Teacher?

Today was my first day of teaching at the CLC! It ended up going much better than I expected it to! I only had four of my eight students show up, but luckily everything still went well. I have a class of all girls. I recognized a few of them from the interviews. The other American students that taught on Monday and Wednesday all said to make sure to over plan because I would go through the lesson alot faster than I thought I would, but humdulilah the lesson I had originally planned was more than enough and now I have an extra lesson prepared.

This first lesson really got me excited for the rest of the semester. I have wanted to teach for a long time and now that my first opportunity to do it in a professional setting has gone well I am extremely satisfied. Inshallah next week all of my class will show up rather than just half the class, but just based off of today I have a good feeling about what the rest of the semester will hold in store. 

Well That Was Fast

Well I have officially reached the halfway point. It's scary. I have truly come to love Morocco as a country and I am so happy with my life here. Obviously not everything here is perfect and as with each country there are many ugly and beautiful things, but even with these things I have a complete desire to stay. Each time I start thinking about going home I realize how quickly these first four months have gone and that the next four are bound to go even quicker, and I am not ready in anyway to even think about going back to the States. For this post I am going to reflect on the best parts of my exchange so far and what I am looking forward to and hoping to do in the next four months.

My top ten most memorable moments so far are (not in any particular order):

1. Going to Ouzoud with both American friends and Moroccan friends and realizing that people weren't separated in groups of Americans or Moroccans and that everyone was completely enjoying their time. Plus the waterfalls at Ouzoud are an amazing view.

2. Spending the night in the Sahara and getting to ride a camel for the first time.

3. All the times when I have completely shocked people when I speak Arabic and being able to get tea or free things because of it.

4. Cooking tex-mex food for my friends and one of the host families.

5. This isn't exactly a moment, but more of a continual activity. I have loved having the opportunity to study oud in Morocco and even though at this point in my life I've realized my future career goals are not related into music in any way I am glad that I am able to keep music a part of my life.

6. Attending a Moroccan wedding. SO much food and dancing.

7.  Observing English classes at the CLC and having a teacher that allowed me to teach his class.

8. All of the times that I've gone to Jemma al Fna. Something fun always ends up happening and it's just a constant reminder of the fact that I really am living in a completely different place.

9. Spending Christmas in Essaouira.

10.  Eid Kabeer. The sacrificing of a sheep and sheep for lunch and dinner for weeks in short.

If I had known all of the things I would be doing in Morocco before coming here I wouldn't have believed it. Even though I am in a routine at this point there is still always something new to see and learn each day and I am very lucky to be here through a scholarship that provides many opportunities for more than just learning Arabic.

In these next four months I am truly looking forward to starting to teach. My first class is this Friday and I am a little nervous because this is going to be my class rather than the class of another teacher that is letting me student teach. These will be my students and teaching is something I've always had a desire to teach and I still have to pinch myself each day and realize that this is actually my life and in such a short time frame I am accomplishing more than I ever thought I would. I am looking forward to continuing to learn in Arabic, oud, and going into even deeper studies of the culture and history of Moroccan while sharing my own culture.

Time has gone by so much faster than I thought I would and I am looking forward to making the most of the next half of my exchange. 

The Amal Womens Training Center and Moroccan Restaurant

For the past few months, I have volunteered as an English teacher at an association called the Amal Center here in Marrakech. The goal of the association, which doubles as a restaurant, is to empower marginalized women in Morocco via employment and training opportunities. The center provides them not only a livelihood, but a safe haven and a support network. Besides the goal of the center itself, these women are all wonderful, hard workers. The Amal Center is currently running a fundraising effort in order to expand the outreach and scale of the association. Any contributions would be great, and highly appreciated by the women of the association. Thank you, and feel free to share this fundraising effort with those you know!
http://www.rockethub.com/projects/35895