One step at a time Angd! Hope all goes well for you.
I just commented this email on my class thread and though I'd share it here too:
Hey guys!
Yesterday I spent a great day out in Tangiers, North Africa. It's an incredibly beautiful place and as you walk around the Medina and the Kasbah it is as if you have stepped into another world. I enjoyed bartering at the stalls over the prices of ceramic, leather goods, etc and while I felt I was getting a deal on everything I bought, I'm sure I was really paying tourist prices! I also had a walk into the new part of the city and was surprised at how vibrant and modern that part of Morocco is.
Another thing I noticed, given that Morocco is a muslim country is that, of course nobody drinks. I remembered my last visit there some years ago in which I was a nervous wreck half of the time always with half an eye open for an international hotel where I may be able to score an alcoholic drink or two at the bar. It was a relief not to have to worry about that. Also nice to find no bars, only tea rooms. It was great to go into a place and see no alcohol anywhere and everyone just having a good time or chilling out. It is amazing what an integrated part of life alcohol is in the west yet, in other parts of the world in is entirely absent and nobody misses it. I must say, I found it very refreshing. All the people we met were very kind and open whether we were shopping, asking for directions or anything else. I was thinking that it's amazing to see a society function entirely in the absence of alcohol but then I thought it would be truer to turn that on it's head and look at how our own societies function (just about) DESPITE access to alcohol.
Anyway, that's my thought for the day. Have a good one, all!!