Things I Love About Morocco

(in no particular order)

1. I love how people know how to enjoy life here. Everything goes at a slower pace and people aren't super stressed out all the time.

2. Being late is normal. No stress!

3. There are no drive thrus, and people barely know what coffee to go is. You sit and enjoy your coffee or meal like a normal person.

4. Moroccan tea - a staple here. It's simple: green tea steeped in mint leaves. It's the only kind of tea I've ever liked sweet, and it's only good sweet. And it's SO GOOD.

5. The food. Chicken tagine with lemon, keftah, harrira, turkey sausage, squash soup...everything is so flavorful and delicious.

6. I love that there is always a jar of nutella on my kitchen table. Yum!!

7. Service at cafes. This is not what you think it means. If you go to a cafe with an American attitude of "the customer comes first, you must serve me and cater to my every need", then you'll hate the service here. But if you're not in a hurry and you know how to relax, the cafe atmosphere and the service are a wonderful part of the culture here.

8. I love how helpful Moroccans usually are.

9. I love how it gets chilly at night.

10. I love how everyone is out at night, even on weeknights.

11. I love hanoots (a tiny shop that sells snacks and drinks). There's one right next to school and the owner is so friendly and likes teaching us Darija.

12. I love the mosaics that are everywhere.

13. I love that Moroccan meals are communal. When we eat with our host family, the main dish is on a plate in the middle of the table, and we all eat from the same plate.

14. I LOVE greeting and leaving people by kissing on both cheeks. I think I'm going to keep doing it when I go home.

15. I love living right next to a mosque.

16. I love Fridays here. One class in the morning, then home just in time to watch Friday prayers unfold, then the best meal of the week with my host family and sometimes a guest, then everyone takes a nap.

17. I also love Sundays here. Everything is so quiet.

18. I love that the drinking age is 18.

19. I love that I don't have to shower every day (well technically I can't shower every day).

20. On that strain, I love that I don't feel gross with greasy hair like I do at home.

21. I love eating dinner at 9:00 pm. There is so much more time in the afternoon and there's no rush to get home for dinner.

22. I love, love, LOVE my roommate Katherine!

23. I love that I don't have internet at home. I waste much less time.

24. I love that I live in a city and thus get to see kids and families often.

I'm sure I'll come up with many more things I love about Morocco in the next eight months!