So today I evaded an Arabic quiz, had a panini at one of our usual cafes called “Midnight Express” (great name, right?) and was pleased to discover that “viande hachee” (literally translated as, like, ground/minced beef) is delicious and the closest thing to carne asada that I’ve come into contact so far in Morocco. So far I had been playing the “chicken is a relatively safe choice” game but my risk-taking was rewarded today with a delicious taste sensation.
Speaking of food, someone told Brynn that camel meat is delicious. I’m not sure I want to find out.
Later, we returned to school because we were supposed to have calligraphy class. I call it my “weekly dose of positive affirmation” because, well, I am good at it. Our instructor is heavy on the praise and it does wonders to restore my morale which has been systematically chipped away at by my Arabic teacher throughout the week. But, sadly, our instructor (who Pete and Brynn insist is a clone of Rasputin, and I admit I see some resemblance) stood us up! Therefore I missed my weekly dose of positive affirmation but I did get to come home and take a nap… very delightful… and finish Vonnegut’s Bluebeard. Highly reccomended.
See? Everyday life in Rabat is just like like life in the USA. Boring. Only without the wide variety of food choices!
Also, I forgot to mention! Last night, right before I was about to go to bed, I heard some big-band music coming from the TV in the living room and then muffled talking that sounded like it could be English. I am getting kind of good at identifying what language the TV in there is speaking in. Anyway, I wandered out and was extremely pleased to see my ole pal David Letterman on TV (ENGLISH!) interviewing my other ole pal Michael J Fox! Needless to say it was a GREAT moment for me to see something on TV in a language I could understand–the bonus being MJF who I looooove. Haha. He was talking about his trip to Bhutan and the fact that the Bhutanese measure their country’s prosperity not only in GDP but in GNH… that’s right, Gross National Happiness. True facts.
My Friend Staci 
I wish I could go back in time with a flux capacitor and a DeLorean and cure MJF’s parkinson’s.
Calling life boring? Playing the “chicken” game? Avoiding Arabic? Staci, these are not what I expect of an intrepid world traveller like yourself, nor are they what your faithful readers expect when they arrive on the doorstep of la route libre hungry for travel tale nourishment. You need to dive in. See the seedy underbelly of Rabat and get some Morocco on you woman!
Take a belly dancing class. Eat some camel. Learn some Arabic curse words. Heck, make like an 8th century Berber and invade Southern Spain! C’mon Staci, if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.