MaM #5

Although I've been interviewing and chatting with many Moroccans, I haven't written a MaM in ages. Why? My language has improved, and I've been able to have much deeper conversations with people. As a result, I feel uncomfortable asking them if I can post their photo and mini-bio on my blog. Before, I think strangers found me and my questions endearing and didn't mind anything I did with the information. Now that we better understand each other, they ask me more questions. From "What is a blog?" to "Can you put this on facebook?" "Will you get money for this information?" or "If you share this, can you find me a husband?"

So instead, I'm making up a fictitious character, Fatima, whose viewpoint represents honest answers I've received from many girls like her in my community. *Shout out to my mom for this idea.

Name: Fatima

Age: 16

Plans for the near future: Get married or work. How can one do both? It's not possible.

Ideal qualities in a husband, in order of preference: Wealthy, Good-looking, Nice, Has a house and car, Strong, Isn't too old

How to find work: Move to a large Moroccan city to work in a garment factory, Move to the countryside as a farm laborer, Use connections to get an office job, Apply online for jobs abroad, Learn a technical skill first (like how to use computers, business training, tourism training), Hope Allah provides you with a job

Importance of formal education: Not very. It does not help you find a job. How many people have their diploma or college degree and don't have work? [On that note, only 4 out of over 50 teenage girls I've talked to have finished high school and continued with university. One girl finally took the college-entrance exam at the age of 26 and is a 1st year at a neighboring university.]

Hobbies: Baking sweets, Watching soap operas, Shopping for clothes (if she has money; critiquing fashion if not), Listening to music videos and dancing Berber-style, Gossiping, Texting/Talking to a boyfriend

How to meet a boyfriend: Go to souk, Answer a phone call from an unknown number, Travel to another city, Meet a friend or family member of a friend, Go to school

Favorite season: Spring because it's not too hot or too cold. Also, because it's the time to go on picnics in the countryside, see the river outside of town, and pick wildflowers.

Thoughts on Morocco: It is good. People are nice and generous, even if some people are rude or crazy. The beaches Nador and El Jadida are great in the summer (even if she's never been). Beni Mellal has a waterfall and garden that you have to see. Morocco is not like America, where people have money and work all the time. You also have everything there. Here, we only have some things, but we have lots of agriculture. You can wear short dresses and shorts and have real boyfriends, but not here. It gets very hot here, hotter than America. We have Islam.

Mixed Plate

Btown updates:

-After a couple weeks of travel out of site, I came home to unwanted guests. Thank Allah they weren't cockroaches (aka "oil stealers" in Darija). Instead, wasps have built two nests on my rooftop stairway, and I got my first bite two days ago. Town remedy: hit the nests in the middle of the night then run away. Will I listen? Stay tuned...

-According to a recent television movie, Chinese people eat frogs. An influx of rude kids in town have come up to me just to ask if I eat frogs. Despite being colonized by the French, Morocco has yet to welcome cuisses de grenouilles on restaurant menus.

-My Chinese American PCV friend came to visit this weekend on her way to Fes. The morning she left, the local police called me multiple times and visited me to confirm that I was indeed in Btown. They even called me a liar when I said that I'm not in Fes, but in site. It's great that they care about my whereabouts so much. Too bad all Asians look alike.

-PC has asked us PCVs not to share our opinions about what's been going on in the news with our community or online. So instead, I'd like to share some summarized reactions from Btown community members that I found interesting. These quotations in no way reflect the general view of Moroccans or Btownians. They are just a random sampling from conversations with a few community members.
o"The 'war' in Marrakesh was not started by a Moroccan, but by a foreigner trying to scare tourists. The bombing is bad because tourists will be afraid to visit Morocco and buy rugs. Rug sellers are crying because they are afraid about their work future."
o"Don't be afraid. The bombing won't happen again and you are safe in Btown. Don't travel to the big cities; just stay here in Btown, and we will take care of you."
o"Who is Osama bin Laden? What is Al-Qaeda?"
o"America is happy Osama is dead, but we Moroccans are crying because Osama was a good Muslim. He cared about his fellow Muslims and was a descendant of the prophet."
o"America and Morocco are friends. We can't be mad at America because we [cooperate with]/[are helped by]* each other."
o"Americans are happy killing Muslims. Are you happy Osama is dead?"
o"Osama is dead. Gaddafi's son is dead. If God wills it, Gaddafi will be dead too. Libyans are bad."
o"Oh really? Osama died? Your brother died?"

*Interesting note, the verb "to cooperate with" is the same as the verb "to be helped by."

-My artisan girls' Rabat craft fair collection and account-keeping are progressing very nicely! I'm very proud of their ambition, innovation, and dedication to business planning. A local painter will also be attending this fair: his first event with PC. Inshallah, tout sera bien.