Hello from Akka, Morocco!
No sandwiches for lunch on our trip to the oasis - it's hot tagine cooked on site!
We have been in Morocco for 3 months - wow! 23 months to go...only. Some things we have observed about Morocco, the people, and the culture (bear in mind these general observations, NOT absolute truths - which is why we say "some" or "most"):
Some Moroccans do not wear seat-belts - in all cars we have ridden in they are not accessible for various reasons.
Some Moroccans rarely if at all brush their teeth. Toothaches, lack of teeth, and swollen gums are common in adults.
Most Moroccans LOVE sugar and carbs. White bread and sweet (and I mean syrupy sweet) Moroccan mint tea are daily staples for many Moroccans. Most Moroccans drink tea like many Americans drink coffee. Bread is the main food for breakfast and snack, and it is the primary eating utensil for lunch and dinner. Cous cous, white rice, and white pasta are also eaten on a regular basis. Good luck trying to find brown rice or whole wheat bread. Sugar in tea, sugar in coffee, sugar in juice, sugar on vegetables, sugar on fruit...
Since most meals are eaten from a communal dish, it is custom not to talk much during the meal (see photo above). If you talk during your meal, you may not get your share of food. Most Moroccans eat only with their right hand. This is because the left hand is considered dirty (as it is used for bathroom things). Kate being a lefty sometimes makes the mistake of reaching for food with her left hand but is adjusting nonetheless. Eating with a spoon in the left hand is OK though.
The word "inshallah" (God willing) is used for all future events - even for most definitely certain future events. "See you tomorrow! Inshallah." See you tomorrow if God wills it. Even though we are pretty certain that we will see you tomorrow, you just never know...It is a great word to use in place of "maybe" or "no" too. Our host family: "Would you like to come to dinner?" (which means dinner at 12:30am...so late!). We say: "Inshallah" - which is polite for "no thanks". It is also a great way to put off making a decision until the last minute too.
In regards to events and gatherings - usually there is very little planning ahead and there is a mad rush at the end. There is usually no strict schedule and things rarely begin on time.
In business people come and go as needed and there are rarely posted "hours". Even the post office, the only place we have seen with posted hours, oftentimes closes before the posted time.
Cell phone interruptions are perfectly acceptable in most all situations.
There is no such thing as a line or a queue and the idea of "first come first serve" does not really exist. At the post office, a bank, a store, or a market you just walk up to the counter and if you stand back a little waiting for the customer ahead of you someone else may walk up in front of you.
Some Moroccans like to blame natural causes rather than take responsibility for illness/sickness. A day trip with our host family ended in food poisoning for Kate and heat exhaustion for our host mom's sister. The bad water in the city we visited was to blame. Bed bug bites at our host family's house? It was the humid air in Agadir - bad for circulation. Some Moroccans like to blame blowing air and cold for illness/sickness too. Even when it is 100 degrees many Moroccans will not want the windows rolled down in a taxi for fear of getting sick.
These aspects of the culture have been the most interesting, surprising, and the more challenging for us to adjust to. But now at least we have our own home where we can prepare our own meals with a little less sugar. Below are some photos of our apartment in Akka.
Home sweet home!
Laundry on the roof - it dries in no time!
Kitchen - stove and blender.
Our fancy fridge and laundry buckets.
Our living room - the floor mats also serve as our beds.
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