As a first-time blogger on this trip, I first tried to chronicle my visit by blogging about each day's events, sites visited, and lessons learned.  As the days went on, themes began to emerge and I found myself reflecting on some of these overarching themes in addition to capturing a day's events.  As a result, readers will notice that some blog posts focus on a single day, while others capture a musing, thought, idea, or issue based on several days of observations.

Scroll all the way to the bottom to read my Morocco blog sequentially!  To jump to a particular post of interest, see the "Table of Contents" (below) with titles and links to each blog post.  Note:  Stay tuned for a few final edits as I polish text, add more photos and videos, and add captions to each photo.

Table of Contents

Pre-Departure Posts: 
-Departure in T-12 Days
-Shukran! Thank you to my Colleagues, Students, and Community!
-Meskouta and Mint Tea: A Try at a Moroccan Sweet

En Route:
-DTW-CDG: Bon Voyage 
-Program Rendezvous Point: Paris

Arrival in Casablanca:
-Aéroport Casablanca Mohammed V: A Warm Welcome and Counting Moroccan Flags

Welcome to Rabat:
-Monday Morning Video: From the West Coast to the Midwest, Greetings from Rabat
-Welcome to Rabat, Day 1: Linguistics, Land, and Lessons from Moroccan Teachers
-Rabat Day 2: Innovation and Preservation
-Moroccan Musing Act I: "The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" Effect - The Impact of Immersion 
-Morocco Flag Count:  An Update
-US-Morocco Literature Links: Who Knew?
-Rabat Day 3: Education, Old and New

Day Trip to Fès:
-Day 4:  Tiles, Tanneries, and Time Travel. It's Fès!

Casablanca, Part I:
-US-Morocco Literature Links: Part II
-If You Build It, People Will Thrive: Architecture and Educational Planning
-Moroccan Musing Act II: Plot Twist (Kind Of) - Culture, Clothing, and Casablanca 
-Plot Twist, Part II: Educational Reforms and Language Instruction in Morocco
-A Site Visit: The Magnificent Hassan II Mosque
-Moroccan Hotel Piano Bars, and Introducing Meisha
-It's Complicated: Gender Dynamics in Morocco

Host City Week in Fès:
-Host Teacher Week...Introducing Hassan!
-My Guiding Question: Student Engagement, Communication Skills, and Gender Parity 
-Lunch at Hicham's: A Moroccan Wedding Meal, Money Matters, and the Old Medina 
-Host City Visit Day 1: The ABCs of Fès
-Host City Visit Day 2: One Day, Three Schools
-Host City Visit Day 3: Human Rights, Student Tour Guide Heba, and A Visit to a Riad
-Moroccan Musing Act III: Updates from Deep in the Desert 
​-The Teacher's Lounge
-Host City Day 4: Public Speaking and Co-Teaching 
-Car Talk with Hicham:  What is Strange or Different?
-Host City Day 5: Co-Teaching, the Blue Gate Cafe. and Friday Couscous
-It's a Small, Small World: Ann Arbor x Fès x Indonesia x Oregon
-Host City Day 6: Saturday School, A VIP-Behind-the-Scenes Shopping Trip, and the Sounds of the Soufie
-It's Time to Say Goodbye to Fès

Return to Casablanca:
-Casablanca Culture, Calligraphy, a Cameo Appearance, and Le Cabestan
-Moroccan Musing Act IV:  The Verdict on the Desert
-Simply the Best: An Emblematic Song to Capture the Experience

Guiding Question: Findings and Reflections
To read about my guiding question and what I discovered in Morocco, click HERE.

April 29–

The last night in Casablanca.  Some of us couldn't bear to go to bed.  Casablanca beckoned.   A few of my colleagues and I headed a few blocks over from our hotel to get one last breath of Casablanca.   An memorable final night in Casablanca ensued. 

We found ourselves at an Irish-themed establishment, warmly welcomed by Moroccan waiters, serenaded by a Portuguese singer, and surprised when the singer offered an American woman the microphone.  Moments later, she sang a perfect rendition of Tina Turner's "Simply the Best," most recently acclaimed on the Canadian tv show "Schitt's Creek."  A truly transnational experience - a 'melting pot' of culture in one unassuming, friendly spot in Casablanca.  And we all agreed that the song title - "Simply the Best"  - was meant to be.  It's like she was singing to straight to us, encapsulating our experience in just a few minutes time.  

We all feel so grateful for all that we've learned- In just 2 1/2 weeks in Morocco, we have had the experience of a lifetime, one that was indeed simply the best.  The incredible Moroccan friendliness, generosity, and warmth began the moment we touched down in Casablanca, and continued to highlight each and every day.  I can only say that I will be counting down the days until I can return to Morocco to learn more and reconnect with those who showed us their beautiful country.  

April 29--

Well, we all wondered how the story would end with Marc, Michael, and their Seinfeld-esque visit to the desert town of Taroudant.  Did the desert live up to the early reports as being some kind of magic?  Or did the Brooklyn-like Casablanca win Marc's heart over more?  More importantly, perhaps, what was Marc wearing?  As you may recall from the earlier posts - I reflect on Marc's wardrobe choices and their parallels to his immersion and love for a new place here, during our first stop in Rabat, here after a few more days in Casablanca, and, most recently here after Marc and Michael first arrived in Taroudant.  Well, the photos below might just speak for themselves.  A few late-breaking photos arrived just before we all convened back in Casablanca for a debrief, and it looks like the desert was indeed magical for Marc and Michael.   Did they miss their flight and stay on, never to appear in the city again?  Not quite.  But in the end, the truth is that we can fall in love with multiple places, begin to dress like locals and blend in a little (especially when the locals share their cultural garb), and head home slightly different, maybe even changed, after a visit with friendly and welcoming people in another land.

[Photos to come!]

April 29--

On our final full day in Morocco as a group, MACECE once again had another wonderful day in store for us.  We began with a debrief, during which we learned about everyone's host teacher week.  We then moved on to a calligraphy workshop - amazing.  Then, I had yet another small world moment and the most incredible cameo appearance.  Then, last but definitely not least, we had a farewell dinner at Le Cabestan, a fabulous restaurant with views of the Atlantic Ocean.

[Photos to come!]

April 27--

It's our final morning in Fès, and - sadly - time to say goodbye. 
I began the morning with my usual breakfast at the hotel - and met a new friend! Sedik, one of the morning breakfast servers, introduced himself.  We had a lively conversation about my visit, the US, Morocco, language and linguistics, and more.  

After our conversation, Hicham picked us up and dropped us at the train station.  We said our farewells and enjoyed a quiet train ride back to Casablanca.  

Upon arrival at the Idou Anfa Hotel, we reconnected with our friends and compared notes at a hotel balcony - it felt like the Twilight Zone, as my colleague Bianca noted.  We'd been gone only six days, but it felt like longer.  After more reconnecting, some downtime back at our hotel, and dinner out, I thought we might call it a night.  But instead, our colleague Marc (yes, that colleague - the star of the Seinfeld-in-the-Desert episode) suggested we visit the Casablanca Irish Bar.  It did not disappoint!

[Photos and videos to come!]

April 27--

It's our last full day in Fès, and Hicham has yet another packed and exciting day in store for us.  We'll go to Saturday school, visit the old medina once more for a special visit to tanneries and textile shops.  Midday, we'll order room service!  And for our final, closing ceremories, we'll get to go to see a concert with the whirling dervishes.  Wow!  

[Photos and Videos to Come!]

April 26--
​
One of my students texted me while I was sitting at a cafe a stone's throw from the famous Blue Gate in Fès.  Our host teacher was off to his Friday prayer and dropped us at the amazing Blue Gate Cafe.

April 26--

Today, I got to co-teach at another school, visit the lovely Blue Gate Cafe, have Friday couscous at Hicham's house, ​and even learn some Moroccan geometry!  It was another gold star day!

After Friday morning classes, we headed to the Blue Gate Cafe for a bit of a break while Hicham did his Friday prayers.  What a lovely place he selected for us to relax, take in the views, and sip lemonade!

After an amazing visit to the Blue Gate Cafe (complete with an unexpected small world moment - chronicled in another blog post to come!), it was time for Friday couscous.  We've been looking forward to this meal all week, and it did not disappoint.  Hicham's wife prepared a feast for us, and everything was delicious.

After lunch, we headed into the medina and ended up at a wonderful Moroccan geometry workshop.  It was wonderful to see how students were leading the workshop and we learned how some of the tiled patterns came to be.  My colleague Whitney especially enjoyed creating geometric patterns as a math teacher with a love for shapes.

In the midst of our host teacher week, in between running around from school to school, from cultural site to medina, Hicham turned down the radio as we were driving around Fès one day and posed what I thought was probably the question that we are all reflecting on but perhaps not talking about out loud.  He said, "Well, what have you found strange or different or unexpected here in Fès and in Morocco?"

It was a great moment for us to think out loud, reflect, and share our thinking.
The list that I came up with immediately:

School bells
Furniture/couches
Car lock sound
Dinner time 10pm
Yalla yalla
Diversity of clothing!
Jellaba with hood storage
Footwear it’s real! Pointed slippers
School uniforms
Teacher lab coats
Classrooms and tech
Student patience
Phone rules
No hookahs or hummus
Pastilla
Mint tea
Speaking competition
Welcoming everywhere!
Teacher teacher
Cous cous Fridays

I could probably write a blog post on each of these words and phrases!  But all in all it was great car conversation - and we even got Hicham to talk about his experience in Arizona and in the US.  A perfect exchange of ideas - and reflection on what we have noticed.  

April 25--

Today, we had the extraordinary experience of participating on the jury for a public speaking competition and co-teaching with Hicham.  It was a day of firsts for me.  First time on a jury for a public speaking competition and first time teaching outside the US.  Indeed, a day for the books.

But first (and again), here's a photo of the amazing sunrise outside my hotel room.  Apparently it's too hard to sleep when there is so much to see!

After this spectacular sunrise, it was time for school.  Hicham picked us up at the hotel and we headed to our next school visit.  After a school tour, we got set up and ready to judge a roomful of eager student speakers.

After all of the competitors presented their persuasive speeches, I was tapped to say a few words to all of the students and to acknowledge their hard work.  It wasn't hard to find the words, since the students truly put in maximum effort, enthusiasm, and work in preparation for this competition.  Many of the students even memorized their entire speeches!  After the competition, I even got to meet and take photos with some of the student competitors.

After this very successful morning visit, we took a short break and I prepared a lesson to teach for the afternoon.  Exciting moments in store - my first real teaching experience in Morocco!  I decided to share my students' book "This is Pioneer" and teach a lesson using my students' photos to introduce American culture to Moroccan high school students.  I also planned to teach them how to write a letter to my students using sentence stems.  Without projectors, computers, and slideshows, it felt like I was stepping back into my earlier days of teaching  - just a whiteboard, some books with text and image, and pencil and paper.  It felt refreshing, but also a bit challenging since we have become so accustomed to teaching with technology each day.  Luckily, the student were excited to learn about my students and their high school experience.  We talked about what high school students in America like to do and compared it to what it is like to be a student in Morocco.  It was great fun to feel like I was connecting students in Ann Arbor to students in Fès, even if they couldn't do it in the moment.

In all, it was uplifting to connect with and see that teaching students in a classroom thousands of miles away isn't all that different at its core - we are all just looking to share language, connect with others, and learn about the world and how to make it just a little bit smaller.  

April 24--

​The mythology and mystique of the teacher's lounge has always been a part of the American education system, at least for me.  As an elementary student, I remember we all used to walk by the teachers lounge, even try to subtly peek in if the door was cracked, to see exactly what was happening behind the door. What was in there? What were the teachers doing? What did it look like?  It was a mystery that students would never be privy to.  As I moved on my my education, those questions continued and , as memory serves, the student gossip and curiosity became more nuanced in some ways.  What kinds of conversations were teachers having? What were they eating?  Were they talking about us in there?  As I think back, I remember those questions crossed my mind each time I walked past the “teacher's lounge” placard at my middle and high school.

As an adult and new teacher, the teacher's lounge took on a whole new identity. It was a place for me to learn and watch my seasoned colleagues, to receive advice, to accept the gift of a flash lesson plan when I needed it most - the phrase “here’s what you do” were the most welcome and cherished words as a new teacher…a million thank yous to Suzanne MacLehose and Doug Paulsen from my Darien High School days in Connecticut!) In the teacher's lounge, I watched how others coped with and found joy in teaching.  It was in those often nondescript spaces with just a few computer monitors, a xerox copy machine, and a big lunch table. In the few years in the early 2000s, I took a break from teaching and I can’t say I missed the teacher's lounge all that much.   But I also found incredible joy in listening to the incredibly creative storyteller and singer Bill Harley's song “The Teachers Lounge,” which captures how a teacher's lounge can be a magical place. (Sidebar: Bill Harley is amazing.  Listen to his stories.  You will not regret it!). In any case, even while I was on a break from teaching, the lore of the teacher's lounge was still there….

One of the huge privileges we found during our visit to schools in Morocco was the open-arms welcome into each building's teacher's lounge.  Well, this wasn’t just restricted to teacher's lounges…we were welcomed *everywhere*.   But as we were invited to enter the first lounge, we walked in with that sense of exhilaration that always comes with stepping into a restricted space…how lucky we were, we told ourselves, but even more importantly…what would we see?!  What lay behind the doors of the teacher's lounge never disappointed.  As we stepped inside, we found a warmth, a space with colorful “sectional” Moroccan style couches, always heartfelt welcomes and embraces, and endless curiosity about who we were and why we were visiting.  And always tea and cakes!  The teacher's lounges we visited were among some of our most beloved moments during our stay in Fès, and we marveled at the camaraderie between educators as they sat with their tea, heads leaning into one another, mingling and perhaps sharing reflections on their day of teaching or perhaps just sharing stories unrelated to school.  ​

We were fortunate to see many teacher's lounges since our multitalented host teacher Hicham works at two schools this year.  Plus, he took us to many other schools and at each, we were invited into principal's offices, classrooms, and teacher's lounges each time. We saw the sectional couches in each, the teacher's lockers for supplies, and the tables for tea.  We also found that these visits to teacher's lounges often prompted or led us to talk about the similarities and differences between American and Moroccan schools, and particular teachers’ experiences.  Some questions that came up as we connected in various teachers lounges: Do you have budget cuts too? How many classes do you teach? What hours are students in school? What supplies are available to you?  What kind of cake is this?  We had so many questions. ​

We were delighted when they sent a quick photo with their host teacher:

Today, we began our day at Lycee Moulay Slimane High School, the public school where Hicham is assigned for his teaching duties this year.   It turned out to be an outstanding 

After a tour of the school grounds, it was time to watch a master teacher.  This was our first big highlight today!  Hicham led us to Fulbrighter Saafa El Youssfi's English classroom.  What followed was a master class in teaching, student engagement, and integrating real-world issues into the classroom.  Saafa began by reviewing Human Rights Violations with her students.

She asked students to help her brainstorm a list of human rights violations, which she recorded on the board.  To prompt her students, she pulled up images on her phone, walked them around the room so each student could see the image, and then asked which human rights violation they were seeing.  The list on the board began to grow.

Once Saafa feels she has a long enough list, she reviews each item, makes sure students understand (in English, of course), the meaning of each violation.  Then she asks students if these violations exist in Morocco - and the students answer "yes" to each.  It was a moment of self reflection on the country they all love - and powerful to witness.  She asked, "do we have child labor here in Morocco?"  and the students simultaneously answered, "Yes."  And down the list they went.   The next step in the lesson was to take action by drafting a letter to the United Nations.  Here is the template she provided:

Before students began writing, she had them meet in small groups to select the violation to focus on and begin drafting the letter together.

After the small group meetings, students reported out.  Saafa then told them they would finish their letters during the next class and it was time to wrap up.  She took a moment at the end so we could give her students some gifts from our home towns.  I shared pins and stickers!

Students were very grateful to learn about our home states and we had a moment to connect with a few students.  We took some photos that also capture something unique about Saafa's classroom: She has some nice decorations and bookshelves - Hicham pointed this out as really nice and unique.

After this enlightening afternoon at Moulay Slimane HS, it was time to say goodbye and head back on to our evening itinerary.   Hicham knew we were interested in visiting a traditional Moroccan guest house - a riad.  Before we arrived in Morocco, we Zoomed with Hicham and mentioned that some of our colleagues would be staying in riads instead of standard hotels.  He told us that our hotel was much more convenient - and affordable - for our week in Fès.  However, he didn't forget our interest, and this evening he took us to a majestic riad that also happened to be owned by a friend.  It was being refurbished and thus was not operational, but he said we could visit, have a tour, eat dinner there, and meet the caretaker.  It turned out we had the riad to ourselves!  What a place.  Here are some photos and a video - I tried to capture the detailed tilework, the ornate furniture, the plunge pool, and the incredible bedrooms.  

We ate dinner at the lovely wooden tables with Yuki, the caretaker (a character who could literally be in a movie) and then said our farewells to the riad.  Hicham walked us back through the medina so we could head to our hotel.  We once again admired the shops filled with slippers, carpets, books, and more.  Hicham continued his work as the 'mayor' of Fès, stopping to say hello to people along the way.

Tired but incredibly fufilled, we headed back to the hotel after another culturally and educationally spectacular day!

April 23--
Day 2 was a very busy day in Fès!  We began with a peaceful breakfast at the hotel.  I especially enjoyed selecting sugar cubes from a mini-tagine for my coffee.

After breakfast, Hicham picked us up and took us to Marguerite School for a tour and to be on the jury for a reading competition.  After visiting classrooms and meeting the administrative leaders and some teachers, we sat down to prepare for our task as jury members.  It was my first time on a jury for a competition.  It felt very official!  

It was fascinating to watch how seriously the students prepared for this competition and how patient they were as the adults set up, reviewed the rubric, and got things in order.  Their eagerness to participate was endearing and admirable!  

After the prizes were awarded, we said our farewells.  It was a wonderful way to learn about how reading, public speaking, and preparing for competition all play a role in Moroccan classrooms and schools.  Another notable takeaway came when we noticed a young student crying after she did not win one of the top awards.  Hicham pointed her out and said, "Can you see that she is crying?  That is okay.  It means she cares.  That is a good thing."  It was an excellent final thought as we watched Hicham approach and congratulate the winners but also those who worked hard and cared about their performance.

After saying farewell to Marguerite School, we drove to the ALC Cafe for a quick lunch and to check in on the World Book Day festivities.  We found the ALC and its courtyard cafe to be a true place that creates community and connects people. We sat at a table and quickly met Ayoub (pictured below) who is an expert on the Fès medina, a photographer, and perhaps also one of the most proud residents of Fès.  He shared many new facts about the medina as well as some of the ALC initiatives he supports.  We immediately started following his instagram site @ayoub_louizi, which features beautiful sites in Fès!

​​After our visit to the ALC Cafe, we headed to a school that is very close to Hicham's heart: Mohammed Belarbi Alaoui Jr HS.  While he is placed at a public high school this school year, he made it clear that this is the school where he feels most at home.  We visited specifically to see a special Moroccan student presentation entitled "The Heritage." 

After visiting a math class, we had the great honor to watch a class skit-like performance entitled "The Moroccan Heritage."  The students set up all kinds of Moroccan artifacts at the back of the classroom, which we were invited to view.  It was like a mini-museum!  Next, they presented a play (in English) to tell the story of young Moroccans and their relationships with each other.  It was charming, and we especially enjoyed how they embedded Moroccan clothing and artifacts to recognize and honor those items in a public space.  We learned a lot!  While I couldn't take photos of the students during the performance, the classroom with the artifact-set up appears below.

When the principal appeared towards the middle of our visit, Hicham motioned for him to come and meet us.  We didn't yet know who he was, but Hicham put his arm around his shoulder, turned to us, and said, "This is the greatest man in the world.  This is my principal."  Wow!  Once again, we noticed the positive relationships that Hicham nurtures and values, and admired how this made a school feel warm and friendly immediately.

After our visit to Mohammed Belarbi Alaoui Jr HS, Hicham took us to a scenic overlook not far from the school.  The views of Fès were stunning!

After visiting Mohammed Belarbi Alaoui Jr HS, we headed back to central Fès so Hicham could prepare for his American Language Center evening Adult Class.  We had another moment to relax in the courtyard, then headed into a different classroom to meet Hicham's adult students.  We introduced ourselves, and then each student told us their name, age, and their line of work.  It was incredible to hear the range of fields!  There was a chemistry PhD student, a tannery owner, a businesswomen, and more.  We watched again as Hicham engaged students, used the whiteboard, and projected the textbook content on the tv in the classroom.

During the evening class, Whitney, Lisa-Erika, and I got to learn about a new Moroccan dish from the students: Pastilla.  Each student shared their favorite food and many said "pastilla."  We had not heard of it, so after class, Whitney and I headed out for a late (9:45pm! ) dinner to try it out.  It was delicious, and also quite unlike anything I had tried before.  Here's a recipe for pastilla that I plan to try out sometime!

It was a great way to end a very busy day of learning! 

Before I fell asleep, I wanted to share some details of the last two days with my 9th grade PASS students, so I made them a video overview.  Here it is!

​Today, our first day in Fès, Hicham met us in the lobby and told us we would visit the private school where he works, the American Language Center of Fès.   The ALC turned out to be very close to our hotel, so within moments, we arrived, walked through the gates, and immediately saw this lovely sign: ​

Much to our delight, Hicham took us straight to the ALC bookshop to learn more about the planned World Book Day events which is TOMORROW!

After the ALC visit, we hopped into Hicham's car to head to lunch.  He needed to get his car fixed, so we set us up at an open-air lunch spot and made sure we were taken care of before he left for the garage.

About 10 minutes before class, we headed to his classroom to find a seat!  Here is Hicham in the classroom.  We found the long, narrow shape of the classroom interesting:

Over the course of the evening, we observed his teaching style and admired how energetic and interactive he was with his students.  The students in this private school class were mostly middle-school-aged, and their energy and enthusiasm were exciting to witness!  I took lots of notes.  Will add more of my observations later!  

April 21--After a quick luggage drop at our hotel, the Across Hotel in Fés, Hicham took us to his home for lunch and conversation.  We met his wife and twin sons, who graciously greeted us.  He took us on a quick tour of his home (note the kitchen photo below) and told us lunch would be ready very soon.  Shortly after our arrival, his wife served an extraordinary lunch, and we all sat around a table and learned that everyone shares from the same plate in Morocco.  We also learned that silverware isn't so common. "This is what people eat at weddings," Hicham told us.   As we ate, I admired the stylistic elements of a Moroccan home - beautiful tile on the walls, the rich fabric on the wall-to-wall couches, and the ever-present Moroccan tea set.   

Once we arrived at the medina, we stopped to take some photos in front of the famous "Blue Gate," then headed inside to do some shopping.  Once again, even though we had visited Fès with our group, we were mesmerized by the maze of streets and alleyways and the old-world feel of it all.  We marveled at the architecture, crafts, scents, and Sunday crowds in the medina.  

We also got to witness the real-world connections to one of our lectures in Casablanca just two days ago.  Nawal Gharmili Sefrioui, the CEO of Orange Money Maroc, enlightened us on the topic of "Financial Inclusion."  

If you can believe it, after our evening visit to the medina, Hicham had even more in store for us!  We ran into his dad on the street and quick stopped by to meet his sister and dad, just a five-minute walk from his own home.  Then he led us back to his home again (mind you it is about 10pm at this time!). We walked up the stairs and found mint tea and sweets are waiting for us - a beautiful spread!  We spent some more time talking about school, and asked about the homework load in Morocco.  He said, "Moroccan students have a lot of homework and that is a problem.  I must teach for the test or they will fail.  But it is not effective way to teach how to communicate."  He then went to his bookshelf and showed us his binder of plans.  "Please take it with you to look," he said.  Then he mentioned that we would have soup for dinner(!).   His wife brought out a delicious homemade soup, bread, ricotta, dates and figs.  It was an amazing evening treat!  As we ate, his twin boys packed for school.  He reflected a little on their childhood versus his own.  He told us that children used to play outside all of the time,  "I grew up playing games in the Medina.  Now, tablets and tech have taken over."  Sounds familiar!  

​

April 21—As I prepare for the first day in our week of school visits, I find myself taking a little time to reflect on my guiding, framing question.  I began, months ago, thinking about how much I would like to observe how Moroccan teachers and schools engage students, prepare them to be confident speakers, and help them to engage in discussion.  While engagement, speaking, and discussion are still very much what I will watch for, I realize that my interest in gender dynamics and gender parity in schools and society is just as important as these more pedagogical focus areas.  My own teaching schedule at home consists of Contemporary World Literature, during which we often discuss world news stories about gender dynamics in different countries around the world.  We also analyze the ways that writers address gender and portray characters as we study novels and literature.  While we were in Rabat, I wrote about the lecture on gender dynamics and how one world news story in my class piqued my students' interest on gender in Morocco here.  I continue to find myself even more intrigued with the ways that Morocco, so low on the World Economic Forum's "Gender Parity Index," addresses gender in schools and society. 

Back at home, I also teach an all-female course called "Positive Peer Influence," which is a peer support and counseling class.   In this class, we focus the ways that students can support their peers but also often discuss the ways that female-identifying students experience school.  My final class is called "PASS," an acronym that stands for Pioneer Academic Success and Support.   While both genders take this class, the students on my roster are the female students while my colleague - who I collaborate and team teach with daily - has the male students on his roster.  So I find myself in a unique situation as an observer of Moroccan schools and society - I teach courses that explicitly address gender differences and student needs, and also in a country that ranks higher than Morocco in the "gender parity index."  It seems to me that my guiding question needs to address gender in addition to student engagement, speaking, and discussion.    So as this host school week commences, I'm going to frame my observations with this question:

How do Moroccan schools and teachers ensure students are engaged in their learning and develop strong speaking and discussion skills while promoting gender parity in the classroom?

I'm sure I'll continue to tweak this question, but I feel confident that it will give me lots to watch for in the coming days.

April 21—After a wonderful week with my Fulbright teaching colleagues, we said farewell and took trains and planes to our host communities. 

April 20—Before our arrival in Morocco, we received a packed agenda.   As I look back at it now, I remember the early sense of excitement and anticipation, but also the mystery of it all.  We would learn so much, obviously.   On paper, sessions about the "Linguistic Landscape in Morocco," "Morocco's Effort in Sustainability," and "Gender Dynamics in Education" immediately caught my eye.  So much of these one-liner titles have now come to life!  Here's the full agenda:

After learning about her research on urban feminists collaborating with rural women on land rights (images above), I asked Dr. Addouda directly about the World Economic Forum gender parity number, in the hopes of learning something more clear.  Her response was immediate, "It is complicated," she said.  "Women are not oppressed in Morocco.  Look at me.   I am teaching men and women.  But it is complicated.  Numbers don't tell the full story."  I don't remember every single word she said, but those first two words keep resonating in my head.  It's complicated.  Numbers don't tell the full story.  I know that, yet it sometimes feels easy from far away to look at a reliable source such as the World Economic Forum's data and create a story in your head.  I was reminded of this just a couple of days ago - nearly two weeks after Dr. Addouda's presentation.  I checked my email to find a message about the 'top schools' in Michigan.  Several Ann Arbor schools made the list, and both Skyline High School and Pioneer High School made the list of top schools in the e-mail.  ​

April 20—One cultural element that I noticed in our hotels in both Rabat and Casablanca is likely not Moroccan at all, but perhaps Moroccan hotel culture for foreigners.  Piano bars.  When I told several people I would be in Casablanca for part of my trip, they immediately mentioned the movie Casablanca.  The film is, I believe, known in part for its many piano bar scenes and the famous line, "Play it again, Sam."  One key location in the film, Rick's Cafe, features a piano player and has become, it seems, synonymous with the city of Casablanca for some (perhaps many?)  In fact we learned that the first Rick's Cafe was on a studio set in Hollywood and only in the past 20 years did Rick's Cafe open in Casablanca.  Wrap your head around that one for a moment.  And now, not surprisingly, Rick's Cafe is a stop for many foreign tourists when they come to Casablanca.  We even did a drive by and lightning stop as we tooled around the city during our visit.

And while we didn't go in, I did visit on a previous trip to Casablanca back in 2009.  Here's a flashback photo of my visit to Rick's Cafe with my college friend Debbie.  We ended up at Rick's in part because we were in Casablanca during Ramadan and primarily tourist restaurants were open.

Ok, enough about Rick's Cafe.  Now, back to piano bars and Moroccan hotels in 2024.  I noticed one in Rabat, first.  Here's a short 1-minute video of our hotel, the Tour Hassan Palace, in Rabat, leading up to my discovery of the piano bar, about 55 seconds in.

Next, upon arrival in Casablanca, another piano welcomed us to our hotel, the Idou Anfa.  It wasn't long before we found that this was not the only piano in the hotel.  When we stepped out of the elevator onto the top floor of the hotel on our first full day, another grand piano welcomed us.  While the view out the window of the Hassan Mosque II, with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop, my amazing colleague Meisha made a beeline for the piano.  Meisha, a music teacher in South Carolina, stepped up to the piano and gave us all an impromptu concert on the 16th floor of the Idou Anfa hotel.  She teaches elementary school music (think herding cats), and I learned she currently teaches in a rural town with a single stop sign (not even a light.)  But that's not all.  She has taught and performed in cities - actually continents - around the world.  We're talking Europe, Africa, Australia.  I often feel like I’m with a humble celebrity when I pose in photos with her! Here's one just before lunch one day.

Notice the wall display informing visitors that the legendary Nina Simone played this exact piano - and that the piano still remembers her.  Sigh.  Nothing like good-old personification to help one befriend an inanimate object immediately.

The piano culture may stem from the famous "Play it again, Sam" scene and piano storyline from the Humphrey Bogart/Ingrid Bergman film Casablanca. While this piano-in-a-hotel culture isn't really Moroccan, no complaints from me about walking through a space and hearing live piano music each evening!  My brother-in-law, a huge piano fan and brilliant musician, wouldn’t be able to contain himself!

​I don’t expect a hotel piano bar once I arrive in my host teacher's city Fés, but I’ll keep you posted.  I’ll also ask Meisha what the musical landscape is in her host teacher's city.  Like me, she'll be heading to one of Morocco's four former imperial cities, the city of Meknes. 

April 20—Just as the Empire State Building is emblematic of the United States' focus on the importance of a robust American economy, the Hassan II Mosque and its majestic minaret symbolize something that I am still wrapping my head around here in Casablanca and Morocco.  It’s about what people and their leaders value, and there is a lot to unpack here. Is it the sign of a desire to value learning and craftsmanship, since our tour guide emphasized that everything (and I mean everything) is made by hand here? The answer is yes.  Is it a sign of the advancement of a society and country that is sometimes perceived as more third than first world?  Yes again.  Is it about the importance or religion and Islam? Most definitely yes.  And I could go on and on.  

As we think about and look at the images that appear front and center on the Wikipedia pages for cities around the world, it is clear that the monuments of our cities represent more than just architectural markers - they are truly a entry points as we look at and learn about the now of a city.  And then they continue to help us learn, as they make us want to open a door to the past and walk through that door.  One significant, architectural structure can tell an incredible story and invite us to take a step backwards, into the past,  to understand how it came to be.  And what we learned - the story of a single structure, can help us understand the larger story of a city and a people - and what they believe in and value.  On our last day in Casablanca, the Hassan II Mosque became our storyteller - of course with the assistance of our smart and funny tour guide.

​Our tour of the Hassan II Mosque took us from the this-is-what-you-see-now to the how-did-we-get-here-and-why:  Our brilliant tour guide (Note to self:  Find out her name and add it here!) helped us understand this monumental space and how it can help us understand Casablanca and Moroccan history.  Here are some great facts she shared with us:

It is a place of learning.  Everything is hand-made.  It is the 4th largest mosque in Africa, and the 14th largest mosque in the world.  It was a huge project for craftsmanship.  The King wanted everything perfect.  (And it is!)

In terms of capacity: 25,000 people can fit.  The women are in the gallery, while the men are on the floor; the women are closer to God.  During Ramadan, including the outside spaces, there is a capacity for hundreds of thousands.  She told us to imagine all of the shoes, since everyone takes their shoes off!  With a touch of humor, she told us, "You could come in one shoe and come out with another."

The chandeliers are brass, with weights of 600 kg and 1200 kg (!)  How do they change the bulbs, she posed the question to us? With a mechanical system.   She quipped that they tried to train the pigeons but it didn’t work.  She reminded us again that all materials are Moroccan with one single exception:  The glass is from from Venice -  the famous Murano glass.

Another notable detail she mentioned was the story of the doors and the ceiling.  First, the doors:  She told us that copper is not a wise choice by the ocean, so the doors are titanium and work due to a hydraulic system.   As we marveled at the door system, she continued on in her now-signature deadpan style, "maybe the doors will be the ruins of the mosque."  

Next, the ceiling:  It actually opens!  She told us, "it's like a convertible mosque.  Like a car.  Imagine it open during winter on a sunny day.  Or when the King is here, praying with 25,000 people during Ramadan."  She continued, as we delighted in listening to her end-the-fact-dump-with-humor, "it is a house of God, all are welcome, but some are more welcome than others.  The pigeons are a problem."  We didn't see one in the mosque that day, but we could imagine them now, ineptly changing light bulbs and joining in the prayer.

​In any case, we walked away with what I've documented above and so much more.  I may come back and add the rest of my notes later!  She wrapped up with many words of wisdom, but one I recall - that the mosque has been built with such craftsmanship and as part of a collective effort that the hope it that it will "last forever, inshallah."

As I wrap up this post, I'm going to take a moment to share a humbling (and embarrasing) moment from this visit.  I was so taken with the mosque - the grandiosity of it all, the ceiling, the vastness, the architectural detail - that I literally nearly fell into one of the 45 marble fountains in the ablution hall.  Thanks to one of my colleagues for catching me, and luckily there was no water in it.  But I think it speaks both to my own 21st century American inability to just take in the moment but also to the unbelievable nature of the place - I couldn't keep my eyes on the ground.  And I wanted to capture it all, so I could share and relive the visit over and over again.  ​

One final photo to capture the epic nature of the mosque and our group.  A keen-eyed colleague snapped and shared this photo (below) at the end of our visit, as we walked away, full to the brim with the brilliance and majesty of this space.  She shared it with the group, and entitled it "Your album cover!"   It would have to be a pretty spectacular album to match up with this imagery, that's for sure.​

April 19—Well, just when I felt I’d figured out the language landscape in Morocco . . . plot twist (again).   But first, a quick look at a rendition of the meskouta I made just before departing for Casablanca.  My meskouta compared to the Hotel Idou Anfa's lunch meskouta:

While this may seem like a 'plot twist,' (no fancy garnish on the meskouta we've seen thus far,) hold on.  It's not.  

After a lovely lunch that included the above meskouta with fruit toppings (note: try making this version at home!), we headed back up to the 16th floor of our hotel in Casablanca, and took another look at the majestic Hassan II Mosque.

After taking the views in, it was time for what became one of our most memorable and thought-provoking presentations thus far.  Dr. Zoulal Mansouri, professor at Hassan II University.   

Dr. Mansouri shared her research on educational reforms in Morocco as we listened, furiously took notes, and reflected on the complexity of school systems and reforms in our heads.

It was during her presentation that came another plot twist in the story of our understanding and perceptions of Morocco.  She raised the question of whether students should learn so many languages at school.  Wait, we thought, you are superstars here in Morocco.  You've got language education figured out.  Your students are top-notch in language acquistion and multi-lingual learning and communication.  We've learned that most students speak Moroccan Arabic (Dareeja) at home, and many learn standard Arabic, French, and English at school.   And some, depending on the region in which they live, also speak Amazigh at home.  And many students are also now learning Amazigh at school as part of the Moroccan goal to preserve the Amazigh language and culture.  I even snapped a couple of photos in Casablanca to showcase the ways that the Moroccan government buildings have both Arabic and Amazigh text (and sometimes English or French, too):

Needless to say, I filled my explorer's journal with ideas - and even finished one of my notebook sections since there was so much to write down!  I didn’t want to forget anything.  Thanks again, Mr. Packard, for the journal!  Not to worry, there are two more sections with space in which to write and sketch out new ideas. . .and of course write down more questions!

​Dr. Mansouri presented many more ideas and gave us space to think about what is happening in Morocco's educational system - and how we can apply some of her research, ideas, and questions to our own practice.  We left her presentation feeling wiser and much more educated on what’s happening at the higher levels - just days before we will be on the ground in schools across Morocco.

Her thoughtfulness and desire to connect with us was once again in line with the Moroccan way, and we thanked her for deepening our “story” and understanding of Moroccan education and the linguistic landscape.  Soon, we will go to schools and see the ways that schools are impacted by policy, theory, and the ideas our lecturers presented to us  with such care.

Indeed, the plot thickens…

April 19—Some of you may be wondering what’s been happening with my colleague Marc.  If you read some of my earlier posts, you know that there was a transformation of sorts happening before our eyes.  Marc was moving from his NY state of mind to a more Moroccan one.

Well, it’s time for a plot twist.

As we headed to lunch on our first full day in Casablanca, he bounced over to some of us, looking jubilant.  He had changed back to his first-morning-in-Morocco look, dressed in a standard button down shirt and the Moroccan beaded necklace.  “I love Casablanca.” He gushed.  "It’s like Brooklyn.  I could totally live here. The vibe is awesome," he told us.  

We looked at each other and tried to process what had just happened.  Maybe Marc wasn't transforming and becoming one with the traditional Morocco, as we first thought.  Maybe he had found a part of Morocco that felt more like his home in New York.  Will he shed some of his new traditional clothes and just keep a hint of what he found in the old medina shops in Rabat?  We weren't sure what exactly would happen next.  Things were getting unpredictable.   In any case, his scaled-down Moroccan look gave us pause, and also made us look a little more carefully at what Casablanca had to offer during our strolls around town.   ​

While it might seem that this story ends with Marc disappearing into the city, shedding his Moroccan garb, maybe even losing his beads somewhere along the way, it wasn't that simple.  A few times we did catch him taking them off mid-tour or mid-meal, holding them in his hand, almost as if he were deciding whether to put them back on or into his pocket.  But the end of this story is that while he loved the Brooklyn-ish ways of Casablanca, he also kept his new old look.  It's possible, we realized, to love the old medina and the urban Casablanca.  

As our time in Casablanca came to a close, we started to realize that our harmonious cohort of teachers would soon scatter. 

Some of us would go north, as far as Tangier.  Others of us back to Fès.  Some to Marrakesh or Meknes.  Marc and Michael would head to Taroudant, a city on the road to the Sahara Desert.  We got ready to say goodbye for the week, realizing that our move to meet our host teachers would be more bittersweet than we expected.   A few of us hit an Irish Pub (yes, you read that right) on our last night in Casablanca.   It was crowded and loud, and there was live music.  Marc may or may not have been wearing traditional Moroccan attire, we didn't really notice.  But we did hear him say something like, "This is awesome.  Can you believe there is an Irish pub in Casablanca? I love this.  I miss New York.  I know the desert is going to be super cool but I just really love the vibe here."  What will happen next, when Marc and his travel partner Michael head south to Taroudant, just steps from the Sahara?  Time will tell.  Update to come.  ​

April 19—Our first morning in Casablanca began with two robust and enlightening lectures, both focused on the ways that deliberate design of spaces and systems help make a country go round. On this morning, we learned from experts on the subjects of architecture and inclusive (special) education. While these two topics at first seemed to me an odd pairing, a step back made me realize the crystal clear connection between the two subjects: The importance of deliberate design.

After gazing out the window at the panoramic view of the city, we enjoyed the first session on design, a beautiful and educational introduction to Moroccan architecture.  While many of us have already expressed our awe for the design features of the buildings we've visited and seen, Ms. Iman Hmoudou's presentation kept us all on the edge of our seats. Ms. Hmoudou, a professor at the National School of Architecture (ENS), took the floor and dazzled us all.  Her architecture session built (no pun intended) on the concepts and topics we've been hearing about.  Ms. Hmoudou helped us understand Moroccan architecture features and regional variability, but, more importantly, the ways that buildings and their deliberate design can help us understand the rich story of Moroccan people and their culture.

My Pio World Lit students are already aware of the extraordinary architects in the world who are creating spaces using “passive” design. Earlier this year, we explored this news story about the use of passive design in the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School, located in Rajasthan, India. We looked at how it was built using local materials and with deliberate design elements that will keep the school cool without air conditioning. Brilliant, we all thought.

The beginning of her presentation framed some of the basics of urban design and city planning, which (at least for some of us), was an essential backstory to fully understand how cities end up the way they do. She explained that the medina (Arabic for city) is a medieval kind of urbanism. She told us, "the medina looks like a maze, but has a logic in urban design that has to do with topography, religion, climate data, and politics." The medina designers used local materials, earthy colors, and planned with climate data in mind. 

She also talked a lot about gates - we have traveled through several both on foot and by bus in our time here so far. The gates, we learned, have different functions. Some are for diplomats, for instance. Others have historically been for different groups of people. An example: some gates were traditionally used by the Muslim population while others were used by the Jewish population. She emphasized that there has been very good cooperation between Jewish and Muslims neighbors, and that the gates have helped maintain space and been part of a peaceful cooperation in Moroccan urban spaces for many years.

Next, we transitioned into a presentation on a different kind of design - one that is less visible but as educators we know so very important:  Inclusive (special) education design.

Dr. Hajar Ouknider is a researcher on disability and offered us some incredible insights on the ways that the Moroccan education system is grappling with how to include all students and help them learn.   There were so many familiar themes in her presentation and we learned that government transitions here in Morocco have led to many "pendulum swings" in the inclusive educational landscape and policy design.  Sound familiar, US colleagues?  She talked about access to education, the challenges of differentiation, and so much more.   The importance of her research and the ways that she hopes to influence and change the ways that special education students was inspirational.  We will surely continue following how her work can change policy and ultimately students' and families lives.

Overall, it was an extraordinary morning of thinking about how we design the spaces we live in and the systems in which we educate our children.   As I was finishing up this post, I ended up going down the internet rabbit hole to find a quote that summarizes the importance of thoughtful design.  For now, this architect Frank Lloyd Wright's quote captures what I believe both  Ms. Iman Hmoudou ​and Dr. Hajar Ouknider seek to study and share in their work:  "Architecture is the triumph of human imagination over materials, methods, and men, to put man into possession of his own earth." 

April 19—Our group said farewell to Rabat several days ago and arrived in Casablanca that same evening after spending the day in Fès.  On Friday, we began with two compelling morning sessions on Moroccan architecture and inclusive education (stay tuned for a debrief on both of these brilliant presentations).  A quick break in between sessions allowed for a coffee and tea break and glimpse out the window to see the landscape here in Casablanca.  ​