Class of 2008
Major: Society, Technology and Policy / International Studies (Double Major)
Project Center: Ifrane, Morocco
Major Qualifying Project: Moroccan migration to Spain and its economic and political ramifications on both countries.
Virginia Ward
September 21, 2007
Not that much has changed in the past week. My classes and project work are continuing to go well and I'm trying to pick up more Arabic everyday. The biggest change this week has been the start of Ramadan. I knew about Ramadan before coming to Morocco, but I have learned far more about living here during it. Ramadan ends the day after we leave for the U.S., so things will be a little different on campus for the rest of our stay in Morocco.
My classes are continuing to go well and my project is also taking shape very nicely. We had class this past Saturday to make up for missing class the previous week due to national elections. It was a bit odd going to class on the weekend, but since we only have 2 classes and they are in the morning, I still had the rest of the day to myself. Initially I wasn't too thrilled about class on Saturday, but all in all, it wasn't that bad. In Islamic Civilization, we are learning about the first major events of Islamic Civilization and the political structure that was created in the decades after Muhammad's death. The events we are learning about and the divisions that were made in the culture, particularly what separates a Sunni from a Shia Muslim, are very interesting to learn about and important to know in today's world. Knowing more about the facts and history of Islam has helped me to understand world events and news articles from a different and more educated angle.
Arabic class is still difficult, but I'm plugging through. I'm not naturally gifted at learning languages, so it has taken me a while to pick up new words, phrases and sounds. It has definitely helped being in an Arabic speaking country, but learning any new language, especially one so different from English, is a challenge. We only have about 3 more weeks left, so I hope to pick up the entire alphabet and some important phrases before I leave.
Everyday I'm making a bit more progress on my MQP. All the ideas and concepts I've been reading about for the past few months are connecting and I'm really pleased with what I've written so far. Through my research I've been able to find the facts and figure of why migration is important to both countries. Now, I have to connect it to how it is important for individuals and affects both groups on a wider political level. It sounds like a daunting task, but all the work I've done up to this point has prepared me to complete the work I've started. I don't have that much time to finish my project, but I am confident I can finish strong and write the paper I know I can.
Ramadan started September 13, and life on campus has changed quite a bit. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from sunrise to dusk. The purpose of the month is to reflect and become more pious by eliminating worldly distractions. Meals are still served on campus during the day for non-Muslim students or international students not fasting, like myself. Prior to Ramadan, the dining halls had significant lines and were fairly full most of the time. During the past week or so at breakfast and lunch, there has rarely been more than a dozen or so people, all international students. It is also a lot quieter around during the day. Groups of students aren't hanging out in the common areas on campus and the pace of life has slowed a bit. But, when the sun goes down it's a different story. Right around dusk, about 6:30 here, students gather for ftour, or the breaking of the fast. This is the first of several meals between dusk and dawn. Students also eat later at night, around 10:00 or 11:00 and then wake up to eat before 5:00 a.m. to hydrate for the rest of the day. I don't feel out of place not fasting or eating during the day since there are a good number of other international students also not fasting. I can't imagine not eating or drinking, especially in such a hot and dry country. But the students here have been fasting for Ramadan for several years and since it is a component of the culture, it must be a little easier.
Since business hours have changed for Ramadan and our work load has increased, the rest of our trips as a group are day trips. Tuesday was our first day trip to Azrou, a town about 20 miles from Ifrane. We went on this day in particular because Tuesday is market day. I was expecting to see goods made by the people in the area and perhaps buy a few things to take back to the U.S. Once we arrived, it was quickly evident this was not the case. The market was designed for people living in the town, not tourists or visitors. We walked through it for a while and found people selling clothes, produce and livestock. It was a bit odd to see men walking around carrying baby goats or lambs. Although it was not what I expected, it was still interesting to see where Moroccans in more rural areas shop. After visiting and driving through smaller towns in more isolated areas I had wondered how people get the goods they need. Now I understand towns have market days so everyone can get what they need without having to go into a major city.
Coming up this weekend, we are heading to Fez for the day. I'll write more about that trip in my next entry.
-Virginia
