To begin I'd like to welcome all of you to this blog. Thank you for stopping by and continuing to read about my Moroccan adventures!
Beginning in September I will be an English teaching assistant at Sidi Mohammed ben Abdellah University in Fez, Morocco. I arrive September 6 and will work until June 30, the end of the Moroccan academic year. My teaching responsibilities are part-time, and I'm hoping to do plenty of travel and exploring all over the country.
Below I talk about some of my expectations for this coming year. Here I'll tell you what you can expect from this blog.
Morocco is a strange place. Literally. The Arabic name for Morocco, Maghrib, is linguistically related to words describing 'unusual', 'peculiar', 'amazement', 'perplexity', and 'odd'. This is a place where donkeys help transport new flat screen televisions. This is a place where rural communities lack running water, but have satellite TV. This is a place where anything, from the price of beans to your monthly rent is negotiable, and bargaining is a way of life. I am planning to record Morocco's cultural eccentricities right here. I guarantee they will be strange, if not entertaining.
This is also where I'll record my trials and tribulations in the classroom. I guarantee I will embarrass myself at some point (most likely at many points), which is all the better for y'all's enjoyment.
I am bringing my camera along with me, so I'll be posting pictures to illustrate my words.
I expect to update 2-3 times per week. We'll see if I'm able to keep up with that as the year grows busier...
Thank you for reading my words and letting me share my experiences with you!
08 August 2010
Thoughts and Expectations
I have some thoughts going into this experience that I'd like to share.
English plays an interesting role in Morocco. Most Moroccans are bi- or trilingual, speaking Arabic and Berber and/or French. Each of these have played a role in Morocco's history. Berber is the indigenous tongue of the region, Arabic arrived with Islam in the 8th Century, and French was implanted by Morocco's colonizers in the 20th century. English has infiltrated the country more organically, a product of economic and cultural globalization. And despite its minority status, English represents freedom for many Moroccans. This is not because it is the 'language of democracy' or the 'language of America' but because proficiency in English allows Moroccans to participate in the global community. Berber and Moroccan Arabic are 'small' languages - very few outside of Morocco can speak them, let alone understand them. French, while a 'big' language, is directly connected with the country's occupied past. This article by Said Bellari explains its cultural significance. Additionally, it connects Morocco only with the small, Francophone global community. The French language does not enhance Moroccans' connections with the world at all.
Helping Moroccans to realize a culturally and personally significant goal excites me a lot. For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is helping to empower your students both with knowledge and the confidence that comes with it. And while I will only be a teaching assistant, and my role in the classroom limited, I can't help but feel that I'm playing a role in something much larger, and that feels pretty cool.
My professional obligations are quite limited. The teaching position is part-time (10-15 hrs/week), which means I will have a lot of free time. This also translates into a lot of alone time. I've been mentally preparing myself for the experience of living alone in a foreign country where I'll only be able to partially communicate with my neighbors and co-workers. At least for the first few weeks, this is going to be a very solitary experience. As challenging as it will be, I welcome it. Almost every recent graduate will go through experiences similar to mine, but very few have the fortune to do so in such a unique and exotic environment. Though I have my hesitations, I know that I'm very lucky to be in the position that I am.
Along similar lines, I'm looking forward to making the most of this time abroad. I studied in Morocco two summers ago and left feeling that I could have tried harder to explore and integrate myself in the local community. As I look forward to this year, I really have no excuse to not fully explore Morocco and create meaningful connections in my community. My teaching post and free time give me an excellent opportunity to do both. I want Morocco to become like my home.
These are a few of the things that have bounced around my head the past few weeks. However, I know that no matter my mental preparation, nothing can prepare me for the exhilaration I will feel when we touch down in Casablanca on September 6.
This year is going to be the adventure of a lifetime, and I can't wait to get started.
English plays an interesting role in Morocco. Most Moroccans are bi- or trilingual, speaking Arabic and Berber and/or French. Each of these have played a role in Morocco's history. Berber is the indigenous tongue of the region, Arabic arrived with Islam in the 8th Century, and French was implanted by Morocco's colonizers in the 20th century. English has infiltrated the country more organically, a product of economic and cultural globalization. And despite its minority status, English represents freedom for many Moroccans. This is not because it is the 'language of democracy' or the 'language of America' but because proficiency in English allows Moroccans to participate in the global community. Berber and Moroccan Arabic are 'small' languages - very few outside of Morocco can speak them, let alone understand them. French, while a 'big' language, is directly connected with the country's occupied past. This article by Said Bellari explains its cultural significance. Additionally, it connects Morocco only with the small, Francophone global community. The French language does not enhance Moroccans' connections with the world at all.
Helping Moroccans to realize a culturally and personally significant goal excites me a lot. For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is helping to empower your students both with knowledge and the confidence that comes with it. And while I will only be a teaching assistant, and my role in the classroom limited, I can't help but feel that I'm playing a role in something much larger, and that feels pretty cool.
My professional obligations are quite limited. The teaching position is part-time (10-15 hrs/week), which means I will have a lot of free time. This also translates into a lot of alone time. I've been mentally preparing myself for the experience of living alone in a foreign country where I'll only be able to partially communicate with my neighbors and co-workers. At least for the first few weeks, this is going to be a very solitary experience. As challenging as it will be, I welcome it. Almost every recent graduate will go through experiences similar to mine, but very few have the fortune to do so in such a unique and exotic environment. Though I have my hesitations, I know that I'm very lucky to be in the position that I am.
Along similar lines, I'm looking forward to making the most of this time abroad. I studied in Morocco two summers ago and left feeling that I could have tried harder to explore and integrate myself in the local community. As I look forward to this year, I really have no excuse to not fully explore Morocco and create meaningful connections in my community. My teaching post and free time give me an excellent opportunity to do both. I want Morocco to become like my home.
These are a few of the things that have bounced around my head the past few weeks. However, I know that no matter my mental preparation, nothing can prepare me for the exhilaration I will feel when we touch down in Casablanca on September 6.
This year is going to be the adventure of a lifetime, and I can't wait to get started.
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