31 days, 1 hour, and 36 min

I went to title this post "One Month" when blogger notified me I already have a post titled One Month. I remember the emotions I had then, just days after my birthday. I had to get all my stuff together, pack it all up, say goodbye, get in my last work hours. I had so much to do, but also wanted to live my last days to the fullest. I can't believe that day was 2 months ago!!! Life is flying by! I'm in shock that I've been here this long already, but at the same time it feels like its been so much longer than one month.

I posted awhile back about two different worlds, and that's really how it is. I think back to a little over a month ago when I was scrambling to finish packing my bags, and it seems so far away. Everything about the United States seems far away and disconnected right now, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

So... What have I done in a month:

• Jazz au Chellah
• Started Darija
• School, school, school
• Won Rabat City Challenge with Kate and Astrid, (informal competition with the other YES Abroad students)
• Shopping in the Medina
• Bought Babush (Moroccan slippers)
• Hammam!
• A public bathing house. Will post more on this later. I love it!
• Plage d'Oudaya
• haven't swum yet, but walked out on the pier and have run on the beach a couple of times with Catherine in the early morning
• Oudaya
• Cafes
• everyday. I'm finding my favorite places
• Marjon with host fam
• Beach, well rocky shore close to our house
• several times, even gone out in the tide pools with Catherine
• Bibliotheque  Nationale (National Library)
• most awkward experience of my life... apparently there's not actually any books..?
• Tram
• daily-just got my tram pass!
• Taxi
• all the time
• Sale
• Gone to Church! Love Rabat International Church so far!

I've done so much and it adds up everyday! I can't think of anything else to put on that list, but I'm sure I could fill my entire blog with lists of what I've done since I came here. The honeymoon stage is over, and now my life here is well... life. Yes, there are exciting things, but it's still life. I wake up at 6am grab some breakfast and sprint to the tram. I sit through a 2 hour class barely keeping my eyes open. It's the same as back in the USA. Everyday is a rollercoaster, and I have ups and downs every hour. I'm having a great time, but exchange isn't a vacation. I love it here! I love the people and the experiences I'm having, but that also doesn't mean that I don't stay up late at night trying to understand Candide by Voltaire, in it's original text.

I had so many ideas for this post, but now that I'm actually sitting down and typing it all out, they're flying away. I've gone running 3 times this week, and I'm super proud because it's really hard to get out and run here. You can't just walk outside and start running, you have to go to a park or jardin that's fenced in. It's a hassle, and I don't have time to come all the way home in the middle of the day just to run so I end up brining all my stuff to AMIDEAST to run. I have yet to play flute, sadly. I'm a bit scared to because I live in an apartment and don't want to disturb the neighbors, but there's not much else to do. The saddest part of all is... soccer is pretty much just not an option.

School's been good. Not great, it's school all the same, but good. It's really difficult and after every class I need some serious TLC, or an ice cream normally works too. It can be really rough sitting in a 2 hour lecture style class that's all in French. The really cool thing is that I'm starting to not have to translate back and forth between English and French.

Check out my latest vlog and have a great day!

http://youtu.be/kCUSgWDbVBk

Oh and I was running in the park this morning, but I was so focused on budgeting my stipend for the month that I realized I wasn't looking around and taking in my surroundings. I had my eyes open, but I wasn't seeing. 

So, I stopped and looked left. Sure enough, there was yet another peacock sitting on the wall. So folks, keep your eyes open!