First off, please ignore the date..I am writing this on September 13, 2009. It's been a draft that I have been adding to for a while now! But hey, it's finally up! Enjoy!

I am so incredibly full at the moment. Although Ramadan means that people here are fasting during the day, don't for a minute assume that they do not eat a lot during this time! As soon as the 7 o'clock call to prayer sounds, iftar happens. FOOD FOOD FOOD. And that's not even dinner...around 11 o'clock, they all sit down again for a large meal of couscous! Then, at 4 a.m., they get up and eat breakfast! Thankfully, I have managed to explain to my new family that I am not taking part in Ramadan and thus, it is not necessary that I eat both the late-night meal or the early, early breakfast!

Speaking of my new family...I moved in on Saturday, September 5th and it has certainly been a bit of a sensory overload for the past week! My house is located on a smaller street next to a busy market in the medina. I have my own room that is separated from the rest of the house by a yellow curtain. The walls of my room are lined with pink and white couches, one of which I sleep on. Although a bit uncomfortable at first, I have now come to view my sleeping spot as one of my new favorite places in the house! The bathroom consists of a toilet and a bucket shower- and is immaculately clean all the time. Shortly after I moved in, the family provided me with a mirror and drawers and told me to treat their house as if it was my own. Speaking of which, I cannot tell you how kind the people that I live with are. Aside from providing me comfortable lodging and delicious meals, they are always offering to teach me about their culture and offer any help with my less than pristine Arabic skills. In particular, my mother and 35 year old sister have moved me with their affection and attention to the things that I do and say. This past week, pointing to herself, my Moroccan mother told me that just as I have a mother in the United States, I also have a mother in Morocco who is willing to be there for me if ever I should need anything. Mama Hafida, what a lady! My sister Aziza almost brought me to tears when, after overhearing me say to my little sister that I enjoyed a chicken tagine, she spent much of the afternoon preparing a beautiful and inexplicably delicious tagine. She set it on the table before me at the 7 o'clock meal with a huge smile on her face and awaited my reaction. Needless to say, I was touched that she had broken with the family's tradition and made a large, main course for the iftar. I have tried to return their kindness by cleaning up dishes and helping to sweep the floors before guests arrive. Mama Hafida just breaks into laughter when she sees me on my hands and knees cleaning the rugs of the room in which we eat! She bestows endless "shukrans" and hugs on me each time! And so, far from feeling uncomfortable or out of place in my new family, I feel both welcomed and accepted.

I am grateful that as my first week here fades away, I face the next week with an establisehd routine and a bit more knowledge about my new neighborhood. I am usually at the CCCL from 9-4, studying Arabic, learning about gender and culture in Morocco, and spending time with other American students. I try to go home after that and go for a bit of a run...unless my host family and I get caught up in laughter and conversation! If that's the case, then I usually wait till after Iftar to go out and spend time with my little sister and other students. All in all, I feel myself beginning to sense a bit of permanence and familiarity as my time in the Medina continues! Love to you all!