Let’s just get comfortable now with this being my last long blog post for awhile. Today we are taking it reeeeaaalllll easy. Late check out from 5 star, quick dash to 2 star, meeting with tour group tonight. We are both prepping for this marathon whirlwind of a tour about to hit as we sail off to parts unknown. So for the time being I will plan to post tidbits when I can, where I can. But fan……prepare to be hit. Shit’s going down. Tonight! Really excited to meet our new friends though. 

So last night we went out to meet Jen and see her school. It was a long trip out, as you know, but it was really worthwhile to me to spend some time with Jen. If I have something to give, I will be more than generous, and I was sensing that Jen just needed familiar near by while familiar was in town and I loved every minute of our time together. I was so happy to see where she lives and how she lives and where she works so I can share that with her family and friends back home before she gets home at Christmas. 

So we met at the school. Jen teaches 4 yr olds at a private school that is filled with wealthy Moroccan kids. The names of the kids are beautiful and Jen has her rolled r’s down just right. Good start! Her classroom is big and filled with light and it has a lovely view out to the ocean. The school is really nice and we toured the gym/lunchroom, play areas and playing field and track. 

We caught a ride back to Dar Bouzza, the village where Jen is living along with a whole bunch of other teacher / expats from the US and South Africa. We met Kim and Joel, Mandy and Lewellyn, and Brooklyn and Jack (their respective spawn). We met Natasha at the school, Jen’s friend, and we also met Kelly, Jen’s roommate later in the evening. All are LOVELY people. Expats are just really normal people who work together to figure shit out. Because every single thing needs to be figured out. From buying cornmeal to getting gas, to finding an English speaking dentist in an emergency and buying prickly pears from the local cart vendor (provided the cows didn’t eat them in the night). The dogs are all stray, The cats are all stray. The donkeys pull the carts. The new rock formation outside Jen’s place is where the sheep heads got burned after Eid. Seriously, it’s all very foreign and all about figuring it out. And travelling. Everyone we met was taking full advantage of the jumping off point. Many have done desert tours, toured around  Morocco, planned a cruise around Spain etc over break, or like Jen, visited Portugal and other near by destinations. That makes living overseas all the more fun. Jealous! 

We had a visit to the local grocery, rested at Jens place, visited Kim and Joels over the top Moroccan designed apartment (lovely and little disturbing all at once) and had dinner in a lovely little Bistro up the street. Jen drove us back to the petit taxi stand at the end of the evening and we got out to get a cab. We heard the call to prayer on the way (my first time!!!!!!!!) and landed in front of a Mosque with a bunch of cabs lined up in front, just as they all ran in to pray. Regardless, we found a driver and made it back in one piece. Great day. Thanks so much for the hospitality Jen and its so nice to see that your challenges, while giant, are manageable, and judging by the lovely people that are there and have been for a few years, its ultimately enjoyable too!