Laugh Loud and Often

Blogging purist will surely not be happy with this "post" ... because, as a personal portal, it is actually an extension to the sidebar; thus, it is not a typical blog posting. This is a personal portal to resources relating to Morocco and is subject to updating without prior notice. Unless noted, all links lead to English-language, Morocco-specific content sites. This is a personal portal where update, broken, quality, etc. of links and content may suffer due to electricity-free days, traveling, flooding, lack of inspiration, weakness from fasting, slaughtering of sheep, monthly living allowance utterly spent at the souk, etc. The link to this personal portal is 'morocco.lamore.net' .. it is written.

Facts, Figures & Organizations of Interest
Media & News Aggregators
Culture/Faith of Islam & Holidays/Events
Travel & Tour Guides
Keeping In Touch
Food, Drinks & Recipes
Text Messages Worth Saving
Places I've Visited (a laundry list)

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Facts, Figures & Organizations of Interest
Kingdom of Morocco | CIA Factbook on Morocco | U.S. Embassy, Rabat | U.S. Department of State
Morocco & the European Union | US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA) | MEDEA (European Institute for Research on Mediterranean and Euro-Arab Cooperation) | World Bank | Virtual Souk | high atlas foundation

Peace Corps | National Peace Corps Association | Friends of Morocco

Yahoo Groups: Peace Corps Morocco

Currency Converter | Metric Converter | Time Zones





Media & News Aggregators
Al-Jazeera | VOA (Voice of America)
Morocco Times | Morocco Daily | AllAfrica | Islamic World






Culture/Faith of Islam & Holidays/Events

Culture/Faith of Islam: Pillars of Islam | Islam in America | Isam-USA

Holidays/Events: Moroccan holidays are based on the Islamic calendar (lunar cycle), and dates change year-to-year.
Holiday Calendar, 2002-2008 | U.S. & Moroccan Holidays | Moon Sightings

Moroccan Holidays in 2006

January 11-12: Aid Al Adha/Aid Kbir | Jan 31: Fatih Moharam [New Year]
April 11-12: Prophet's Birthday
May 1: Labor Day
August 14: Oued Dahab | Aug 21: Youth Day | Aug 30: Throne Day
October 24-25: Aid Al Fitr/Aid Segir [Festival of Breaking the Fast]
November 6: Green March | Nov 18: Independence Day
December 28 Aid Al Adha/Aid Kbir

Travel & Tour Guides
Morocco (Ministry of Tourism) | Time Zones
Lonely Planet | Fodor's | AfricaGuide

Call for road conditions in Morocco: 037 71 17 17

Fees for local transportation greatly depend on knowledge of the rider.

Azrou-El Hajeb: 10dh grand taxi
Khemisset-Azrou: 25dh bus / 43dh grand taxi
Khemisset-Tiflet: 4dh souk bus / 8dh grand taxi
Meknes-Azrou: 15dh bus / 23dh grand taxi
Meknes-El Hajeb: 13dh grand taxi
Meknes-Khemisset: 10dh to 12dh bus / 20dh grand taxi
Meknes-Khenifra: 35dh bus / 50dh grand taxi
Fès-Meknes: 18dh bus / 30dh grand taxi
Rabat-Khemisset: 18dh bus / 25dh grand taxi
Rabat-Tiflet: 20dh grand taxi

Keeping in touch
Many options exist to keep in touch with friends and family; take into consideration time zone differences during real-time conversations. Choosing a specific service/vendor is a personal choice.

Chat/Internet Messaging Services: real-time chat; most IM services only allow customers to chat with customers within their service, i.e. Hotmail users cannot chat with non-Hotmail users. Download separate IM software for each IM service.

Yahoo!
ICQ [I Seek You]
Jabber Instant Messaging
AIM [America On-Line Internet Messaging]
Microsoft MSN/Hotmail: from what I can tell, this is the only reason to have a hotmail account.
Trillian: Though not an IM service, users can download the free software to manage AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, and IRC services within one application.

Emails: sign-up for free email accounts. What to keep in mind: size of free storage, SPAM filtering, privacy statement, etc.

Yahoo! Mail: a reliable free email service.
Google Gmail: the interface is terrible - this is NOT an intuitive email service.
Excite Mail: a reliable free email service.
Microsoft Hotmail: with an alloted 2Mb of space, this is one of the worst free email services available.
AOL: America Online had to improve its services (compatibility, Web access, etc) to retain fleeing customers.
Email Addresses: go here for a directory of free email accounts.

Internet Telephony/Phones: VoIP [Voice over IP] technology has improved vastly, allowing for real-time conversations over the Internet at a fraction of the cost of landline phone calls; calls between computers are generally free and calls from computer to mobile/landline phones are affordable.

Ebay skype
PalTalk
Google Talk: this requires a Google Gmail account (by invite only); email me for an invite.
DialPad

Mail/Post: check with the local post office for tariffs and shipping restrictions (food, guns, sea-monkeys, etc).

U.S. Postal Services | U.K. Postal Services | Australia Postal Services

Express Services: There are many to choose from; I have seen delivery trucks in large cities from these couriers. Be careful shipping by express couriers, because packages can be held up due to customs and Volunteers may need to travel to the airport to pay for tariffs.

Fed-Ex | UPS | DHL

Fax via the Web: a free service that allows faxing to almost any fax machine from the Web

The Phone Company

Food, Drinks & Recipes
Kingdom of Morocco (30 recipes considered traditional) | more traditional Moroccan recipes | Jewish Globe (some good recipes) | Moroccan kitchen (an introduction to spices and tastes in a Moroccan kitchen) | Imperial Fez | Tajines (a site to sell tajine pots, but has some free recipes)




Text Messages Worth Saving
Though text messages appear in posts with some randomness, this is a collection of text messages that are worth remembering; edited for clarity and/or language. ©

"OK, this is rigoddamndiculous. Tutor worried about the crazy lady starting rumours. Wants to have class at coop only instead of at family's house. He told me to hate the lady who called me pregnant, and never be alone with her because she might drug my tea and rob me! I have to say it again: rigoddamndiculous!" Volunteer DM, Feb '06, on Berber-version of "Desperate Housewives, Part II".
"I've done a bad thing; was looking at stork nests with my binoculars; neighbors saw me, [now] they all want to use them to spy on village. Neighbors looking at kids getting off bus said, 'I want to see who so and so is talking to' and another neighbor looking at next villager said, 'Who's that going into so and so's house!' Let the gossips begin." Volunteer DM, Feb '06, on Berber-version of "Desperate Housewives, Part I".
"Just sat through all-day workshop in Arabic -- we splint into groups, wrote our names on paper-tents, used flipcharts, and even learned SWOT [Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats]! It was like I was back in the States, except we started an hour late and I hardly understood a thing." Volunteer MG, Feb '06, on culture shock.
"I hate it when people try and joke with me. Like I barely understand anything so how am I suppose to understand even that they are joking?" Volunteer LS, Feb '06, on culture shock.
"OK, I need to vent. I just tried to convince neighbors that I'm American, they argued I was either French or Spanish. This morning I was called Moroccan. Why's it so hard to believe I'm American and it's a diverse country? Wait, maybe I shouldn't answer that question in a bad mood ... " Volunteer [withheld], Feb '06, on American diversity.
"Got pulled out of hang-out time with artisans to sit in the non-working artisana complex to wait for the delegate. Been here three hours without sign [of his arrival]. " Volunteer LS, Feb '06, on the fluidity of the work environment.
"Stay away from fish; you'll either get sick or choke on a bone." Volunteer DM, Feb '06, on hearing that I'm having fish for lunch at the souk [weekly outdoor market].
"My carte de sejour battle thwarted by stupidity. I'm gonna be stuck here forever." Volunteer TT, Feb '06, on getting a cate de sejour [National Identification Card].
"Coop 'cleaning' - they're actually just dumping trash behind a bush, sigh. Family thought I was weird for putting trash in a bag and throwing it away when I go someplace with trash service!" Volunteer DM, Feb '06, on culture shock.
"I think you need a vacation, come visit next weekend." Volunteer JB, Feb '06, on telling me to take a break from house hunting.
"Lets play a game of 'Is This Safe?' Family puts butagaz tank next to furnace. We should take pictures of all the insane safety risks and have session on it at the next IST [In-Service Training]. Tired of dodging flaming logs falling out of furnace." Volunteer DM, Feb '06, on trading safety at home.
"Well if by party you mean meeting me in Fes and helping me get everything I need, it's up to you." Volunteer JB, Feb '06, on inquiries about having a house-warming party.
"Gold Teeth! That's stylin! I gotta get some blings for my grill, too." Volunteer DM, Feb '06, on responding to my message of spotting a Berber woman with gold teeth.
"Oh, I had no idea it's a holiday today [Feb 8], was walking out the door when host mom asked me what I was doing. It's Aid Ashoura!" Volunteer DM, Feb '06, on keeping up with Moroccan holidays.
"Chilling in new dar [house]. Have just small butagaz, 1 light. Had fantabulous bucket shower. Now eating mac 'n cheese, sadly very bland after past months :-( Happy, though." Volunteer LS, Feb '06, on having own place after months of homestay.
"I need a name! What high maintenance idiot managed that much rent, and how much ass had to be kissed?!? Doesn't he know we're in the Peace Corps? I'm just happy to have running water, I think a daily bath is way too much to ask here." Volunteer DM, Feb '06, on learning that another Volunteer was granted a rent allowance increase of 33%.
"Moved today. Alone for first time 10 minutes ago and phone rang!" Volunteer VS, Feb '06, on having own place after months of homestay.
"Been moving a cup at a time. Tonight is the first night to sleep here. Sad to leave family, but [my house is] very close to them. Wanted a glass of wine and have dishes to wash." Volunteer SF, Feb '06, on having own place after months of homestay.
"Leaks are fun. Gives you something else to do with all those hemmem [public bath] buckets." Volunteer DM, Feb '06, on hearing of my housing option with leaks.
"How about this: write 'cool dude' in Arabic letters, it sounds exactly 'cool dude' but means 'eat worm' hahahaha! Found that one out by mistake the other day :-) " Volunteer JD, Feb '06, on what to scribe in wet, setting cement.
"Fes was nice, bought a vacuum cleaner from Marjane." Volunteer DM, Feb '06, on a trip from a Berber village to a city.
"For some reason, I never thought I'd be shoveling snow for the first time in my life in Morocco." Volunteer DM, Jan '06, on new experiences in Morocco.
"I'm snowed in. Don't expect sympathy." Volunteer EH, Jan '06, on responding to winter life in the Middle Atlas.
"Hey! How'd you know I was pricing donkeys at the souq today?" Volunteer DM, Jan '06, on local transportation.
"hmm, I just helped skin a rabbit. 10 minutes ago, it was a fluffy bunny. Will I ever stop feeling queasy? I should have run screaming from the kitchen." Volunteer DM, Jan '06, on helping around the kitchen.
"How sad is it that I've been sneaking around the house for half an hour trying to acquire a bowl of hot water so that I can sneak it into my room and make myself ramen noodle soup? What has my life become? Victory is mine and ramen never tasted so good!" Volunteer SAJ, Jan '06, on taking a break from sheep meat at every meal.
"Is burlap warm to wear? I think I saw some at the souq ..." Volunteer DM, Jan '06, on ways to keep warm.
"Just saw a white girl in my town, did a total whip around. LOL. Should've talked to her, but was trying to get home before dark." Volunteer LS, Jan '06, on culture shock.
"Hanging curtains in co-op. That means hammering nail through curtain and wall with a big rock. Why waste money on a hammer, or a ladder when rocks and rickety plastic stools are around?" Volunteer DM, Jan '06, on being resourceful.
"So we got butagaz heater at coop, and I saw waves of gas coming off it, but I don/t know if I was too cold to move or if fumes affected my decision to stay." Volunteer DM, Jan '06, on staying warm or being poisoned by carbon monoxide.
"OMG. You know they use butagaz in that cave. How the hell do they ventilate?!?" Volunteer DM, Jan '06, on responding to my text message about seeing a Berber family emerging from a cave.
"My old site was a cave. It's so quiet here today! I'm worried. Hope there's not a coup planned." Volunteer TT, Jan '06, on responding to my text message about seeing a Berber family emerging from a cave.
"Is it good to be woken up by host family at 7:30am and ask yourself ... where is my vodka? I think I want to move into my house now. No dar for you, yet? I'd hang myself!" Volunteer SAJ, Jan '06, on looking forward to the end of homestay.
"Have same problem here. All food now cooked in meat and fat. Got bad D so ate rice for three days. Host family says to stay til I find my own apartment." Volunteer VS, Jan '06, on eating meat from same sheep slaughtered two weeks ago for Aid Kbir.
"Not even close to having a house; guess I'll try and go another round with the host family." JB, Jan '06, on extending the homestay from.
"Please tell me there are vegetables in this country. It's been sooo long since I've seen any. The coop here is opened (yeah, no snow!) but the parade of meat continues." Volunteer DM, Jan '06, on the week after Aid Kbir/Big Feast.
"You know your Arabic is improving when you can understand the Arabic spoken in 'The Mummy Returns'! LOL" Volunteer LS, Jan '06, on language proficiency.
"Sounds more productive than me - somehow ended up helping girl look for men on Internet dating sites. Note sure how to get out of it - very weird." Volunteer MG, Jan '06, on work.
"Man, I miss work. I'm snowed in, coop closed." Volunteer DM, Jan-06, on work.
"One of my sisters gave me a word for 'tail'. Apparently the way I said it is a bad word for penis. I found out when practicing words with whole family who all fell over laughing." Volunteer LS, Jan '06, on language faux-pas.
"With happiness, wealth, prosperity, ..." (reads like a Chinese fortune-cookie, doesn't it?) Language Tutor LCF-A, Dec '05, on Bonne Annee/New Year.

Places I've Visited
Morocco is divided into 37 provinces and 2 wilayas: Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale, Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit; three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara.

As part of a 1997 decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature 16 new regions were created although full details and scope of the reorganization are limited (capitals in parentheses). A travel goal within my two-year service is to visit all 16 regions in Morocco; I will unstrike regions as I visit cities, towns and douars of the region.

Casablanca (Casablanca)
Chaouia-Ourdigha (Settat)
Doukkala-Abda (Safi)
Fès-Boulmane (Fès)
Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen (Kénitra)
Guelmim-Es Smara (Guelmim)
Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra (Laâyoune)
Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz (Marrakesh)
Meknès-Tafilalet (Meknès): Azrou, El Hajeb, Imouzzer, Khenifra, Midelt, Errachidia, Rich
Oriental (Oujda)
Oued Eddahab-Lagouira (Dakhla)
Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer (Rabat): Khemisset, Mazziz, Tiflet, Oulmes, Rommani
Souss-Massa-Draâ (Agadir): Tinghir, Kelat M’Gouna
Tadla-Azilal (Béni Mellal)
Tangier-Tétouan (Tanger)
Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate (Al Hoceima)