Life in Taghazout

Once a small Berber fishing village turned into a hippie paradise during the 1960's when Jimi Hendrix, and others passed through. Today this is where you come to surf. Apparently one of the best surfing points in Northwestern Africa that still has a lingering feeling of flower power and a constant faint smell of weed. This is Taghazout, with its blue wooden fishing boats that leaves for the open sea early in the morning and comes back at night, where the waves crashes against the cliffs between the beaches. This is where you drink your mint tea and read a good book, meet up with a friend or two and watch the sun go down with a fizzle in the Atlantic.

Although there isn't much to do here unless you're either a surfer, smoker or both, it's hard not to like this place. It has an atmosphere that is uncomparable; everyone that comes here, no matter if it's an independent traveler, a family, a loving couple, an old fart or a peaceful traveler from the Rainbow Family; everybody loves it - and so do I. It's nice that it's close to the city, where I can get groceries that can't be found here, have a beer or just soak up the presence of a busy city.

I have to admit that I spend most part of the day indoors these days. It started with the rain which made me "forced" to study harder because there simply wasn't anything else to do. And then I got so used to it that I kinda forgot that I was in paradise and not stuck back home in Sweden where everything sucked. I have to change that, get out more, see more, do more. The trip me and Rachid were going to make during Christmas might happen one of these days instead. The rain season seems to be over for the most part and I would really enjoy the fresh air of the mountains for a couple of days. The study loan arrived today, but of course I have no access to it since my wallet got stolen, so no VISA. But perhaps dad can send them to me tomorrow and I'll be off in a day or two. Let's hope!

Cockroaches, studies and a beautiful day!

What an absolutely gorgeous day! Ok, yesterday was shitty. I failed my first exam in Pedagogy and realized that I'll be very low on cash this month. I was really pissed off and wanted to go see Rachid at work, but then I found a cockroach in my shoes and couldn't find the keys. But no worries. Apparently there were quite a few that failed so at least I'm not alone, and on Friday I'll get my second chance. I finished writing the second exam, which is due on Wednesday, so now I have a couple of days extra to rewrite the first one. Phew!

Anyways, I woke up in a great mood. Maybe because of happy dreams that I can't remember, or maybe because I in my sleep realized that everything will be ok. No need to worry or get stressed up because of problems that aren't really problems at all. So I got up, made myself a subway á la Morocco with white beans and stuff and sat down to study for a couple of hours. I then slipped in my cockroach free shoes, found the keys and went down to the shop where Rachid is working. We went to the beach, found ourselves a nice little spot on the rocks, had a swim in the great waves of the Atlantic and dried ourselves in the warm sun. Ah... at times like that I wish I could share the bliss i feel in my heart and soul.

A few days ago Shasha Marley got a friend. We found Ziggy Marley all alone and full of fleas on the beach and decided to take him home. He's about the same age as Shasha and they are now getting along very well. It's also way cool to have a pitch black and a snow white cat! The fleas were taken care of with vinegar and garlic. I hope they'll stay away for good. Fleas are well disgusting!

My tomatoes are growing healthily too. If I'm lucky they'll be fully grown by the time parts of my family gets here. It would be great to offer then fresh vegetables from my own garden, especially since I hate fresh tomatoes myself : P

Peace.

First month in Morocco

I can't believe I've been in Morocco for one month already. It's the end of October and all is well. Things are more than well really, I'm still happy as can be and wouldn't change a thing in the world as it is now. Moving to Morocco and to Rachid is one of the best choices I've made in my life so far. We are getting installed in our small apartment; the tiny garden is growing healthily, we got ourselves a fridge and a stove and now there's not much we need to be comfortable. Well, a proper toilet would be nice of course, since I'm not used to the hole-in-the-floor-toilets that are the common thing here in Morocco. I suppose that anyone from back home would agree that it's definitely nicer to have a toilet to sit on instead of having to squat every time. But hey, I'm not complaining. Moving to a new country takes to get accustomed to new things, and if a little squatting is what it takes to continue to stay happy, then so be it!
We've been to see Rachid's family. It was great meeting them but I regret not knowing enough arabic to be able to talk to them, but insha'allah I will learn it in the future. If all goes as planned, my mum, darling Anton, my nan and her partner will come to visit in mid November.

I'm really looking forward to them coming here. I'm sure they will find many things here alien, but I'm also sure they will enjoy it, just as I will enjoy their stay (and of course all the goodies they will bring from Sweden - things that I of course already have on my mental list!). I'm also sure that certain family members will be less concerned about me when they get proof that I do live a good life here, and that I am, in fact, very very happy. I wish that my dad and the rest of my brothers and sisters will be able to come vist soon too. Do I need to remind them that the fishing here is supposedly great (I wouldn't know since I don't eat and/or kill animals ; )?

And speaking of food. A couple of days ago we went to the souk, and I tried my very first Aknari, a delicious fruit that grows on certain cactuses here in Morocco. It tastes like some mix between pears and melon and contains hard seeds that you apparently can make really really expensive oil from. The same day Rachid tried to convince me of drinking a darkish foul smelling hot soup, which is made of... behold; snails. The horrible smell stayed in my nostrils all night. Ewwww!

About a week ago we found a skinny black stray cat that we took in. His name is Shasha Marley, is about two months old and is wearing my bead bracelet as a collar. He has gained some weight and is constantly either in my lap, on my chest or on my shoulder. Lately he has started to spend some more time with Rachid too, but my guess is that it's because he ususally gives him food ; )

I miss everyone, especially Linda who is pregnant. I really wish that I could be there for her, but I hope that she knows that she is always in my heart and mind. I can't wait for her and the kids to come visit once the baby is born and properly installed into the world!

Tomorrow I'll be going to Agadir to run a few arrends, and will also try and get a post box here in Taghazout so that everyone that loves me back in Sweden can send me tons of snus and salty licorice : P

Love you all!

How wonderful life is!

Ah, how wonderful life can be! Every day I wake up and see the sun shine through the window. I get out of bed, get dressed and open the door to the yard. Outside there is no cold hitting my face, no rain washing my skin, just the sun warming my smiling face. If I then open the door to the street, I’ll meet equally smiling people, all heading to or from the beach, where wild waves are crashing and sea gulls are diving for the remnants of blue fishing boats. My bag is packed with a bottle of water and a thin blanket, not much else is necessary for a short escape. The water will moisten my throat when it goes dry and my belly with the love for life when it goes empty. I had forgotten what it was like to be genuinely happy, to feel true bliss. Now I know.

It’s windy today, just like it’s supposed to be at this time of year. The surf season has just started and the hostels and riyads are starting to get filled with happy surfers. They have been here before, they all have. Taghazout is the kind of place that leaves a person wanting for more, that stays with you throughout the year until it’s time for next holiday and your ticket is booked without you even thinking about it. It draws you towards its enchanting bosom year after year, until one day when you wake up and realize that you’re retired from work and would like nothing else than end your last few years in the place that has welcomed you for so long. It didn’t take years for me to realize that this is where I want to live, maybe not for the rest of my life, but long enough to build a solid ground for a new life.