Moroccan music festivals

Morocco's THE place for music these days... during the last part of May, the Mawazine festival took place in Rabat. For roughly 10 days, stages all over town featured performances by local and internationally known groups: programme. For example, the Morrocan female rap group that one of the Fulbrighters is studying played on May 19th. The concerts were free, although it was also possible to purchase tickets if one wanted to be really close to the stage.

Stevie Wonder performed at the closing Mawazine event on May 23, and my free spot on the lawn was better than some $50 tickets that can be had in American stadiums for similar events. The lights, stage, musicians, and sound were all excellent -- and I enjoyed watching the monitors to get a good view of Stevie and his daughter singing together. Unfortunately, at another concert that night, 11 concert-goers were killed in a stampede.

Fès is currently sponsoring its annual 10-day Sacred Music Festival. The concerts aren't free, but are a huge draw for the city. I know at least two Americans up there as I write this.

I had the good fortune to hear about Stevie Wonder from Fulbrighter Jaci and to hear about the festival in Fès from Fulbrighter Kate. It's nice to be part of a network that's so well-connected and cultured. I should also mention that both Abdelaziz and Jallal knew all about the Rabat festival and graciously shared information about it over coffee.

Medical care in Rabat

The last thing that anyone wants is to be ill while abroad. I've been having some problems with my knee, and finally had a watershed moment last Monday. Without thinking, I went to my favorite pharmacy.

The pharmacist insisted that I see a physician, and sent me to one down the street. Not only was I seen THAT DAY by a man who'd graduated from prestigious medical schools in France, but the 1/2 hour consultation cost me less than the $25 co-pay that I have through my grant program.

I didn't want to wait to order the medications through the grant, so I went back to the pharmacy. Medications for 20 days cost under $20. In short, $45 later, I have complete peace of mind that I'm receiving very good care.

All about the numbers

Within the short space of one week, we've been hit with not one but TWO changes to numbering systems in Morocco.

The post office has decided to create and distribute zip codes (postal codes) to everyone here in Rabat. I first noticed billboards along the roads, requesting folks indicate their post codes for quicker mail service. I didn't know mine (every piece of mail I get is addressed to a different post code, and some pieces don't have a postal code listed at all), and was amused at the idea.

Then, on about Wednesday, a sticker appeared near the mailboxes in my apartment, telling me my postal code. I'm 10090 -- a number no one had used before to send me mail, I'm quite sure.

While the United States were gearing up to change to summer time this weekend, we in Morocco were gearing up to add an additional digit to our phone numbers. I've been used to "phasing in" new things (the Y2K bug fears and changes to years, etc.), but overnight between Friday and Saturday, the phone systems all switched at once. It's now imposible to make calls without adding the new digit. To be honest, on Saturday when my calls didn't go through, I assumed my phone was just broken again.

These changes are no doubt positive ones, and I'm glad to see Morocco moving ahead in this way. I'm also glad that the Fulbright office shared news about the phone number changes, and that the post office was kind enough to advertise the postal codes. I still may not know if I have class tomorrow (I'll assume I do until I hear otherwise, I guess), but at least I know my new phone number.

The medina in Rabat

I've been doing a lot of shopping in the medina in Rabat... a new (used) cell phone, clementine oranges, gifts for friends, etc. The deals are great, but it takes a long time to bargain.

Luckily, the weather's been nice recently and I've been shopping for things like Moroccan spices (pictured here). Now if only Nadia will teach me how to make that rice she made for me last week...

St. Peter's Cathedral in Rabat and "the holidays"

Over the past few months, I've had the honor of seeing some important Muslim holidays through the eyes of Moroccan hosts. This week and last, however, I was able to experience Western holidays through the lens of the Moroccan experience.

I went to Christmas Eve mass at Rabat's Cathédrale St. Pierre. It turns out, I know the priest who said the mass -- he's in my Derija class on Wednesday and Friday and I had no idea that his profession was actually of the cloth. The service itself was in French, largely catering to the sub-Saharan communities that are evident in somewhat small numbers in Rabat. A few French where there, as well as a diplomats in a limo and a television news crew.

I nearly missed the service because the train from Fès was running late. The Casaouis in the train car with me were every bit as concerned as me that I be on time ... they checked their watches right along with me, and were very adamantly hoping that I make it, in'shallah.



On Christmas day, I taught Cataloging and Document Analysis for 4 hours, as part of my usual Thursday routine. One of my students realized it was a Western holiday and brought a chocolate cake for us to share, which was very kind, indeed.

And now, on New Year's Day, Moroccans and I finally converge in terms of our holidays, and I have a day off for New Year's Day. Shopping's been open, but it's a government holiday and the schools are closed. The Muslims also just celebrated their new year's holiday, in accordance with the Muslim calendar, this past Monday. The bombings in Palestine are being acknowledged by religious leaders in the Muslim world, and Moroccans have been instructed to act in solidarity instead of celebrating at this point in time.

Despite concern over the Middle East, today has been very enjoyable. The day was sunny and dry; it felt like spring. Surely the good weather can't last, but one can be tempted to hope.