Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
March 23, 2008

Three million Moroccans benefited from 12,000 INDH projects in 2005-2007.
Rabat, Mar. 18

Three million Moroccans benefited from the 12,137 National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) projects carried out in the 2005-2007 period, State Secretary for Interior, Mohamed Saad Hassar, said on Monday. In a report on the progress of the projects presented before parliament, he noted that the global cost of these projects stood at MAD 6.4Bn (USD 824Mn), in which INDH chipped in USD 489Mn.

Some 5,000 projects, which benefited some 1.3 million people, were programmed in 2007, he added, noting that these projects touch mainly rural area (1,570 projects). The rest of the programs break down as follows: urban program (850 projects), anti-precariousness program (405 projects), and the transversal program (1,959 projects). Morocco has earmarked USD 382Mn to achieve the 2008 INDH action plan, which includes 5,172 projects, 4,924 projects in the urban areas and 262 projects in the rural areas. Announced by king Mohammed VI in May 18, 2005, the large-scale social initiative is designed to alleviate poverty, vulnerability, marginalization and social exclusion by providing basic infrastructure to millions from adequate housing and drinking water to health care and education.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_social/three_million_morocc/view
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Open-heart surgery team to resume Morocco mission
RABAT, March 21

An international open-heart surgery team representing the UAE Red Crescent Authority will start phase 2 of its mission in Moroccoy, during which a team will conduct open-heart surgery, diagnose and treat a number of poor people for free. The operations will be conducted at the Shaikh Zayed and the Ibn Seena hospitals in Rabat. - Gulfnews
http://news.africast.com/africastv/article.php?newsID=64348
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Morocco : Agriculture for development.
March 2008

Titled 'Agriculture for Development', the new World Development Report says the agricultural and rural sectors have suffered from neglect and underinvestment over the past 20 years. While 75% of the world’s poor live in rural areas, a mere 4 percent of official development assistance goes to agriculture in developing countries. According to the WDR, GDP growth originating in agriculture is about four times more effective in reducing poverty than GDP growth originating outside the sector.

In transforming countries such as China, India, and Morocco, agriculture contributes on average only 7 percent to GDP growth, but lagging rural incomes could be a major source of political tensions. According to the report, it is necessary to inject more dynamism in the rural and agriculture sectors to reduce the disparities between rural and urban income and reduce poverty, but without falling into the trap of subsidies and protectionism that block growth and increase the tax burden on poor consumers.

Rich countries need to reform certain policies that discriminate against the poor
• For example, it is vital that the United States reduces cotton subsidies which depress prices for African smallholders.
• In the emerging area of biofuels, the problem is both restrictive tariffs and heavy subsidies in rich countries, which drive up food prices and limit export opportunities for efficient developing country producers.
• The report also asserts that industrialized countries that were the major contributors to global warming urgently need to do more to help poor farmers adapt their production systems to climate change.

A dynamic ‘agriculture for development’ agenda

According to Robert B. Zoellick, World Bank Group President, “At the global level, countries must deliver on vital reforms such as cutting distorting subsidies and opening markets, while civil society groups, especially farmer organizations, need more say in setting the agricultural agenda.”

Other possibilities. Encourage small scale operators to enter rapidly expanding markets for high-value products —especially horticulture, poultry, fish, and dairy which offer an opportunity to diversify farming systems and develop a competitive and labor-intensive smallholder sector.

Measures to protect the environment

The report recommends measures to achieve more sustainable production systems and outlines incentives to protect the environment: agriculture consumes 85 percent of the world’s utilized water and the sector contributes to deforestation, land degradation, and pollution

Applying volumetric charges for irrigation water has run into obstacles in many developing countries — exceptions are Armenia, Iran, Jordan, Morocco, South Africa, and Tunisia.

More Data for Morocco

• The rural population represented 42% of total population (2003-2005)
• Women in the agricultural force during the same period was 57.4% (2003-2005)
• Agricultural exports represent 21.4% of total exports in Tunisia (2005)
• The value added of agriculture represented 17% of the GDP (2006)
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21689009~menuPK:34457~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html
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My Passion for magic Morocco.
Passionate traveller ... James Nesbitt

FILMING the BBC1 Easter special The Passion in Morocco gave JAMES NESBITT the chance to discover the beauty of the country. Here James, who plays Pontius Pilate in the re-enactment of the last days of Christ, tells Sun Travel how he fell in love with the North African gem.

I’D never been to Morocco before and I was amazed how such a dramatically different country could be just a three-hour flight from the UK.

From the bustle of Marrakech’s colourful souks to the vast beauty of the Atlas Mountains, it is surprisingly different from anywhere in Europe.

We recreated Jerusalem for The Passion at Ouarzazate, a five-hour drive south east of Marrakech. It’s a beautiful place and a well-known movie location for blockbusters including Lawrence Of Arabia and Gladiator. Before filming, I spent four days with my family near Marrakech — it’s a mind-blowing maze of streets with market stalls and a pungent smell of spices.

These souks are an absolute must-see. We had a guide to take us around as it’s easy to get lost. The tiny alleyways are amazing — and terrifying. It feels like you are in a different age and I was surprised to see six-year-old kids working on silverware. I was determined not to haggle but we ended up buying a beautiful rug. It’s hard to say no!

Must-see ... Atlas mountains
Vast
It helps to speak a bit of French, so it’s worth brushing up before you go, if only to get a good deal! Just a 15-minute drive out of the chaos of the city is the boutique hotel Caravanserai — an oasis of tranquillity. It’s one of the most romantic places I’ve stayed in — even with the kids!

The drive to Ouarzazate for the filming took us across the Atlas Mountains — another must-see. A guided jeep ride will give you incredible views. The journey can be precarious at times on the rough roads but it’s so vast and peaceful. In Ouarzazate we stayed at the Berbere Palace Hotel — a fantastic Kasbah-style place with a pool, close to the bars and restaurants. Not to be missed in Ouarzazate is the Atlas Corporation Studios where they have sets and props from the classic films shot there.

The market here was also brilliant — a smaller scale version of the Marrakech madness but very friendly and incredibly cheap.

I also found food and drink cheap in Morocco. Traditional tagines — a stew with veg and either chicken or lamb cooked in a special pot — are amazing.

For Moroccan food in Marrakech, try Dar Marjana in the Medina, an atmospheric spot with traditional music and dancing. In Ouarzazate we loved the French bistro Chez Dimitri.

The Passion starts tomorrow at 8pm on BBC1 and continues all week, climaxing on Easter Sunday
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/travel/article921454.ece
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Morocco's Marathon des Sables draws athletes from 30 countries.
17/03/2008

The 23rd annual Marathon des Sables in southern Morocco will start on March 30th with the participation of 850 competitors from 30 countries, AFP quoted organisers as saying on Saturday (March 15th). The competition is comprised of six stages ranging from 20km to 80km through the dunes of the Sahara. With water supplied only once per day, the marathon is regarded as one of the toughest races in the world. Morocco's ten-time winner Lahcen Ahansal will not be racing this year
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/sports/2008/03/17/newsbrief-01
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Moroccans feel pinch of rising food prices.
By Sarah Touahri and Hassan Benmehdi  21/03/2008

Morocco is experiencing a purchasing power crisis. As the cost of food continues to mount, Moroccan households are calling on the government to take steps to curb the eye-popping prices. Runaway increases in the prices of staple food items are causing concern for Moroccans. The last few days have seen unprecedented hikes in the prices of basic necessities like oil, semolina, butter, flour and milk. Whether the price hikes are attributable to local speculation or to an international elevation in the cost of commodities, consumers want the government to intervene.

"The prices of a lot of items have gone up. Oil has risen from 9 to 14 dirhams per litre; a kilogram of couscous has gone up from 6 dirhams to 10 dirhams; and a kilogram of semolina has risen from 4.80 to 7.70 dirhams. The price of butter has almost doubled, shooting up to 60 dirhams from barely 33. There’s nothing we can do about the international situation," explained tradesman Samir Mellakh.

Minister of the Economy and General Affairs Nizar Baraka conceded at a press conference last week that Morocco is currently experiencing a purchasing power crisis. He said that the upward price trend is due to several factors, namely a fall in state subsidies on household goods, deregulation of prices, VAT rises for certain items and the international economic situation.

The hikes are hurting Moroccan households. Teacher Karima Lhaddad told Magharebia that she has felt the impact on her purse in recent months: "Prices are reaching record levels. I can’t buy the same amount of food that I used to. My shopping basket is getting emptier from one day to the next. I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices to get through this month without any financial problems."

To compound the problem, incomes are not keeping up with inflated prices, explained sociologist Mohammed Rahmani. "The middle classes are unable to keep pace with the price rises, with salaries remaining almost unchanged. A few years ago teachers could live comfortably but now they are struggling to stay out of debt," he told Magharebia.

Parliamentarian Abdelmounaim Geussous faults the uneven distribution of national resources: "The Moroccan public has been unable to benefit from the development we’re seeing today in a lot of sectors of the economy, which means we need to revise our social policy," he noted.

Whatever the reason for the rising food costs may be, Moroccans are looking for a solution. As their purchasing power declines, they are calling on the government to take steps to assist them. The government, meanwhile, highlights the fact that there have been no price increases in state-subsidised items (petroleum products, sugar, wheat and sunflowers). The higher costs, officials say, are in unsubsidised food items which are subject to fluctuations in world markets, such as salad oil and butter. Minister for Public-Sector Modernisation Mohamed Abbou said, "The government is aware of the situation and is trying to safeguard the prices of subsidised items. However, we can’t cut Morocco off from the rest of the world."

Several measures have been taken to mitigate the problem: instituting price controls, curbing price fraud, ensuring prices are displayed in order to stop traders from engaging in speculation and obliging producers to print prices on the packaging of subsidised items. The El Fassi government is also proposing a "new social pact", made up of three components: strengthening job creation, implementing price controls, particularly with regard to food items, tackling poverty and job insecurity. In the meantime, trade unions are calling for a minimum monthly wage of 3,000 dirhams in order to bolster workers’ purchasing power.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/03/21/feature-01
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" What's In It For Me?" Lessons From Morocco
by: Jeremy Ames Friday, March 21, 2008

Anyone who has visited Marrakesh (Marrakech), Morocco knows that it is a unique destination —and sometimes awkward for Americans. The city is packed with guides who aggressively push their services on foreign tourists. Most tourists instinctively distrust these guides, but understand that Marrakesh’s maze of streets is nearly impossible for foreigners to navigate on their own.

These guides profess to be free, but they are not. When they bring you back to your hotel, they will resort to begging and pleading in order to cajole some currency from your pocket. Even more interesting are the revenue sharing arrangements that they have with local vendors. Don’t be surprised if you end up taking detours to specific carpet shops or other stores where the tourist price is much higher than the price for locals.

This type of arrangement is not unusual in many foreign countries, but it certainly feels foreign to most Americans. The idea of someone pushing us toward a store or product for a commission seems repellant, but this same scenario takes place in the U.S. every day. It’s probably why most Americans have a distaste for salespeople and rank them somewhere between lawyers and politicians in the hierarchy of “the kinds of people we trust”.

If you want to earn trust, stop asking, “What’s in it for me?” Instead, start asking, “What will best serve this client?” Sometimes the answer will be a service or product that you provide. Other times it will not. Instead of trying to push a client into a product or service that’s not a perfect match, consider sending them to a provider that will better serve them, without expecting something in return. This not only builds good will with your clients, but also with the businesses to which you refer them. Good will leads to more referrals to you and a growing business.
http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/blogs/marketing2investors/2008/03/whats-in-it-for-me-lessons-from-morocco.html
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Redefining the Role of Fez.
March 15, 2008

A new mixed-use project called "Fez City Centre" was inaugurated by King Mohammed VI in the city of Fez on March 11, marking an important step in the ancient capital city's economic and urban development. The project will cover 32ha of land, for a total investment of DH5bn, and is expected to create 4500 temporary and 500 permanent jobs.

"Fez City Centre" will be a public-private venture involving the local authorities; Al Omrane, a new state-run public housing group; and Addoha Group, a private company listed on the Casablanca stock exchange. Both companies initially operated mainly in affordable housing. Al Omrane, for instance, is overseeing the construction of five new towns around the country with the aim of housing a number of low-income families. Addoha Group, which will provide DH2.33bn in financing for the "Fez City Centre".

The development will consist of 408,500 sq metres of new apartment buildings and 24 villas, in addition to the construction of a five-star hotel, a conference centre for 3000 people and 83,000 sq metres of upscale commercial space aiming to attract international brands as tenants. New parking is also planned to meet the greater volumes of traffic generated by the new development.

The green element of "Fez City Centre" will involve the area that formerly functioned as the Jnane Moulay El Kamel hippodrome complex. This 8.5ha space will be redeveloped to create an ecological natural space for public use.

While the project will certainly bolster the city's role in Morocco's tourism sector, the strategic motivations behind "Fez City Centre" are not limited to tourism. By choosing to pursue an urban development in Morocco's third largest city, the project is also intended to help transform Fez into a more dynamic commercial centre and destination for investment within the region as well as nationwide.

The inauguration of "Fez City Centre" coincided with the beginning of a DH140m infrastructure project to expand the 72km roadway linking Fez with Sefrou. The enhanced road Fez-Sefrou road connection represents only one component of Morocco's second national programme for rural roads, which was launched in 2005 and under which the Fez-Boulemane region has received 534km of new roads totalling DH353m. An additional DH411.7m is expected for the 2008-2011 period, according to local press. The second national programme, which will increase accessibility to rural populations to 86% by 2015 from the level of 67% in 2005, is expected to stimulate the Fez region's economy by reducing logistics constraints and costs.

The city's economic results in 2007 show promising prospects. According to figures published by the Centre for Regional Investment, 2327 applications were made over the course of 2007 to create private companies in the region of Fez, representing a 10% increase on the previous year. By the end of 2007, 1000 new companies were created, representing a 36% rise on 2006. Total investment for the Fez region amounted to DH9bn in 2007, with tourism representing the vast majority with a 78% share. http://www.morocconewsline.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=387
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Bargain hunting in Casablanca.
Feb 24, 2008

The junk shops of Casablanca are full of antiques from its Art Deco glory days, says writer Tahir Shah. SAÏD BEN SAÏD sits in a pool of sunlight at the front of his shop and waits for the rush of customers, a rush that never comes. In the darkness behind him is a treasure hoard worthy of Ali Baba. Stacked up on shelves and piled high in orderly heaps, lies an assortment of antique wares - brown Bakelite radios the size of suitcases, gramophone players and gilt clocks, graceful bronze statuettes, espresso machines, vintage posters and chamber pots. What makes the collection unusual is that it comes, almost in entirety, from the Art Deco glory days of Casablanca.

The city, created as a showcase of French Imperial style and might, boomed from the Twenties until the Forties, when it began its gradual and ignominious decline. The little junk shop owned by Saïd Ben Saïd sits at the far end of a labyrinthine flea-market in the working- class quarter of Hay Hassani, on the western edge of Casablanca. With almost no tourists attracted to the city these days, and few Moroccans interested in anything second-hand, Ben Saïd is glum. His passion for Art Deco tends to be met with scorn from his peers, and has not made him rich. “Everyone here has the same dream,” he says. “They dream of living in a new house, filled with brand new things. They look at the treasures I have collected, and they laugh!”

Soon after moving to a ramshackle mansion in Casablanca four years ago, I discovered the junk yards in Hay Hassani, and was drawn into a dream world of bargains. A shameless hoarder, I snapped up what others considered junk - aspidistra stands, tea caddies and porcelain urns, all decorated with zigzag lines, silver sets of cutlery, posters, cocktail shakers, ice buckets, and tin-plate toys. But the objets d'art are only the start. One morning I was bemoaning the low quality of new washbasins to Ben Saïd. “The stuff you find downtown in the fancy shops is all rubbish,” he said. “You'd better go out back behind the flea market.” I came across a place with a striking resemblance to the end of the world.

There were heaps of twisted scrap metal 50 feet high, mountains of third-hand bricks, mahogany doors and battered window frames, and an ocean of what we might call “architectural salvage”. In the middle of it all I found a lovely roll-top bath, cast iron with ball and claw feet. Inside it was a huddle of newborn puppies. Near by there were more than a dozen enormous Art Deco washbasins, ripped out from a villa before the building was torn.

As the months passed, I sniffed out Casablanca's other affordable antique shops. There must be a dozen or so, scattered across the city, most of them hidden down back streets. It's true that the arrival of a fresh-faced foreigner tends to nudge the prices up. But, in time-honoured Moroccan tradition, a little hard bargaining or feigned disinterest can have a magical effect.

Corrosion from the Atlantic breeze, and cowboy repair jobs have taken a toll on some of the more fragile pieces. But I am constantly surprised at what has survived, and the general good condition of it all. There's plenty of less than perfect bric-a-brac, as well as toe-cringing reproductions of Louis XIV but, for all of that, there are museum-quality gems.

Tucked away in the textile market of Derb Omar is a new and rather well-heeled gallery named Memo-Arts. The showroom has a few exquisite pieces, including a rosewood writing desk with ormolu legs, a davenport, and a pair of Art Nouveau bronze nymphs. In the middle of the room sits a magnificent grand piano from about 1925, crafted by the celebrated Parisian house of Erard.

In the past two or three years a few high-end antique “galleries” have sprung up. Like Memo-Arts, or the impressive Galerie Moulay Youssef, they cater to the richest Moroccan clientele. You get the feeling that people buy from them in a perverse show of wealth, rather than for their fondness of antiques. The same can be said for the two or three new auction houses, established for the local market, where the rich delight in publicly flashing their cash.

Back in the labyrinth at Hay Hassani, Saïd Ben Saïd is asleep with a newspaper over his face. He stirs at the sound of footsteps, the prospect of a customer. When asked if he can acquire a grand piano at flea-market prices, shrugs. “I have a friend with a warehouse full of grand pianos,” he says dreamily. “You can find them in any size. When the French ran away from Morocco, they left them behind in their hundreds. But who would ever want one?” “I would,” I said.

The shopkeeper scratched a thumbnail to his neck, and glanced back into his Aladdin's den. “Well you are wise,” he said. “If there were others like you, I would be a far richer man with a far happier wife.” Tahir Shah is the author of The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca (Doubleday, £8.99) and In Arabian Nights, which will be published May 5 (Doubleday, £11.99). Both are available at a discount from Books First 0870 160 8080.

Need to know

Three nights' B&B at Hotel Jnane Sherazade in the old town are from £480pp, including flights from Heathrow and private transfers.

Shopping Hay Hassani has junk shops, most in Soco Demoina. The labyrinth has bric-a-brac stalls and fine antiques shops, including Magasin Ben Saïd and Arte Cecil in Oulfa.

Magasin Ben Saïd, Soco Demoina; Arte Cecil, 77, Boulevard Oum Errabia, Oulfa.

Derb Ghalef has hundreds of narrow passages, each cluttered with small shops. Habbous is a picturesque Arab area built by the French. Most shops sell clothing, perfume, and handicrafts, and there are good antiques in a courtyard off the main drag.

Memo-Arts in Derb Omar, and Galerie Athar on the way to Habbous have an excellent selection of Art Deco and Arab antiques. The best plush antiques shop is Galerie Moulay Youssef.

Memo-Arts, 51, rue Abdelkrim Diouri Galerie Athar, 12, rue Ibnou Khalouia; Galerie Moulay Youssef, 54, Boulevard Moulay Youssef.

Bohemian rhapsody

EXOTIC, romantic, decadent... Morocco has long drawn people of a bohemian bent and captured the imagination of artists, writers and film-makers. French painters such as Eugene Delacroix and Henri Matisse were inspired by its landscape. The American writer Paul Bowles moved to Tangier in the 1940s and stayed until his death in 1999. His bestselling The Sheltering Sky was written there.

In the 1950s and 1960s writers such as William Burroughs, Alan Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Jean Genet, Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote and Joe Orton passed through. The Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton kept a home in Tangier for three decades, and was famous for her parties.

Morocco's exoticism, religious mysticism and cheap hashish appealed to Sixties counterculture. Esther Freud's novel, Hideous Kinky, is based on her childhood in Marrakesh with her English dropout mother. The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix hung out there.

But the single work of creative fiction that immortalised Morocco in the public imagination - the 1942 Oscar-winning romance Casablanca - was shot entirely in a studio in the US.

Kate Quill
http://www.morocconewsline.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=360
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Moroccan group launches innovative campaign against religious extremism.
By Imrane Binoual 18/03/2008

Alarmed by recent terrorism arrests in Morocco, some women's rights activists have taken a bold step to counter the threat of extremism: bringing an awareness-raising programme to schools and performing community outreach in poor neighbourhoods. While women's rights activists around the world celebrated International Women's Day earlier this month, one women’s group in Morocco opted to concentrate instead on raising awareness of terrorism.

The Democratic League for Women’s Rights (LDDF) dropped all the celebrations it had planned, having decided in the wake of the discovery of a new terrorist network – the Belliraj Cell – that the country needed an emergency action plan to draw attention to the threat of posed by extremism.

LDDF President Fouzia Assouli told Magharebia, "We have found that there is a lack of unity among associations, particularly women’s associations, with regard to tackling this phenomenon. Most NGOs have other priorities. We therefore decided to raise people’s awareness by bringing the issue into the spotlight."

Under the slogan "No to extremism and terrorism, yes to equality and citizenship", her association has organised an awareness-raising and training programme for secondary schools and universities. The targeted institutions are located in Casablanca's working-class districts, which have traditionally been breeding-grounds for terrorism. As well as working in schools, the association is also conducting outreach activities in residential neighbourhoods about "the threat of extremism and indoctrination [and] the danger of religion being used for political ends".

Fatiha Moukhlisse, a teacher who volunteered to run workshops in a number of secondary schools, says that the organisation’s work is vital. "We all need to respond to the terrorist activity which is taking place. These efforts to raise the awareness of secondary-school pupils are highly commendable. This kind of face-to-face contact in workshops with schoolchildren enables us to instil values of decency into them." "With the children aged 11-15, who are still open-minded, we had no problems – on the contrary, they were very receptive and we really got the message of tolerance and respect for the ideas of others across to them," she said. Moukhlisse found the situation much different with the older children aged 15-18. "We realised they have a lot of prejudices," she said. "A lot of them have been indoctrinated by their teachers, who instil undemocratic ideas into them, so we had difficulties with them," she told Magharebia.

The director of one of the schools included in the LDDF awareness campaign praised the initiative. Abdelakrim Idlhaj said the workshops provided an opportunity for his students "to receive lessons in citizenship, and also for them to do something different which is not part of their normal school routine". This enthusiasm was mirrored by young students at a school in the working-class district of Moulay Rachid. "This activity is a good thing for us because it gets us to think about political topics like terrorism. It gives us a chance to say what we think… because often people treat us like children, as though we don’t have minds of our own," Said Hdidou remarked as he and other students gathered around a young trainer to work on a wall painting project.

"How are we supposed to be happy about new ways of learning and discussing things in workshops when our school is lacking in so many things," asked fellow student Mustapha Khaloudi. "We don’t have a sports hall or a library, and outside, in our area, there aren’t any clubs for young people. This is why extremism exists." As part of the LDDF strategy to open a debate on the role of certain Islamist movements in the rise of extremism, the group plans to hold a public forum on March 28th. Fouzia Assouli told Magharebia that the LDDF is also working to form a consortium of several associations to address extremism. "There are a lot of NGOs which have agreed to become involved in our plan," she said. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/03/18/feature-01
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New Nomads of the High Atlas.
Written by Cloe Medina Erickson Photographed by Kristoffer Erickson

We didn’t wake up until five today,” says Sa‘id Mas’udi, shielding his eyes from the scorching mid-morning sun and the full day of work that lies ahead. It is the 23rd day of Ramadan, the Islamic lunar month when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Overtired by the short nights demanded by their religious duty and the work of running a seasonal guesthouse, Mas’udi and his family slept through suhur, the pre-dawn Ramadan meal. Now they must wait until sunset to eat or drink again.

Mas’udi’s modest home of mud and stacked stone in the remote village of Taghia, Morocco —a three-hour walk from the nearest road — is bursting with the activity and noise of arriving and departing travelers. Tents are packed and unpacked, donkeys are loaded and unloaded, routes for the day’s journeys are discussed and Fatima, Mas’udi’s wife, bakes loaf after loaf of bread to feed their guests.

The roadless Zawiya Ahansal region of Morocco’s central High Atlas Mountains is named after Sidi Sa‘id Ahansal, a local 14th-century religious teacher believed to be a descendant of King Idris I of Morocco and the Prophet Muhammad. It has been a crossroads for travelers and a place of seasonal migration for centuries. The historic trade route from Timbuktu to Marrakesh passes over the rugged plateaus and deep limestone gorges that dominate the landscape, crossing eastward from the Atlantic plains over the Atlas and into the Sahara. With an elevation above 2000 meters (6500'), the plateaus are covered in deep snow in the winter, leaving only the gorges with their springs, forests and irrigable land capable of supporting permanent habitation.

In the summer, however, the snow melts to reveal fertile pastures, an irresistible invitation to the nomadic pastoralists who spend their winters in the desert regions south of the Atlas. They arrive in the spring and the fall instead of the summer, drawn by the towering limestone walls rather than the fertile plateaus.

This year the climbing migration coincides with Ramadan, and two unique cultures find themselves at a fragile tipping point. The permanent inhabitants —Berbers, or Ihansalen, as they are referred to locally —and the foreign climbers now face the same challenge their ancestors and predecessors have faced for centuries: Finding a sustainable balance between tradition and outside influence.

Mas’udi wears the exhaustion of this challenge on his face; we hear him replace the typically optimistic Ihansalen response —“ma feish mushkila,” meaning “No problem” —with “mushkila shwiya,” “It’s a small problem.” Serious rock climbers live a migratory existence. They travel the world, following seasons and weather patterns, always searching for destinations with untapped climbing potential. Over the past decade, Zawiya Ahansal has become one such destination.

Ernest Gellner, an English social anthropologist who spent time in the region during the 1950’s and ’60’s, foreshadowed its imminent rise in popularity among travelers in his book Saints of the Atlas: “The environment is favourable, indeed charming. Sidi Sa‘id Ahansal had chosen his place well, and it is in my view destined, when roads become adequate and the rise of national income in Morocco creates the demand, one of the favoured tourist centres in the Atlas.”

For French professional climbers Arnaud Petit and Stephanie Bodet, the mountains of Zawiya Ahansal are comparable to the most famous in the world. They first visited the region in 2002. Now, they return every year. “The climbing is world class. There are very few places in the world with such a concentration of untapped climbing potential and such high limestone walls,” says Petit. “It is possible to equip a sustained route with more than 15 pitches (600 meters). That is incredible.”

Establishing climbing routes on limestone —“equipping” the route —requires the placement in the rock of permanent anchors, usually 8- to 12-centimeter bolts (3 –5"), with a drill. A “pitch” is the climb from one such “belay point” to the next, typically 30 to 60 meters (100 –200'). The climbers who establish the routes must possess optimum strength, endurance and mental focus, but even so, it can take up to a month for a group of four experienced climbers to equip a 600-meter (2000') route. Once permanent anchors are in place, others can climb the route.

Word of the solid, continuous stone in Zawiya Ahansal has spread quickly through the world climbing community, and each season sees more and more climbers. In the last four years, the number of climbers visiting the area —most of them Europeans —has grown from 20 to over 400 in the fall season alone, a significant number in a region of only a few thousand local inhabitants.

“The combination of dry weather, excellent rock, hospitable people and an adventurous setting creates the perfect conditions for a rock-climbing holiday,” says Conrad Anker, an athlete for The North Face and one of the premier climbers in the world. He visited the region in 2006 and understands the rapid growth in its popularity. “The vertical nature of the cliffs ensures that the climbs that are established are difficult. Hence, top climbers want to come and test their mettle,” says Anker.

With popularity comes pressure. Luckily, the Ihansalen have a history of negotiating sustainable relationships with their neighbors: Their land use agreement with the Ait ‘Atta, the largest and most dominant nomadic tribe between the Atlas and the Sahara, has weathered nearly 1000 years. Under its terms, the Ihansalen allow the Ait ‘Atta free passage to the high pastures during the summer, ensuring the survival of their flocks. In return, the Ait ‘Atta provide security to the Ihansalen from other, potentially dangerous, tribes passing through the region; both groups benefit from the weekly market where they trade much needed merchandise with each other.

In the summer, the Ait ‘Atta greatly outnumber the Ihansalen, but their relationship has been maintained in large part thanks to the existence of “professional neutrals” —descendants of Sidi Sa‘id Ahansal —and their establishment of a center of sanctity, a religiously based trucial zone, in which they guarantee unimpeded trade and free passage to those with a shared interest in the territory.

The influence of professional neutrals has diminished over the last century with the establishment of Morocco’s centralized government, which now acts as a mediator among the tribes. However, rapid demographic change is encouraging the designation of new neutrals with some of the same characteristics as the old: a respected position in both groups and, perhaps more important, literacy. Thus a familiar mechanism, naturally taking shape between the Ihansalen and the European climbers, may ensure a similarly sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship for their future.

Mas’udi and Yusuf Rizki, Taghia’s other guesthouse owner, have a working knowledge of French and Arabic, a characteristic that has marked them for this “neutral” role. However, the end of Ramadan sharpens the cultural differences between the climbers and the Ihansalen and increases the burden on the two men and their families: Taking care of guests means sacrificing sleep and time together during a holiday. In addition, as always, there are the risks of exposing their sons and daughters to the westerners’ foreign lifestyle.

“It is very difficult for me to prepare food all day,” says Fatima on the laborious task of feeding a house full of foreigners during Ramadan. “They eat in front of us. Especially today: We slept through suhur and must wait hours to eat.” During his travels, Anker has observed firsthand that the tourists’ values can create conflict, and even such supposedly simple items as clothing and food have deep cultural signification that can be misunderstood.

“The biggest challenge facing mountain communities is the influx of tourists, their money, their values and their demands on the infrastructure,” says Anker. “The money, in general, has a positive effect, as people are paid for their services and goods, and the multiplier effect spreads it through the community. In fact, tourism is a fine way of moving some of the accumulated wealth of the industrialized nations to countries that are rich mainly in scenic resources.”

For now, the families’ sacrifices are outweighed by the benefits of cash in a previously subsistence economy. With the money earned from their seasonal hospitality, Mas’udi and Rizki have begun to improve the Ihansalen way of life and provide their children with increased opportunities through education.

In 2006, Mas’udi and a group of The North Face climbers spearheaded a community development project that restored Taghia’s school and a network of mountain trails. This collaboration helped strengthen ties between the two cultures.

“The responsibility to create a sustainable relationship rests with the visitors. They are the guests —they have come there of their own volition,” says Anker. “Treating the local people with respect and courtesy, being mindful of cultural mores and being grateful go a long way toward creating a mutually beneficial relationship.”

Rizki sees providing educational opportunities to the children as a personal obligation, especially now with the foreign influence. “The children see them [the climbers] and their material goods and they do not understand the differences,” says Rizki. “But at some level they do understand, and it makes their life much harder to accept.”

Rizki donated land for a preschool for the village’s children and began construction on it. “Our children are so far behind compared to other Moroccans,” he says. “When they begin grade six, many of them still cannot read or write, and then they just continue to fall further behind.”

The preschool’s curriculum will focus on religion and the Arabic and French alphabets. Rizki hopes the school, operated on donations, will supplement public education, giving the local children the boost they need to match their peers.

Bodet has witnessed change in the children’s aspirations since her first visit to Taghia five years ago.
“The youth of Taghia dream about the western way of life. It seems that they want to be connected with the world. It would be egotistic to wish to maintain people in their traditional way of life, especially the women, who live a very hard life in these mountains. If the effect of tourism can be to bring more women to school, it will be a great change,” says Bodet.

As history shows, relationships in this extreme and varied land must be mutually beneficial in order to last. Like the Ihansalen and the Ait ‘Atta, the climbers and the Ihansalen are finding something in each other that they lack in their separate lives. New economic and educational doors are opening for the Ihansalen, leading to increased outside opportunities. In exchange, the foreigners experience unparalleled climbing opportunities and a unique culture in a region still beyond the limits of modern communications and transportation.

“We hope that they will come not only for the climbing, but for the culture also,” said Petit, who also hopes the visitors will be able to adapt to the place they are visiting. “Morocco is a Muslim country, and we have to respect the Moroccans’ traditions and religion in order to live peacefully together.”

Today the atmosphere at the guesthouse emphasizes the fragility and the uncertain outcome of this cultural balance. Mas’udi’s nephew Mahmud Jani passes his weary eyes over the climbers bustling in and out.

“Maybe by 2010 things will change and there will be more tourists in Taghia than residents,” he laughs. “Then we will both have gotten what we wish for: they a place in the natural world and we an opportunity in the city.”

Cloe Medina Erickson (medina@ericksoncreativegroup.com) holds a master’s in architecture. She is currently collaborating with locals in the Zawiya Ahansal region of Morocco on the restoration and conversion of a historic kasbah into a regional library.

Free-lance photographer Kristoffer Erickson (kris@ericksoncreative group.com) has documented exploration and culture in the great mountain ranges of the world for more than a decade. He is a member of The North Face mountaineering team. The Ericksons are based in Livingston, Montana.

This article appeared on pages 24-29 of the March/April 2008 print edition of Saudi Aramco World.
http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200802/new.nomads.of.the.high.atlas.htm
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Moroccan Nights. Edmund Stuart intertwines the past and the present of the Mahgreb
Edmund Stewart 16 March 2008

I had begun my journey in Marrakech in southern Morocco. It seemed as good a place as any to start, if only because it is perhaps one of the most famous towns in Morocco, drawing larger numbers of foreigners than any other. As a rule of thumb, you can measure the number of tourists by the price of the unremarkable assortment of scarves, tajines, rugs and general tat that every traveller in North Africa is familiar with: in Marrakech, you have to haggle hard to get anywhere near to an item’s true value.

Quite why this city, which at first sight it must be admitted looks not much different from any other large Moroccan town, has captured the imagination of so many is hard to fathom. It is only upon visiting the southern edge of the Medina —Arabic for city, but generally referring to any walled old town —that you can really understand the lure of Marrakech. Here you can see the large open space known as the Djema al Fna. The first thing you’ll see is the smoke from the food stalls, the lights of the stands; and you'll hear the strange lilting rhythms of musicians. Much of the square is given over to food of various sorts, piles of fresh oranges and heaps of dates, spices and other dried fruits. Moroccan markets, I must add, are fascinating, if a little disconcerting, with all kinds of meat, fish, vegetables and sickly honey sweetmeats left out in the hot streets during the day.

Most of the excitement of the Djema, however, can be had from the little huddles of snake charmers, street entertainers and story tellers that have an air about them, perhaps resonating in the red earth walls of the Medina, of the ancient bazaars of Timbuktu to the south and of the long hot miles of the caravan routes in between. Perhaps it reminds us of Marrakech’s position roughly in the centre of Morocco. To the North and East can be seen the beginnings of the Atlas Mountains which cut across Morocco. Here the land is dry and desolate up to the more verdant north, but on the coast, say at Agadir, the cool Atlantic breeze makes the climate very agreeable. To the South, beginning around Tan-Tan, are the dunes of the Sahara. It was across these dunes, one of the most inhospitable of the earth’s wastelands, that the Almohad armies came to establish their capital in Marrakech and after them the flow of gold caravans from Ghana and West Africa.

Here, not far from the Djema and gracing the low skyline is the slender minaret of the Katoubia Mosque, perhaps the most perfect example of North African Islamic architecture. The design is restrained, yet varied – a combination of three differing window recesses topped by a ring of coloured tiles and the replicas of three golden balls, the gift of the wife of Sultan Yacoub al Mansour.

It was Yacoub al Mansour (1184-1199) who built this minaret and and inspired the spread, in a relatively short space of time, of the very distinctive style of architecture found in the Hassan Minaret and the Giralda of Seville, the lasting reminders of an empire that once reached from its capital in Marrakech to Libya and central Spain. This defines what we today call the Maghreb. This dynasty began as one of the many religious movements that have marked the Muslim world. A cleric, Ibn Tumart, ignited a religious revolution among the Berber tribes of the Atlas Mountains that sought moral reform, a reaffirmation of the unity of God and a return to the teachings of the Qu’ran and the Hadith – the two most important texts of Islam. This religious fervour was allied with a military strength that saw the capture of Marrakech in 1149. The succeeding Almoravid dynasty went on to forge one of the more successful attempts to unite the Maghreb – literally “place of the setting sun” in Arabic, a term used to refer both to Morocco and greater North Africa. This was a task made more difficult by the region's geography. Today, the Maghreb has achieved some measure of unity by means of the Arab Maghreb Union, consisting of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania. Egypt, despite making overtures to join, has not been included, though Egyptian music, television and even dialect dominate North African culture.

The Arab conquest and the spread of Islam in the eighth century has had the greatest impact and been the most unifying factor in North Africa where, unlike in the Middle East, the Romano-Christian past was entirely swept away. Today, while only a few miles away from Europe and colonised in the past by both France and Spain, Morocco still draws its culture fundamentally from the distant Arab East.
Moroccan Arabic, known as Darija, is the first language of most Moroccans, the main exception being the Berbers —historically the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa, predating the Arab conquest —who speak a separate language. Today they are centred largely in the Atlas and Rif Mountains. Their tall stature and blonde hair once made them the prized slaves of the Arab Sultans and it is a stature still noticeable today – one blonde Berber girl was recently mistaken for Madeleine McCann. The most enduring legacy of the short-lived French protectorate is that French is widely spoken throughout the whole country. For much the same reason Spanish is the preferred European language in the North, particularly in the Rif and around Ceuta.

For all its variations in languages and ethnic groups —hardly helped by the very different and largely separate environments of coast, mountains and desert —Morocco is a remarkably homogenous society and many Moroccans are proud to belong to a country predominantly free of racial tensions. Speaking to a number of students at the Tacadoom Language Association in the capital Rabat, I am told that racism is largely an alien concept in Morocco. For instance, although most of its Jewish population left Morocco for Israel following its creation in 1948, a tiny minority still remains, and Morocco is the only Arab country with a Jewish Museum. Generally they were more concerned about the treatment of Moroccan emigrants to Spain and other European countries. Around 30,000 individuals emigrate to Spain each year in search of a better life, a figure which represents a substantial brain drain from Morocco.

It is no surprise that so many should want to leave: with unemployment at 20 per cent the difficulties of finding a job, even for those with qualifications, are a major source of worry and frustration for young people. Other than Spain, countries such as the USA are favourite destinations. Since the 9/11 attacks, however, it has become more difficult for Moroccans —and members of Arab countries generally —to gain entry to America. One of these was Johara, my hostess while I was in Rabat. Her husband currently works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and she has been applying for a visa to go and join him for three years. Another side to the story, however, is the thousands of illegal immigrants from sub-Saharan countries such as Nigeria who attempt to reach Europe by passing through Morocco and in doing so face substantial risks both from the criminal gangs involved in the trafficking and Moroccan and Spanish security forces. It is estimated that around 6,000 people have been killed over the last decade, including eleven immigrants shot trying to enter Spanish territory at Ceuta which prompted an EU investigation in 2005.

After leaving Marrakech I took the train north to Rabat where I would spend most of my time teaching English at a local Language Association. My home for the next few weeks would be a small house in the historic medina. It is typical of traditional Moroccan houses, consisting of a central —in this case covered —court with rooms radiating off it, decorated with traditional stucco and “zellige” tiling. My work was just across the river in the sprawling suburb of Sale. Amal Sale, the Association at which I worked, is part of a number of such volunteer organisations that offer, among other things, the chance for young people to learn English, and are developing steadily as a growing force in local communities. Yassine, the director of a similar organisation, told me that their aim is to provide a learning and social environment, developing their members’ skills and helping them to find jobs. According to Yassine, while it is clearly very important for the Moroccan economy that more people learn English, there are few resources for doing so other than paying to go to British or American Language Schools, which many cannot afford.

It was during my stay in Rabat that I was able to enjoy two distinctive features of Moroccan culture. The first, common throughout North Africa, was the Hamam - which Johara’s brother Sidi Ahmed offered to take me to on his weekly visit. The closest thing to the baths of Ancient Rome, a hamam is a series of heated rooms of different temperatures in which you can sit, sweat the dirt off and wash with the water provided. There are separate hamams for men and women and both wear swimming costumes or an equivalent and bring their own soap and towels. You can also —and this is most useful for the clueless foreigner —pay an attendant to give you an exceedingly vigorous massage. Finally the hamam is, if anything, an opportunity to socialise, particularly for women who may have few other places where they can do so other than at home; cafés and bars are largely the preserve of men, tourists and prostitutes.

The second major event I was to witness during my stay was a Moroccan wedding, which is an occasion of great excitement for everyone and anyone who might have even the smallest connection to the bride and groom. Weddings are a national obsession, much enjoyed by all who are lucky enough to attend one and televised nightly for those who are not. The evening in question began at seven in the evening in one of the new and faceless tower blocks which are part of the growing development of Sale. It must be noted, however, guests are only expected to arrive at least an hour after that time and the couple several hours later. Their eagerly anticipated coming was announced by the peels of horns and the din of drums of a traditional band outside, along with the slightly more prosaic but no less celebratory sound of car horns. The bridal party was escorted up the packed stairs of the apartment block, the bride gorgeously dressed in traditional costume and on reaching the top she was hoisted on to a chair designed for the purpose —perhaps characterised more by glitter than taste —and processed around the room. In former times a fantasia was usual at great weddings. Still seen at cultural events, this was a display of horsemanship common among many Arab nations, involving a line of brilliantly mounted riders halting suddenly in mid gallop and discharging their rifles. Today this is symbolised instead by the bride’s escort who carry imitation firearms for the procession. Once over, the bride and groom will retire to change and it is not uncommon, I am told, for them to change up to five or ten times through the course of the night. Meanwhile a supper of lamb tajines was served at around one o’clock which we ate with our fingers. The dancing continued on until dawn.

Weddings are in some ways better than the nightlife of the capital. Rabat is hardly an exciting city and would have remained largely a picturesque backwater from the Middle Ages onwards had it not been chosen by the French as the capital of the protectorate. Even today it is a surprisingly unassuming town when compared to its bustling neighbour Casablanca. Its flowering to eminence under the Almohads was very short lived. A sign of the unfulfilled grandeur during this brief period of prosperity are the medieval walls which enclosed mostly empty space until the twentieth century. Another is the massive Tour Hassan, a stubby twin of the Katoubia minaret originally designed as part of a vast mosque of a capacity which the city’s relatively small population could not have hoped to have filled at any other age. After independence in 1956, King Mohammed V kept Rabat as the capital of the new Monarchy and he is buried in the ruins of the mosque together with his successor Hassan II. The monarchy plays a very important part in government and Moroccan life and the king’s picture can be seen everywhere, in cafés, shops and businesses. The present King, Mohammed VI, has been surprisingly radical in checking a number of the Human Rights abuses of his predecessors reign and his generally favourable stance towards America and Europe.

Islam has affected that relationship over the centuries. There is no better monument to Islam in the country than the fabulous Hassan II Mosque, a short train ride away in Casablanca. Built by the previous monarch with (sometimes unwilling) public subscriptions, it is a massive and awe-inspiring construction, at least the size of St Peter’s in Rome and perhaps larger. The interior is a magnificent synthesis of traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation, so that the beautiful patterned roof of the central hall can open to the sky and loud speakers are hidden in the woodwork. This is, if anything, a symbol that Islam is a defining characteristic of the country. Many Moroccans are very serious in their devotions: one student of mine, when asked to describe his daily routine in English, began by telling me the times of his daily prayer.

The War on Terror has affected Morocco as with many other Muslim states. The government was quick to denounce the September 11th attacks but unemployment and the slow growth of the economy have contributed to a gradual rise in extremism. This culminated in the suicide bombings in Casablanca in May 2003 which raised widespread outcry from Moroccans at large and increased public opposition to terrorism. Many women wear the veil but usually of their own choice and many others have adopted Western fashions and dress. American films and foreign music are popular and alcohol, though it is frowned upon, can be legally bought. Morocco, like Tunisia, is a country largely at peace with itself —despite the remaining controversy over the ownership of the Western Sahara —and with the West, and is a perfect example of a moderate Islamic state.

I end here, pausing with one final view, one of the most beautiful in Morocco. It is on a low hill set against the backdrop of distant mountains and in the long shade of the ruins of ancient tombs. Sheep are grazing nearby and far off I can see the whole of the old walled city of Fes el Bali, the old city of Fes. Night falls, the lights go on, and from the Kairouyine Mosque the muezzins begin their call.
http://www.journal-online.co.uk/articles/show/2998
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High school trip to Morocco fosters Arab appreciation.
By: Kiernan Norman, Special to the Shore Line Times 03/18/2008

It's easy to lose yourself in a Marrakesh street market. Everything moves. Fierce cobras are roused from clay pots by snake charmers, veiled women are armed with pens of henna, a red dye used for tattoos; monkeys and children alike are ready to pose for a few Moroccan coins called Dirham. The streets turn into art as you pass hanging rugs of the Orient, rows of silk in deep reds and blues and then vats of fresh spices arranged like sand castles. Every walk of life exists in this marketplace. Smoke, horns, languages and people combine to create a kind of fascinating chaos.

And on a chilly day in February, 13 Guilford High School students became part of it. The 10-day trip to Morocco took place during school vacation and was run through EF Tours. It was organized by French and Arabic teacher Radouane Nasry and chaperoned by French teacher Erena Skorik and her husband Daniel. The country was unexplored to all but Nasry, who was born and raised in Casablanca, "I am Moroccan; Morocco is a part of me," said Nasry, who has led several student trips including one to Egypt last year. But this was his first time bringing students to Morocco. "I was nervous; I didn't know how they would react to a country so different from their own."

But his fears dissolved as soon as they touched ground in Casablanca. "The moment we interacted with the real Morocco, I thought, let's go for it. I said to them, 'Welcome to my country, welcome to my home!' He wasn't exaggerating. Four hours later, the students were seated around a tagine, or common dish, of couscous, sharing a meal with his mother in the house where he grew up. "Mrs. Nasry was wonderful, she prepared a meal and welcomed us with open arms.'" said Molly Rubin, 18. "She was our first encounter with the Moroccan spirit, the genuine kindness."
That kindness continually surprised and warmed the students. "There was a trust that we don't have in America. People were warmer, conversations were common with strangers," said Derek Faulkner, 18.

Joanna Fisher, 18, added, "They would say 'Morocco is your second home now.' They were so eager to share their culture." And Morocco is drenched in culture. "It really is a world of its own," said Sara Squeglia, 17. Influenced by geography, religion and history, the country is a unique blend of many cultural qualities. "It's an Arab country," Squeglia said, "but you can feel the diverse influences: the European, Mediterranean, Islamic and Saharan. There's soccer in the street, Borat on the television and the call to prayer every morning at sunrise."
The first leg of the trip was spent in the capital city of Rabat, where they visited the royal palace of King Mohammed VI and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. "The architecture was incredible, everything was so grand, so regal. Beautiful mosaic pieces were literally hand-picked to create art on the walls and streets," said Bart Weber, 18.

Next they visited the coastal city of Essaouira, known for its fish market and wood-crafting. "Fresh eels and sharks lined the streets; even camels were being sold in the markets,' remembers Fisher, whose tolerance of freshly butchered meat progressed from sheer disgust to only vague disturbance. "We had our feet in the ocean in February. It was surreal," said Faulkner. "Essaouira had a very laid back, hippie feel. There was a timeless beauty," added Lindsay Rohr, 18.

The group also found time to explore Imperial Fes and the adored chaos of Marrakesh. "In the medinas, the old cities, is where we really met Morocco. Our cultural interaction there was raw and un-sanitized; it was a peek outside of our bubble," said Rubin.
"Mind-blowing," is how Gerard St. George, 18, described the experience.

Unsurprisingly, the 10 days were filled with new experiences: riding camels on an Essaouiran beach, bravely sampling goat brains and pigeon pie, mastering the art of bartering with vendors and even getting married; as Greg Demitrack, 16, did with four of the girls in a mock Moroccan wedding. Even Nasry found himself learning. "I rediscovered Morocco through the eyes of my students. Their perspective altered mine. They questioned things that I took for granted. I hope that my presence somewhat enhanced their experience."

"It warmed his heart to be home. He genuinely loved showing us where he grew up, where he became who he is," said Rubin. Generations braid together in the juxtaposition of modern and traditional Morocco. "There was a huge contrast between the youth and elders," said Squeglia, 'The kids looked like they could be from New York City but the adults were wearing burkas and djellabas," she reported, referring to the long, loose garments with full sleeves that are common in North Africa. Squeglia was also surprised at the contrast of the streets, where cars and mopeds shared the road with cargo donkeys.

The students were not naive when it came to global politics: "We were prepared to be alienated because we were American," said Rohr, who traveled to Egypt with Nasry last year. "In Egypt, the security was tighter, there was a bodyguard with us in most places, but there was no need for that in Morocco," "Obviously there was some Bush animosity, but once we started talking it went away," added Weber, who found more enthusiasm than apathy in the hearts of the locals. "They were psyched that we wanted to learn."

Much was said of Morocco's beauty. "Visually, it is the most amazing place,' said Rubin, "It's colorful and ornate. The cities truly are imperial."
Nasry, whose national pride is refreshingly uncontained, said: "When these cities were built, the New World didn't exist on a map. Our mosques, our castles, they are as strong and beautiful today as they were in the 10th century." He also mentioned the diverse climate of Morocco, which as a territory is a little bigger than California. "You can be standing in the middle of the Sahara and see with your bare eyes snowcapped mountains and the ocean in the distance," Faulkner said, "Even during the bus rides from one city to the next, we saw so much of the world."
"We were juvenile kids in some of the most ancient, beautiful, foreign cities you can imagine. We saw a lot, we grew a lot. There's something mystical about the country, something I won't be forgetting soon," said Squeglia.

A layover in Paris and lunch at the Eiffel Tower was icing on the cake for St. George. "The trip was a cultural punch in the face," he said.
Each student agreed that their taste of Morocco has instilled a passion for travel and exploration. "The world seems smaller now, more connected," said Fisher. "It was a deep experience; I was honored to show them that part of me," said Nasry, who is excited at the thought of making another trip with future students. "It sounds cliché, but I have a better appreciation for the world now. Even if I never go back, I will always have those memories," said Squeglia. Kiernan Norman is a Guilfod High School senior who is the first participant in a new Shore Line Times intern program.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19403646&BRD=1630&PAG=461&dept_id=7736&rfi=6
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The road to Morocco.
By Emma Streatfield

THE road to Morocco could be a steep learning curve for two hitchhiking students - who don't speak Spanish. University students Chris Ashbolt, 19, of Tyburn Close, Grange Park, and Liz Jones, 21, of Sandringham Road, Lawn, have hit the trail through Spain, with nothing more than a handful of chocolate bars and some noodles between them.

The pair are hoping their hitchhike will raise vital cash for Link Community Development - an African charity. "I'm hoping that most of the people we meet will speak either English or French," said Chris. "If not it will be phrase books at the ready. "But I think we'll have problems without that."
The friends set off on Thursday and according to Chris, the plan is to camp using the tent they have taken, although Liz is hoping they may be able to stay somewhere with shower facilities every couple of days .

The road trip will take them through Newbury, to Portsmouth, across the channel to Le Havre, then down through Spain. In all, the trip should take about two weeks, throughout which time the pair will be at the mercy of the public. "It's not the done thing because of safety reasons," said Chris. "But if people see that we're doing it for a charity they might be more inclined to give us a lift. "I'm hoping that is the case really otherwise we will be stuck on the road for a long time." Despite the fact that the backpackers are going it alone, the journey is part of a scheme set up and run by five universities, to raise money for Africa.

The Link Community Development was created to provide and improve education in schools in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, South Africa and Uganda, to help children escape poverty. Chris involved Liz after being signed up through Leeds University, where he studies French and Arabic.
Liz, who is at the University of the West of England in Bristol, agreed and they have been planning the trip since December.

Before even setting off Liz and Chris have raised £200. The students have been given advice on how to stay safe by organisers. "It's a concern - some people have said it's not the greatest plan, but it's as safe as it can be," said Liz. "As long as we're not afraid to turn down drivers I think we should be fine." Chris said: "I know that if someone comes along and we see something doesn't sit right with us then we'll wait for the next lift."

Chris is one of 80 students involved through his university. He thought this was the perfect opportunity to visit Morocco, the chosen destination for his year abroad as part of his language studies. He returns there next September.

To sponsorship the adventure, visit www.justgiving.com/chrisashbolt or to follow the pair's progress across Europe visit www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/blogs.
http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/swindonnewsheadlines/display.var.2138827.0.the_road_to_morocco.php
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