Cory = Master Chef

There's a popular TV show here called MasterChef

The winner was just announced last week - Congrats Halima!

Cory is OUR amazing master chef. Fresh ingredients from the fruit and veggie market next door. Fresh bread from down the street every day. YUM

School party

I finished my first month of Darija classes and had a great time doing it!

My teacher was really incredible. We learned so much together and had a ton of fun.

All the ladies got henna done at the party:

Our class (all 3 of us) also sang a Moroccan pop song for everyone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBLErHFgIu4. Enjoy!

Out and about in our neighborhood

This is our neighborhood in Rabat, about a half mile from the Atlantic Ocean 

Right in the middle of a lot of Rabat's tourist sites like the Oudayas, Hassan Tower, the Rabat Medina/market, and the Chellah

The entrance to the Oudayas is right across the street from the Rabat Market

The Rabat market is where we buy small household stuff mostly

Just across the river from Sale, the next town over. A boat ride across costs 15 cents :)

Nice place to walk, right in front of the National Parliament

Entrance to one of the king's palaces in the next neighborhood over. Love the mosaics!

The Chellah, the most beautiful spot in Rabat, where I go jogging

Christmas in North Africa

Celebrating Christmas isn't much of a thing, as you may have guessed, in a primarily Muslim country. For example, not only do I have 4 hours of Arabic class everyday this week, but our final exam is on Christmas afternoon.

But that doesn't mean we're not getting festive! It's fun to celebrate the life of Jesus who was such an incredible gift and continues to love us so well.

Here's our little collection of decorations: beautiful homemade ornaments 'round the camel from Grandpa Finch and a few Bible verses related to Christmas.

And my friend Annie had me over for a Christmas cookie extravaganza and even had almond extract to make these Christmas faves. 

Christmas Eve choir and pageant at church and fun and festivities with friends all week. I hope I don't bawl all the way through our songs in the choir. It's just so stunning who Jesus is.

We are both excited to skype with the family this week as they travel to be together. Time connecting with friends and family from afar is such a good gift! I'm jealous of all the pics on FB of people getting to be with their families!

Merry Christmas!

Fish tagine ... Ou bien Tagine dial Hout

I love that our Arabic classes at the Qalam Center include weekly cooking classes. Fun and delicious way to learn language and culture together :)

First darija midterm

This is what I hope passing looks like!

National library #fieldtrip

Waterfall of letters at the national library. 

Our tour guide, who said he is a superman because he is an international politician, librarian, and master koranic scholar, said the library is the biggest in the Arab world and Africa, which it clearly was not after our tour. Then we thought he said maybe best lit?? 

Also there were paintings of naked women in the foyer. Very strange.