Time to Go

Today I begin to work my way back up to Spain. I start work in Cadiz on July 1st, a fact that is slowly begin to set in...and it is not setting comfortably...

The marriage continued last night, but I didn't. After two nights of nonstop dancing and late hours, I was finished, and went to bed to try and get some sleep. Unfortunately, although I was done partying, many people in town were not, and the music and honking of car horns kept me awake long after I laid down. I spent the night in a constant wake and sleep cycle that was only finally terminated with the rising of the sun.

Today I headed into town after breakfast to buy some gifts for the family and take care of a few other things before I travel. I shaved my head, bought some presents, and got my ticket for tonight, and then headed home. Sitting outside Abdou's house, I heard some music and a group of us ran off in direction of the noise.

And the marriage party continued...Today's celebration is a breakfast celebration for the first breakfast that the new couple shares. We were invited into the house, which was filled with women singing, dancing, and playing drums. A large table filled nearly half of a large room, and was covered with cakes, pastries, breads and candies of all sorts.

Not wanting to intrude, I stood off to the side and listened to the music, recording all on my IPod. Suddenly, my hand was being pulled, my hat was taken off my head, the weight of my bag was taken. I was pushed and pulled into a circle of women and made to dance.

My dancing, from the first step, elicited a flight of laughter from the women. Howling, they motioned to me to dance more everytime that I showed signs of slowing. Suddenly, the music stopped, and a tall dark women next to me started yelling something at me, laughing and pointing at another woman. She rubbed her two index fingers together in the international sign of marriage or intercourse. I understood nothing and understood everything. The chosen woman and I looked at eachother, silently exchanging hellos and sharing our mutual embarrasment.

All of the other women starting laughing (the tape is fantastic) and pointing at the woman, screaming "zwina, zwina" (good, beautiful). The pushed her into the circle with me and tried to make her dance. She laughed and resisted, but everytime that she tried to leave the circle she was pushed back in again. (Un)luckily, right at this moment Abdou motioned to me that we needed to leave, and once again losing all my volition, I was pulled from the circle.

We left and were asked to stt down in a nearby room for a minute, watching television with the groom and some other sleepy men. We made to leave (nobody explains anything to me--I just get told what to do on occasions like this) and reached the front door, where this time a group of men pushed us back inside, telling us that we must drink tea with them. Back in we went.

We drank tea with the men and ate pastries from the baskets that were presented to us. I was not hungry, but I did not even try and refuse their offerings, knowing that there was no use in even trying. I would eat pastries and drink tea, and then I would return to Abdou's house, where no matter how much I ate, I would be presented with more and forced to eat. And then, when I had reached the point of true fullness, had rubbed my belly contentedly and thanked God for the meal, I would be made to eat more. (The phrase, "just three more pieces of watermelon" has become as common to me as "hello" in my time here).

So that is that. The end of an era. It is difficult to leave this place. The people I have met here have been like family, and I have really enjoyed the feeling of acceptance that the people of the town have made me feel. I have enjoyed saying hello and being recognized, and being asked to carry groceries for old women. I think that I might even miss people watching over my shoulder while I use the computer.

I catch a bus tonight at 9 PM for Casablanca, which is only about an hour and half from El Jadida, where I must go and speak with Si Zoutni, Vice Chair of the Department of Letters of the University there. I hope that I will leave our meeting with a job offer, but I have a feeling that the whole thing is a bit of pipe dream. I will soon see.

I hope to upload some photos as soon as leave this town. Unfortunately, because I do not know what computer is the viral culprit here in Errachidia, I have enacted a boycott on all camera connections in this town. So, photos to come soon, Inshallah.

I hope that all are well, and thanks for reading.