Happy Thanksgiving! And a bit about my trip to Morocco.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! I'm sorry I haven't been good about keeping in touch with everyone recently, school and life have me totally swamped.

We are having a Thanksgiving meal today at 2. I made cranberry sauce and Lauren and I are making a joint effort on sweet potatoes. She is awesome and hosting our gathering and also doing a full turkey!

I am also getting things together for my presentation due next Wednesday. It wouldn't be that stressful if I wasn't going to Morocco this weekend!

That's right, MOROCCO!

Since I'm pressed for time at the moment, I will post our itinerary for the weekend. Read about it and enjoy! I'm really looking forward to such a unique experience.

I love you all and Happy Thanksgiving!
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Time for Reflection
We are aware that our program is very rich. We will be careful to provide time to process experiences rather than to rush from one sight to the next. We have seen on other journeys, that when individuals have time to arrive within themselves there is the space for authentic connections with land, culture and individuals.

Day One ALGECIRAS - TANGIER - RABAT

Morning:

- Meeting at 8am in Algeciras
- Boat journey across the Mediterranean Sea from Algeciras, Spain to Tangier, Morocco
- Drive to Asilah and walk through the Medina (old town) to the Atlantic Ocean
- Lunch in a restaurant outside the old city wall

Afternoon:

- Conversation "Cultural diversity in Morocco" about Arab, Berber and Jewish coexistence in Morocco, with Moroccan students from L’Ecole Superior du Traduction in Tangier (one of the best schools for translators in the Arabic speaking world)
- Drive along the Atlantic Ocean to Rabat (3 hours)

Evening:

- Meeting of the home stay families (Two or three students will stay with one family.)
- Dinner with home stay families
- Walk through the Medina of Rabat in small groups with Moroccan students

Day Two RABAT

Morning:

- Breakfast
- Facilitated discussion “West and Arab worlds - images about each other” with Moroccan students from Rabat University and Professor Zaki
- Visit of the Roman ruins Chellah, the Mausoleum Hassan II and the Main mosque.

Afternoon:

- Lunch with home stay families
- Exploration of Rabat’s Andalusian houses in the Kashba and the street life in the medina market. Individual options: to spend time in the art museum or gallery, at the ocean or in the gardens of the castle. (This afternoon will be spend in small groups to create space for authentic experiences of the place and for personal connections. Two American students will be accompanied by two Moroccan students from Rabat University)
- Break: Mint tea in the Kashba Café at the river

Evening:

- Social time: Conversation in the patio of a family with Peace Corps volunteers about living in Morocco as a foreigner
- Dinner with home stay families

Day Three RABAT - RIF MOUNTAINS - CHEFCHAOUEN

Morning:

- Drive to Akchour, Rif Mountains through rural areas of Morocco (3,5 hours)
- Break on the way
- Short walk through a valley in the Rif mountains

Afternoon:

- Picnic and time to relax at the river
- Conversation with Abdeslam about education, simplicity of life and economic challenges of rural areas in Morocco. Abdeslam himself was the first in his family to receive an education. He finished a degree in literature while his older brothers had no schooling for economic reasons.
- Drive to Chefchaouen (30 minutes)
- Guided walk through the medina of Chefchaouen with background information about it’s Moorish and Jewish inhabitants and it’s historic link to Al Andalus
- Settle in Hotel Andaluz

Evening:

- Time to explore the medina individually (good place to buy some souvenirs)
- Special celebration dinner in the Medina of Chefchaouen
- Social time on the roof terrace: to share images and thoughts from our journey.

Day Four CHEFCHAOUEN - CEUTA - ALGECIRAS

Morning:

- Morning walk through the awaking town to a hill outside the city gate
- Drive through mountains, fields and cities to Ceuta (2 hours)
- Breakfast on the way
- Crossing the Moroccan - Spanish border

Afternoon:

- Boat journey across the Strait of Gibraltar
- Good bye in Algeciras, Spain around 3:30pm