Our Journey Up North...

This weekend we had Friday off from school so decided to head north to Chef Chaouen with another friend for the long weekend. The plan had been to rent a car, however, that proved to be more difficult (and more expensive) than expect...Plan B, the bus!

Background info: There has been a lot of rain all over Morocco for the last 3 weeks.

So on the way there we came across some flooding. And, no, not just minor flooding. Thigh-deep water flooding! And you guessed it (or maybe you didn't) we drove right through! It was incredible but all the while I'm thinking, "Oh no. My bag!" Everything came out at least a little wet...but not my Bible! Thank you Jesus!

Saturday was a Moroccan holiday celebrating the birth of the prophet Mohammed. Many things were closed, but not nature. We spend a few hours hiking up hills, rocks, across water falls...it was breathtaking! When we got back we went to the local hamman, a community bath, to relax. Dinner, tea, dessert, bed...Thank you Chef Chaouen for a wonderful relaxing weekend :)

Fellowship in Ifrane

Our crazy adventures in Italy left Sarah and I a little "traveled out". After a few low-key weekends, we were ready to go again :) Last weekend we spent time in Ifrane with some friends from Tangier. The plan was to go skiing, however with a week of 60's and rain, snow was no where to be found! But it was still a wonderful weekend of friends, food, and fellowship. We were picked up by a girl from Marrakesh and met the rest in "the little Switzerland" of Morocco. Sarah and I came back from the weekend so refreshed. 11 people sharing an apartment for 4, sunshine and hiking, chili and spiced cider...can't get much better than that!

Valentine's Day...Moroccan Style :)

So today the students celebrated Valentine's Day with flowers, cards, and chocolates that they could purchase to be delivered to their friends. I left this exchange for the end of class (knowing I would never get them to focus again). After everything was passed out, one of my 6th grade boys asked if he could give me his gift. He came to the front of the room, got down on one knee, thrust the gift bag in the air, and said, "Miss, will you marry me?" I said, "No. But thank you for the gift :) I don't date younger men!"
My story doesn't stop there...in the morning, one of my 6th grade students showed up to my class with a bag. I thought he was leaving it in my class for later, but he told me it was for me...sweet, right! During my first break I decided to open it...a red fuzzy heart pillow...a pair of underwear...a gold tube top!!! So needless to say I was freaking out because this is completely inappropriate on so many levels. Then I noticed a business card on the floor...it had the student's mom's name on it. My best guess is that his mom put together this gift for me from the store she owns/works at. I'm sure he didn't know what was in it because if he did, that would have been the talk of 6th grade! So I guess that means his mom got me underwear and a tube top for Valentine's Day :) Still inappropriate but better (I guess).
It was quite the eventful Valentine's Day for me...going to be tough to beat that!