Pretty Pretty Princess meets Casa Graffiti art...

I have recently experienced a wide range of experiences in Morocco. I was transported from time and place to, well, I'm not really sure where. Let me attempt to explain...

Thursday I attended the henna party at my host house. The evening progressed normally with Moroccan tea and raif (these pancake things eaten with honey) as we waited for the henna. The evening took a surreal and unexpected turn when the dresses came out. Evidently, this wasn't a henna party for another couple of hours but first we had to dress the part. We, meaning 6 girls and Will, were to play Moroccan princess dress-up. We were each given an elaborate sparkly caftan to wear. We took pictures saying how Moroccan we looked, but the dress up party wasn't finished yet. Out came the jewels, meaning a crown for each girl and sparkly jeweled necklaces and earrings.

We take more pictures until we realize that, no, we also need makeup. Makeup, in this sense, means very colorful eyeshadow and even redder lipstick, compliments of my host sister. The evening came to a breaking point of laughter when our one male of the group was told to wear his outfit. Out comes Aladdin, complete with cape. Consistent with the Islamic allowance of polygamous marriages, Will became the groom with 6 lovely brides. The whole evening, about 5 or 6 hours total, was a myriad of ups, downs, and confused looks until orders were given to wear something, not wear something, makeup, henna, food, etc. All good fun and good memories. The henna came out in the end, fear not, and the students had a wonderful time being decorated in the traditional Moroccan style. Moroccan weddings are very elaborate and we were privileged to get to have a taste of the preparation that a young Moroccan bride would undergo on this very special day.


Saturday turned out to be a surprising experience as well. After meeting a host brother I hadn't met before, I decided I needed to get out of the house and explore a bit. I called around and found out that a couple friends were on a train to Casablanca and headed to an art showing. "Come Jess!" They said. "Ok," I said, I and hopped on the hour-long train to Casablanca. Once there, we ate in a very themed Chinese restaurant. I felt transported to another day and age, one of 3-D Asian art, red walls, and a Buddhist temple structure, all this complete with Genesis artwork as well. We left our little hide-away to find the art exhibit. At this point I found out that there is also a music festival in Casa which we will be attending. The two events were being shown together as a combination of street art and music. I experienced the graffiti scene of Morocco, as well as music combining gnaoua music, spanish music, flamingo dancers, dread locks, hip hop, electro, and who knows what else mashed together. I danced my little heart out in the midst of the strangest company I have thus encountered in Morocco. Where they have been hiding, I don't know. The music brought us all out of the woodwork.

Conclusion. I am coming home in two weeks, enjoying the randomness that is Morocco, and planning on trekking up Mount Toubkal this week. Pray for my health, safety, and to ward off any altitude sickness (since I am climbing the highest mountain in north Africa). Continue to pray that I shine as a light here.

Love to you all. Miss you!

Lebanon, Africa, Jersey Shore, and more!

I travelled to Tangiers this weekend by bus. My journey followed a feverish Thursday night and an achy Friday. However, I arrived safe and sound to enjoy some lovely Lebanese food Friday night. We chatted with the Saudi man who served our food, surprised to be at a place that preferred English over French. However, not one to be easily served our food, we attempted conversing in Arabic with the waiter in the end. I have decided I thoroughly enjoy Lebanese food, savored the falafel and hummus, and will be frequenting several different Lebanese restaurants when I return to the States.

Later that night we wandered the city, ending up in the Kasbah (the walled fortress of the old city)We wandered the streets and were struck by the emptiness of where we found ourselves. I felt as if I were in a different world, traveling the still streets of an ancient mystery. We crouched down to enter a little hole in a wall and found ourselves overlooking the ocean and port. It was a startlingly peaceful and beautiful night.

Saturday consisted of visiting the lighthouse that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Mediterranean Sea. We took a taxi ride to the lighthouse which was filled with dance club music and a delightful taxi driver. He wore a muscle shirt and pumped his fist as we cruised the coast. One of the girls I was traveling with commented that she wasn't sure if she was in Morocco or back to her home on the Jersey Shore. At the lighthouse, a sign told us that entrance was forbidden. The gate was open and unmanned, so I walked in with one of my friends. A guy yelled at us that we were crazy for just walking in, but then brought us up anyway. Evidently he lived in the lighthouse and so brought us to the top where we enjoyed the wonderful view. I stood seeing the oceans before me, imagining the invisible line that divides them on the maps.

After the lighthouse, we continued our dance party/ taxi ride to the cave of Herules. Inside the cave was an opening that looked like the shape of Africa. The water shown through in the brightest blue like a painting. I felt closer to Africa as I was farthest north then I have been the whole trip. Pretty zween.

That afternoon, after more Lebanese food on the beach, we went to Caid's Piano Bar, evidently the original inspiration for Rick's Cafe from the movie Casablanca. Evidently Tangier is much closer to the glamor and intrigue of Casablanca then the city of Casablanca actually is. Casa is an industrial city, without much character. Tangier has a flavor, history, and culture of its own. While at Caid's, we met an American woman who had an arranged marriage with a Moroccan man after she converted to Islam. She married into an extremely conservative family and is attempting to live with her husband in Morocco now. It sounded as if she was having a tough time adjusting to this "adventure" as she called it, referring to her new marriage and direction her life has turned. I can't imagine embarking on an unknown adventure for a marriage, not knowing the guy, his family, the country, or the religion.
We left her, promising to write, and continued on our way, weaving through Tangier, ending up at St. Andrews church. This is an Anglican church built to be a church yet by Muslim builders. They carved inscriptions of the Coran inside the church, creating a mosque like feel inside this white church. It even had a minaret, in replace of a steeple. The outside is a church cemetery, containing World War II deaths, whole regiments buried together. They had such loving inscriptions, one of them said "meeting again when dawn breaks". On another note, one fallen soldier had the inscription, "Good Hunting, Tim."

I love you and miss you all!! I have about 2 1/2 weeks here still. Pray for my health and my life for the Lord here!

Happy May 3rd!!

This isn't my picture but I will put mine up soon. :)

I have now embarked upon May, my last month in Morocco. The time has crept up on me so quickly that I am not sure how to feel. I miss home a lot and so go through random bouts of daydreams of my life in Minnesota and Iowa. But at the same time I realize that I will miss so much when I leave. Morocco has become my home for these last couple of months. I am set on making the most of the time I have left and wish to return, traveling a lot, and trying to store up memories.

Those serious thoughts aside, I travelled to Chefchouen this weekend with a few kids from the program. This little mountain village is about 6 hours by bus away. It is a blue city. And by a blue city, I mean the buildings are literally all blue. It is a beautiful combination of Portuguese inspired buildings, blue and white paint, and yet an old blue Medina as well. This is the hippy town of Morocco, where I might have acquired several hippy inspired pieces to add to my wardrobe. I now have a pair of green harem pants, which are wonderfully light and baggy. I also have a large poncho which buttons up. Perfect for any rastafarian type looks I wanted to emulate. Or simply to stay warm when I climb a mountain in a couple of weeks.... but more of that later. :)



I took a wonderful mountain hike to a natural bridge of two mountains that is known as "God's Bridge" It is the coming together of two beautiful mountains. What a lovely place we found. The view was breathtaking as you walked a couple hours to the top and stopped to finally breathe in the freshest of air. We passed streams to look down into the valley and out to more mountains. Some day I will definitely come back to this place and hike more in the mountains. If anyone wishes to join me, let me know!