Short Stories

Phone Hunt

Upon arrival back on August 31st, the school gave every teacher a brand new cell phone. What they didn't tell us (but suspected) it was going to be the oldest model type of phone, like from 1998…the kind where you have to click 3x to get to the letter "O" and if you miss it, then its 6 clicks. :(
You get the point.
While I'm happy to have gotten a free one, I have almost chucked it into the bustling streets for a donkey cart to run over it out of frustration.
How do you possibly go backwards on technology? I tried. I really did, but sometimes it causes more hassle than it's worth. I did bring my droid just in case it was possible to rig it, even though I cancelled my plan with Verizon and no longer have my original number. Well, surprisingly it was possible! (for a small price and a witch hunt into the medina to find the store-which don't have signs on them, and no street names.)
Let the Saturday adventure begin!
After many twists and turns…yucky smells, and some disturbing sights….A strange man said "Go see Samir." Samir told us, "Go see Unice." We found him! It was the usual signing spiel, speak in 3 languages, that Don't add up to one full sentence. But I thought he understood me.
"Come back in 2 hours"…TWO HOURS?! Oh great! What the heck is he going to do to my phone? Deep breaths…Ok, I will be back. (If I remember how I got here!)

All the walking made us hungry. I have eaten here before. Scrumptious food at Cafe Mama Afrika. This meal is in the shape of the continent of Africa. It's chicken in sauce with veggies and potato puffs over rice.

The decor is cool and the prices are SO reasonable. Over all here in Morocco, prices are great for very good food. I think we over pay in NY….like WAY over pay! :(

Time to head back to see if this really is going to work. Leaving for Portugal in a few days and REALLY want to have wireless access if possible. Being 'disconnected' is sometimes healthy. But when you are traveling solo or with just a few friends into other countries, having the internet is a necessity I think. Safety 1st!

Yup, I remember this guy walking back and forth…..

This man has been waiting all afternoon to sell these herbs….I remember him.

Found it!!! "Unice please"….He points for us to go down the stairs…past the PAY PHONE?! WTH?
Good Lord…please let my phone be here and not sold on the streets already, and was Unice even his real name?

What are these wires all about?
Unice is behind the counter, excellent! He was shy for the camera. Supposedly he had to 'unlock' some code to now be hooked up to "Maroc Telecom"…..who cares…I need my good 'ol droid back with a key board so I can text like the pro that I am! lol
Its been 2 months of hardly any texting and hardly talking on the phone b/c it costs so much for the phone cards….I'm way past withdrawals here. I paid my dues.

Not to self….don't bring my Mac here for fixing.
So the story ends….
It Works!!
Except….all the new people I met (like boys) those numbers did not transfer. hmmmm….oh well.


Preps Used to be Driven to the Police Station

We are STILL in the process of getting residency cards which has been a very sore subject around here. You cannot open up a bank account without them. Soooo…we have been getting paid in cash and people have not been able to wire money home. I'm in an ok position about that, but I can certainly see how this can be a major catastrophe for people that need to pay bills at home etc.
Anyway, there isn't a teachers union here so we just have to suck it up and complain, and complain, until they decide to get on it as we have asked several times. Long story short, we get an email that says you will be driven to the police station during your lunch and to bring your passport.
Off we go….piled into a car on another adventure.

 The Marrakech Police Station. Upon entering was an armed guard.

 It actually was very nice inside with a cool map but I was not allowed to take any pictures.
What you see here is me sneaking a picture. I couldn't help myself.
Devote Muslims pray several times daily. It is a very ritualistic type of practice. They pull out a mat and place their shoes next to it. They kneel down and begin bowing and praying (sort of a chant).
This police officer was just behind the counter…..now he is in the middle of the waiting room facing the wall and praying. I knew I shouldn't have taking the risk of possibly being put into jail, but I had to take the pic. I won't lie….there was a little adrenaline rush in doing so.
I obviously wanted the man in focus and the backpack out of focus, but because I was sneaking this and very nervous, the camera did its own thing.
Now that I look at it….I like it even better this way.
PS- Hopefully we will have residency cards in the next 2 weeks.
I would just take the bundle of cash and bring it home to deposit however…..I learned it is against the law to leave Morocco with more than 100 Dirhams (which is about $75)…something about it being a 'closed currency'….didn't research that meaning yet.

 What? Don't you normally see 10 horses traveling in a truck like this on the LIE?

This was on the way home from the police station. Little horsey enjoying the breeze.

Jumped Off the Carpet Ride

 Tea time with cute "Carpet Boy" is done. Fun while it lasted. :)

Got a free pillow from him.
Handmade by the Berber women. It's actually called a 'wedding pillow'…now that's kinda funny.

Walking in the medina at night. This is a friend of another friend of mine, trying to sell his cds. He plays this instrument from the Sahara.

That's all Folks….for now.
Many more stories in the works.
I'm having an amazing time and always remembering amongst the chaos to be….
~Mindful in Morocco