Friday I woke up kind of early because I knew that mom was getting in at 620. I sat in bed for a while and then got up when my alarm went off. I kept checking my phone, but no call. I told my mom that I’d be at the Rabat train station at 915 because that’s the earliest that I thought she would come in. It was 850 and I was in normal clothes but not really close to leaving and Imane said “oooh! It’s nine” NO imane, it’s eight FIFTY. Right as I thought that rude remark I got a phone call from a number that I did not know. I answered immediately, and it was my mom !!!!!!!!! She was in Rabat. As Imane would say- “uh ohhhh”, I RAN out of the house and took a cab to the train station. REUNITED!!! It was very weird to see mom in the Rabat train station, but obviously very cool. We went to a La Comedie and had a coffee. Sara’s home stay mom passed by and saw me. She met my real mom, which was nice. We told her that we would see her at the party tonight.
After coffee mom wanted to get some gift-wrap for my fam’s presents. Luckily I had just passed a shop in the medina and noticed that they sold gift-wrap etc. Mom was very funny in this store. I know that she had only been in Morocco for a few hours, but I thought it was very classic that she tried to match the wrapping paper perfectly- we are very lucky that we FOUND gift bags & wrapping paper in this country…
Simo called and asked where we were so we scurried home. It was so cute to have my Moroccan mom meet my real mom. Very happy and nice. “Gentile” as Imane would say. We had breakfast (with very nice coffee containers that I have never seen before). After breakfast & coffee, we went out walking with Imane. We stopped at the CCCL and everyone was VERY friendly and welcoming. I was a little nervous because of their suggestion to wait until the end of the program to have visitors, but nobody seemed to mind at all. One of the ladies at the front desk that I don’t even really know was extremely nice to my mom, and told me to take very good care of her. (that was not going to be the first time that we heard that on the trip). A lot of people said that we look alike, which I feel like we do not get often in USA. We went to Chellah/Oudaya (where I am going to live after mom leaves) and the beach. We also walked through the covered souk/medina etc. A lot of the shops were closed because of COUSCOUS FRIDAY. We went back home at around 1:30 to eat lunch. I had a very sentimental “final couscous”. Very sad, and I made sure to appreciate every bite. Mom really liked it- I could tell. Mom also liked talking with Simo. They had a very long conversation about everything. After digesting/conversing time my mom and I went back out solo.
I wanted to take her to Hassan II. We walked there, and I showed her my run route and the row boats etc. I could tell that Mom really liked Hassan II. It was her first time seeing the intricate mosaics that are used in all of the monuments/buildings in the country. I love Hassan II and I am glad that mom did too. After we toured around a little- I thought that mom was looking a little tired. She asked where she could get a glass of wine. I brought her to the Golden Tulip and we got two glasses of wine (first time !!). I feel bad laughing on account of my mom’s exhaustion, but it was very funny. She was questioning her agreement to stay in my homstay house. I also thought about exactly why I offered that. Obviously she would be exhausted and in need of a shower after 24 hours of traveling…. Unfortunately, there was no going back at that point- we were in for the count. We relaxed a lot at the golden tulip and I think mom might have taken a one-minute power nap. Before we knew it- it was time to go back to the house and prepare for the homestay party!
We got a DC and minutes for my phone before we went back home. We had a little time before the party, so we sat in the living room and rested. My homestay mom insisted that my real mom put her feet up. She did and was VERY appreciative of this suggestion. My mom took a 15 min cat nap, and definitely felt like a new woman when she got up. We freshened up and walked the short distance to the CCCL.
There was tea and those delicious cookies at the party. My mom had Moroccan tea for the first time, and I think she was very happily surprised. She outwardly proclaimed her love for the tea. Abraheem (the CCCL chef) was very nice to my mom and only gave her the freshest, hottest cups of tea. The party was much better than the first party in the beginning of the semester. Everyone was obviously more comfortable now than we were in January. A lot of dancing and laughing. Mom even joined in a dancing circle at one point! It was great. Imane is obviously a crazy dancer. She knows how to move her hips (I am not surprised…) she also was very hot throughout the party (again, not surprising.). I made my mom chat with Abdelhay (the director of the program)- butter him up before he grades me in May…
We went back home after the party, and had MORE tea and cookies. We sat in the living room and talked until Friday night dinner. My mom said that she could make the harira that my homestay mom made for us. I am looking forward to seeing her try. We ate eggs and greef (Imane told Fatima to make it because I had been pointing it out to my mom all day). We also had the fossilized funnel cake that Sara thought was “animal”. My mom asked if it was SQUID! Really funny. We socialized more after dinner, and Fatima made my mom lie down for one second. FINALLY it became bed time. My mom and I slept in Imane and my bedroom. When Fatima closed the doors so we could change- my mom was literally danced around. I can NOT imagine how tired she was. It was about 11 pm Friday Morocco time (7 pm Friday NYC time) and she had been up and about since 11 AM (Morocco Thursday) morning. Needless to day, we slept very well.
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