Life Updates...

After talking with my grandma, I realized it had been a very long time since my last post! So here's the synopsis of my last few weeks...

-Started tutoring 3 students
-Had sushi, thai, and indian food
-Back-to-School Barbeque
-Watched 3 movies in a row
-Finished LOST season 6...anyone figured that show out yet?
-Started a book club with teachers at school
-Found out I can buy bacon here!
-Saw my first movie in Megarama (movie theatre)...a bit bloody but in English :)
-Had tea with friends
-Busted 7 students for cheating
-Finished my Ballet unit and began a Jazz unit
-My dance room is now equipt with a ballet bar and mirrors...and it was done before the class ended...I wasn't sure that was going to happen ;)
-Booked tickets to Belgium for our week-long November break (also to visit Amsterdam...my motherland!)

True Story

8th grade Pre-Algebra class...Lesson: Algebraic Expressions and Equations
Question: How many days are there in 4 weeks?
Students: ?????
Me: Well let's think about this. How many days are there in one week?
Student 1: Five
Student 2: Eight
Student 3: Ten
Me: (Jaw has now dropped to the floor and my head is on my desk) Seriously? Okay, let's count... (my hands go up in the air and we count)...Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday...How many fingers am I holding up?
Students: Seven
Me: Thank you!

Mediterranean + Mountains = Cabo Negro, Morocco

This past weekend I went to Cabo Negro with Amber (new teacher) and Ruth (friend from another school). Sarah decided to climb the highest mountain in Morocco instead...don't understand why :D Cabo Negro is in the north of Morocco, just east of Tangier. We stayed at a student's family's vacation apartment...swimming pool, real grass, mountains, beach...can't ask for any better!
Being that it was a holiday weekend (end of Ramadan), most people were with family. After waking up at 4:30am and riding on a bus for 7 1/2 hours, we then began our adventure trying to find something open where we could buy at least milk. Instead we found and old man who gave us roses and offered us milk from his house. We declined but thanked him...not wanting to become his next three wives ;) Then we found a taxi driver who offered to drive us to McDonald's! (Apparently it was one of the only things open...and in a different city) The remainder of the evening consisted of trying to watch a movie in French, reading, and a nice 10pm bedtime.
Day 2 - I slept in all the way to 7am! (haha) We made our way to the beach to enjoy the sun and sand. Later in the afternoon it started to become overcast, so we returned to the apartment, made a yummy dinner, and read for most of the evening. I love vacations where you can read, sleep, read, sleep, repeat!
Day 3 - Cleaning...taxi to bus station...tour Tetouan...long trek home.

I'd say the weekend was just what the doctor ordered!

Week 1...Complete :)

One week down! I can't believe how fast this first week went. In some ways it feels like I never left. My days are going by much faster this year due to an extra class (Dance/Fitness!) AP Calculus will keep me on my toes but I'm excited for what this year will hold. It's Ramadan for one more week and then things can get back to normal. The kids are tired from too few hours of sleep and the heat makes things even worse (especially without water!)

Monday is "Moroccan Dress Day"...kind of like wearing a bathrobe to school :)
Friday...no school!
Weekend plans...Paris...Spain...Portugal...London...where should we go?!!

Only in Morocco...

Only in Morocco does your bathroom fan produce so much smoke that it can be smelt everywhere in the apartment.
Only in Morocco does the power go out in your entire apartment except the bathroom (and can't be reset)
Only in Morocco is your classroom 10 degrees hotter than the outside tempurature.
Only in Morocco do half of your students not show up for the first week or two of school.
Only in Morocco does it take over an hour for your concierge to come up to your apartment, do nothing, and then leave and never come back.
Only in Morocco do you work in the bathroom because it's the only place you have light.
Only in Morocco do you sit around 3 lit candles with 4 co-workers pretending it's a bonfire.
Only in Morocco...
...But I must say, I do love this place!

Morocco Round Two!

Hello everyone!
I'm back in Morocco and gearing up for another year. Travels went smoothly...new apartment is great...new teachers are a lot of fun...it's good to be back! The weather is hot so Sarah and I went to the beach today :) ...need to take advantage of no school while we still can. Tonight we are going to Hasna's house for iftar (breaking of the fast). I'm excited to see her and Kenza again (although I don't think Kenza will remember me). We're having the staff over to our apartment on Friday for a potluck...which we can do now with our bigger apartment!
On the "to-do-list"...finish unpacking...set up classroom...write syllabi...plan for the first week...enjoy my last days of freedom :)
Love you all...

Dumb internet...

Hello everyone! So I do realize it's been quite a while since my last entry...however I'd like to clarify that it was not from lack of effort. For some reason Google and internet in Morocco do not get along. This is unfortunate because my email is Google and so is my blog :) Today must be my lucky day because after a month of trying, I finally got in!!!
Life here has been busy wrapping up loose ends as the school year comes to a close. I only have 4 more days of teaching, 3 days of exams, packing and then I'm homeward bound! This year has been incredible and I will have a lot of processing to do when I get back (just a warning Mom!) I look forward to many lazy afternoons at my grandparents' pool, time with my family and friends, and Starbucks :) Thank you everyone for your prayers and support. I look forward to catching up on all that's happened this year.
Sending my love...soon it will be in person!