Some Firsts--Moroccan Style

This is my first last day in Rabat. We have prepared a game for all 67 (?) children. It consists of a cup, a piece of string, and a foil ball. The object is to swing the ball at the end of the string into the foil cup. I have my doubts about this with the 3-year olds, but we always have a plan B in our basket (stickers and crayons). In the Medina in Rabat, I also found some Spiderman stickers which will drive the 5-year old boys wild. Just thinking about saying good-bye to them makes me a little teary.

Saying good-bye to the other volunteers at homebase will also be hard. There is a group of college students from all over the US who are nothing but great and an octogenarian who has traveled the world and is always ready to take on any challenge. And, of course, it has been great to get to know other Lilly employees from all over the world (including Linda who works 2 floors above me at LCC in building 88 and who I hadn’t met before).

Other firsts:

Roman Ruins—I’ve never before seen Roman ruins, this trip I’ve visited two sites, the site in Volubilis and the Chellah ruins in Rabat. The Chellah ruins mark the site of a Roman settlement. When the Romans left, the Muslims moved in and used the site as a cemetery. This is a very peaceful side of Rabat.

Storks—I never saw a stork before but they are nesting in all the high spots in Chellah. They are either building nests or feeding babies. They clack their bills together and the sound is LOUD. I don’t know if it is a warning to us or they are communicating with each other.

Pigeon Pie—There is a French term for this that I can’t remember and if I try I won’t spell it right. This “pie” has a crisp, light dough and a meat filling with almonds and is generally topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon or honey with almonds.

Medina—It is impossible to get the flavor of Morocco without visiting the old part of the city and shopping in the Souks. There are displays of spices and aromatic oils, carpets, inlaid wood, and even products from the west and there are people all shapes and sizes.

Hamam—This experience is not to be missed. It is the Moroccan steam bath. Buy a black soup at the Medina and an exfoliating mitt. You walk in the door, shed your clothes and turn yourself over to an attendant who scrubs 10 years of dead skin off. I have enough soap left to try this at home.

I think if I had a few more minutes I could make this list a lot longer. This has been the experience of a lifetime.