So a few things have been happening this past week and mostly they are boring I’m sorry to say. 

I have settled in and I am establishing a bit more of a routine so that my life looks normal. Or more normal than it has been lately. This means I get up in the morning, I do some work and I head out to the gym or errands or shopping or all three things, around 2:30 or 3:00. Later I return home, cook, eat, online TV then bed. Wash, rinse, repeat. That’s my goal. 

The last few days I have been a little side tracked by two things, unexpectedly. One is this book that I’m reading called “A Little Life” which has utterly consumed me. And I have also discovered that Al Jazeera English is fascinating. They offer really great programming and it’s in English. So that’s distracting. 

As far as work goes, announcement coming. Give me some time. A girl climbing out of early retirement and back into a new reinvented working life needs time. Things need to be thought through. Put in place. Discussed. So please, a little patience. Suffice it to say for now, if you are planning on visiting Morocco, call me. Tell your friends and relatives. Just do it. I’m here for you. More on that later. 

So I apologize for not offering any fascinating proses on life as a camel farmer or something equally exotic but it’s been a boring week. 

I can leave you with this little tidbit that I have been struggling with since arriving. The difference between yes and no. It’s been hard to get these two basic words down. Not going to lie. But in Arabic, no is la. Sounds like….ya. Or yes, affirmative. Right? I actually got this down pretty quickly the last time I was here because people are CONSTANTLY approaching you and the only response is a fast and firm “la, shokran”, or “no, thank you”. So you learn fast. 

But yes in Arabic is naam. Sounds like nah. Or no. Negatory. Nyet. Hard to get your English mouth around. One time, we were doing a marathon drive from Rabat to Marrakech, listening to some sort of political talk radio in Arabic (driver controls the radio right?) and the host keep saying, “naam, naam, naam” (silent m). For a long long time I was thinking “dude, so adversarial, so contrarian.” Then I suddenly blurted out, “Oh! The host is saying yes all the time right?” To which I got a sideways glance and a look of “you are so much prettier when you don’t speak.” (Never said out loud of course.) (That would be rude.) (Craig.) 

Oh! And I learned to smile and say “la bes Hamdulah” when someone says la bes to me in greeting. It’s like ca vas. But Arabic. Look at me fitting in all over the place!!!