It was a bit of an adventure getting there. Let me explain transportation here. Besides walking, which you do a lot here, there are 3 modes of transport. The bus which is like a bus in the states, it has a set route and price. Unlike in the states though, the driver will give you change and people are crammed in every nook.
Then there are grande taxis. These are generally old grey Mercedes Benz and they "fit" 6 passengers! 4 in the back and 2 up front with the driver. These also have a set route (I have no idea how you find out the route) with a start point or station and everyone pays 3 dirhams each, which is about 35 cents. If you want extra room or if you don't want to wait for the car to fill because they won't leave until there are 6 passengers you can pay the difference. There is an interesting twist though, if you offer the driver enough money he can be persuaded to go off route. If you're out on the street in one of the routes you can catch a taxi that way too.
Next the petit taxis, which are different colors depending on the city. Here in Meknés they are baby blue. They will only take 3 passengers maybe 4 if one is a child, they run on a meter and will take you anywhere you want to go just like taxis back home.
Ok so all that said, now I can tell my story of the first day of school. My new friend and flatmate, Alexis and I had late class on Tuesday. So we ate lunch that Jameela prepared for us and then walked to the grande taxi station. (Or what we thought was the grand taxi station! Turns out we needed to go one more block) I saw a man walking towards us so I asked if this was the grand taxi station. He looked at me like I was from Mars and asked I I spoke English. Which I was thankful for. We told him we were looking for the grand taxi station and he asked where we were trying to go. When we told him he said, "No! You need a blue taxi!" We told him we had taken the grande taxi the day before and he said he would get us the blue taxi and tell it whee to take us. Us being new and only having been to the grande taxi station let the guy "help" us. He hailed the taxi and told the guy where to go. Then the taxi proceeded to drive us al the way bak to our apartment and just down the street about 4 blocks to another campus of the university. Thankfully I had the map in my bag that we had been given at our group meeting and I showed him where we wanted to go. Having been blessed with my dad's sense of direction I knew he was taking us the long way, but couldn't exactly tell him I knew that so we ended up paying more then we really should have had to pay, but we were at school safely so that was all I cared about.
This is the enterance to my school. It is so grand and beautiful. The old Medina wall runs around most of the school.
It is really a different experience to be somewhere with so much history.
This is the view as you walk up the hill to the university.
Same tower just up the hill more.
Thankfully the classrooms are air conditioned, which is really our only source for A/C on a regular basis. It helps to not be feeling like you're becoming a human puddle while trying to learn, especially something like Arabic!
This is one of the trees on campus. I have no clue what it is, but it has purple flowers so you know I has to take a photo! :)
I'm taking two classes, advanced Arabic and Arab media. My teacher for Arabic is so kind and patient! She helps me so much and I'm learning a lot from her. My professor for Arab media is pretty awesome too. He actually went to school in Nebraska and Texas. He's from Morocco but speaks English with a British accent, it's crazy. :)
Nothing terribly eventful happened the rest of the week in class. It was strange to be in class in the Fourth of July though. That was a first. :)
That catches us up to yesterday's excursion to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. :)
It will be it's own entry. Now I think I'm going to go get a crape for breakfast. :)
Kayla نور
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