A Trip to Fes.

So we are here in Azrou for 2 weeks for our Post- Pre Service training. It is essentially a training focused more on technical skills and language as opposed to Pre Service training which was almost entirely focused on culture and survival language.

The neat thing about this past week has been the opportunity to meet up and talk with other volunteers to get a gauge of sites, what people are doing and other project ideas. I also moved up one level in my language exam, so rock on. I haven't been able to find a tutor for the past three months, I have been just practicing with the people around me and it seems to be working out well, so far at least. We shall see how the next exam goes.

This past weekend we had a "free" weekend so many people in our stage scattered to places all over the region. Jancy, Jessie and I hung out in Azrou on Saturday and explored the old medina. We saw some crazy outfits, ate some delicious 5dh fish sandwiches and got delicious fruit smoothies for 6dh. It was a pretty successful day. On Sunday morning we got up early and headed to Fes. Fes is this great city, not too far from here, with an amazing and huge medina. The first place we went was this great cafe run by an English fellow called Cafe Clock. It was three stories tall and had great treats we dont normally get in country like maple syrup for our recotta pancakes and iced coffees. We spent a good portion of our day there and even ate a camel burger.

From the cafe we headed shopping in the medina. So many things are available and so much to look it, it was overwhelming. We ended up getting Jessie a GREAT pair of silver and turquois earrings. Jancy got a great leather over the shoulder bag for only 200dh (25USD) that was made from hand, and I got a little fan and a pink leather wallet. It was quite a successful shopping trip.

After nearly overheating in the medina we headed to a house in the medina where two Fullbright scholars live. The house was amazing. Much nicer than what we could afford on a Peace Corps budget for sure.

Finally we hit the Marjane and got some much needed air conditioning and relaxing time. It turned out to be a long, but great day and it was quite nice to check out a new part of Morocco so far and disconnected from the Morocco I am used to in my village. The craziest part about visiting up north is the fact that all of my language skills are useless. The Berbers of this part of Morocco speak a different version of Tashlheet than I do and I do not know Moroccan Arabic. Who would have guessed that life can be so different just a few hundred km away. My plan for the fall is to start learning some Arabic to help me in times like these, but for now I am enjoying my friends just translating for me :)