The Morocco Report

I have no idea how, because Google is not working right now, but my students have somehow tracked me down all over the internet...I don't think to here, but they mentioned a blog and I have no idea which they are referring to.

Interesting sightings and conversations this week.  First, about three days ago, a man pulled in front of me (I was on foot) with his van, and tried to pin me between him and the van.  I swore at him in Arabic and kept walking, then wrote down his license plate in case I ever run into him again (so I can kick his ass, of course).

Then, upon arriving home, I found that our neighborhood cat (not my cat) had died.  Apparently he was attacked by a pit bull.  When his caretaker (the owner of a teleboutique nearby) and Hamza were discussing this and reminiscing, this old man sitting beside us (in full djellaba, with a fez and everything) stood up and yelled "Allah harikuk ntawiya" which, roughly translated, means "God burn you!"  His point was that we were crying over the death of a street cat.  Point taken.

In another instance, someone with whom I have a professional relationship was asking why, if I'm not fasting, am I not smoking during the day.  I replied that it was rude, and he replied that, were he a smoker, he would be smoking (mind you, he is Moroccan).  I said, "But aren't you fasting?" and he said "yes," left the room, then returned and said "I've been fasting since lunch" and left.  Hilarious.

Lastly, a student today referred to the relationship between France and England and said, in so many words, that they were connected by their shared history and Waterloo.

Between all of those things and the cow thigh I found on the sidewalk the other night...

Someone requested that I write in detail about how exactly it was that I, little ol' me, got to write a book about Morocco.

Well, my friends, that is a good question.  The truth is, I have absolutely no idea.  I got lucky.  That is not to say I'm an inexperienced writer - I've been paid several times before for my efforts, but never at this magnitude.

Here's how it started - I sent an e-mail to the publisher of the previous book in the series, which shall remain nameless (though if you are at all sleuthful, you could figure it out).  I complained, basically, that the book was outdated, that I disagreed with it, and received a nice e-mail from the head of the company telling me that they appreciated the sentiment and oh, by the way, they were releasing a new series, and was I a writer?  I literally jumped at the chance to prove myself, and quickly replied that, while slightly inexperienced, indeed I was.  After a few rounds of e-mails and writing samples, I had in my hands a book contract.

If that all seems very unbelievable, believe me, it did to me too.  I occasionally feel like a bit of an imposter, but despite the fact that sealing the deal was basically a coincidence, it hasn't stopped me from writing and getting more deals (not books, just articles) on my own talent and merits.

And that's that.  Next post: The Horror that is the Moroccan National Zoo, in photos. (by my lovely new camera!)