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--
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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!  

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