If you wait long enough on the dusty corner of a side street, you will inevitably see a little boy walk by, a wooden top coiled by string and, from time to time, pausing to flick it down to the ground and send it spinning in the dirt. My obsession with this toy, called a trombiya, […]

Salam alaykum! It has been a long but gratifying week.  On Tuesday morning, bright and early, we boarded two buses to depart for our 5 day trip to the Sahara.  Unfortunately, I was struck with a cold right before we left – very bad timing, but, geared with a handy dandy handkerchief and a week’s […]

Morocco is a refuge for addicts of saturated color, a haven for devotees of intricate pattern, a destination for admirers of striking architecture.    -Maryam Montague   Our second night in Marrakech, overlooking the famous Jamaa el Fna market.   Traditional Moroccan Mint Tea.  Consumed at least three times a day, and with copious amounts of […]

On Saturday we went on a tour of the famous historical sites in the city. We jumped on a big bus that drove us between sites and then dropped us off to walk around and explore each place on the tour. The director of the Center for Language and Culture was the head tour guide […]