Monday evening's dinner was a prime example of how a teacher from Oklahoma can rise to power quickly in a wonderful nation like Morocco. After a traditional Moroccan hand-washing at the front door, consisting of warm water poured over my hands from a silver tea pot, I was the first person to enter the seating area. This was a traditional Moroccan seating arrangement of a u-shaped sectional type sofas made of large soft pillows. The area wrapped around two rectangular tables with very fancy woven Moroccan table cloths in a U shape.
I had no choice, really, except to scooch (Is that a word or did I just misspell scooch? Yeah. I spelled it right all you English teachers out there!) to the end and sit down at what was actually the foot of the table. When the waiter arrived with bread and olives for the table, he reached across the tables and over some of my colleagues to hand me the basket.
"For the king", the waiter stated! Laughter ensued around the table and I haven't lived it down yet. To add to my meteoric rise in social status here in this incredible land, at lunch the next day, I was seated at one end of the table once again. I was dressed in a navy sports coat with a lapel pin that has the U.S. and Moroccan flags on it. Anyone who has seen my expansive wardrobe knows I never wear a sports coat unless someone has married the love of their life or expired.
The waiter arrived. He sat the bread, olives and sauces on the table in front of me and said "For Le Presidente!" This was the second day in a row I had been granted high status by the locals who laughed along with the rest of the diners at that table. Some of them had been at the table the night before. Their sides were splitting. So were mine. "I know, last night the king, today Le Presidente!" I said.
As we waited for entrees to arrive, Kendra, the IREX facilitator asked us what our favorite part of the experience was so far. Others gave thoughtful examples of grand historic sites or standing on the edge of the Atlantic looking West towards home. I said my many stations of authority here in Morocco. "What do you mean?" she followed. Last night I was king! Today I am Le Presidente! and we're going to be making some changes around here!" Apologies to those with a mouthful of lunch beverage.
So, at Wednesday's lunch I was named Prime Minister by one of the TGC teachers. Can't wait to see where my ascent to power takes me on Thursday, the day we mosey on over to our host school!
Thanks again for reading. Wish you could all be here! It's beautiful.
OinM
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