Hi from Morocco!

I made it safely to Morocco! Our flight was great. We flew Air Maroc, so it was a good intro to Moroccan culture. Luckily, the flight was only half full, so I got two seats to myself and was able to catch some sleep. We arrived in Casablanca about 7:45 am local time, cleared customs, then got on a bus and drove 2 1/2 hours to a small seaside town outside of the capital, Rabat. We're less than a block from the ocean, which is very nice. A few of us took a walk on the beach today and it was very pretty. Supposedly, this area of Morocco is known for its surfing, although we were told that we wouldn't have time for any of that.

We're staying at a hotel that reminds me a lot of youth hostels in Europe. I'm in four person room, with common bathrooms and showers in the hall. Everything is very beautiful. They ceilings are very intricate carvings and there is a very pretty blue mosaic fountain the center of our hotel. Our meals are served in a dining room, sort of family style. They place a large platter of food in the middle of the table and everyone serves themselves from it. I think its probably a nice transition to what I've heard is traditional Moroccan meals, where everyone shares the plate in the middle of the table. I'll know next week, when I start living with a host family.

Its currently Ramadan in Morocco, so the meals are spread out a little bit to accommodate those that fast during the day. Dinner tonight will be at 8pm. In fact, the normal Moroccan business day is from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, then a few hours break, then work until 8:00 pm. That will be a big adjustment for me, since I'm used to working 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. Adjusting will be a challenge, although sleeping later will be nice.

The Moroccan trainers that I met today were very nice and I think will be a great asset as I try to learn the language and culture. The two I spoke with had never been outside Morocco, but they spoke English very well. They said they learned a lot by working with the Peace Corps volunteers. They practice their English while we practice our Arabic/French/Berber dialects. I will definitely rely on their judgement on what to wear and if its appropriate to cover my hair. Most of the women seem to do so, but I want to check with the trainers before I start doing so. There may be something that I don't understand.

Our first full day of training is tomorrow. We start at 9:00 am, when we meet with the Peace Corps doctors to update them on any changes to our medical file. Then we start on the culture and Peace Corps policies. There is a lot to learn. These next three months are going to be very intense.

I'll try to post pictures later this week. Now, I'm off to my room to start on all the paperwork we got today.