We Know More Now…

…than we knew two weeks ago.  In fact, we were able to walk into Maroc Telecom this morning and buy a SIM card for Jim’s old i-Phone, turning it into a Morocco phone. The guy spoke darija, French, and a tweeny-weeny bit of English.  The nice lady spoke darija, French, and enough English to say with a smile, “I don’t speak English!”  Between the four of us we got the job done.  My contribution was to correctly ask “tlateen”? for thirty after the guy mistakenly said in English “thirteen dirhams”.  (Yay for me!)

And, just a bit ago, we visited our favorite Hanoot owner where Jim asked, in darija, how much for the candy bars (B’shal kulshee)?

“Sitta”, he answered with a twinkle in his eye.  “Six?” said I.  (Yay for me again!)

We are thankful for hotel porters, for Hanoot owners, for waiters at coffee shops, and for our maid, Miriam, with whom I exchange quick pleasantries when she comes for our dirty towels.

Baby steps, people.  Shweeya b shweeya.

In other news, there are cats here. Skinny, mangy, demanding animals that stalk diners at outdoor cafes – creepy, I tell you.  Are you going to bite my leg if I don’t give you a bite of my kefta, cat?  If I shoo you away will you jump on my back and rip me to shreds?  Shudder.

Also, post-Ramadan life is dramatically different and we like it.  People stroll with their kids.  Men buy coffee and linger at tables.  Bands of roving teenage boys cruise neighborhood streets.  No more McDonalds runs for us.

Lastly, there is swimming.  We’ve had four days off; back to work tomorrow.