ASI Residence

The residence I live in is in the same complex as the school. It houses faculty from the University as well as teachers from the school. My window faces south and has a beautiful view of the mountains and the road to Azrou (nearby town).

Afternoon light

Scapa, the cat is watching my students play....yes, some of my students live next to me.

Scapa was originally taken in by a couple who left. The next family took great care of him but unfortunately had to leave suddenly. He is friendly and well taken care of by the community....but now spends lots of time on my couch!

Mindful kitty

Weekend Kitty

Tall ceilings and architecture are remnant from the French colonization. I feel like I live in a ski lodge.

Eid al-Adha

Sheep grazing in a field 

Eid al-Adha is the Islamic holiday commemorating Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) devotion to follow God’s command to sacrifice his son Ishmael. God saw his willingness and faithfulness in this action and instead allowed him to sacrifice a sheep in his son’s place. Muslims around the world celebrate this holiday by slaughtering a sheep.

In Morocco, almost every family slaughters a sheep and most do it in their home. The sheep is usually brought a few days before the holiday to ensure they have one for the Eid. There are more than 3 million male sheep slaughtered on this day in Morocco alone. After the Eid prayer, King Mohammed VI will slaughter a sheep for his family and one for the people broadcast on television. Traditionally Moroccan families wait until the King slaughters his sheep before they slaughter their own (around 10 am).

Not all families slaughter the sheep themselves. There are people who are able to help with this task and they can be asked to slaughter sheep.

On the day of the Eid, most families eat the liver and heart because they can be eaten right away. The rest of the meat is hung for the blood to drain. Afterwards it can be marinated and grilled, while other parts are best used for stews. Sweets and pastries are abundant and many friends and families visit each other throughout the day.

(last two photos taken from  http://www.moroccoboard.com/news/5474-preparing-for-eid-al-adha-in-morocco)

Souk

The Ifrane souk (traveling outdoor market) comes to town twice a week on Saturday and Sunday. You can buy fruits and vegetables, spices, and almost anything you'd find at a flea market. They even have a pop up restaurant, juice stands and carts of seasonal fruit cut and served for you.

Mmmm...chilis! I bought 5 for 1 dirham.

Produce is much cheaper at the souk than if purchased in the Ifrane Marche or city center. Guess how much this table of fruits, veggies, spices and herbs cost?

160 dirhams! (which is about $16) Yes that is a big bag of eggplant.

Ifrane was developed by France in the 1920s and has a highly European feel to it. It is located in the Middle Atlas Mountains and because of its altitude of 1,665 m (5,460 ft) has an alpine climate. Most don't think of snow when they hear about Morocco or Africa but this ski resort town once recorded a low temperature of -24 degrees celsius (-11 degrees f). The ski slopes are not in service anymore, but Ifrane still receives its share of snowfall.

The Ifrane School will close for snow days in conjunction with Al Akhawayn University. Though many students may not show up on snowy days due to transportation, a good percentage live within walking distance of the school.

 A stork sits atop a roof in Ifrane, enjoying the view.

Famous lion sculpture found in the city center surrounded by beautiful gardens and tree lined roads.

Ifrane, One of the World's Cleanest Cities

Snow in Africa?

Week one...completed! I hope you all had a smooth start to the year. 

Al Akhawayn School of Ifrane (ASI) is a Pre-K to Grade 12 school with approximately 140 students. It was opened in 1995 in conjunction with Morocco's first and only English speaking University, Al Akhawayn University. 

The school has preschool students aged 2-4. Primary classes include one section of each grade (including my grade 4 class). Secondary school starts at grade 7 and include course selections such as British Literature, American Literature, English, Moroccan History, Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Space Science (includes Environmental Science and Astronomy), Algebra, Calculus and Geometry and more. 

Starting in kindergarten all students take French and Arabic as a language. Specials include Physical Education, Art, Music, and IT (computers). Students have a very busy schedule and a lot of homework when you account for the language classes. 

ASI is a semi-public school opened in conjunction with Al Akhawayn University. It requires a tuition. Many professors and staff members send their children to the school. It is also open to the community.

Al Akhawayn University (AUI)

The University was opened by King Hassan II.  Having a vision of an English speaking university in Morocco, King Hassan II saw an opportunity to open the university after being given a large endowment that was not used for its original purpose. An oil spill off the Atlantic coast of Morocco in 1990 sparked Saudi Arabia's King Fadh to send aid to Morocco (about 50 million dollars) to clean up the oil spill before it reached the coastline. Due to ocean currents and wind, the oil never reached the coastline and the money was left unused. King Hassan II decided the money would be well spent on opening the University. The name Al Akhawayn means two brothers, meaning King Hassan II of Morocco and King Fadh of Saudi Arabia. 

AUI and ASI are located in Ifrane, Morocco. Ifrane is situated in the Middle Atlas Mountains.

Miss Hsu's Grade 4 classroom

ASI front gate