“Don’t touch me.” Not the words I expect to hear my friend say to our tour guide on the final night of our trip to Southern Morocco. It’s after 10pm and we’re the only guests in a hotel in the ancient fortified city of Ait Ben Haddou. Both of us American women tower over Mohammed. […]
Archive | Morocco
Falling for It: A Newbie Navigates Marrakech–with a Little Help from an English Novel
Down the lane from my house in the Marrakech medina, four brown cows’ hooves dangle just above eye level. They’re a specialty item at the micro-butchery, where the owner wears a long face and a stern expression. Less than two miles away, I find myself dangling from the ceiling of a room in the new […]
How a Pair of Missing Underwear Cracked Open a Door in My Arabic Neighborhood
The scene: Marrakech medina. Sunday afternoon. A return trip to the neighborhood laundry. Me to the laundry guy (via Google Translate and expecting the worst): “I’m sorry, it’s a little awkward, but I’m missing something. [beat] A pair of ladies’ things.” Laundry guy (via sign language, concerned but not embarrassed): “I’ll have a […]