Moroccan Cuisine

Tonight a group of teachers went out to a new restaurant in town called the Stone Cafe. It was a really nice building with three different restaurants, each on their own level. After walking up a beautiful (but very large) spiral staircase, we reached the Moroccan restaurant. Since breaking of the fast is around 7pm and we got there at 9pm, the place was empty. We had a seat and out came "appetizers": Harira (traditional Moroccan soup), milk, dates, sweet mint tea, fresh orange juice, and some Ramadan specialty sweets. The main course come out on a large plate and contained an assortment of real Moroccan cuisine. I was not sure what anything was so I took a bite of what I thought was chicken covered in a sauce. As I began to chew I quickly realized the squishy, and somewhat slimmy, substance was not chicken. I kept chewing to be polite and a fellow teacher started saying what the some of the different things were. Then just as I was about to finish chewing and swallow, she said, "and that is sheep brain"! So yes, last night I had my first taste of a sheep's brain. Can't say I'd have it again but now I can at least say I've tried!
One thing I've noticed about myself in my short amount of time here is that my brain has stopped listening to people talking. Since I can't understand what is said most of the time, when someone is actually talking to me I usually have to ask them to repeat it (just ask Sarah...she thinks I might need hearing aids). A classic example of this also accured last night when a gentleman (who obviously worked there) came up to our table, said something, and then left. I leaned over to my friend and asked what he said. She said, "He asked if the volume of the television was okay...(pause)... He was speaking in English!" Hopfully this problem gets better as I learn more French and Arabic :)