Coffee and culture in Rabat

The Institute Français de Rabat (IFR) is a great resource in downtown Rabat, and is the local equivalent of the Alliance Française we seem to have in big cities in the United States. Not only do they have a series of cultural offerings such as expositions and films, but they also have a lending library and media center.

I checked out a book a few weeks ago, and thought that I was returning it one week late. Whatever the fee would have been, I assumed that it was less than taking a taxi there and back just to return the book.

The book was actually 2 weeks overdue. The fine? I can’t check out another book for the next two weeks!

Luckily, I my excuse to return the book doubled as a reason to have coffee with a friend that I met on the train a few weeks prior (a teacher by trade, who is willing to exchange French lessons for English lessons) so the whole trip wasn’t a complete disappointment. Mostly, Jallall and I sat and talked and drank coffee at their café instead of working, which was fine too. Jallal wanted me to take this photo so that I could include him in my blog, and I’m more than happy to oblige.

And today, Amina and I met at the other IFR location for coffee and a film: Des poupées et des anges. It’s nice to have cultural offerings in French in the heart of Rabat, but it’s especially nice to meet for coffee and conversation with Moroccan friends around the experience, too.