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During the process of finding out which country and host school we were assigned to for this field experience, the country, Morocco, was revealed the afternoon before holiday break.  Then it was just a matter of learning our city assignments and host teacher contact information.  At the proper time, Max, the ever present "man behind the curtain" told us we were assigned to Larbi Doghmi High School in Temara, a suburb of Rabat.

My original Okie English pronunciation of Temara was Tuh-mar-uh so when others asked which city Todd and I were assigned to, I said "they told us Tuh-mar-uh and we said, No, we want to know tonight!"  So by the time we got to Rabat, the word had evolved into Tuh-mare-uh.  When we met Meriem and she asked us what city we were assigned to, we proudly said Tuh-mare-uh.  She gave us an odd look, as only Meriem can, and then half smiling, half snickering said "You're going to hardship?  Tuh-mare-uh means hardship!"

"Uhhhh, that's not where we want to go," we replied.  "It's pronounced Tem-rruh" Meriem helpfully added.  The rest of the journey, Todd and I pronounced that southern suburb of Rabat as Tem-rruh.  And that's just one of the many times Meriem rescued us from hardship.