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.