Teaching update

So now I have completed my second day of teaching and although I panicked because I only had one student come in at 9:45 when the class was to start, I forgot that this is Morocco and everyone arrives late. So by 10:30 I had about 10 students. I had diligently prepared lessons on comparatives and superlatives for my intermediate students but we spent most of the time just talking. They are so eager to speak and practice their English. I have several male students in their 20s and a young woman in her twenties and then several women who are in their 40s. Despite the generation and gender gap, they get along well. This is modern Morocco...no head scarves, discussing rap music and how to raise children. Marie (the other volunteer at Feminin Pluriel)and I split up the students from yesterday and she has the more elementary students. So I get to try and discuss things with my students like the difference between Fahrenheit and Celsius(we were doing a section on weather).

I really love the house that is our base. It is in a very upper class neighborhood in Rabat and feels more like France than Morocco. When we take a cab to the medina, it reminds us where we are. I will try and take pictures of the neighborhood tomorrow. The five of us have formed a tight group and I am now thinking of extended my stay another week...and also some of the women are going to visit me in Asni when I get there.

We are all going to take the train to Essouria on Friday and then Marrakesh on Sat night. Somehow I have become the expert and was in charge of making all the reservations...It is about a 3 1/2 hour train to Marrakesh, then bus to Essouria for another 2 hours. Then back to Rabat on Sunday afternoon or evening to get ready for Monday classes.

Despite the fact that we have had two classes in Darija (Moroccan arabic), I seem to be unable to retain much except Shukran (thank you). Here in Rabat it is too easy to resort to the French..and my studying of Berber has come to a halt for the time being.

I am now going to have another volunteer in my assignment in the High Atlas! She is another American who will be joining me two days after I get there. We talked on Skype tonight for an hour or so and it looks like it is going to work out well.

Have to go to sleep. Tomorrow I have a meeting with three of my male students in a cafe in Rabat and then some of us are going to go to a lecture in French at the Feminin Pluriele on proverbs (?).