Don't know why I even try when I know how it ends
I've been leaving it up to fate
It's my life so it's mine to make...
Easy for Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland to say...I've been back here for 4 months and have taken 10 flights in visiting 5 countries. I'm flying out in a week so I can take the train through 4 more nations. And the year is young. The way I figure, I don't how long I'm gonna be here, so I'm going to take full advantage and see the wonders of the world with my own 2 eyes. I want to view in person the things that have only ever previously existed on a page or screen.
In the meantime, I continue to live in the midst of the never-ending circus that is the "white city" of Casablanca. Despite my best efforts, I've yet to get run over. Yet. I'm glad I did a double-take on a still-dark Friday morning when a city bus barreled the road with its lights off as I crossed in a pre-dawn stupor on my way to my pick-up point. The way people drive here is crazy, which also defines how people cross streets seemingly without a care in the world.
I'm also not certain why perfect strangers have absolutely no problem whatsoever asking me to just give them my hard-earned dirhams. If you want to sit on the street with a hand out, OK. If you approach me in a reasonable manner, I don't like it but can live with it. Don't approach me as if you have a right to my money, and certainly do not give me grief and/or follow me when I decline. I'm not the biggest or baddest, but I stand 6'3" 250. Why would you voluntarily choose to mess with me? Guy came r-e-a-l close to getting put to sleep last night, and would've if not for the presence of cops.
I think I have an answer to that question, and it is rooted in the culture. I already knew such things as that if 2 men are having a very animated conversation, they are not necessarily having a heated argument. I've seen a couple of incidents this year that expand on that concept. I was at Derb Ghallef (the city block-sized black market) one afternoon when I saw 2 men jaw-jackin' at one another. I stopped to witness the impending fistfight. Alas, no such luck. In the States they'd have been throwin' dukes in a heartbeat.
Very recently, I left a grocery store to see a man whose vehicle had been pulled over by a policeman. They were along a busy road at rush hour. What the man was yelling I have no idea. What amazed me was the fact that he was doing it literally face-to-face with the officer. And this was allowed to happen?! There is not a single cop in the U.S. who wouldn't have, at a minimum, cracked his head open like a ripe melon when the guy got within reach. He would very possibly kill him. Guess the rules are different here. Still amazes me, though.
I bet the guy wouldn't mess with Marines! And that's who I was with last night. Well, I was with colleagues at the Marine House, where the aforementioned (Men's) Dept. of the Navy personnel who work at the consulate live. They were good enough to host a Happy Hour for us expats. Tons of fun. Been eating out way too much. Sushi last night, Chinese last week, etc. Too easy to do here. City living isn't quite my cup of tea, but it has its advantages, I suppose. My guy at the hanoot is cool. The kid at the KFC is determined to teach me a new French word when I come in. The parking guy on my block seems decent. Almost takes my mind off of the 2 bodies I came upon at the Piss Corner a week ago. I have to assume that contributed to someone's decision to just have that corner painted.
Ah, the fun never ends here. The are few certainties in life. Death, taxes and Casa cabbies will try to cheat you. I wish I knew what the future held for me. I used to, until I didn't. But I do know I'm going to accept an offer to return here next year. Heaven help me...
I ain't settling for just getting by
I've had enough so so for the rest of my life
Tired of shooting too low, so raise the bar high
Just enough ain't enough this time
I ain't settling for anything less than everything...
I've been leaving it up to fate
It's my life so it's mine to make...
Easy for Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland to say...I've been back here for 4 months and have taken 10 flights in visiting 5 countries. I'm flying out in a week so I can take the train through 4 more nations. And the year is young. The way I figure, I don't how long I'm gonna be here, so I'm going to take full advantage and see the wonders of the world with my own 2 eyes. I want to view in person the things that have only ever previously existed on a page or screen.
In the meantime, I continue to live in the midst of the never-ending circus that is the "white city" of Casablanca. Despite my best efforts, I've yet to get run over. Yet. I'm glad I did a double-take on a still-dark Friday morning when a city bus barreled the road with its lights off as I crossed in a pre-dawn stupor on my way to my pick-up point. The way people drive here is crazy, which also defines how people cross streets seemingly without a care in the world.
I'm also not certain why perfect strangers have absolutely no problem whatsoever asking me to just give them my hard-earned dirhams. If you want to sit on the street with a hand out, OK. If you approach me in a reasonable manner, I don't like it but can live with it. Don't approach me as if you have a right to my money, and certainly do not give me grief and/or follow me when I decline. I'm not the biggest or baddest, but I stand 6'3" 250. Why would you voluntarily choose to mess with me? Guy came r-e-a-l close to getting put to sleep last night, and would've if not for the presence of cops.
I think I have an answer to that question, and it is rooted in the culture. I already knew such things as that if 2 men are having a very animated conversation, they are not necessarily having a heated argument. I've seen a couple of incidents this year that expand on that concept. I was at Derb Ghallef (the city block-sized black market) one afternoon when I saw 2 men jaw-jackin' at one another. I stopped to witness the impending fistfight. Alas, no such luck. In the States they'd have been throwin' dukes in a heartbeat.
Very recently, I left a grocery store to see a man whose vehicle had been pulled over by a policeman. They were along a busy road at rush hour. What the man was yelling I have no idea. What amazed me was the fact that he was doing it literally face-to-face with the officer. And this was allowed to happen?! There is not a single cop in the U.S. who wouldn't have, at a minimum, cracked his head open like a ripe melon when the guy got within reach. He would very possibly kill him. Guess the rules are different here. Still amazes me, though.
I bet the guy wouldn't mess with Marines! And that's who I was with last night. Well, I was with colleagues at the Marine House, where the aforementioned (Men's) Dept. of the Navy personnel who work at the consulate live. They were good enough to host a Happy Hour for us expats. Tons of fun. Been eating out way too much. Sushi last night, Chinese last week, etc. Too easy to do here. City living isn't quite my cup of tea, but it has its advantages, I suppose. My guy at the hanoot is cool. The kid at the KFC is determined to teach me a new French word when I come in. The parking guy on my block seems decent. Almost takes my mind off of the 2 bodies I came upon at the Piss Corner a week ago. I have to assume that contributed to someone's decision to just have that corner painted.
Ah, the fun never ends here. The are few certainties in life. Death, taxes and Casa cabbies will try to cheat you. I wish I knew what the future held for me. I used to, until I didn't. But I do know I'm going to accept an offer to return here next year. Heaven help me...
I ain't settling for just getting by
I've had enough so so for the rest of my life
Tired of shooting too low, so raise the bar high
Just enough ain't enough this time
I ain't settling for anything less than everything...
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