Shuma

Shuma = shame on you...the proper response to a cat call. Meow.
Today we learned about sexual harassment. Also, bargaining.

A couple friends and I walked through the streets of the medina looking for opportunities to bargain. The streets were PACKED with people, pirated dvd’s, wonderful smelling spices, fruits, oj, watches, scarves. The colors here are beautiful. By the way, nobody wanted to bargain to sell me a scarf...apparently 30 dirhams is law.
Dirhams = Moroccan currency...roughly 8.5 dirhams to 1 US dollar

Today was also our first drop off!
A drop off = The program directors load everyone up on a bus...drive you to a spot in the city and drop you off one-by-one somewhere, and you find your way back. I am proud to say that I found my way back allll by myself. And I talked to a lady in French, who happens to own a creperie with free wifi. (score!) She was very friendly/patient.

Tonight a bunch of us went out for some traditional moroccan tea at a cafe. A few of us girls went with the boys' club (the approximately 10 boys out of 60 people here at orientation)...and it was pretty obvious that having women sitting at the street-side tables was not the norm.
Besides that, the tea was delicious. I could probably live off of it. forever. Black tea with copious amounts of mint and sugar. Today I understood why everyone is obsessed with it.

During Ramadan the streets are packed at night! Everyone is out walking around, visiting friends, having tea, etc. until like midnight. it's so cool to be able to be here for part of the holiday.

baraka (blessings)

P.S. vegetarian: fail. I definitely keep forgetting to ask for no meat. But everything is so fresh and local here...oh the joys of not eating corporate foods.