The title of this post is my new favorite word. It means shame and whenever anyone does anything bad or inappropriate or anything you don't like really you can tell them shuma and run your finger down your cheek (like the motion we do for a tear drop). Everyone in my group loves this word and we are always using it in ways that make the locals laugh at us (which they do a lot anyways...).
It is difficult for me to find where to start for this blog because so much has happened in the past two weeks. My perspectives are changing of the culture and people and I’m slowly discovering more about the way of life here. One thing I did not even think about before getting here was the politeness factor of the culture. I just assumed people would be just as polite as they are in America when in fact the culture is much more polite than American but not quite to the extent of Japanese culture. On the outside when you are walking in the streets as men yell things to get your attention and shop keepers try to entice you into their stores, on the surface the culture can seem very rude. Now that I am living with a family and have become familiar to the shopkeepers and neighbors I see that once you get past that tourist stage, life here on a more local level is much more polite. I don’t know why I have been so surprised by this but I have had to correct my American rudeness several times. When I first got here I also perceived the gender separation here and “confinement” of women to their homes as oppressive, but the longer I’m here the more I like it. I feel like here same sex friendship relations are more substantial. I see now that women are not really confined to their homes. The home is more of the hang out spot for women and the streets and cafés for men. Men hang out at cafes not necessarily because they want to but often times because women kick the men out of the house to have their girlfriends over or just because they don’t want the man in the house then. So what may appear to be a male dominated activity of hanging out in cafes is in reality because they have no where else to go!
Last night was my first experience going to a hamam or public bath and I loved it! It was a hilarious experience! I went with a friend from my program and her host mom but the host mom did not bathe with us she just went with us. So first I walked in and after a brief moment of confusion concerning price and where I was supposed to go with the woman at the front desk I paid and headed upstairs. My friend was already upstairs with her mom so I had to figure this part out on my own. There was a door to my right and a door to my left and two signs in Arabic above them. Having no idea what they said I went to the left b/c the door was open while the one on the right was closed. Unfortunately for me in my choice of the two I chose the wrong door and entered the hamam for men…..there was a moment of brief embarrassment and confusion before I quickly ran back into the hall and through the other door to the hamam for women. The first room was full of women just sitting and waiting. My friend’s mom spoke in Darija (the local Arabic) and French so with my terrible French I was able to follow her insturctions. It was in this first room with all the women (fully clothed!) that we were supposed to strip down and walk to the other room where we would bathe. Let me tell you it is a little uncomfortable undressing in a room full of women fully dressed plus the hjab (the scarf they wear on their head). Once you get past the awkwardness of it all it is a great experience. We stayed in there for about an hour and it was nice to finally be warm! I didn’t realize how much you sweat while you are in there and I got a little dehydrated and had a terrible headache about 2 hours later (sorry mom!).
Today we had Koranic school day which means we just learned about what Koranic schools are. They are an intense school for studying the Koran. Usually parents send their male children there around the age of 5 and the child can be there anywhere from 2 to 6 years depending on how fast they learn. For about 10 hours a day they are in class which consists of writing chapters of the Koran on a clay tablet, memorizing it, erasing it and write more…..they do this for 10 hours a day for years! Some boys board there while others who live near by go home at night. If the ones that live there try to leave they are put in “jail” which means their feet are chained together but they still go to school. At the end of the day or beginning of the next day, I don’t remember, the child recites what they learned and if they mess up they are beaten with a long stick. The school is only for the memorization of the Koran but it does not explain what it says. For boys in countries where Arabic is not spoken they do not know what they are saying they just have it memorized. It’s strange to me that in Islam they are not supposed to question their beliefs, but I still have a lot to learn regarding what it means to be Muslim. Morocco is a Muslim country like America is a Christian country…. there are those who are devout believers and those are not.
Last weekend we were in Essaouira and Marrakech and this Wednesday we are headed to Casablanca! I LOVE Essaouira. It is a really chill beach town and it wasn’t crowded and the locals were really nice. Next weekend we are going to a Berber village and staying in the village for about 3 days. Everything is going really well (except for my Arabic maybe). I hope everyone is doing great and don’t forget to keep me updated on what you’re doing! Much love from Northern Africa!
p.s. I added some pics on facebook, but my internet access is limited and usually kinda slow so it takes forever to upload pics so I probably won't post many.
