My husband is a scientist and a programmer. After many years at Microsoft in Seattle, he started his own companies in the US and Morocco. He works hard every day, but it seems that he enjoys being able to dedicate his expertise and passion to his work to the fullest extent.
Recently, he had the opportunity to give a lecture/workshop at a local university in Rabat. I followed him along! そんな中、地元ラバトの大学で、講演をするチャンスをいただきまして、私も一緒に講義を聞かせてもらいました。
The topic was about Informatics, I think. I said, “I think”, because I really didn’t understand what he was teaching… I am not good at IT stuff. There were about 30 students in attendance, and all participants seemed to understand (ha!) and to be able to learn something new, using their own laptops.
Seeing my husband’s patient, friendly yet truly academic approach to the local students really made my day! I am so, so proud of him, and I respect him more than anyone else in the universe.
At the end, he received a certificate of appreciation, which was incredibly heartwarming. Well done! It has been our wish to be able to contribute something to the community since we moved to Rabat. We’re very happy to be able to connect with the locals little by little, through lectures like this one.
We recently attended a fabulous concert. 先日、とても素晴らしいコンサートに行くことができました！
The Wartburg Choir from Iowa came to Rabat as part of their world tour! This choir consists of students from Wartburg College, which was founded in 1852 based on the teachings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. My husband and I are believers in this particular denomination, so we were very excited when we found out that the Wartburg Choir was coming. The choir has a great reputation and nearly 90 years of history.
Before the concert, we had dinner at a charming restaurant, Blue River, by the water near Rabat Medina. Even though it was 18 degrees outside, the kids were jumping into the river! We felt cold just looking at them… Anyway, we really enjoyed this great restaurant with a great view, and great food & great service.
Then it was time for the concert. Guess what? It was free! How generous! The venue was a smaller concert hall right next to the Mohammed V Theater. I felt that the acoustics of the building were actually better than the Mohammed V Theater.
First, Let Voix du Maroc performed a little Moroccan music. I was impressed by the beauty and the power of their sound, featuring eight singers and classical Moroccan instruments.
最初は、モロッコを代表して、Les Voix du Marocがモロッコの音楽を披露してくれました。８名のシンガーと、チェロやモロッコ古典楽器をふくめた演奏の美しさと力強さに感動。
Then, the Wartburg Choir appeared. There were about 80 singers! They tour Germany, Morocco, and Spain – my hut off to the organizer of this tour for such a big group! Apparently, the choir travels internationally for their concert tour every three years. It must be an unforgettable experience for the students.
Most of the songs they performed were a cappella, with each part having two parts (ex: Alto1 & Alto2), resulting in an eight-part structure. The harmonies resonated beautifully. I was fascinated to see how singers were arranged on the stage. They were rather more mingled than the traditional way of each part arranged separately. This way, I think, the scale of each part can influence itself in a more wholesome way, and the sound coexists better. Which also means, their harmonies can flow into our ears more smoothly. It was like magic!
Just listen to it – the whole hour or so, I had goosebumps, or how I would say in Hawaiian, “Chicken Skin.”
とにかく少し聞いてみてください～。本当に鳥肌ものでした！
The performance ended with ‘Give Me Jesus.’ This song is quite famous, both lyrics and melody, among christians like us. My husband and I were deeply moved by the wonderful and nostalgic feeling of praising God through singing, which brought us into tears (see, there is no Lutheran church in Rabat and I miss our church time).
最後はGive Me Jesusで終了。この曲は、クリスチャンならきっと知っている、歌詞もメロディもかなり有名なもの。そして、私たち夫婦は、＜歌を通して神を賛美することのすばらしさ＆懐かしさ＞をめいいっぱい感じ、涙が出ました（ラバトにはルーテル教会がないんです）。
It was a precious time that was able to recharge our spirits. We are truly grateful to everyone at the Wartburg Choir for coming to Rabat and sharing their amazing talents. And, I still cannot believe that it was free…
I guess I am old-fashioned. I love sending/receiving postcards with exotic designs of stamps and pictures unique to each country. I especially like imagining the sound when the postcard hits the recipient’s mailbox – ‘plop!‘
It wasn’t an easy task – I couldn’t find any postcards featuring Rabat. Pourquoi (why)? Not at the train station, which should be the gateway to Rabat, not in the Medina, or not even at Moroccan souvenir stores – I can only find argan oil related stuff, magnets, camel plushies, etc. Really, pourquoi?
Then, J’ai une bonne idée – let’s go to the touristy area. Maybe there is a vendor who sells postcards for gaijins! Sure, Kasbah, here I come! “Kasbah of the Udayas“, and even Tom Cruise came to film for one of his Mission Impossible movies (number… ?). Result?
But, none of them was Rabat one. They are Marakesh, Fez, Casablanca, or even Meknes… No Rabat postcards. Again, pourquoi? 🤨 So, I had no choice but to buy these neutral ones.
I found out the exact prices of postcards after I sent out mine to the US and Japan. Nice Sidi at Porte Maroc said that I put two of the 4.10MAD stamps and one of the 9.80MAD stamps on each card, so I did. Three Mr. Kings on each postcard looked really good (Peace be upon him, Mr. King). HOWEVER – to my parents in Japan – the price is slightly different… 18.10MAD postage needed (to the US, it is 16.30MAD) ?
Oh, dear! It was short on 0.10MAD! Ahhhhh! But, it’s too late – all my postcards have been dropped, there is no way I can take them back. Are they going to terminate the delivery? Is Tom Cruise going to help me somehow? This is a true “Inshallah” moment, I have to say.
Storks. In Japan, they are known to bring good luck, and they are also known to transport babies, which is also a sign of good luck (most of the time, I’d like to believe). I am not sure if this delivery system is a good luck from the babies’ point of view, but I am not going to argue with it here.
Now, a visit to Chellah is really something special in Rabat. While its ancient archaeological Roman ruins and Muslim royal necropolises are impressive to see, there are so many storks all over the site, nestling and chilling as if they are the kings & queens of the area. Some say they are the “Guardians of Chellah“, but, to me, they look more royal and noble than just guardians. And they talk to you! The sound they make – absolutely stunning! I actually counted how many were there – 73 – without binoculars. Maybe more, if I was with members of Wild Bird Society of Japan (note: I appreciate them especially because my parents both worked for NHK, and WBSJ always supports NHK’s signature show, Kohaku Uta-Gassen. I know, I know, such a personal feeling here…😝). By the way, more about Chellah or Rabat’s history – you can visit this blog by my friend, an excellent guide of Moroccan Food Tour, a foodie, a creative writer, Mohamed Benmokhta-san!
Speaking of storks – Cigognes in French – I am presenting, a very Moroccan soda. さて、コウノトリはフランス語でCigognes。その名前のついたお飲み物について；
This soda has a long history, and it’s a rather iconic drink for Moroccans, I heard. It was first introduced by Brasserie Glacière Internationale in 1929 (one year after Mickey Mouse was born!) to satisfy non-alcoholic drinkers during the protectorate period. However, the 70s came, and the soda couldn’t fight against big names such as Pepsi or Coca-Cola. La Cigogne had to be withdrawn from its production line officially in 1997.
Goût – taste? Hmm, even though I am not Moroccan, I felt somewhat nostalgic. It tasted like Mitsuya Cider. Maybe because I heard about the history of this special soda? or Hitesh (because), I like the logo; notice, there is Flag of Japan hiding, yes?
“We are What We Eat” -that is totally true. Food can impact our mood, our lifespan, and maybe our relationship with others. Although I embrace different kinds of food and a variety of flavors around the world, I definitely feel that my Japanese DNA requires “goût Japonais (Taste of Japan)” occasionally.
But… mais… walakin… it isn’t that easy to obtain authentic Japanese groceries here in Rabat. That’s the hard truth. Well, no, let me put it this way; I have been spoiled in Seattle & Barcelona, where I could just get anything Japonais for the ingredients. So, it’s time to change my perspective. I should learn to be more creative (for example: let’s make my own Natto!).
Or, I should appreciate anything I can find at the local stores if it is Japanese… even something like this – 例えばこういうお豆腐だって、ありがたいものです; A mysteriously bubbly tofu – and a very, very small one, for 50MAD (about $5). My heart didn’t go bubbly. But, if this is what I have to live with, I am okay with it. I will just look forward to a time when I get to eat good tofu somewhere. Inshalla. 🙏
Then, I found this amazing yet ambiguous (btw, I like “ambiguë” in French) information: “Petit marché des produits chinois avec des prix raisonnables, Vous pouvez le consulter chaque mardi à Rabat près du consulat du chine (small market selling Chinese products. Reasonable Price. Every Tuesday near the Chinese Consulate – 小さなマーケットが毎週火曜日に中国領事館近くでオープンします。値段もリーズナブル).”
🤔🤔🤔
Well, there is only one way to find out☝️! I bet they have tofu there! So, my husband and I took a nice 40mins morning walk to the Chinese Consulate building, passing the Embassy of Japan (yay!) on its way, and…
Hooray🙌 There IS a market!Petit Marché, it is! あった！あった！Yes! There is Tofu! Also, lots of asian veggies, condiments, pork, etc… I became SO BUBBLY!!!!!🎉🫧お豆腐はもちろん、アジア系のお野菜や調味料、餃子の皮や豚肉さんなど充実しておりましたぁ。
I met three wonderful Japanese ladies here as well – who are “Rabati” Senpaito me – they are very friendly & kind, to welcome my husband and me in this neighborhood. Merci & Chukran & Arigato Gozaimasu.
Marché Sidi (Sidi = Master in Darija – I decided to call him) said “Yup, we come every Tuesday. Yup, we would like to open a real store in Rabat soon (he already has a shop in Casablanca). Yup, please wait. Yup, it’s 120MAD today.” He is goooooood.
I got there around 10:30am, and I fel it was a bit too late. There were already lots of people and some “hot & popular” items in those plastic boxes became low at that time. Also, the line for the payment (cash only) takes time, so there was a long que. Kind of like Disneyland – it’s a small world after all. Next time, I will probably try to be there earlier.
These are the items we purchased for aujourd’hui – not bad for 120MAD, no? I love that their tofu makes sure to tell us that it IS tofu, by its stamp. I feel bubbly again with such unnecessary details.
And, they became un dîner japonais incroyable pour la nuit! Sidi’s tofu was so yummy! こちらはさっそくお夕食の材料となり、夫婦そろって美味しくいただきました。もちろん、マスターのお豆腐は最高です-Bnin Bezzaf (so delicious) !
Tomo
The cat of the day :: Le chat du jour :: 今日の猫しゃん
Please stop by at my salon again 💞🫖🍵 3afak & Chukran!
When we lived in Barcelona, I really enjoyed the extensive and massive amount of graffiti art in the city, and its constant change & excitement of scenes and its phases, as if each graffiti is talking to each other, or maybe it is telling a story to pedestrians. I am a HUGE fan of art; in fact, my passion for art led me to become an art model as an occupation (not a fashion model – I pose for painters, sculptures, etc.). And, possibly, my son thought that his art-loving mom’s passion wasn’t so bad that he also started liking art – now he studies graphic art at RISD – I am so proud of him – you can take a look of Koji’s works here 🙂
I have to say, Rabat surprised me with quite the number of murals in the city, and it has been soooooooo uplifting to encounter them every day! Apparently, Rabat is the home of “Jidar Street Art Festival” since 2015, and these murals are examples of its successful past events. How lucky we are, to be able to add MORE beauty to an already beautiful city like Rabat. One of the invited artists last year for the Jidar was Kaori Izumiya-san, and she created this amazing mural which I was totally mesmerized!
I am just going to put some photos from my phone – yes, all from my daily walk. My photo library is very simple – only three concepts: 1) art 2) food 3) cats 😂 とりあえず、日々のお散歩などで撮った壁画写真（ラバトに来てから、ワタシの携帯内の写真は、アート＋食べて美味しかったもの＋猫が主です）をどうぞ。🎨🍗🐈
And, I hope more murals will be added through the Festival this year, and a year later, and later, and later! we might all get to feel like being in the middle of the creation of a HUGE picture book… no? ✍️📚 Who will write the exciting story? Who is going to be the main character? (Maybe, it’s YOU! 😉)
The more I walk, the more I get to see the murals. I feel the passion, I feel the creativity, and I feel the future. And I feel the opportunity of the city and, I can’t stop feeling so lucky that I am in that opportunity as well – that’s the power of Art, yes?
If you are human with female reproduction organs, you will likely have to go through various menopause/perimenopause symptoms. And they are no joke. I am 52 years old, therefore, I AM experiencing all sorts of crazy stuff every day – the hard ones are brain fog and dizziness. Wait, I also get sleepless nights and terrible headaches. Am I moody? Ask my husband, he will tell you. I learned that they do come in whichever continent you live on, even when you live with the most caring husband in the world (Je suis désolé, mon mari.).
By the way, I always wonder why menopause/perimenopause issues are not so discussed openly. I also wonder how in the world ladies at my age stay positive & get support during this challenging phase. Anyway, here in my salon, I decided not to be shy about my journey through this transition – so that we, as women in “second puberty”, can feel that we are not alone, that we don’t feel ashamed, and that we can overcome together!
One of many many many reasons of our relocations to Morocco is, I find (and I would like to believe!) that Moroccan life seems to be more gentle & more friendly to my “second puberty” days. Here are some of my findings I would like to share 😍
Mint tea heaven Yes, Morocco’s national drink, Atay bn3an3a (mint tea) is great for women in menopause, as mint can be effective in reducing the discomfort of hot flashes, rebuilding the hormonal balance, and helping to get a better sleep (I heard). Merveilleux!
Interaction with people – real, physical ones Since I don’t drive here, I walk every day, go to school, do grocery shopping, etc. So, I make physical contact with people. Then, I learned that Moroccans are the most hospitable, the kindest, and the sweetest people on earth. Plus, they are so good at smiling at strangers – even with silly foreigners like me. Some uncles look kind of scary at first, but then when I say “ssalam lekum (hello)” or “aafak (please)”, they give me the biggest smile and some Bollywood star-like hand gestures which make those uncles look like SRK. I don’t underestimate the power of human energy.
Fresh Produce Heaven (and nuts) Markets here are full of fresh produce, and shopkeepers make sure to give us the best stuff! Avocado, leafy greens, carrots, tomatoes. Everything tastes good.
新鮮な野菜やナッツが豊富で、お店の人も良い素材を選んでくれちゃう。幸せでございます。
No need to show your bodylineDjellaba is our friend. One way or the other, we need to accept that we all gain weight anyway, so, why not be more acceptable to our body and also be flexible about our choice of clothes? Furthermore, Jellaba is pretty, and people will appreciate you when you wear local clothes – which’ll make you feel good (energy boost!)
Honey of Good Quality I am not talking about the kind that comes with the shape of a bear. A real, pure, organic, made-from-one-kind-of-flowers honey. Rich in nutrients, antioxidants, and probiotics.
Schwiya-Schwiya (slowly-slowly) life You learn to slow down a bit here, it’s just a way it is. Let’s have a bit of patience. Schwiya-Schwiya. You might not even need to look at your phone – maybe let the beautiful Adhan lead the approximate time of the day.
So, what do you think? Would you like to visit Morocco for your break from Menopause/Perimenopause shenanigans? You and your girlfriends can join the tour such as…
Someone said “in Morocco, drinking mint tea is not just for enjoying its taste, or for satisfying your thirst. It is our identity, it is our ritual, and we take a whole experience VERY seriously” As I like to respect local culture, I deceided to choose my Beraad Atay (tea pot) seriously.
This is my Beraad Atay which I gave serious thought to (and I had some serious problems speaking in Darija😅). シリアスに選んだポットちゃんが、こちら〜（選んだマーケットで、ダリジャ語でシリアスな苦労もしました）。
By the way, I thought it was easy to make Atay bna3na3 (mint tea) at home, BUT it isn’t so. It actually has a few steps (first, soak the Gunpowder tea, then keep the first infusion called “spirit” aside, then rinse the leaves. Add hot water & sugar & mint and let the kettle boil & caramelize the sugar, then don’t forget to add the “spirit” back…) and it all takes tender & loving care. Patience, yes, PATIENCE. Moroccan culture is teaching me the value of patience, even during a tea making process. I love it! (and I have still not yet mastered… it will take a while, maybe another 10 years).
And now, this is my “Un Petite Joie (small joy)” – Mr. (or Ms?) Beraad Holder. そしてこちらはおまけでもある、＜ちいさな幸せ＞ちゃんの、ポットホルダー君（さん？）です😻。
Wait, this reminds me of something… oh, that good old Calpis poster (*Calpis is a Japanese non-carbonated soft drink, very Natsukashii – nostalgic – taste of sweet yogurt). I kind of like the way s/he has a sneaky smile… 🙂
Oh, and, s/he has long hair? Well, let’s give it a personal touch, to make this holder slightly “Moroccan-Japanese.” This is Mizuhiki – an ancient Japanese artform of knot-tying.
Poor Sa7bi (friend – male) or Sa7bti (friend – female), whenever I open the lid, it hits its head.. sorry & smahli & désolé! But, please stay positive – let the “Spirit” be your guide!!
I love music – any kind of music. I appreciate musicians, I appreciate instruments, and I appreciate any enviroments & inspirations which create music. The only thing I am not a big fan of is tambourine played during church services (long story).
Let me introduce these talented & handsome musicians here! Youssef (darbuka & vocal), Yahya (guitar & vocal), Yassine (guitar & vocal), Ayouib (keyboard & vocal). Their genre of music is so versatile: Moroccan, African, American, ANYTHING! Oh, and they are also very good at skateboarding.
Want to catch their sound? Check them out at El Bahia – you might be lucky to find them jamming at the salon, like these ラバトのメディーナにあるBahiaカフェに行くと、彼らの演奏をきける確率高し！ですよん。こんな感じです;
And, some cool darbuka action by Youssef. ヨーセフ君のソロはいかが?;
One time, we hung out in Fifties Cafe. Many musicians (pro/semi-pro/amateurs) tend to gather at this place, I heard. Good creative & artistic vibe there. It was after midnight, and somehow I got a feeling of being in a little bar in New York (Brooklyn side). Or, it was because, I was drinking “Coca-Cola Original” which created a bit of illusion – too much sugar… yes, I was slightly “sugar-high.” Of course, after getting out from the cafe, I saw many stray cats and signs of Maroc Telecom, then I knew I was in Morocco.
“Music is the best ingredient to make everyone come together.” – “La musique est le meilleur ingrédient pour rassembler tout le monde.” – “音楽は全ての人をつなぐ大切な要素です。”
My husband suggested that we check out the sunset on a beach, then see if we could find a crescent moon 🌙 (to make sure that Eid Al-Fitr is coming!). Sure, it sounds like a fun thing to do! So, we took a walk for about 45 minutes to the beautiful Corniche Rabat. Nice, quiet beach. Some people were walking, running, etc., but I can tell that pretty much everyone was getting ready for their Iftar at home.
Here we are – admiring a beautiful sunset. Then, we waited for… a beautiful crescent moon! サンセットはきれいでしたが、本日の主役は、その後の三日月様〜。
Then, a special guest appeared. A very friendly chat – cat 🐱 ひとなつっこい、ねこちゃんが。。。
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Anyway… Yay! The moon is here!そうこうしてると、三日月様がご登場！
✨✨Eid Mubarak ✨✨
By the way, I found this information: ところで、こんな記載を読みました：
“Fasting on Eid is prohibited in Islam because Eid Al-Fitr is a day of celebration and breaking the Ramadan fast. Observing a fast on Eid Al-Fitrcontradicts the essence of the religious occasion, as commanded in Islamic teachings.”
I am not Muslim, but I think I can be very serious about this “not-fasting” part. And I know I am very good at it (toujours! – always) . My Darija school is off tomorrow; likely many stores are closed as well. My plan for tomorrow is to continue “non-fasting” and study more Darija and French at home.
