am I went to dinner soaked – much to the horror of Doris and Elfriede – just can’t take a southern boy anywhere nice.

Dinner was in the hotel at the Anna Amelia.  It was fine dinner at its best – china, real silverware, linen napkins, candles and an endless supply of waiters catering to your every need – even needs that you never knew you had.  I lost count of the number of times the silverware was changed.  The food was splendid but it was what they call “molecular cuisine” in Germany.  The food was placed on a table size plate with thimbles and eyedroppers and a waiter would explain in great detail the complexity and subtlety of the cuisine before we were allowed to indulge in this exquisite gourmet creation.  Six times we received a delight to our palate and eye from the kitchen – not only was the food exquisite in its preparation but also in its presentation on the plate – it was a work of art.  I wasn’t sure if I should eat it or hang it on a wall.  We all had a marvelous time – we made fun of the food, the waiters and the other patrons who ate as if at worship.  Elfriede said that one should never come hungry to a “fine dining experience” but should come simply to enjoy the total experience and ambience.  We were fed on delightful tidbits and pampered like kings and queens, but when I saw the bill, I had to think…ouch.  Never has so few been feed so little for so much.   

We have arrived in Morocco!

We have arrived – Morocco!

We flew out of the Frankfurt airport yesterday at 6 pm.  The cabbie who took us to the airport from Kronberg was originally from Afghanistan – like most countries, cab driver is an entry-level job for many immigrants.  In fact, it often becomes a permanent job.  The cabbie that drove Doris’ Dad for years is Turkish and still remembers her Dad and Mother.  He is still driving a cab and Doris always calls him when we need to arrange a cab from Kronberg to the airport. 

The flight to Morocco was uneventful.  It left on time and arrived on time.  It was a bit warm where we seated in the front of the plane but not unpleasant.  I noticed that it was noticeably cooler toward the rear of the plane when I walked back to the bathroom, but for Doris sitting closer to the front if better because of the stampede that occurs once the plane lands.  The meal served in the plane was OK for airplane food – not quite up to the gourmet standards of the last month but edible. I did have a bit of bother as the English say when we first bordered.  I had two carry on bags and both were packed so full that they would not fit in the overhead bins so I had to do an emergency “packonectomy” right there on the spot while all the other passengers were trying to push there way through to their seats.  I was successful but it was touch and go there for a moment. 

Doris always prepares me for the landing and the rush to be first at customs.  She reminds me throughout the trip how important it is to get out of the plane quickly - don’t be polite, don’t stop, don’t help little old ladies, run like hell and be the first in line. She has it down to a science.  Once the plane landed, the race was on.  The plane disembarked on the runway.  A bus took us to the terminal.  We were standing in the front of the bus.  People were trying to get on – I could see space behind Doris.  I asked her to move back – he looked at me and said, “ NO!”  She the gave me “The Look.”  I realized that I had made a major strategic error.  Don’t be polite – never give up the advantage.  Once the bus arrived Doris hit the ground running.  I didn’t even have time to put on my backpacks – grabbed one in each hand and ran to keep up.  I’m getting too old to run through the airport slepping a 35-pound backpack in each hand, but we made it among the first and breezed through customs.  Doris tried to exchange some money while I was getting the rest of the baggage but could not because the money change would not exchange $200 but only wanted to change $500.  We had to wait until the next day to exchange the money at the bank. There we were in Morocco without a dirham to our name – hungry and thirsty.  Luckily the driver from the university was there – he immediately recognized Doris so we loaded up all the baggage and took off. He was told there would only be one passenger so I sat in the back wedge among the luggage.  It was three hours flight to Morocco but 5 hours to drive from the airport to Ifrane.  Traffic was backed up due to the Aid holiday – everyone was on the way home from somewhere else.  It was bumper-to-bumper, stop and go traffic.  I checked the cars out since we are trying to decide on a car but after awhile I just dozed off.  I drift in and out of sleep, waking up to Doris and the driver, Mohammed, speaking French or Berber music or Berber comedian on the radio.  We passed through several small towns after midnight and the roadside café were still packed with people.  When we arrived in Ifrane, Mohammed stopped at the university security house and picked up a welcome basket – water, 5 pounds of sugar, milk, OJ, cookies, spaghetti and jam – survival rations. 

There is a housing shortage at the university so the housing administration had arranged for a two-bedroom apartment for us at the Best Western.  When we arrived at 2 am, Doris and Mohammed went in to find out where the apartment was located.  The clerk immediately recognized Doris.  He asked about her children and Ken.  He remembered Ken well and told her that everyone loved Mr. Gray.  She explained to him about Ken’s death and that she was here with her “new husband” – Mohammed had already grilled her about her family, me, etc. on the ride to Ifrane.  There is no sense of personal privacy here.  The clerk apologized but told her that there was no reservation, no apartment ready and no room that we could have for the night.  Phone calls were made; blame was directed until finally they agreed to provide us with an apartment for the night.  Then they couldn’t find a key.  It was a comedy of errors – Doris kept running outside to tell me about each new problem it arose.  When we finally got into the apartment, there was no toilet paper so we made several trips back to the office before we could get any toilet paper.  Finally, at about 3 am, we were able to fall asleep.

We were up the next morning and were shown the actual apartment that we were assigned to – it was a disaster.  The apartment had not been cleaned.  The building was run down.  The view from the apartment was a construction site.  The apartment was at least and hour-walk to the university.  We walked part way into town, but were able to catch a taxi since Doris had found 35 dirham tucked away in her bag.  Doris exchanged some money.  We ate breakfast and then walked 15 minutes to the university to check with housing.  The head of housing was not there but she was at the university’s downtown housing unit at the old Bank Populaire building.  Doris called her from the phone at Housing Administration and we made an appointment to meet her at the downtown housing at 12:30 pm.  We walked about into town and arrived early for the meeting.  The Director of Housing was extremely nice and was very apologetic about the problems with the housing at the Best Western.  She showed us an apartment in the downtown housing unit that we immediately accepted.  It is a two story corner apartment so lots of windows and light.  The ceilings are 12 feet high both upstairs and downstairs.  The floors are terrazzo – easy to keep clean and cool to the feet in the summer.  The walls are over are 2 feet thick and the apartment is shaded by large tree so it is cool even in the hottest part of the day.  The first floor is an open design – a living room, dining room and kitchen combo with a half bath. The upstairs has one large bedroom, one small bedroom and a full bath.  There is lots of storage.  Both bedrooms have a full wall of closets – floor to ceiling.  Downstairs there is a larger closet next to the front door and the kitchen has plenty of cabinets.  The kitchen is small but larger that we expected.  It has a small refrigerator, sink, four-burner stovetop but no oven.  The stairs are steep and winding their way up to the second floor with two turns before reaching the top – the stairs will either make me or break me.  Since trees surround our bedroom, it is like sleeping in a tree house - much like our bedroom in Tallahassee.   It’s not as convenient to work as living on campus but the university is only a 15-minute walk and we are living downtown, which is very convenient.  The apartment is on a side street   about a block from the city square but we will need to adjust to the city noise, but it’s not bad so far and the tourist season will be over soon.  Since the apartment is part of the Executive MBA Training Center for the University, there is round the clock security.  We are not sure if we are the only permanent residences or not.  We did learn that this is also used as a “university hotel” for the participants in the MBA program since it is a weekend program.  The building also has small gardens and a patio out back.  There is also a small wall around the property – not high enough to block the view from the street but it does create an additional sense of privacy.  When we sit in the living room, we have all of the curtain drawn back and the windows open.  You quickly get used to the pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk and the cars passing by.  Per Doris, we will have more privacy here than if we lived at the University.  It is pleasant to sit here in our own apartment as I type my blog.  I glance out the window and enjoy the beauty of the garden, the day and the passing people.  I hear Arabic, Berber and French as the people pass.  The passing moped I could do without but it’s all part of the ambience and the experience of Ifrane.

We moved in yesterday and are already unpacked.  I woke up early with a distant first call to prayer – the town dogs also answered the call.  Doris is still sleeping – both of us were tired and burnt out after yesterday but we got a lot done.  After 5 weeks of travel and the final move to Morocco has left both of us a bit over stimulated.  It was an incredible vacation – great to see family and friends but it will be good for us to settle down in our new apartment and get into a routine.  As much as we enjoy traveling, we are ready to stop living out of a suitcase for a while.  

Doris woke up and sent me out for bread – my first “big adventure” alone in Morocco.  I went to a shop that was supposed to have bread this morning but no bread.  I was on my way back “home” when Doris called.   “No bread,” I said.   Just then I spotted a man with two loaves of bread.  I ran up to him and with coaching over the phone by Doris, I got directions to where I could buy bread.  My first solely adventure was “incredibly challenging” but the success “enormous”.  Doris and I enjoyed bread with olive oil for breakfast – our pantry is pretty bare so more shopping today. 

Doris and I are both sitting in the living room of our new apartment.  All of the windows are open and we are both working on the computer.  It’s a perfectly beautiful day.  The town is coming alive and people are beginning to move about on the street.  We have already spoken with housing regarding some minor issues and they are already being handled.  Perfection is not a Moroccan concept.  Even though Ifrane is architecturally Swiss, it is culturally Moroccan.  There is a certain sense of disorder and deterioration that is not “Swiss”, but it adds a certain Moroccan flavor to the experience that is unique.  I’m already beginning to feel “at home” here.  The strange is becoming familiar.  I’m looking forward to our life here together.

We just found out that are 4 other facility members who are permanent residents at the downtown housing facility.  Right now they are all on vacation until the new semester starts later this month.

I tried to attach photos but problem with wi-fi reception in the apartment.  Since the University is closed until later this month, all the IT people are on vacation until then.  I have come to appreciate a good wi-fi connection.  

Flying to Morocco today!

Sorry that I have fallen behind on log.  We got back to Kronberg late Wednesday after a stop in Weimar.  We have been busy getting ready for our departure to Morocco since we got back - lots of last minute things to take care of.  We fly to Morocco today at 6 pm.  I will try to catch up on last week's blog later today if I get a chance. Great vacation but it's over now.  Reality is jumping back in with both feet.  There has been an on going problem with housing so I'm not sure where we will be staying when we get there tonight.  We will have a place but I'm not sure if it will be our permanent housing or not so we may not have easy access to wi-fi until later this month or the first of next month.  Welcome to my brave new world!  Once we are there, we will have to hit the ground running and then wait in line for the bureaucracy to slowly process our paperwork - they will want everything now but will take FOREVER to process it - new world, new culture, new language, new job (I hope), new challenges. Got to run - still lots to do before we leave.  I'm really enjoying myself and looking forward to Morocco but I miss all of my friends and family.  Love y'all!

Lazy week at the Scharmützelsee!

Lazy week in the Scharmützelsee!

I’m cranked back on a lounge chair by the lake catching up on my blog.

We arrived in Bad Saarow late Tuesday afternoon – it is about a 5 ½ hour drive from Frankfurt am Main and is about an hour southeast of Berlin.  We are staying at the Alte Eichen, a country hotel on the banks of the Scharmützelsee (lake).  The area where we are staying is the lake district of Germany.  There are a number of lakes scattered around the area. Canals with locks link many of the lakes and rivers in this area.  It is possible to travel from one lake to another by boat or to even boat to Berlin from here.  The lake is about 10-12 kilometers long and about 2-3 kilometers wide.  It is a very serene and peaceful lake – quite beautiful and soothing.  It produces a languid laziness that it is perfect for a very relaxed vacation.  We spend out days swimming, biking and boating.  The meals are long, languid and relaxed.  The food and service are excellent.  Once the hotel realized that I am vegan, they bought soy milk, soy cheese, soy yogurt and tofu for my meals and prepare these delicious vegan meals for me.  Doris and Elfriede get up early every morning and go for an au naturale swim in the lake before the other guests wake up.  They then go back to bed and sleep in – I just sleep in.

Thursday we drove to Frankfurt an der Oder, which is the second Frankfurt in Germany that is 1 hour west of Berlin, and right on the Polish Border – the Oder River forms the border.  We were visiting friends, Stefan and Ursula.  He is a retired police chief and she is a professor at the university in Frankfurt.  We enjoyed tour of their beautiful house and garden.  Elfriede was quite taken with the house and garden – she told Doris and me that she would love to live there.  We had a nice lunch in Frankfurt and then did a car tour of the area.  Both Stefan and Ursula are very knowledgeable of the history and literature of the area, so it was a very enjoyable, entertaining and informative outing.  We had lively discussions about politics, history, literature and agriculture.  I learn a lot about the history of East German under Frederick the Great, communist rule and the post unification period.   The West and the East have not always been in agreement as to how the development of East Germany should proceed after unification.  Because of these conflicts, economic development in the east has lagged behind the west.  Many young people are migrating west for better opportunities and there is a noticeable decline in the population of Frankfurt – it has decreased from 90,000 to 60,000 since unification.  This is the first time that I have seen so many dilapidated buildings and signs of urban decay in Germany. 

Doris and I rented two bikes from the hotel and road all the way around the lake on the bike path.  Germany has an incredible system of bike trails.  We started in Bad Saarow which has been a summer resort for the aristocracy and wealthy for hundreds of years.  During the communist era, it was turned into a “resort for the proletariat”.  There still are some small bungalows that were used by working class people but mainly it was where the Communist Party elite had their dachas.  Today, it is where many prominent, wealthy Berliners live or have summer homes.  Many of the houses here a quite beautiful with tree lined streets and bike paths connecting all of the neighborhoods.   As we bikes south along the east side of the lake, we passed through farmland, small villages and the forest.  The farther south and west you for along the lake, the less development there is.  Once you are 1-2 meters from the lake, it is all farmland, forest and low rolling hills.  There are also these huge wind turbines all over this area – the green revolution.  At the south end of the lake, we stopped at a biker bar for lunch.  Doris is convinced that it is a neon-nazi biker bar.  The waiter was heavily tattooed with jeans and boots and there was biker kitsch all around the bar with nude pinups on the wall, but there were also numerous potted flowers and the hand towel in the bathroom had a teddy bear on it.  The bar was very clean, the food good and the atmosphere pleasant.  We were the only “bikers” there so it may have been different if the regular clientele were present.  The south side of the lake is very commercial and full of small bungalows, boats and tourists - it very much reminded us of Florida.  There is a campground there also near the biker bar - very "redneck".  The west side of the lake is forest near the lake with one mega-resort, the Arosa, just south of where we are staying.  It is located in the middle of the woods – right on the lake.  It is a quite elegant 5 star hotel but I prefer out more quaint ethic country hotel. Doris and Elfriede checked it out later that night but both agreed they prefer our quaint country inn - too hard to get to the water and dining area is too far from the apartments.  Also, it's like the interstate, you could be anywhere in any country - they're all pretty much the same - spectacular and luxurious - but very similar.  It's hard to get a feel for the country or culture when  you're there - nouveau anywhere.

We plan to leave next Tuesday.  We will spend the night in Weimar. It is on the way back from here – about half way to Frankfurt am Main.  I am planning a visit to Buchenwald (concentration camp) but I don’t think either Doris or Elfriede will join.  They have been before – I think once will be enough for me too.  Until then, we will en enjoy out lazy vacation at the Scharmützelsee.