Day 3: Rockin' the Kasbah

Rockin' the Kasbah.

So today marked the first day of our volunteer placements—the reason we all came to Morocco through Cross Cultural Solutions. The four of us left for the orphanage on the CCS bus at 8:00 this morning after a quick breakfast. My placement is in the Lala Maryem Special Needs Ward of the orphanage in Rabat. Overall, the orphanage has an extremely high adoption rate, 100 of the 125 children being adopted last year, but the special needs children (ages 2-26) are presumably there for life. The orphanage itself was beautiful, though we were instructed not to take pictures while we’re there. :( The grounds are made up of a few different buildings and a courtyard. When we got there, there were a handful of (obviously) non-Moroccan prospective parents walking around with babies (so cute!!). Also in the courtyard were a variety of playground-like things, including a wicked sweet trampoline house. It’s literally a trampoline enclosed by net walls and a hard roof. Maybe I’ll try to sneak a picture.

            The special needs ward was and will be an experience I’ll never forget. When we got to the orphanage, the 7 or so nurses had already started bathing the kids. The tubs are more like shallow metal beds that the children/adults are lifted into the tubs, their diapers are removed, and they are rinsed, soaped and shampooed up, carried over to a drying table, and dressed. I was expecting this to be difficult to see as well as physically demanding. And well it is never easy to see a human unable o help themselves, these nurses are doing a really good thing, and Mohammed said they get paid less than minimum wage. Also, I could not distinguish between the teenagers and the adults, none of who must weigh over 100 pounds. But all they really need is attention and for you to talk to them even if they can’t reply. I really enjoyed washing their hair. I scrubbed their heads like they do at the hairdresser’s and even the kids who clearly disliked bathing smiled. Dressing them was another challenge, as many of their limbs are bent and joints are very tight. I definitely broke a sweat.

            After bathing, they are wheeled back to the room for breakfast. Most of the children were fed bread broken up in warm milk, which we fed to them, while others drank a milk-yogurt mix. At this time, the nurses also go around and give them their medicine and tend to any cuts they’ve acquired, from wheelchair spokes, etc. Then it’s time to go outside.

            Many of the children, the littlest ones and the most immobile ones, sadly stay inside, but others are allowed on the terrace overlooking the courtyard. The few that can walk are allowed to go play and eventually, we brought others in their wheelchairs outside where we just walked around, had wheelchair races, etc. They love going fast. But for most of the time, I was dragged around by Nadir. Nadir is probably about 13 years old and is physically normal, but has some sort of mental disability. He helps tremendously around the orphanage, even helping the nurses to move the other children in and out of the tubs. Nadir loves hugs and loves giving kisses on the cheek and hand, of which I received many. Haha. Apparently he usually chooses a person to become attached to. And attached he was. He held my wrist or linked arms with me and dragged me around. We jumped in the bounce house, threw around a basketball and played too many games of tag. He really is the sweetest thing and would make me constantly repeat my name, saying “Nadir,” pointing to himself, then pointing at me to say “Allie.” The only difficult thing is that while he does speak, it’s in Arabic, making communicating difficult. But nevertheless, he hung onto my wrist. At first I was annoyed that I didn’t get a chance to interact with more children, but then I realized, I have 9 more days volunteering, I have plenty of time.

            The other children are adorable as well. I really enjoy speaking French to a few that I know can understand me. It’s the best feeling to know that you’re helping.

Whew! Well after placement, we came back for lunch and then at 2:00, went out for a tour of old Rabat. We started out at the Medina. We were all excited because we hadn’t found it yesterday, but…turns out we had. The Medina was just SO much bigger than we thought and went on and on with all different kinds of shops. Lots of shoe stores; stores selling nuts, dates, apricots, spices; rug stores; clothing stores, people selling the littlest turtles I’ve ever seen; etc, etc, etc. It definitely was reminiscent of the market in the movie Aladdin, if anyone remembers that.

Dates

Olives

We walked through the Medina and out the other side where we entered the Kasbah. So basically, “Kasbah” means “fortified village” and was built in the 12^th century. It was filled with beautiful gardens and even a café! We walked through a neighborhood with the whitewashed and blue walls and it opened out onto the ocean and a fantastic view of Morocco that was honestly breathtaking. If I could describe Morocco in one word, it would be “colorful.”

 Kasbah

Inside the Kasbah

Outside a Mosque

Awesome View

From here, we went to the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. The tombs of the grandfather, father, and uncle of the current king, Mohammed VI, are housed here. The guards are insanely decked out, and apparently one of the only military officers you’re allowed to take pictures of/with. Inside the mausoleum is a balcony that overlooks the three tombs and a man sitting and reading the Koran. We were all certain that he was not reading it though, as he had sunglasses on and was definitely asleep. Oh well. An unfinished mosque, begun in the 12th century, surrounds the mausoleum, as construction halted when the king died. The minaret, the tower that serves as the point from which the call to prayer is made. Apparently, this was supposed to be the tallest in the world at that time 86 meters tall, but it is less than halfway completed.

Swanky guard

The minaret

Unfinished mosque

And another swanky guard

"Reading" the Koran

At this point, some people headed back to Home Base while others, me included, returned to the Medina to shop a little. I got some sweet earrings and a headband, and some other gifts that I will not disclose at this time. ;)

Oh man! Sorry for the long post, but it was a long day and we learned a lot! I promise tomorrow’s post won’t be as wordy.

A demain, mes amis!

-Allie

P.s. we had a sort of mini potato latkes for dinner, yummmm.

P.p.s. this is for you, Neil.

Surfers!