My goodness, it takes a long time to get anywhere in Casablanca. A bus, a tram, a walk, a taxi, another taxi… Will I ever be able to navigate this place independently? I so want to be independent here, and I so want to be out there in the real Moroccan world, shopping at the hanouts and talking to the people.
And yet, here I am in my oh-so-convenient apartment on campus. And it is mighty convenient to be only a five minutes’ walk from one’s workplace. But I find myself envying the people who are already acclimatizing to city life, meeting neighbours, walking places. And so I have a goal. I will learn to get around, by foot, taxi, car, bus, tram, bicycle, donkey… whatever it takes. And I will live among people who are unlike me. I will speak to them in their own language. I will not be the glassy-eyed tourist forever.
Yesterday it was kind of fun to be clueless, but I’m ready to start being a little less bête. Something tells me that it won’t happen by tomorrow – but I’ll persist!
Later that day:
Aha! I have had my first French conversation – with the security guy at the campus entrance. The Dokker was signed out tonight, so I decided to do my “driving practice” on foot, and walk the route that I hope to drive next time I’m out in the car. The guy at the gate greeted me cheerfully in Arabic, then switched to French when he saw that my 90 minutes of Arabic instruction wasn’t going to cut it. I tried to explain that I wanted to go for a walk up the hill. Except that I couldn’t remember how to say walk, up, or hill en français. “Je veux…” I began, and then started making footstep motions with my hands. “Marcher?” he asked. “Oui, oui, marcher! Up the hill!” Duh. Marcher is, like, one of the first words I learned in Grade 2 French. So bête. When I returned from my walk, I greeted the guard in French, introduced myself, said that my walk was bien, and asked his name. “Merci, Aziz!” I’ve made a friend.
Hi Natasha,
I just got back from two weeks in BC with wife Monika and kids 18 y.o. Erik and 13 y.o Brigitta. We travelled the “Gold Rush” trail all the way to Barkerville high up in the interior. Here is a quick copy and paste email going out to friends:
We were in BC for 2 weeks with the kids and had an AMAZING TIME!
walks in Stanley Park and visits with their dolphins and aquarium
trekked up the “Grouse Grinder” (2 hours) and were treated to a hilarious lumber jack show, saw trained raptors flying over our heads and had serene views over Vancouver harbour
saw the tall cedar tree groves at Capilano Suspension Bridge and drove deep into Brittania Mines with the trolley
kids did zip-lining in Whistler where we stayed at a great little chalet with swimming pool and hiking trails
horse back riding with Whistler/Blackcomb mountains as back drop
got the Gold Rush Fever in Barkerville with awesome history talks and re enactments, live musical theater, many talks and took a vacation photo dressed up as “Gold Rush” participants!
saw the 1862 major Stage Coach House at Hat Creek Ranch with its old wall paper and bar and supplies room
beautiful ferry ride to Nanaimo, Vancouver Island
kayaked out to the seals at Mistaken Island in the Gulf of Georgia Strait
hiked along the Pacific at Ucluelet with nightly campfires, singing, card playing and much laughing as we roughed it in a trailer for three nights
explored underground caves at Horne Lake
visited pretty little Victoria, its lovely architectured Parliamnet (wonderfully lit up over the harbour at night) with its amazing Museum (like museum of civilization in Ottawa!) and watched the whales up close in the IMAXX!
saw lovely Craigdarroch Castle and Burchart Gardens
had a lovely sunset ferry ride back to Vancouver on our way to the airport!
Yes! All that planning (since Feb, (got flight tickets 1/3 off, car rental 50% off, did air B&B etc) payed off! We truly “mined” the 2 weeks we had! Our treasure? GOLDEN MEMORIES AND LAUGHS that will last us a life time!
My favourite moment? Many to choose from, but I liked our time together in the trailer. The kids were finally cut off from the internet and more present to us and interested in combing the beach for shells, hermit crabs and sea anemones, playing cards with us…..Erik taught us a new game called “President” which we enjoyed many hands of. Our nightly campfires there on the beach with singing and joking on the Pacific were so beautiful….it is the simple things in life that are so memorable, enjoyable and satisfying! Look forward to sharing photos soon!
Enjoying your fabulous posts from Morocco! So glad you are sharing such neat impressions from a very different culture in your humorous way…..love your writing and so happy to be on your list of recipients!
Sincerely, Rick Herman