Paris

Bonjour tout le monde!

I had a really exhausting but exciting trip in Morocco, I'll hopefully get some pictures up soon. Besides Julian I travelled with Lucas, who is also from UBC and studying at Science Po in Paris, and Jordy, who is taking a year abroad at science Po from the university of Melbourne. Our plan was to meet a guide in Marakesh and travel to M'hamed to see the desert. Unfortunately an unnanticipated transit stike forced us to make new plans. instead, we travelled by "scab" bus inland through the mountains from marakesh eventually making it to ozarate where we went on an overnight camel trek in the desert. I got lots of sweet stuff, I dont want anyone back home getting too excited.. but lets just say that I have you covered if youi're in need of anything fossil or bookstop related (or fossil-bookstop related). Unfortunately one persons givft was smashed by easyjet but luckily I decided (or more accurately was forced by its size) to carry my most prized aquisition on the plane. It was quite amusing, without giving it away, what i bought is reasonably identiable even wrapped up, so i got a few knowing nods and thumbs up from other tourists (who were less ambitious or decided to risk checking their luggage).

interesting Morocco fact: Morocco has a king! who'd a though eh? His name is Muhammed six (no typo there, that's Muhammed Six, not "the sixth") and his face is on pictures and billboards eveywhere-businessman muhammed in the cities, good muslim muhammed in the medina, army muhammed by the palace, baby muhammed in someone's house, "ballin" muhammed with a rolex like a sundial near a mall... he's apparently quite popular and has brought quite a lot of reform to morocco, including making women equal citizens in the early 2000's.

foreign food (to avoid) of the day: dates
discription: prunelike, very sweet
common mistake: assuming they will be really good because you've seen them being grown all morning on the bus and everyone in the market is eating them
tipoff: all the flies

I hope the big 1 9 went well Adam! dont worry about your port hours. they only have 2 weeks posted so far (not a month) and it doesnt look like there are many cruises for some reason. you also arent trained yet, so training will be three or four consecutive days and once youre trained and have completed your shadowing shifts you'll start getting more regular work.

Andrew