I say this because I am trying fasting today. I can already tell that I am too weak to do this more than once. I just feel really tired. I don't even really feel hungry, I just have no energy. That might also be because these Arabic classes are draining me like crazy.
Being in Morocco during Ramadan means that nobody really eats or sleeps at normal times. You break the fast around 8pm, then you stay up and eat around 2 or 3, then you take small naps throughout the day. It works for most Moroccans because shops are closed and school is on vacation, but not so much for foreign students in class from 8:30-5. Also, the hour before Iftar, nobody is in the streets, so you have to be home by 7 or you won't be able to find a cab. My host sister likes to stay up and play cards and chat with me, so we stay up till about 12 or 1. That's normal for me during the school year, but being here takes so much more energy than being back home. I have to think about every single thing that I do, things that I took for granted back home. For example, I walked every day to BCC by myself on the same route for no money and I knew exactly how long it would take and it was super easy. Here, I have to spend money every day, wait for an empty taxi, hail a taxi, talk to taxi drivers which stresses me out, and I never know how long it will be, so I leave extra early.
My commute to school used to be my most relaxing part of my day back home, but here it's the most stressful.
Also, being an only child, I'm used to coming home and being by myself and going on Twitter or doing my homework. Here, I come home and I have to socialize and speak Arabic and there is no wifi for Twitter and it's difficult to do homework because I want to spend time with my host sister. Last night, she actually helped me a lot with my homework so maybe we can spend time together and do homework at the same time!
It's just very very different. I still haven't settled into a routine that works but it's only the first week. I think I need to sleep more and give myself a lot more breaks from Arabic throughout the day, and maybe every week I can try more and more to speak more Arabic but right now I need breaks.
Yesterday we went to the Oudaya (an enclosed neighborhood that is very pretty and old and has beautiful gardens) and the beach and here are some pictures:
(Yes there is a graveyard right by the beach. I promise it isn't that sketchy)
Pray for me on my test tomorrow everyone!!!
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