1 and 2 are m e looking out over the beginning of the hike. we didn't take our cameras the rest of the way.
3 is at dinner
4 is the same as 1 without me

To answer mom's questions -- there were about six of us who hiked in Chaoen. A small group of us wanted to stay in Chefchaoen both nights of the weekend and really explore the city, while the other part of the group wanted to go on to Tetoun where the Ocean is. I had heard that Tetoun is very touristy, and I've had a lot of that--so I was definitely not going.
The swimming spot was literally lost back in the mountains, so we could wear normal two piece swim suits. Our friends we were with from Morocco said that it's normal for girls to wear two pieces--even the ones who dress more conservatively. It's the public sphere they worry about. They have these bath houses here that women and men both bath in at the same time..completely naked...not from the same family, friend group, or anything. Yet in public the women are covered head to toe. Strangeeee.
Here's some pictures from last weekend! This weekend I'm going to the desert!!! Fair warning to you all-- I'm moving to Chefchaoen.

short post -- but i have SO many stories. unfortunately arabic has completely taken over my life :(. I wish i had more time to tell all of the AMAZING stories of this weekend!!!
This weekend was BY far and away the best of my LIFE. We went to Chefchaoen--here are the hightlites only. More to come when there's time.
1. The city is painted completely aqua blue and white. The architecture reminds me of Florence, but the way the buildings are built into the mountains and layered on top of each other reminds me of Greece (then again....I've only seen pictures of Greece)
2. I've never felt safer in a Moroccan town -- BUT it's not touristy at all. Ironic.
3. On Saturday a small group of us went on an ALL day hike with a couple Moroccan students we became friends with. I don't even know how to describe where we went. We were on mountain goat paths up the steepest slopes--hand over foot. A family of monkeys passed along the path in front of me, eating oranges like we were the least of their worries.
4. We went back back back to a waterfall and cliff dived into the clearest water I've ever seen (yes, we drank it--you run out of water FAST in Africa). Then we went way further and hacked our own trail to another fall that had its own rock "slide" into the water. UNFORTUNATELY I don't have any pictures of these because our friends told us not to bring anything at all. I'm glad I didn't.
5. The hostel we stayed at was $6 a night--very clean, very friendly, beautiful inside!
6. Chef is full of so many different cultures all mingling together. The streets are insane and it's so easy to get turned around, but if you do, you're glad. There's so many awesome sights to see. I just LOVED it. On the way home the bus broke down and I was so glad. Campus is a LOT like a jail cell.

I'm moving to Chefchaoen. Not kidding.

I'll add pictures soon -- internet is being strange.

Volubilis and the Jinn spirits

We went on our first class trip for Contemporary Issues in North Africa yesterday to the ruins at Volubilis. It was a Moroccan political capital that was seized by the Romans. The major architecture that still exists is left over from the Roman takeover, but there are huge Moroccan influences, obviously. Most of the ruins were underground--a few tops of buildings showing here and there--but in 1920, a group of French archaeologist came and "restored" the city. The way they did it would NEVER be "okayed" in today's standards. They unearthed all the ruin, then took all the ruble where it stood and rebuilt the buildings.
What was really cool was that the Mosaic floorings (see picture above) were completely intact when the French arrived. The most expensive floors were made of glass.
At one point during our tour, our teacher got into a public shouting match (in French, so I got to translate for the classmates) with a Moroccan tour guide. The guide was telling another group that a public atrium used for large formal meetings was a bathhouse and he was lounging in it for pictures (I guess this is a common tourist trap). Our teacher actually warned us that they did this before we witnessed the Moroccan guide doing it to his group. Our teacher started laying into the guide and the guide started to claim that his grandfather unearthed these ruins....bla bla bla. All in all--the Moroccan was ready for blood, and our homo-teacher backed down. Still, showed a real side of immaturity on our teacher's part for not just shutting up, and it let us witness the power of tourism and false history in the making.
A really cool part about Volubilis is that it's completely open. You can touch anything you want to, with the exception of a couple Mosaics (but they're only guarded by a piece of twine). People were climbing up and over all of the stone ruins.
After Volubilis we stopped to see the people possessed by the Jinn spirits. Supposedly a woman goddess (Moslayleela sp?) entrances the men and they act completely possessed (you would think it's a tourist trap, but they're not looking for money--they're looking for help from this group of healers called "the brothers"). Some men were rolling around on the ground, shaking violently. Others were barking and biting like dogs. The cure for this is to take a trip this magical washing fountain of the spirits (where we were). The brothers say a prayer for your soul, you wash in the fountain, and leave a piece of your old world behind to throw over the cliff representing rebirth into a new life.
A side note -- these "brothers" have more than doubled the success rate of modern medicine when it comes to curing mental illnesses which they relate to possession.
To demonstrate the power of the water, some men would cut themselves with glass bottles (smash them over their heads, or just slice their skin) then wash in the water. After a few minutes, there wouldn't even be a mark. INSANE!

Muay Thai and Fes Market

This weekend we went to Fes to check out the world's largest open air flee market. It definitely had me convinced that it was the largest. Alleys upon alleys upon alleys were completely FILLED with things for sale. The only purchase I made was an awesome handwoven leather belt for mom--we all know how much she loves her belts. More purchases to come, I promise.
THEN Amanda and I (my new awesome friend) had to buy a scarfs to cover up so we could go to an awesome Mauy Thai ultimate kick boxing championship match! We got to see the Moroccan WORLD champion vs. the Russian National Champ. It was a close match, but it was obvious that the Moroccan won. It was his last match, so he was putting his all into it. By far one of the coolest things I've seen. The crowd was INSANELY into it.
We bought the super cheap seats, but at one point I had to go to the bathroom. My friend Osama (he's from Libya, Arabic was his friend language but he can't read or write, so he's in the beginner level classes with me) went with me to the restroom. While I was trying to find the bathroom, Osama asked one the guards for me and they answered, "Oh yes, special restroom for you American girl." Seemed kind of sketchy, but Osama was with me--and he's a touch guy. They took us back to the FIGHTER'S bathroom! I had to go in literally a hole in the ground (ew) but it was SO cool. Then I came out, and Osama told me that they wanted to give us VIP for free! I waited with some guards and Osama went and got our other two friends who were waiting for us outside. They took us downstairs and let us sit ringside!
It was so neat!
This weekend we're going to Volubilis. Apparently it's full of ruins and some really amazing ancient architecture. Should be a good time!

T-A-N spells Abbie

HOLY AFRICAN SUN, it's HOT!
Tomorrow my north african studies class starts. Which means I'll be in class from 8-5:30 every day. I'm not excited about that, but I'm VERY excited for this weekend--the NAS class is taking its first field excursion to Valapalos (sp?)! It's a really small town in Morocco. Other than that, I know absolutely nothing about it--and that you can't even find it on a map. BUT that's what tomorrow is for!
I don't really have much to add right now. The temperature is officially rising over 100 degrees. It's more bearable than it sounds, but barely. My Arabic class isn't air conditioned, but we never turn on the lights, and the wind seems to be constantly blowing up here.
It's strange--two days ago I couldn't speak a word of English, now I'm reading signs and beginning to recognize sentences. This REALLY is an intensive program. We go through a semester's worth of work in a few weeks then continue right on into the next semester, then the next, then the next. We have already caught up to where most people were in their first year of studies of Arabic, so I don't feel SO behind. Still, it seems that they have a better grasp of things. Luckily, it won't be that way for much longer!
My roommate STILL isn't here! I'm not sure what's up with that -- her classes are supposed to start tomorrow. We'll see if she shows up or if I'm getting a single room for free. That might be nice after a long, long day's study.
More when there's more to say!