Zeina was gracious enough to host a reunion dinner at her lovely home last night. Most trip participants were able to attend in addition to Houcine Rhazoui from the Moroccan Embassy and Professor Osama Abi-Mershed from Georgetown. Brad, Barbara, Tammy, and Helen were missed but the rest of the group reminisced about their experience less than 3 months ago (it seems like 12) with a continuous slide show rekindling many sensations. Great company, zween home-made Moroccan and Middle Eastern food, good laughs, and a surprise post-dinner jazz concert featuring Lena on vocals, Nathan (her boyfriend) on keyboards, George (Arjunia's husband) on sax and flute, and Dallas on guitar made for a special evening. "Some Day My Prince Will Come", "Summertime", and "All Blues" were lush and locomotive.

The group hopes to keep in touch and share another enriching experience in the future.

Charlotte Safos with Zeina Seikaly, wearing a caftan purchased in Tangier

Jalees and her husband view the trip slideshow with Harriet, in a caftan given to her by her home-stay family

With much irony, Linda poses by her Salade Nicoise pot-luck offering--her staple dish in Morocco

Lena's rendition of "Summertime"; George awaits his cue

Lena with Dallas on electric guitar

Posted by Alex Safos at 11:08 PM | Permalink

CHARAI: Morocco: Splits and burdens

Monday, July 28, 2008
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
COMMENTARY:

When, against a background of growing conservatism, notably religious Mohammed VI succeeded his father Hassan II as king of Morocco on July 23, 1999, he set his sights on democracy and modernity. Nine years later, it is worthy noting that this dichotomy between the old and the new still exists as the king breaks with the past.

It is a tangible fact that the scope of liberties is broader. There is practically no taboo and the level of public debate surprises all who knew Morocco 10 years ago, let alone the Morocco of the 1970s.

Moroccans, long deprived of free expression, now discuss everything. The king's powers, his decisions, his court are no longer off-limits. While such burgeoning is not without shortcomings, excesses and other negative reactions, it is fundamentally undeniable that Moroccan society has secured liberties that seldom prevail elsewhere in the Arab and Muslim world.

Continue reading "Washington Times Commentary on Morocco's Political State & Challenges" »

Posted by Alex Safos at 3:52 PM | Permalink

N. African Anti-Terror Efforts Too Harsh, Critics Say
by Peter Kenyon
NPR
Morning Edition, August 13, 2008 · When bomb blasts rocked Casablanca in the spring of 2003, killing 45 people, counterterrorism officials warned that al-Qaida was attempting to open a North African front in the war on terror.

More attacks followed, and Islamist groups in Algeria and Libya changed their names to reflect a new allegiance to al-Qaida.

Continue reading "Critique on Harsh Anti-Terror Tactics in North Africa" »

Posted by Alex Safos at 3:27 PM | Permalink

Uproar over loud prayer calls in Muslim Morocco
The Canadian Press

RABAT, Morocco — The muezzins' calls echo well before daybreak, summoning the Muslim faithful to daily prayers and reminding foreign tourists in the Moroccan capital how far they are from home.

But the rising decibel level is deepening fault lines between a government drive to modernize and a wave of rigorous political Islam.

Morocco, a country of 33 million people, gets more than seven million tourists a year, and there are worries that some may be put off by the five heavily amplified calls a day, each lasting five minutes, to "hasten to the prayer, hasten to the prayer."

Continue reading "Appeals to Turn Down the Muezzin Volume" »

Posted by Alex Safos at 3:22 PM | Permalink

Download file

Also see Sam's "Morocco Pages" on his teaching website: http://www.wcboe.org/teachers/srichard/Morocco.htm

Posted by Alex Safos at 2:44 PM | Permalink

Along the Portuguese Ramparts of Asilah Overlooking The Atlantic

Continue reading "Closing Images from Asilah and Tangier" »

Posted by Alex Safos at 1:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Brad Cools Off at Ras el Ma

Continue reading "Chefchaouen Dispatch" »

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 1:28 AM | Permalink

Tajine on the Terrace Overlooking Bab Boujeloud, a Landmark Medina Gate

Continue reading "Fes Moments" »

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 12:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Today's searing heat induced some impulsive behavior among our educators. Dallas buys a gnawa's gimbri (stringed instrument) immediately after a lunch performance, and Ted, like, well, he hops on Aiesha's (Arabesca's assistant) scooter for a half-block sampling of Marrakeshi street navigation. Mabrouk to both for realizing cultural immersion.

Dallas Jams with a Gnawa Musician--then Purchases his "Gimbri"

Easy Rider

Continue reading "What 104F Heat Can Do to You" »

Posted by Global LAB at 5:54 PM | Permalink

Mint Tea Time at Riad Arabesca

Continue reading "The first 72 hours in photos" »

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 1:22 AM | Permalink

Hi, This is Barbara in den Bosch.

I have been teaching World History and International Relations at St. Anne's Belfield in Charlottesville, Virginia for 12 years. Before that I taught World History and International Relations at Colorado Springs School, the International School of Kuala Lumpur, the International School of Tanzania, and Harar Meda Model School in Ethiopia. I started as a Peace Corps ESL/English teacher in Opol and Marawi in the Southern Philippines. I was married to a Dutchman for a while (hence the name) and have two children Bernard (a lawyer) 40 and Nicole (an illustrator)
39.

I travel and attend workshops as often as I can in order to figure out what is happening in the world around me. I have a BA in Asia history from Stanford University, an MA in African history from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and have spent most of my life teaching about Europe and the Middle East. I used to play tennis tournaments but am at present an avid (if not very talented) bicyclist. I have been trying hard, especially for the last 12 years, to understand Islam and the Middle East. This will be my first trip to the Maghreb, and I am very excited.

Barbara in den Bosch

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 8:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Alex and Zeina,

I would like to thank you for all your hard work in arranging this dream trip. And to all of you, it was a great pleasure meeting you at the orientation, I was so impressed to meet such enthusiastic people interested in the Arab history and culture.

I am a Palestinian born and raised in Ramallah. I had my undergraduate education in Beirut, Lebanon ( we should go on our next trip) and my graduate in the USA in the 70's, and 90's. I taught English as a Second Language at the university level in Lebanon, USA and Kuwait. We came back to the USA in 1990 after the first Gulf War and I have beeen teaching at a high school in Falls Church, VA eversince. Currently, I teach ESOL and Arabic at our high school.

While living in the Middle East I had the chance to visit most of the Arab countries, and Europe but I have never traveled to Africa other than Egypt, so this is my dream trip to start exploring the North African Arab countries. I have three children, Yusef 32, Badria 30, and Hessa 28; they all live in the USA but we regularly go back and visit family and friends in the Middle East.

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Hello Everyone,

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's introductions thus far. I would also like to add that I am very excited about this trip. I am very much interested in the spiritual side of Islam; therefore, I found the prospect of attending an authentic Sufi dhikir to be very intriguing. Though I generally tell people this is my first trip to Morocco, it really is not. When I was very young, my father was in the Navy and our family lived in Sicily for three years. On the way back to the States, we stopped in "French Morocco" ( as it was called then) for about a week. Though I was no more than three and 1/2 years old, I remember the experience quite vividly. I distinctly remember looking out of our ground level hotel window and watching a Muslim lady dressed in traditional clothes (her face was also covered) walking down the street. I was completely mesmorized! I wanted to say something, but the only thing my young mind could come up with was, "Hi, Boogeyman lady!" Then I waved to her. To my surprise, she waved back. This is one of the stories my father tells over and over at family gatherings.

I am originally from the Jersey Shore. I was born on the famous Lakehurst Naval Air Base. When I graduated from high school in the late 70's, I left to attend Georgetown. It seems that I got a bit restless and put my formal education on hold. I began to work with grassroots organizations and somehow ended up teaching at the Islamic Saudi Academy in Fairfax for 13 years. Another one of our Moroccan group members was my co-worker (Tammy Chincheck). It was while working there that I began to travel extensively. Students' parents, as well as teachers, would invite me to go home with them during vacations...and since I was single I did not say no! I was able to travel to Yemen, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Those were wonderful times.

Currently, I am the ESL dept. chair at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA. I teach beginning and advanced Language Arts. The majority of our students are Spanish-speaking. However, lately we have been getting more and more Arabic speaking students...mainly Iraqi and Moroccan. Working with Spanish speaking students has prompted me to travel and study extensively throughout Mexico and Central America. I just got back on Wednesday from El Salvador and Honduras. I do speak fluent Spanish and decent Portuguese. I can get by with Gulf Arabic, but unfortunately, I hear it will not help me in Morocco.

Oh, I finally "found myself" and got an undergraduate degree in Spanish. I also have a Masters in ESL from George Mason. My husband is an administrator of a middle school for emotionally disturbed children in Fairfax County, VA.

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 12:00 PM | Permalink

Hi Everyone,
I am sorry to have missed the orientations, but I have been trying to rent all the rooms in my houses near the University of Utah before the trip. I can hardly wait for this trip. I visited Morocco back in the 80's and loved it. The main purpose of this trip for me is to gain a much deeper understanding of Islam. I hope to make enduring friendships with you and some Moroccan people. I retire from teaching next year. My dream after retirement is to serve in some useful capacity in an Arab society (volunteer) and try to help in a small way to break down the barriers that the post 9-11 era has created. All of us can be a powerful force for change on this trip. Understanding and accepting each other (different cultures) can indeed lead to more peace in this world. I do speak some Arabic (not good!). I hope to have lots of fun in the markets and streets of Morocco talking to the people.

I am not a big shopper (my wife is), but I am a great barginer and volunteer to help you get a fair price for the stuff you want to buy. I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you soon.

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 11:58 AM | Permalink

Dear All,

I come to this trip with long-standing interest -- though little travel -- in the Middle East and with lifelong interest in international and security affairs. I taught European, and occasionally other, history at St. Albans School for 23 years before I retired in 2000. It turned out, I'm glad to say, I didn't really retire, as I carry on with a few projects and, most especially, teach the economic electives at the school. Once upon a time I graduated from Amherst College (1958) and took an M.A. at Princeton. My general sense of things is that Americans need desperately and respectfully to learn of the worlds beyond our borders, and I admire the strong efforts of CCAS and Global LAB to encourage that.

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 11:57 AM | Permalink

Hi, everyone - this is Lena Seikaly (Zeina's daughter). It was so nice getting to know some of you last week, and am excited to travel with all of you on Sunday! I am a classical and jazz vocalist, and I work as a freelance performer and voice instructor in the D.C. metropolitan area. I just graduated from the University of Maryland, where I majored in classical voice performance (at the School of Music). I have also always had a strong interest in jazz vocals, and tend to gravitate more towards jazz on a working basis. I sing with about six bands in the D.C. area (including two of my own groups), and perform regularly at restaurants, jazz clubs, private functions, and festivals here and abroad. I am currently working on my first jazz album, which I intend to have completed by the end of this year. I hope to move to New York soon, and try to establish myself in the esteemed jazz community there.

As an educator, I teach private voice lessons at the International School of Music in Bethesda, MD - there, my students range in age from nine-years-old to adult. I have found teaching music to children, primarily, to be a highly
rewarding - and necessary - aspect of being a musician; it is wonderful to be able to impart the joy of music to young minds, and elemental to continuing the tradition in future generations.

I look forward to seeing you all!

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 11:54 AM | Permalink

I started my teaching career in Brooklyn, NY, teaching middle school home economics (foods and nutrition), often known as just "cooking" and taught clothing construction to adults in evening high school. Later taught Foods and Nutrition for many years at Eastern Senior High in Wash., DC. After years of classroom teaching, I went back to school for a second Masters--this time in Library Science from Catholic University and am about to begin my 5th year as School Library Media Specialist in Montgomery County this year.

My interest in travel--especially in Africa travel--was whetted years ago when, as an undergraduate, I traveled to Ghana with Operation Crossroads Africa. Later, I served as the Washington Representative for Crossroads,
arranging professional appointments and home hospitality for Africans visiting with the African Leaders Program.
I continue to volunteer with the Operation Crossroads Africa DC Alumni Association which raises scholarships that enable others to participate with Crossroads. Operationcrossroadsafrica.org. Maybe some of you would like to
participate some day or know others who would like to travel to Africa with Crossroads--a 6-week summer experience!

I have traveled to over 12 African countries--most recently to South Africa, in 2006.

My first Masters degree required a thesis--titled Traditional Textiles in Nepal--for which I traveled to Nepal and India. I continue to be interested in textiles and clothing around the world and am excited about seeing textiles and clothing of Morocco first hand.

In addition to food and clothing and all the other things, I'm looking forward to putting my foot in the Mediterranean!

Actually I'm hoping to really swim! I have been married for 30+ years--to a librarian--and have 2 children--a
daughter 24 and a son soon to be 26.

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 11:53 AM | Permalink

Hello,

I am very excited about this trip and look forward to getting to know everyone. I am Arjunia Oakley. I am Palestinian but was born in Amman, Jordan. My parents immigrated to the US when I was 2 years old. At that
time, the push in education was to concentrate on one language so my parents were encouraged by the schools (that my older siblings were attending) NOT to teach me to speak Arabic. Fortunately, they continuted to speak Arabic at home and with family. As a result, I learned to understand Arabic but not to speak Arabic and my Arabic language skills are limited.

I have been teaching in Montgomery County Public Schools for 5 years. I am a Special education teacher and have taught primarily Math and Reading/Language Arts in a general education and self-contained classrooms. I started in elementary school, and moved to Middle school where I was able to co-teach World Studies in addition to Reading. My current assignment is in a High school where I will co-teach English, and teach a reading intervention program.

I received an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland and a Masters degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University. I love working in Special education but hate the paperwork. I hope to eventually go into teacher training/education either within MCPS or elsewhere. I love to read, take long walks and practice yoga. I am married to a Jazz musician, so I also love going out to hear local artists play.

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 11:52 AM | Permalink

This fall I will begin my fifth year teaching in Wicomico County, Maryland at Pittsville Elementary/Middle School. My students are drawn from four small towns and the countryside in between. I teach World History to every 8th grader in the building and also team teach a Reading/Language Arts class. In addition to my duties at Pittsville, I teach one section of "World History since 1500" at Salisbury University in the evening.

I am a native of a small coal town in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania (south of Pittsburgh). My parents and younger brother still live there. I did my undergraduate work in social studies/history at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and later finished an M.A., history, at Salisbury University here on the shore. I have been pretty fortunate to experience travel through work. I completed part of my student-teaching in suburban London and studied at the University of Nottingham in summer 2006 as part of a National Endowment for the Humanities teacher seminar.

When I'm not working, I enjoy reading, hiking, running, and cycling. Oh, and don't forget the occasional chance to sit on the beach!

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 11:51 AM | Permalink

I am Harriet Couture, art teacher, recently retired and returned to teaching part time. I taught 40 years and found it too difficult to give up. I've taught in 5 US states and also in Germany, Japan, Greece, and Bermuda while being married to a career air force dentist. Paul and I raised 4 children who were born along the way. I am from York. PA. and went to a number of schools- earning my Master's from University of Alaska while stationed there in the early 70's. Being an art teacher, I work in many mediums but my favorite is watercolor. I also like to sew, dance and bake, (especially desserts).

You all are a great group of interesting and fun traveling companions and it's wonderful that some of you speak Arabic.

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

As Director of Educational Outreach at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown University, I manage a program that supports and strengthens the teaching of K-12 educators about the Arab world and Islam. I have been in this position at Georgetown since 1994. I hold an M.A. in Sociology from George Mason University and a B.A. in Psychology from Vassar College. I am a native Arabic speaker (my family is Palestinian; we immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon when I was 10) and have studied French and Spanish. In addition to languages, my interests include reading, cooking and baking, traveling and learning about other cultures, dabbling in poetry, and taking in artistic exhibits and musical performances (especially Arabic music and jazz). I am married and have two children: Lena (22) and Mark (18).

Posted by Aaron Bos-Lun at 11:48 AM | Permalink

An interesting piece from the Sunday Book Review of The New York Times.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

July 20, 2008
Rock the Casbah
By HOWARD HAMPTON

HEAVY METAL ISLAM

Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam.
By Mark LeVine.
Illustrated. 296 pp. Three Rivers Press. Paper, $13.95.

This professor of Middle Eastern history walks into a bar in Fez, Morocco — right from the get-go, Mark LeVine’s “Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam” is not your typical dry academic slog. (Did I mention he’s also a longhaired Jewish rock guitarist whose bio lists gigs with Mick Jagger and Dr. John?) So when somebody in that hotel bar starts talking up the local punk and metal scenes, an incredulous LeVine is hooked. “There are Muslim punks? In Morocco?” Quicker than you can whistle “Rock the Casbah,” he’s on the trail of Western-influenced underground music movements that have blossomed under authoritarian regimes across the Middle East and North Africa.

Going to meet the seven-string guitarist Marz of Hate Suffocation, a Cairo band, LeVine confesses sheepishly, “I still couldn’t tell the difference between death, doom, black, melodic, symphonic, grind-core, hard-core, thrash and half a dozen other styles.” (Marz explains that his group plays a cross between death and black metal: “But it’s not blackened death metal!”) Despite a certain amount of scholarly dogma that goes with the territory — here any combination of “neoliberal” and “globalization” is as ominous an epithet as Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” — “Heavy Metal Islam” offers the hit-and-run (as well as hit-and-miss) pleasures of a lively road trip. Practicing a first-person brand of shuttle diplomacy as he moves between countries and cultures, musicians and Islamic activists, LeVine manages to unpack enough cross-cultural incongruities to mount his own mosh pit follow-up to “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan.”

Continue reading "Heavy Metal Islam" »

Posted by Alex Safos at 7:12 PM | Permalink

Morocco sends moderate Muslim preachers to Europe

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Morocco plans to send scores of moderate Muslim preachers to Europe during the holy month of Ramadan to help fight extremism in the Moroccan community abroad, the ministry for religious affairs said Thursday.

The government will send 167 men and nine women preachers to address Moroccan immigrants during Ramadan, which runs during September this year. Muslims traditionally fast and attend sermons at mosques during the holy month.

The preachers are instructed to "answer the religious needs of the Moroccan community abroad, to protect it from any speeches of extremism or irregular nature, and to shelter it from extremism and fanaticism," said a statement from the religious affairs ministry in Rabat, the Moroccan capital.

Abdellatif Begdouri Achkari, the religious affairs minister's chief of staff, said Morocco has been sending preachers to minister to expatriates for many years but hand-picked the latest batch to make sure they specifically address extremism.

"The needs of the Moroccan community abroad may vary from one community to another, and these needs evolve with time," Achkari told The Associated Press.

Islam is Morocco's state religion and King Mohammed VI is officially "the commander of the believers."

But the country's official, moderate practice has faced a growing wave of extremism in recent years. Security officials have voiced concerns about terrorist links among Moroccans and dual Moroccan-European citizens. Suicide bombers killed dozens of people in attacks in Casablanca in May 2003.

The religious affairs ministry said 100 preachers would go to France and Belgium, while Italy and Germany would get 10 each, and Spain and the Netherlands seven. The rest will head to Scandinavia and Britain, while one preacher will go to Canada.

Strict criteria were applied in choosing the candidates. Besides being well-versed in the Quran and knowledgeable about theology, they must be "known for their good reputation, devout beliefs and high moral standards," the ministry said.

There are an estimated 3.3 million Moroccans living abroad, 10 percent of the total Moroccan population. Most live in Spain, France and Belgium or the Netherlands.

Posted by Alex Safos at 3:19 AM | Permalink

Our second pre-departure orientation was held today at Georgetown's Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, and we were privileged to receive a rich medley of information on Morocco from various expert sources: Mr. Houcine Rhazoui, Political Counsellor at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco; Professor Osama Abi-Mershed from the Department of History at Georgetown University; and Professor I. William Zartman--the "Father of North African Studies"--from the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University.

Topics covered included: a general overview of contemporary Moroccan socieity; the Amazighs (Berbers); the various reforms being undertaken by King Mohamed VI; the centuries-long history of the monarchy; the colonial period and the little-known, heroic Riffian resistance; the Western Sahara issue; foreign relations; Islam in Morocco and the role of saints and brotherhoods; and an overview of its multi-party system (as in 32 parties). Many thanks to Zeina for assembling this invaluable day of learning and insight. Without a doubt, we are better prepared to experience Morocco on multiple levels in light of this new knowledge. The delicious lunch from Marrakesh Palace only served to get us further in the mood. T minus 9 days and counting.

Houcine Rhazoui, Political Counsellor from the Moroccan Embassy, outlines the vast socio-political initiatives being implemented by King Mohamed VI

Professor Abi-Mershed introduces Ahmed el Raisuni, Rif Ruffian to many, Rif Robin Hood to some, in the early 1900s. el Raisuni was portrayed by Sean Connery in the film "The Wind & The Lion"

Professor Zartman shares an ironic laugh on how quickly US critics want Morocco to reform

Posted by Alex Safos at 11:50 PM | Permalink

An article you may find interesting. I mentioned at yesterday's orientation the economic impact of spiking Marrakesh real estate on the local population. This speaks to the environmental impacts as well:

Marrakech palm grove shrinks as tourism booms
Though it is protected, drought and development have taken a toll

By ALFRED DE MONTESQUIOU
Associated Press

A luxury villa belonging to wealthy expatriates sits in the palm grove of Marrakech. The palm grove, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is in danger of disappearing.
ALFRED DE MONTESQUIOU: ASSOCIATED PRESS

FLEEING EUROPEANS
Drawn by the near constant sunshine, tourists are pouring in from Europe on discounted three-hour flights. Summer home: Jet-setters, Paris glitterati and some 16,000 other foreigners now have second homes in and around Marrakech, multiplying some land prices by 100 in a decade.

Continue reading "Marrakesh's Threatened Palmeraie" »

Posted by Alex Safos at 7:36 PM | Permalink

It was a pleasure meeting nearly everyone (Linda, Brad, and Helen - we missed you) at Georgetown's Center for Contemporary Arab Studies for our initial orientation. "Shoukran Bezzef" (Many thanks) to Zeina for catering a most delicious Middle Eastern lunch, arranging for space in the board room, and for organizing the packets of travel information. I hope all of you enjoyed the documentary on Djemaa el Fna and that you found the review of our itinerary helpful and stimulating. If we failed to answer all of your questions today, please reach out to me or Zeina for clarification. I look forward to seeing you again next month at our academic orientation with CCAS professors. We'll also set all up with blog user names and passwords in the coming days so we can create a community around our forthcoming experience. --Alex

Ted Eagles and Paul Couture get to know each other

Arjunia Oakley and Lena Seikaly indulge in the Middle Eastern spread

Zeina Seikaly addresses the group on health matters

Posted by Alex Safos at 10:20 PM | Permalink

THINK LIGHT! You will have to put whatever you bring onto luggage racks in minibuses, trains, and you may have to carry your bag for long distances and we really don't want to end up like this. Here's a list of all that you will need to stay warm, dry, cool and comfortable. Since it will be the heart of summer, lightweight, breathable, cotton fabrics will be the most comfortable. The lighter you pack, the happier you--and the rest of the group--will be. Also keep in mind the great likelihood you will indulge in some shopping and that this saved space will come in handy towards the end of the tour. There will be opportunities to do “self-service” laundry or pay for outside laundry service where we’ll be staying.

PLEASE NOTE: We strive to be model visitors, and therefore ask that participants bring clothing that is lightweight and durable, but that also covers the body well, and looks respectable. Tie-dyed T-shirts, cut-off jeans, tight fitting leggings, short skirts, and tank tops are inappropriate, as they show disrespect for local cultures.

Continue reading "Suggested Packing List" »

Posted by Alex Safos at 5:05 PM | Permalink

Follows is a list of content in various media that will provide useful background for our upcoming tour and help contextualize your experiences. If time allows, borrow or purchase a few of these titles before your travels--try to coordinate with fellow travelers so these may be shared during the tour. Many libraries are likely to carry some of these as well. A short-list of highly recommended readings is asterisked (*).

Continue reading "Recommended Multimedia Resources for Background" »

Posted by Alex Safos at 4:49 PM | Permalink

Follows is our latest program and itinerary, updated as of June 20th, 2008. Given the nature of our program and our destination, we can expect this to be dynamic "at the margins" but its core should remain unchanged. I will keep you posted on any revisions. I believe you will find our planned experiences informative, authentic and unique:

Georgetown University Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS)

Educational Outreach Morocco Cultural/Study Tour
Program & Itinerary: July 27 – August 11, 2008

Washington, DC
July 27 – Depart US

Casablanca, Morocco
July 28 Arrival

Continue reading "Program & Itinerary: July 27 - August 11, 2008" »

Posted by Alex Safos at 4:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Alex and friend in Rabat, Morocco

I was an anxious, rudderless college sophomore when he got the call. It was from Washington, DC—the State Department to be exact—and the beige rotary phone was ringing in a remote University of Texas at Austin professor’s office, some 1,500 miles plus away. This was 1986, and to me, 1,500 miles was a faraway place. Dr. James Bill politely and unpretentiously said, “Alex, have a seat. I need to take this call from State. They need some input—help, really—with their Iran policy.” Now this is pretty cool, I thought, eyes like saucers.

So this moment isn’t how I bit on the Morocco lure, but it represents my seminal brush with “The Middle East”. In reality, the geo-political conflicts drew me in. And how we, Americans, perceived—and misperceived—related—and unrelated—to this diverse and complex region rich in culture and history. For a 20 year old, the menu was overwhelming and fascinating at once: the US reaction to the Iranian Revolution; the intractable Arab and Palestinian conflict with Israel; the Iran-Iraq war; Qaddafi’s provocations in Libya; the civil war in Lebanon; the phenomenon of political Islam; how the Gulf States influenced the world economy—the challenges and kinetic energy seemed inexhaustible. I think you get the picture.

Continue reading "Welcome from Alex Safos, Director of Middle East and North Africa Programs" »

Posted by Global LAB at 10:55 PM | Permalink

Casablanca * Marrakesh * Fes * Chefchaouen * Asilah * Tangier

Each time I go to a place I have not seen before, I hope it will be as different as possible from the places I already know.
–Paul Bowles, author of The Sheltering Sky, composer, traveler, Morocco expatriate

A mere 17 miles south of Europe, across the Strait of Gibraltar, a very different experience awaits—an intriguing place of great contrast, color, culture, history, and hospitality. The late King Hassan II described Morocco’s complexity and essence best—“Rooted in Africa, watered by Islam and rustled by the winds of Europe”—and during our fortnight here, we will encounter this country’s intriguing mélange. Through various guest lectures and roundtables, guided tours, cultural and spiritual performances, and intimate home-stay settings, we will uncover a layer of Morocco and Moroccans unrevealed to most visitors.

Our diverse journey will take us from the commercial pole of Casablanca with its striking modern-traditional contrasts…to the Arab-African pulse of Marrakesh, “The Rose City”, and its rediscovered hipness…from the soul of Fes and its inimitable medieval medina…to the Rif mountain hamlet of Chefchaouen with its Berber and Andalusian imprint…from the elegant Atlantic coast city of Asilah and its renowned international cultural festival which we’ll experience…and to legendary Tangier, in the midst of a 21st century makeover after its 20th century excess. Since we’ll be covering much ground in such a short period and since, as educators, we’ll be striving hard to research, engage, decipher, and document, there is a Moroccan proverb to keep in mind: “Little by Little, the Camel goes into the Couscous.” By travel’s end, we’ll only have tasted our first few grains. Spicy, sophisticated, and no doubt delicious, but much more will remain to savor in the future.

Posted by Global LAB at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)