Pictures, New Families, and Happy Exhaustion

Hi world,

So I'm working on making a shutterfly account where I can post pictures online, and when that works I'll put the link up so you can see them. I mostly have them from our bus tour of Rabat (during which everyone was falling asleep and so I have pics that I only remember as "important administrative building") and our drop off. On the drop off we were all given a thing to observe around Rabat (mine was clothing), then dropped off by ourselves in a random section of the city and told to find our way back to the Center in two hours, spending money only in emergency situations. Everyone found their way back, and the general consensus was that we wish we had gotten more lost. Being lost in a city like this is amazing, you can just wander and take it all in forever. Whenever I'm walking around I feel like my eyes are consuming everything I see so quickly that I wish I could open them wider.

I also met my host family today. They're picking me up tomorrow, and I'm dragging my luggage across the medina. I'm sure all the locals will have a good laugh. I have a sister who's 21, a brother who's 18, and 2 other brothers in their mid-20s who just came home from studying in Tangiers. The sister speaks perfect English but she said she wants to help me with my arabic (I wrote them a letter and she noted that there were "a few mistakes"). She also made fart jokes within 5 minutes of knowing me so I'm guessing the family should be pretty laid back. They've hosted 7 other students too so I'm sure they know what they're doing. They're pretty wealthy and Western -- meaning they don't have a Turkish toilet thank God -- and they live in a big house somewhere in the medina. My sister wants to teach me belly dancing! Sweet!

Like I said before, I'm getting more and more comfortable here, even though the men still shout at women and sometimes follow them. So far the best pick up lines I've gotten are "i like green" and "hot dog, hot dog!"I think men just shout whatever english they know and hope to woo you. So far it hasn't been to impressive, though I hear people have found spouses on this program (don't worry Mom, I'm not looking).

We also ate pastilla today at dinner, which is basically heaven in filo dough. It's chicken and nuts and raisins topped with a layer of cinnamon and sugar inside a filo crust. We all had stomach aches because we couldn't stop eating it. Alright, I guess that's all for now, I'm gonna go meet some friends on Rue Mohammed V!

LAyahfathk (God keep you -- this is what you say to people!),

Julia
P.S. Rumor has it that some families give you new names because they can't pronounce yours...I hope I get one!
P.P.S. Happy almost 21st to THW!