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.

Finally on My Way!

It's 8:27 in the morning and I'm sitting on the bus that will take me from Göteborg to Kastrup Airport in Copenhagen, Denmark. I estimate to arrive at the airport around 12:30 so I hope I will have anough time to check in and get the extra bag payed for and checked in as well.

Yesterday, the day before my travel, I got a problem, or rather two problems. I had gotten the information that i could bring two bags containing 23 kgs each, but just yesterday I found out that I can only bring one bag. So now I'm hoping that I can bring that extra bag as exceeded luggage and pay extra for each kilo that exceed the 23 kg limit. They said it will cost me around 100 Euro. Ouch.

Second problem was that I never had time to get my licence from my doctor saying that the medicines I'm bringing are essential to me and are legal. When I rang the doctor they said that it just wasn't possible to scan and email the damn thing. God knows for what reason. I'm guessing they were just lazy or just had no clue about how to do that. I had no option but to pack the medicines and hope for the best, in otherwords that they won't check my medicines at the customs and that everything will run smoothly from then on.

Anyways, it's raining when I'm leaving Göteborg and the sky is thick with grey clouds. My mum dropped me off at the airport and it was hard to see her cry when we said goodbye. I know they're worried about me, but this is something i really want to do, I even need it. At the airport I ran in to one of my very best friends Jakob by chance. It was really great to getto see him before I went and give him a hug. I'll miss you Jakob!

I'm trying to take in as much as I can of the green woods along the highway. I know I will miss all the green we have in Sweden. But on the other hand I'll instead be blessed with a wonderful man, lushy hills, snow covered mountains in the distance, endless beaches, palm trees and gigantic souqs filled with things that I won't be able to resist buying no matter what. Just imagine all the fantastic Moroccan handicrafts; lamps, clay pots, gorgeous fabrics, pouffs, scarfs and amazing wooden and iron furniture.

Please keep in touch everyone. I'd love to hear of any updates. Especielly Anna's wedding, Frida and Jona's gorgeous daughter Tyra, the growing belly of Linda, the life in Göteborg and everything else. So don't forget me just because I move to a different continent. Internet rules remember!

I love you all. And thank you for a great fare well dinner last Sunday. I know that some of you are worried, but please don't be. I promise that I can take care of myself and deal with any problems that may or may not occur.

Mmmmwah!

Ticket is Booked!

Finally I got to book the ticket. I got a very happy surprise yesterday when I called the bank's phone service to check if possibly I had a few coins left and instead I realized that my first payment of the study loan had come through! I didn't expect it until the end of the month, so imagine how happy I was to be able to buy the ticket and move weeks in advance.

So, on the 22nd this month I'm finally leaving Sweden for a new life in Taghazout, Morocco. I was first thinking of flying with Ryan Air to Marrakech again but decided against it since they only allow 15 kg of luggage. I got another ticket with IBERIA for around 2500 SEK, which is an acceptable price. Then I'll be able to bring two bags with 23 kgs each, and land in Agadir instead of Marrakech.

I'm starting to get a bit nervous. There are tons of things I have to deal with before I go, but at least the ticket is booked and paid for and most of my course litterature is on the way. I hope I will get all the necessary paper work before I go, but if I don't I suppose mum can send them to me as soon as I get myself a post box in Morocco. There's no turning back now; I'm going!

In every obstacle there's an opportunity

So I got admitted to the online Pedagogy class at University of Umeå and today my application for study loan came through too, which means that in about a week I will get my first payment and will be able to book a one-way-ticket to Morocco. When I got the news about the loan I literally started to shake. I know I didn't really have a reason to worry about wether I would get it or not, because I've passed all my classes so far, but there was still a tiny part of me that was prepared for something else to go wrong so I would have to postpone my move even longer. But al-hamdulillah I don't have to!

Now there are a ton of things that needs to be taken care of before I can go; school books to be ordered and delivered, a new passport, insurance, various paper work and a mighty big suitcase. And of course a course of treatment using penicillin to get rid of a nasty infection.

If I'm lucky, then I'll be out of Sweden in less than a month. Hurrah!

Home at Last.

I came home last Thuesday night I think. I sat down in the airport in Khartoum and started to freeze like madness. An hour or so later came the fever. The whole way home I was in fit of shivering and was hallucinating. One of my bags got lost somewhere in Frankfurt and I missed the train home to Göteborg from Arlanda. Pissed off and madly tired I finally got home, passed out in the sofa and then stayed there for three days or so. I feel better now and it's nice to be home.

Khalid got home a couple of weeks ago, with a beard, moustach all over his face and he looked more like a rebel than the rebels themselves. I met him in the airport in Khartoum and couldn't let him go until some 24 hours later. Luckily - or unluckily enough, the whole family saw the ring I had on my finger (a gift from Khalid before he left for Darfur and I was meant to go back to Sweden before his return) and thought that we had gotten engaged after all. So, the "welcome-home-party" for Khalid also became something different. All the female family and relatives met me with "OIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI!", you know that shriek in falsett that you hear in the arab world when something is celebrated. So, in Sudan I'm engaged after all.

For those of you who missed it, the second interview I had through Transit is still in P3's webpage. Listen how "Transit's correspondant Maria Andersson calls from Sudan and with terror in her voice explains how her boyfriend got kidnapped in Darfur". Very entertaining.

So, I'm staying with my dad at the moment and will move to Borås after a while. Depends if I can get an ok job there. And if I'm lucky, my Khalid will come in a few months!

Kidnapping Drama

Yes, I'm still in Sudan and the last two weeks has been chaotic, and that's an understatement. My broyfriend has been kidnapped by rebels in El Fasher, Darfur, and no one knows why or when he'll be released. The matter has gone to the higher authorities in the UN and negotiations are going on from all corners of the country (and outside too). They promised that he would be released last Saturday or Sunday, and when Sunday arrived they said tomorrow, and today (Monday) they sayd tomorrow or the day after. I guess it's good news that he's with the rebels. That at least means that he's alive and haven't died from thirst in the desert, but stil... I've been a complete wreck, but it feels a little bit better now.

I live with Jaouad and Steven still. I have tried to keep myself busy with different activities with friends, but it's hard to think about anything else other than the kidnapping. If something like this had happened in Sweden this would be all over the news, but here, I've only read a few notices.

I won't be writing anything long today. I just wanted to thank everyone that has called and written to me, it has meant so much for me. When Khalid comes back I will live with him and his dfamily for a few days before I leave for Sweden. I got my passport back, but the visa is still not valid. Hopefully it will be enough to get me out of the country, but who knows... So far things haven't gone as planned, so I don't take anything for granted until I step off the plane in Arlanda.

See you soon, I hope. Thanks again to everyone who has called or kept in touch in other ways.