Catching up

I’ve been so busy lately, and for the fist time in a while, I’m not up to my ears, which feels quite strange. I guess this was midterms week, and though all of my papers were short and informal, being occupied for eight hours a day with school made even joke-papers feel like a heavy load. I ‘m finally catching up on all the little things that I have been neglecting, like laundry, replying to messages, seeing my host family, and of course, posting.

I think I’m really settling into life here—everything seems more and more normal. If posts begin to get sparse, it’s because I’m no longer seeing everything in contrast to life back home, and so I don’t see everything as a story to post—instead of a grand adventure, it’s just life (and of course because I seem to be getting more and more busy with school and life). It’s going to be strange going back to the US.

This afternoon, I played soccer on the beach again, which is always a highlight. This time, there were fewer Americans and more good soccer players (the two tend to go together), so mostly I was just running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I thought it was funny that they called a foul for hitting the “Anglizia” with the soccer ball (I was blocking the goal).

My host fam has a new pet—it’s a baby chick. I’m pretty sure we’re going to eat it eventually.Originally we had three (it was quite amusing buying them out of a box and walking home through the medina with them in our hands), but I guess two of them died while I was in the village. So now we have one. My friend Erin came over and named it Jean-Pierre, and now the who family refers to it as such (I don’t think Moroccans usually name their livestock.) Often, when I come home, loose in house, following people around, and wandering into my room as I study.

Last weekend, I had a free morning, and I went with one of my friends on a long run along the coast. I had been wanting to explore that area practically since I arrived, and it was cool to see the tide pools and watch the waves crash against the cliffs.

Shortly after, I experienced my first bout of food poisoning. (I was one of only a few who hadn’t been sick yet, so I guess it was overdue.) I decided being sick is kind of a drag, so I’ll lay off the figs from here on out, and maybe stick to fruit that can be peeled. (I did wash them. With soap. But figs are always a gamble, because the skin is so thin and it is always cracked.) But look how beautiful it is! can you blame me?