Keefash katakulu "ق" bilarabeeya al-maghrebeeya?

I still haven't found out how to say ق (qawf) in Moroccan Arabic. The pronunciation changes from country to country, and within Morocco it apparently changes from city to city. For those new to Arabic: my Moroccan phrasebook describes the pronunciation like this: similar to "k" in English but pronounced further back in the throat.

I guess I'll just have to ask someone when I get there.

Possible side effect of studying abroad in an Arab country: At least one scary email a day from the study abroad office. Excerpts below.
Morocco: Prison riots in Salé, Tangiers could prompt rallies by Islamist groups
Clashes between inmates and the police occurred on 17 May for a second consecutive day at a prison in Salé, close to the capital Rabat (oh yay). Inmates have been protesting against poor prison conditions and alleged torture (study abroad pro tip: don't get arrested in a foreign country).
In Salé, at least 30 people have reportedly been injured, including eight police officers; the police used tear gas and batons to suppress the unrest within the prison. The prison is believed to contain a number of terrorist suspects and radical Islamists, including members of the Salafist sect. Earlier, on 15 May, around 100 Salafist protesters in Tangier were confronted by riot police and some stone throwing occurred. It was reported that the demonstrators had been attempting to join an Islamist rally in the capital staged in protest at the treatment of inmates at the prison in Salé.

But before you start worrying unnecessarily, please consider this. On March 13, 2011, Al-Jazeera reported that "most analysts say Morocco is among the countries in the region least likely to be hit by the wave of unrest sweeping the Arab world."

So what did I do to prepare for Morocco today? Watched X Men Origins: Wolverine.  If you want to see a movie with tear-jerking drama, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and moments of warm humor, do not watch this movie. If you want to see Will.I.Am "act" like a superhero, and hear solid-gold lines like "We have the technology to defeat him" and "Noooooooooo!" then this movie is for you.


Yeah, that guy.

Today's Moroccan Arabic Lesson: Counting to Ten
When you say you know a foreign language, the first people often ask is "How do you count to ten?" So here it is, your perfect ice breaker for parties, first dates, and public transportation.
1 - Wahid
2 - Jooj
3 - Talata
4 - Reba'a
5 - Khamsa
6 - Sitta
7 - Seba'a
8 - Tamanya
9 - Tisa'ud
10 - Ashra

Good luck on those dates.