February 3rd, 2009

This morning I woke up a few minutes before my alarm went off at five because I was so excited to see Morocco! I woke up got out of bed, grabbed everything I would need, and headed up for breakfast they were putting it out at 5:30 specially for the SAS trip I was going on. At breakfast naturally the only people awake were those going on my trip so we all sat and had breakfast together before getting off the ship at 6 with our boxed lunches (they made us feel like major tourists and like we were in middle school). There was a group of 18 of us Scott, Matt (from Buffalo New York goes to Miami of Ohio), Greg and Reed (brothers from Detroit also go to Miami of Ohio) Steven (from Boston), Jeff, Jerry (the viedographer for the ship), Katie and Erica (two fiends from Virginia), Allison (from Indiana), Erica and Kelly (both from Boulder!! Ya more new boulder friends), Bev, Jessica and Leslie (both from Chicago), Rachel (from Colorado goes to school in Montana) and Kate (works in the Field Office and was our leader). We also had two tour guides both named Mohammed, and a two chefs traveling with us. 

 

We first took a 15 minute drive to the train station in Casablanca, and then a three and half hour train ride to Marrakech. On our train we sat Allison, Leslie, Katie, Kelly and I sat with two Arab men who spoke English fairly well. We talked about politics, movies, and school. They were really nice and even taught us a little Arabic. After the two men got off at their stop the rest of us took a nap on our way into Marrakech. When we finally arrived we got off the train and into two vans. We drove for about 45 minutes stopping in a small town so the cooks could pick up a few supplies. In the village Mohammed got us some fresh mint tea that was delicious. We all sat outside a place that sold meat it was hanging all around us, it was definitely a site to see. We drove for about another 20 minutes arriving at the base of the Atlas Mountains in a small village.

 

One of the Mohammed’s took us a on a walk to explore the village while the cooks prepared lunch. The valleys and mountains around this village were breathtaking. When we got back we walked around the corner to find cushions and blankets set up for us for lunch. Gorgeous plates with fresh veggies were sitting in the middle; we also had bread, fish, fresh oranges, and mint tea. Sitting down with the 17 other people looking around I think we all realized we were going to be experiencing something not many other SAS trips would. We sat talking about how amazing everything was and started to get to know one another. Once we were done with lunch we began our three hour long trek to our first Berber Village. (Fact: Morocco is 50% Berber and 50% Arab; many Berbers and Arabs speak French as a second language but don’t Berbers don’t speak Arabic and Arabs don’t speak Berber). When we got ready to leave we were surprised to find out we didn’t have to carry our bags and that donkeys would be carrying our bags throughout the entire trip. (It was a nice surprise!)

 

Only about 10 minutes into our trek we came across river we had to cross. We all crossed one way with the help of the Mohammed’s and then about 5 minutes later we had to cross back over the river. It was really wide and we weren’t sure we would be able to without getting our feet wet even more then they did the first time crossing. But we then looked up and there was an old man and his grandson crossing the river on a donkey. The Mohammed’s asked the man if we could use his donkey to cross the river and he agreed. A minute later the donkeys carrying our things turned the corner and we were all able to get a ride on a donkey across the river. Matt, Greg, and Reed though decided they were smarter and crossed the river in a different section but they missed out in the Donkey ride. 

 

As walked from village to village it was interesting to see how many satellite dishes were atop the gites. A gite is what the berber people live in; it is a house with an open center almost like a courtyard in the middle of the house. All of the houses are made of clay because it keeps the gites warm in the winter and cool during the summer. 

 

For part of our walk I walked along with Jerry discussing his career and what suggestions he had for me. Everything I told him I have been doing he says it sounds like I am on the right track. I also observed everything he filmed and the way he interviewed people throughout the hike to learn from him. We had great conversation and I feel like I learned a lot. Throughout our walk we came across barley and wheat field, all set up with an irrigation system running from village to village. A ways into our walk we came across olive tree groves, that our famous to the Atlas Mountains (Mohammed told me). 

 

Everywhere we walked we would see animals like sheep, dogs, and cats. Along with the animals there where little children everywhere! Coming to the end of our hike we were walking down into a valley and could see the village we would be staying at across the way. On our way down we heard a call for prayer which rang throughout the hills. It was really peaceful to look around and at that very moment know that everyone in the country was facing Mecca. We then went down the hill and up another big one to arrive at the Berber Village we would stay for our first night. 

 

When we walked into the gite we were greeted by a very old man (the owner of the Village) he was very kind and joyful.  He spoke French and greeted all of us asking of if we were tired from our hike. We was the sweetest old man and his personality and laugh were contagious his presence just made you smile every time he came in a room. We were given a tour of the gite and the cooks who were already working on dinner let us come in a stir the food to help. After seeing our rooms that we would be staying in we were given tea and biscuits ( more like doughnuts). The room were staying in had six small mattresses per room with a pillow and big wool blanket. I was sharing a room with Kelly, Allison, Erica, and Bev. 

 

Once we put our things in our room and had tea we decided to explore the village a little bit more. We just walked down the road enjoying the gorgeous view of the hill sides and snow covered mountains around us. When I looked back I saw two little girls following us and lingering around. When we stopped to take some pictures I asked them if I could take one of them. Once I did I showed them the picture and they giggled. Then one of the girls offered to take a picture of me and her friend. We then kept walking and the little girls disappeared around a corner. Erica and I decided to walk back to the gite we were staying in and when we came up the road we found the girls picking flowers and the each gave Erica and I a little bouquet. They then grabbed our hands and continued our walk with us to gite. We skipped and giggled and I used what little French I could remember and they knew to ask them things. When we got back to the gite the stayed right next to us holding our hands. I then showed them the video I have of me and my dad unicycling they giggled and though it was very funny. I then taught and let the little girl holding my hand use the video camera she recorded all the other SAS students and loved watching what she had played back again. 

 

She then took me by the hand dragging me out of our gite and around the corner. I didn’t ask questions and just let her pull me along. We ended up going down the road and up a set of stairs to her home. When I walked in her grandfather the old man I spoke about earlier and two women were sitting around a very small short table having coffee. They automatically said hello, gave me a seat, and insisted on me having some coffee. A few minutes later I could hear Allison and Erica coming up the stairs into the home. When they got there the two women found them chairs and one even got up giving up her own seat to let them sit down. They made us doughnuts or biscuits and gave each of us a cup of coffee. I used what little French I knew to ask the relationship between everyone, their names, and age. The chief or grandfather explain the two little girls were cousins and when another little girl came from another room said she was a sister of one. The two women in the room were their mothers. The little girl who I had spent the last hour with had a clef lip and the grandfather explained to me an American doctor came to fix it when she was very little (If I remember correctly her name was Latishma and she was 9 years old) her sister Fatima was 11. The girl who had been holding Erica’s hand was Bushara and she was only 7 and perhaps one of the prettiest little girls I have ever seen. 

 

We finally left the grandfathers kitchen to go eat dinner back in our gite. Latishma and Bushara walked us back and waved goodbye. When we got back to the gite everyone was sitting around ceramic bowls with coals in them to keep their feet warm. Dinner was soon ready and we all sat down to some amazing Moroccan food. When we were done with our meal a few of the men from the village came in with some drums and empty water bottles to play some music. Earlier in the day Mohammed had told me Latishma was a good dancer and I insisted on seeing her dance later that night. 

 

Once the music started and we were all sitting around Latishma, Fatima, and Bushara came in and started dancing. About 45 seconds into the song Latishma grabbed my hand and I was up and dancing along with the Erica, Allison and Kelly who started dancing with the other little girls. After the first song was over Fatima and her mother sat down at a table and offered to give people henna tattoos. I continued to dance with Latishma for every song and waited my turn for the tattoo. I grabbed a picture and got Latishma and Bushara’s advice on which henna to get and as soon as it was my turn they dragged me over to Fatima to get started. I was really gald Fatima would be doing my tattoo because she was a sweet and shy little girl who I wanted to get to open up like the others. I let Latishma video the process which made her very happy. 

 

Once the tattoo was done we went to sit by the coals to dry the henna. Fatima did a wonderful job.  Latishma sat with me and we took silly pictures! This little girl touched my heart and this was my favorite part of my amazing day by far. Even some of the boys got henna getting scorpions on their wrists. 

 

It was finally time for bed around 10 after a very long day. I put on two pairs of pants, my north face, a scarf, a fresh pair of socks (after crossing through river all day my feet were very wet), and hoped into bed. It was very cold and the blanket didn’t seem to help much. I spent most of the night awake freezing.