I love Marrakech!

October in Marrakech….how lovely.  Just spent the weekend with a great girlfriend from LA.  We laughed (a lot), we drank wine (a lot), we danced ( a little), she shopped while the Moroccan boys offered to show us carpets as well as offered to become husbands—kind of cute.  Overall we just had an amazing time together.  Reminded me of how much I’ve been craving girlfriends. 

Every day I love my life more and more.  35 is great!  Things just keep getting better and better both professionally and personally.  My business is still not up and running but I am taking those baby steps to get it moving.  I am currently working on my catalog layout and still tweaking my bio, about company, etc.  Additionally, I’ve been thinking of different ways to start bringing in an income and with some help from my friend I think we’ve come up with some good ideas. 

I feel like this really has become my city and every day I am becoming more and more a Marakchia (girl from Marrakech as they say around here).  I still have a lot to learn but it’s not as scary or intimidating as it was when I first arrived.  I’m meeting people in the neighborhood–the girl at the copy shop, who by the way, really liked my designs when she saw them, to the guy I buy my bread from (he got a kick out of hearing me ask for bread in my moroccan arabic–I think he was also a little confused as everyone still thinks I’m Moroccan).  I’m also meeting people outside of the neighborhood.  People my age who are doing interesting work.  They’re French, American, British, Italian and Moroccan.  I feel like I’m finally finding the community I was looking for. 

Yesterday I went for a walk around the souks.  I usually stay away from the souks unless I really have to go.  A friend described the souks as being a bit like Times Square.  “Do you really go to Times Square unless you have to?”  Answer was no.  But I did it anyway.  And I felt good doing so.  Yes, I heard the “Come in, just to look”,  ”Hello, Hello, Hello”,  “French, Spanish, Morocco?”  but it didn’t bother me.  I actually kind of enjoyed it.  I was able to enjoy it and not get so worked up about it.  I even stopped occassionally and chatted with people.  I had fun.  On one of my detours I found a fondouk (“a place that once provided rooms for traders and richer students, and frequently became centres of vice, intrigue and entertainment”….hmmm).  Typically I would not go in because I would be sure that what would follow would make me regret stepping foot inside and escaping would be a difficult challenge but I went for it.  Inside I met Ali, Ali Baba, as he liked to refer to himself and he gave me a tour around his shops, mostly antiques.  I noticed there were also some woodworkers working away.  Curious girl that I am, I had to take a peek.  Inside the small workshop I found two artisans carving some cedar wood.  One of them was carving tiny, little wooden wands that are used or used to be used by women to apply their eyeliner.  You can still see these all over the souks.  Or, the tiny wand were used by Chinese women to tie up their hair–they said it, not me.  I loved it so lucky me was given one as a gift. 

Cedar Hair StickPlease forgive the messy hair...hopefully you get the idea...

 

 

 

 As I continued my little tour of the souk I began chatting with with another artisan.  He carved designs such as fish or stars or apartment numbers onto tiles.  He wanted to show me what he did so as I stoodby to watch as he carved away on a tiny bit of red tile.  I noticed his little design was turning into a heart shape…ahhh, how they love to charm a girl.  After he asked for my name he then carved a tiny D onto my heart.  Another gift for me.

My heart

It was time for me to leave but not before I promised to return which hopefully if I can make the right turn again, I will. 

Oh, before I go I must let you know that my sister and brother in law are coming to Marrakech today.  I can barely contain my excitement!  I found it very difficult to be productive and do any work this morning.  I’ll be sure to keep you posted on our adventures together….maybe they’ll love it so much they won’t want to go back either….I’m working on it……