The Three Musketeers au Maroc

Who ever thought we three would be traveling together for a week in the crazy souqs and epic wilderness that is Morocco! We can barely manage to see each other for a week over Christmas, let alone for a week long vacation together. I guess the lesson to be learned here is that it's up to me to live in stellar locations around the world so that my brothers simply must come visit me, hence reuniting the three musketeers more that once every year.

It really was wonderful to have them both here at the same time and to show them a bit around this country that is feeling more and more like home. Plus, I loved playing translator in French and Arabic be it bargaining for prices, asking for directions or organizing our adventures. I think we even got some pretty good deals on the fun stuff we bought. Meezien!

Essaouira

we learn by watching...

Children may not always listen, but they are always watching.

During a recent trip to Agadir, during which we stayed with Omar and his family, I had the opportunity to observe just how observant kids can be and how repetition breeds habit.

The entire family came together before dinner for tea and catching up on the day, including the two little cousins, Malek and Soukaina. In the United States, a toddler might rock her baby doll in a cradle or dress up as Cinderella; these two girls covered their heads with the hijab, and strapped their stuffed animals on their backs, just like women do in Morocco.

Repetition, especially from a young age, embeds our cultural norms do deeply that it is hard to see outside them. If only we could teach more tolerance, understanding and acceptance from such a tender age...

Family Stay in Agadir

Visting Meknes with Maiga and Mehdi :)

It's so cold in our apartment we converted the oven into a portable heater

Mardi Gras

We made crepes for Mardi Gras last night. I felt very very French doing so, as they celebrate Fat Tuesday with crepes of every kind- nutella, sugar and lemon, banana, jam, cinnamon...

They are incredibly easy to make as well, so if you feel like a crepe party, come on over!

We adopted a kitten...

and I think I am allergic.