Laying here on the wide, soft, stunningly white bed in the air-conditioned room in the Holiday Inn Express at JFK Airport I can't help but feel like I'm floating between two worlds. Everything I see, hear, smell I compare to Morocco. The things I enjoy, the white sheets, the air conditioned rooms with the machines running all day, the Indian food delivery, the spacious rooms, all make me feel guilty, and I compare those things to their parallels them in Morocco. The random sheets bought cheapest in the medina with their mismatched patterns and pillow cases, the mattresses rock hard, the rooms sweltering hot, the air conditioning, if you're lucky enough to have it in your room AND manage to find someone at the front desk with a functioning remote to make it go, working piteously slow and probably sounding like a lawnmower. Food? You have to go out and search, no matter how tired you are, to find a restaurant that will 1) not make you ill, and 2) not make a woman feel threatened. Your options will likely be tagine, overpriced couscous, omelets and grillades - meat on a stick. Soda, water, and myriad fruit juices fulfill the carte. Ultimately the selection isn't bad, though it gets tiresome and repetitive.
So I'm relishing all this now, however one big thing makes Morocco outweigh all the above amenities. The price of a riad overnight? Maybe 300-600 dirham = $30-$60. With that you'll probably get breakfast and lunch or dinner. The meal at the redundant restaurant? 50-150 dirham = $5-$15. The pricing is epically affordable and the people are always kind, considerate, and welcoming. It is out of this world rude to not shake someone's hand or just say "salaam malaikum" when you encounter someone who you will interact with. Do you get that in NYC? Louisville? The USA? No, not really.
I'd continue, but I'm exhausted and my grammar and spelling are suffering.
About Me
- Ann Marie
- I would be remiss if I didn't extend my gratitude to the Fulbright program for this jaw-dropping opportunity, as well as to the Honors Department at the University of Louisville, for its hard work in ensuring my selection as an English Teaching Assistant to Oman for the 2012-2013 year. My brief bio - Born and raised in Amboy, WA, I attended Clark College in Vancouver, before going on to the University of Washington in Seattle where I earned a BFA in Fine Arts - Oil Painting in 2004. I then attended USMC Officer Candidate's School, and accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the summer of 2005. I served for four years as a logistics officer, stationed in Camp Lejeune and deployed worldwide. After the conclusion of my commission, I moved to Louisville, KY where I attended the University of Louisville, achieving a BA in Art History and a minor in Middle East and Islamic Studies.
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