Faqadtu qamoosi!

Sorry it's been a few days since my last post. Nothing much of note has happened. I bought a cheap camera and computer for the trip (only a few days left!) and I'm almost done getting prepared. Fortunately, Morocco uses European plugs and power standards (220V, 50Hz), so finding plugs for electronics is not difficult.

I received the following email from my study abroad office on May 23:
Morocco: Police forcibly disperse demonstrations in several cities; expect further pro-reform rallies
Several people on 22 May were injured when the police used batons to disperse unauthorised demonstrations by anti-government protesters, including members of the pro-reform 20 February Movement and some Islamists, in the capital Rabat (Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer region) and the western city of Casablanca (Grand Casablanca region). Reports indicate that riot police forcefully dispersed the protesters in Rabat after they attempted to stage a sit-in outside the parliament building. In Casablanca, approximately 1,000 people participated in the demonstration, which took place in a low-income area of the city. The protesters were reportedly chased through the streets by the police, who scattered the crowd to prevent the demonstration. Smaller protests also occurred in the cities of Tangier (Tangier-Tétouan region) in the north and Agadir (Souss-Massa-Draâ region) in the south-west. Opposition activists claimed that several people were injured in Tangier in prolonged clashes with the police. An unknown number of protesters were also allegedly arrested in Rabat, Casablanca and Tangier.
Further demonstrations by the 20 February Movement and other pro-reform groups are likely in the coming weeks, with varying attendance levels. The apparently heavy-handed dispersal of the latest rallies may also prompt further protests. There is also a high risk of unrest incited by youths from low-income areas in the hours following such gatherings, especially in northern cities. Demonstrations to demand political and social reforms have taken place in recent weeks in Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Tangier, Fès (Fès-Boulemane region), Marrakech (Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz region), Imzouren (Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate region), Mohammédia (Grand Casablanca) and Khémisset (Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer region). These cities are the most likely locations for future pro-reform demonstrations; the largest gatherings tend to take place in Rabat and Casablanca.
King Mohammed VI in March announced the formation of a committee to draft a constitutional reform plan, which will then be put to a referendum. He has claimed that the reforms will provide for an independent judiciary and greater roles for the legislature and political parties. The announcement was expected to reduce the risk of demonstrations gaining momentum; however, critics dismissed the significance of the promised reforms as significantly exaggerated and pointed out that the king himself appointed the committee members. The 20 February Movement and other groups have continued to hold regular rallies to press for the implementation of further steps towards democracy. While Morocco shares a number of socio-economic traits with neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt – where protest campaigns in late 2010 and early 2011 led to the ousting of those countries' long-serving presidents – such as the high youth unemployment rate, its political climate differs from these countries and an uprising is unlikely in the near term. However, demonstrations calling for political and constitutional reform should be expected to persist.

Moroccan Arabic Lesson of the Day:
I can't find my Moroccan Arabic book, so I have to postpone today's lesson. Insha'allah I will find the book and write a new lesson for tomorrow.

Awteeni al-teeseah. Ana fi utlah.

Nothing to report today. I lounged about and loved it! So here's a video of a slow loris holding a tiny umbrella.

Moroccan Arabic lesson of the day: Things I hope to say this summer
Hede al-nahar kahabatnu.
"I've had a nice day."

Zooeen hede.
"This is beautiful."

Ajibatni al-maghreb!
"I like Morocco!"

Signing off.

Yallah bina ala al-blajh!

Good news! No scary email from the study abroad office today.

Today I attempted to do the (apparently) impossible: try to find a dive shop in Morocco. Morocco is not a scuba hotspot for locals or tourists. But supposedly it can be done and it's very nice if you know where to look. The two big dive shops are Terra Azul and Taff's Diving, but both of their websites are dead, so that's just peachy.

Today's Moroccan Arabic lesson of the day: Nosy neighbors
I've heard from some professors that Arabs are very open about asking and speaking about their personal lives. So if the cabbie asks if you're married, he's not (necessarily) hitting on you. Here's what you need to know to keep your personal life personal (or not).

"Do you have a boyfriend?"
Andik boyfriend? / Andik sahib?

"Do you have a girlfriend?"
Andak sahiba?

"I have a boyfriend." / "I don't have a boyfriend."
Andee sahib. / Me andeesh sahib.

"I have a girlfriend." / "I don't have a girlfriend."
Andee sahiba. / Me andeesh sahiba.

"Are you married?" (to a male) / "Are you married?" (to a female)
Wash inta muzawwaj? / Wash intee muzawwaja?

"I'm married." / "I'm not married." (female)
Ana muzawwaja. / Ana ma muzawwaja.

"I'm married." / "I'm not married." (male)
Ana muzawwaj. / Ana ma muzawwaj.

To the ladies: If you're not interested in the guy, I suggest making up a scary-sounding husband.

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.