Today we all went together to visit a family who live about 45 minutes outside Ourzazzate. We stopped briefly at a very old town that is a big tourist attraction and has been used for filming movies. We met Mohammed who was born in the town. He explained that as the first son he was expected to take over his father’s work. He never was allowed to go to school so he can’t read or write. But he speaks at least 5 languages! He told us that he used to take tourists across a river that separates the old and new towns and that is how he learned the languages. He has also worked as a movie extra. His father finally allowed him to do his own work. Family ties and demands are extremely strong in Morocco.
We brought Mohammed along with us to be a second interpreter on our family visit.
We met the family in their home and were shown around the inner rooms of the house and then the outer area which has an oven for making bread, a well for washing water, and a place for their animals. The father.Achmed, had added much of the building to the house where he had always lived. He has 4 children with one of his daughters age 40 still living at home.
There were several small children some of whom were grandchildren as well as neighbors. One daughter-in-law, Fatima, was visiting from Marrakech. A neighbor was also there to help serve us.
After seeing the house we were brought into the guest dining room(shoes off) and served the customary mint tea. It was accompanied by a very tasty stuffed bread that had onions and spicy peppers.
We sat around the edges of the room asking questions about their lives. The have a comfortable house. Achmed and Zahra do not come from same town or tribe. Fatima is from the same town as the Zahra …very unusual. They are all well dressed. The children go to school. Achmed is a farmer.
They asked about us; What work we did and whether we had families. The 40 yr old daughter Leyla, and Fatima speak some English. I asked Leyla if she hoped to marry. She said maybe some day.
We were then shown how couscous is made from flour and water then through 2 sieves. It looked easy. We next saw how the traditional couscous meal is assembled on a large platter with pieces arranged so that each person will get a piece of each ingredient. It looked and smelled delicious. It was in fact very tasty.
Big bowls of fresh fruit were placed for dessert. We all took tangerines which are incredibly sweet and delicious unlike anything we get at home.
The children ran in and out of the room clearly enjoying our appearance in their home. Then the neighbor who had helped serve the lunch wrapped each of us in our head scarves. It was a slightly different technique from what we learned in the desert. We all looked pretty authentic…except for our western dress.
We left the family to go visit a group of women who have a business teaching women skills and giving them confidence to be outside their home. We asked about their husbands. Those who were married seemed to have their husband’s approval or at least permission. Several women were unmarried. The grand circle foundation which is the nonprofit arm of our tour group has helped let them build and own their property. They make cookies and do embroidery. We had mint tea and cookies with them. Then several of us got henna tattoos and 2 couples were dressed in wedding garb.
We drove back into town while it rained. Rain is welcome in this country where there has been a seven year drought. Lauren who had stayed behind at our Riad said that everyone in town was saying snow. There has been a snowstorm in the mountains. She told them that we call this rain. We all laughed.
Dinner was in town. We had a very delicious appetizer of carrots on phyllo. The main course was a moussaka that was a bit different from the Greek but tasty.
It was very cold as we walked back to the hotel.
The Adventures of Anne 