Lolcats: Rabat begins here.

This is why you all read the super-blog of internationality: while Jesse is being told not to go into Arab neighborhoods, I can't NOT be in an Arab neighborhood, and we're both in places that are carrying on almost as usual while the Gaza invasion goes on. We were told that it hasn't inspired any violence in Morocco, but there have been protests - and we are to avoid them.

I'm typing despite one very stiff hand: tonight we had a fancy dinner at a family home in the medina, complete with henna tattoos and gnaoua music - it involves iron castanets and an oud (splice a drum and a three-string guitar). And dancing.

This morning was my first darija (Moroccan) Arabic class, in which we all broke a sweat. The challenge is the fact that the basics are all different in darija - and all the more complicated vocab and grammar is exactly the same as Modern Standard. So once I switch myself from "na'am" to "iyeh" for "yes" I'll be halfway there. Ouf.

This afternoon we toured Sale and Chellah. Sale is across the river from the rest of Rabat, and part of what's over there is a complex of ateliers - pottery, basket weaving, tile and metal and leather workshops. I watched a potter make a tagine in two minutes flat, and the top and bottom fit together perfectly. I got to try the kick wheel! Must retrieve that picture from my friend Dante. Chellah is the ruins of a Roman town as well as a Merenid necropolis (see picture). Tons of huge storks and cats (I can haz sardine plz? Ruinz cat iz too cool for storkz). Pool with eels. Gorgeous views.

The subtext to this post is, essentially, that I am no longer terrified, as I was in several spots before leaving. I'm excited to be here and explore. I still feel like May is a really, really long way away... but there will be things to keep me occupied / amused / challenged while I'm here.