Its a beautiful day today, why dont we go study outside?

The Project #2

In the last two weeks the students have began to plan their project for this year - a social cultural center for the young people of Larache. Can you imagine that a city this size doesn´t have a place where young people can practice sports, meet together, do art or theatre, or study. Because of this necesity the students decided to create this year a project for a Social Cultural Center for the youth of Larache.

Now we just need somebody to fund it. Any takers?

As the students are doing a great job planning the project myself and the other teachers decided to take them to a beautiful place here in the country to study.

For all those that it might interest, the place we went to is called Sidi Barack (saint barack) And no I am not talking about Saint Barack Obama, this place is named for a religious man of a few centuries ago. Now dead, his tomb is a place of pilgramage for woman who want to get married and get pregnant. There is cave here where they go to wash themselves, hang their undergarments on the roof, and ask the spirits for the man of their dreams. Very interesting but we didnt go here to get married exactly, we came to learn.

Two of the girls in front of a traditional house on the way to the village

Our classroom for the day. Looks pretty cool doesnt it?

And Mr Tree isnt bothered by the thumb tacks. Anyway I think he likes the idea of helping us learn. Here Layla is explaining a "problem tree" that her group has created in response to the problems of the youth of Larache.

After the lesson....as always...we do a creative evaluation of the activity.

So much praying...looks like it worked. On the way back we ran into a parade of woman who have spent all the day asking the saint for a man to get married to. We decided to give them Simo. I dont think he minded at all.

And as the woman let out the traditional wedding chants Karim and Abdsamad wrapped up the deal.

How beautiful!

All this work...and no play?

Excursion to the countryside of Larache-Ain Khamasa

As the students had worked so hard in the last week, we decided to reward them with a trip to Ain Khamasa, a natural source some 15 kilometers from Larache.

Actually, the spring itself is source of legend. It was apparently built, (or at least the housing structure that we see now) by a Spanish man in the 19th century. Apparently, this man searched all over Europe for a cure to a certain skin affliction without being to find a cure. He heard talk of a spring in Morocco where the waters could cure such a thing, came and of course...the water cured him. As a show of gratitude he erected the structure that now protects the spring.

This is Seloua, our fearless instructor for the chapters 3,4, and 5 in the course.

After a heated game of soccer it was the time to get down to some cooking. The kitchen squad wasted no time beginning to preparar the tajines.

Some worked while others a little tired, could not resist the urge to take a snooze in the afternoon shade.

And....its the moment! The chefs present the exquisite dishes they have prepared, barbecue fish tajines.

Spending the afternoon together, in this beautiful place, getting to know each other better.