I send my prayers

I am in a little town on the coast of Morocco called Essaouira. Word travels fast in all small towns, so most people who see me, by now that I am American. We have a ton of world news stations here and Huriccane Sady is the talk of th town. So already today the butcher across the street, the baker, a couple strangers, my friend from Italy, 2 taxi drivers, the guy at the bank, and a guy riding a horse have all asked with deep concern about the safety of my family back in the states. I really love the heart of the Moroccan people.  I just wanted you to know that I send my love and prayers for the safety of you and your families. I love you!!!  

Love mirage  

I reach my hand out of the fast moving train to happily ever after, for you to come along. You don’t grab it cause the life you know is better than the life you don’t. I was born to move and I have to stay free, I was hoping you could be free with me. Perhaps this journey is one of solitude. I meet many people along the way, their bodies covered with life scars. Their face aged 20 years ahead of time and they say “I wish I knew then, what I know now” and the tides of freedom wash them away.  I’ve loved you for all of my life; my heart is too big for my chest, my eyes to wide for this world. I was born with a great destiny to fill, I can help that my tears set your bed of fire (sorry), or that I can capture your thoughts and make them my own, I can’t help that on my most normal day I am still the cousin of ET. And I can help that I am the last of my kind. I walk this planet trying to grasp on to anything that would make me feel at home so I reach for you. The holy books it says “Be ye not unequally yoked” I don’t understand these words Cause the other part of me would float on clouds, turn rock into sand, jump in and out of time, and have love affairs parallel dimensions.  But I am the last of my kind and that does not ally to me, so I reach for you, the mortal that’s makes my heart skip a beat, but you are a mirage and when we embrace you pass right through me. This is a catch 22; I am so in love with me, but I can’t stop loving you. I have created you over and over because my world feels better with you in it. You are of this world and I am not so I watch to you love another, over and over again.  Your face may change but that walk down the aisle to Normal is always the same. One of these days I will stop creating you, but for now I watch my tears burn holes in my duvet, and I will try to enjoy paradise alone.

I want my Bed Back!! 

I slept so good last night. The girls are on break from school for almost two weeks; actually the whole country is on break for the Eid. Most places will be closed for about 4 days and other places for about 12days.  So, at about 9pm last night, I told the girls that since they had been on such great behavior and they don’t have school for awhile they could stay up as long as they wanted.. They were so pumped, running around the house yelling and dancing “I never have to sleep again, I can stay up and eat forever!” one hour later they were both passed out on the couch. At first I was getting ready to pick them up and put them in the bed, and then I thought, this is my golden opportunity to sleep alone. Now I was pumped, quietly jumping up and down saying “I get to sleep alone!!yeah!”. I put my pajama’s on pulled the comforter back slowly and took those crunchy African sheets for a ride around the block….lol  I woke up this morning feeling completely refreshed and ready for the day. The girls on the other were so upset they feel asleep. Now they are plotting to be on watch tonight, if one falls asleep the other will wake them up. Yeah we’ll see how long that works….lol..

Now this post is strictly for mommies with little children.  Every mommy knows the feeling of trying to get a good nights sleep and the little person next to you, is steady beating the hell out of you all night. You wake up hurting because you got kicked in your spleen like 5 times, or spitting a little toe out of your mouth all night. But the two worst things of all are being in a deep sleep and wake up chocking cause you just got karate chopped in throat and while you’re trying to catch your breath you realize that you are soaking wet; yep cause that little person just peeped in the bed, the day after your washing machine stopped working…lol… I know this feeling all to well. Now I don’t know if people with partners experience this; because when I was with the girl’s father, he would get up immediately and take them back to their room. One day I asked him, why won’t you let the girls sleep with us? He said cause he did not want to miss out on the Morning Nookie!! ….lol… So I say to all the mommy’s, we will have our beds back one day!! Until then, we do yoga…..

 

 

Mr. Pickles

After I dropped the girls off at school, I took a stroll around the neighborhood just trying to get a better idea about where we live. I was followed back home by this little guy. We named him Mr. Pickles.  He looks pretty sad and straggly, so we had not touched him. What is worse, being kicked by a donkey, a horse, or a kangaroo?? We will see if he’s still here by morning. It is a little weird to have a donkey as a stalker. Every time I turned around he would stop and look off as if he was not following me. FREAKY!!

Mr.Pickles

 

Don’t beat me into submission; help me figure out who I was born to be…..

 

 Out of all the things I know that I am, the part I love most about myself is that I am a Life Sciencetist. If I see that something in my life is not working, I am looking for what components need to be added or taking away to get the best results possible. I don’t understand the concept of living with problems. Like trying to drive a car with two wheels…. Why? Just go get two more tires or walk, but why the hassle. So with this philosophy, I decided that when I have children I will not beat them, no one could beat them. I was convinced that a human being left at their own devices would be able to make good choices and be strong observers in life. I felt that if beating really worked then you would only have to do it 1 time… Right?.... I was on the train one day with my sister in DC, and this lady walks up to us and say “listen Ima tell you some real knowledge, dem children you got there, you better beat the hell out of them before they grow up and beat the hell out of you!!” My sister and I looked at each other like OMG!! How long before the next stop?

I am a time out mom; I do a lot of talking, explaining and negotiation and even with all the time outs, talking, explaining, and negotiating I did not feel like I was getting the result I should have been. There was still an underline of whiny, moody, bratty behavior and random temper tantrums about nothing. So I figured there must be more contributing to this situation then what happens between me and them. With my science hat on, I’m back to the drawing board, what was causing this malfunction in their nervous system? Was it the food, the water, the cell phone towers, chemtrails , formaldehyde, this was too much for one mommy to take on, but I refuse to believe that a person born with free will would choose the worst behavior patterns, unless beat into submission. That seemed really off, to keep pushing the boundaries, do as much as you can get away with. Why would someone naturally act like that? Before I left the states I told my mom ‘I am really looking forward to meeting my real children’. Then I was guided to come to Africa for some time, not for weeks but for months. And now for the first time, on a regular basis I am seeing my babies for the peaceful, calm, pleasant, even tempered, free will beings that they were born to be. It did not happen overnight, but real healing never does, it takes time patience, and action. I encourage every mom that has a child that has been diagnosed with ADD/ADAHD to take your child on a long vacation, to another country where living is simple, for about 2 months, and see if your life and relationship with your child becomes the best thing you have ever experienced. Look at it this way you have nothing to lose and everything to gain…..Food for thought!

First Day of School!!

The girls started school this week. They are really excited, especially since I have home schooling for the past couple of years. Here in Morocco the children don’t learn English until the 3^rd or 4^th grade. So in order for the girls to make friends they have to learn to speak Arabic and French. The school they go to is right down the street from our house and the woman who run it are so sweet. They hug and kiss the children when they come in and when they leave.  It is a custom here that everyone goes home to eat lunch and rest before continuing on with their day. So every day at 11:30 I get the girls, they come home; we eat lunch and talk about what they are learning, then at 2:30 they go back to school for another 3 hours. Nana is in the first grade here because she has to learn to read in both French and Arabic, so when they comes home for lunch I put Maheeyah down for nap and work with Nana on her 3^rd grade work. This is the perfect introduction into public school. The first day I took them I was all emotional and the girls were just like “bye mommy”. I stood outside the School for a few moments just looking. I did not have a clue what to do. The girls and I are always together, and the first time I let them out of my sight is in Africa. So I sat on the curb across the street for about 20min, then I had to snap out of it, because I was beginning to look like a stalker…lol I can’t front, I was really sad, so I went to a nearby Passteria, I ate pastries and drank tea until it was time to pick them up. (Yeah my skin did not appreciate that much)..lol….. Well that was day one! Day 2. I was like “Come on yall, get up. Time for school!!!”When the School doors opened we are there front and center. I dropped them off, skipped back to the house, threw my clothes off, turned up the music and danced around the house naked…… Then I notice this little old Muslim man was watching me through his window across the street…I screamed, jumped on the floor, and crawled to the next room, but all the windows were open. So I had to crawl to the bathroom and get my towel, but my bathroom is up a couple stairs…. I’m almost sure he got another peek at my fanny. Yeah that was not my best moment. I was thinking “God I hope I never see him while I’m out side “but because this is real life, When I went to pick up the girls, who was sitting across the street with the butcher, yes the little old Muslim man. I wanted to fall out. He saw me and grinned, of course he was missing all of his teeth, because he was like a hundred years old. I just held my head high, put my sunglasses on and proceeded forward as if nothing had happened. J “I don’t know what he is smiling at” That’s my story and I’m sticking to it…..

  We have gotten allot of complaints about Camel Jack pooping all over the  street, and eating food off the vendors stands,( being fussed out in Arabic is a whole other kind of experience) so he has to stay at the beach with his family, and the girls and i are back to walking. Sometimes the walk is very pleasant and other times it’s pretty terrible because Maheeyah will scream and cry about wanting to be picked up. So today we needed to go to town and I wanted to walk instead of paying a taxi. The walk from my house to town is about 3-5miles, I really wanted to avoid Maheeyah’s temper tantrum, so I decided to walk to the beach (that was pretty short) then let them play in the water for 3 ½ miles. By the time we got where we were going everyone was full of sand with smiles on their faces.

A wise woman once said: Sometimes the road may be long and hard, but if you’re able to find beauty in the journey; before you know it you’ll be at the end. And there is no better way to arrive then with a smile……

So we are pretty much settled in to our place and now I am realizing all the things I need that I cannot find here in Morocco. So this is a request post to all my love ones. Can you please send us some of these things? Please email me and let me know what you can send, so I don’t end up with 20 bottles of seasoning salt. Lol…

I love black soap just as much as the next person, but what I wouldn’t give for some cucumber melon body wash..

• Hair grease (any kind)
• Wash clothes
• Small containers with tops
• pot holders
• Plastic sandwich bags
• Travel tissue packs
• Measuring cups
• Dawn dish detergent
• Sanitizer wipes
• Sanitizer
• Small bars of hand soup (travel size)
• Acouple Little plastic juice cups for the girls
• Number 4 candle for Maheeyah’s birthday cake ( it is not until November 24^th, but I have not seen one)
• Oatmeal and grits

Spices

Nutmeg, cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, seasoning salt, Cajun seasoning, curry powder, smoked paprika, teriyaki, maple syrup, hot sauce (Texas Pete, Tabasco, Louisiana)  and any other spice that you can think of.

I am enjoying the mint tea here but I really need some CHIA TEA!!!!!!

The good thing is most of this stuff you can get at the Dollar Tree. I sure do miss the 99.cent store.

Thank you soooooooooooooooooooo much!!! I love you
my email is:   mahatarah@gmail.com

In the previous message I said I love shopping. Okay so I only love shopping in America. Shopping overseas is a struggle in a half. Mostly because you have to bargains for a good price o every single thing, they think it's fun.... I feel like slapping somebody .... lol... Apartment shopping is no different.

So after 3 very long days of house shopping, we finally found a beautiful modern place to call home. I wish the house had more of a Moroccan look and feel, but the ones that looked like Moroccan homes we missing very important things, like a stove, refrigerators, toilets, and the list goes on.  And when I asked them where it is, they would say “oh I’ll get it for you in a couple of days” I was thinking are you kidding me…… So yes in the house I feel like I am in America but I am very quickly reminded that I am not, every time we turn on the TV and when I walk out of the front door and the butcher is standing across the street slaughtering chickens. As Nana would say “Welcome to Africa”

Kitchen

Foyer/dinning room

Family room

 

Thank you all so much for having a little fun with me and Voting! I am happy to announce that we have a Winner from Montreal Canada….. In the coming weeks I will reveal the Lucky Bachelor, so stay tuned….

                                

                            My Junior Mystic Gypsy

 

 

 

We had a wonderful time in Chefchaouene, we took a tour today of the beautiful city of blue. If you ever come to Morocco this place is a must see. It is a little far out, but it is so worth the ride. And when you come you have to stay at Residence Nouryan. They have these beautiful fully equipped apartments for the same price as a hotel room. I cooked my first dinner last night here in Morocco. It felt so good to be back in the kitchen. I could not throw down the way I’m use too, because I don’t have my spices, but never the less the girls were licking their plates. So we have been on the hunt for the perfect Morocco. We have been to Rabat, Casablanca, Marakech, Essaouira, El-Jadida, Tangier,  Chefchaouene and a few small towns in-between.. The girls and i are tired and ready to settle down, and I think we found the perfect place to call home, at least for the next couple of months. Stay tuned to see what place your Urban Mystic Gypsy will call home. Next stop apartment shopping. For those of you who don’t really know me that well, you should know I love SHOPPING!!!

So everyone has been asking about Jack. He is doing well; the girls and I miss him too. He will be back in the picture very soon….

 

 

So after 2 days of traveling by foot, train, and bus: we made it to Tangeir at the top Morocco right next to Spain, jus to find out that a last min ticket to Barcelona was like $2,000 one way, the conference was sold out, I have developed an extreme case of motion sickness, the town we got stuck in smelled like fish because it was on the port….. the list goes on. All I can say was BLOWN! BLOWN! BLOWN!.... if this was a reality show the producers would have figured something out, but because this is REALITY I have to go with the flow.. When like gives you lemons make lemon aid. So I had to find a place to gather my thoughts and lay out a new program. I was thinking about going to see a friend of a friend but they were another 6 hour bus ride up and down through the mountains, so I had to stretch that idea. Then I was thinking about going to Fez, but everyone has been talking about how beautiful Chefchaouen is, so I did heads or tails and Chefchaouen won. So after a good night’s sleep and a pretty boring breakfast we caught the bus 2hours on leveled ground into the Mountains. While I was seating on the bus I was looking at my babies; they were so calm and comfortable, trusting whatever I say and do. But I couldn’t help but wonder if I doing the right thing. Dragging my children all the way to Africa, but right in the middle of my thoughts of self pity I remembered that just this morning the girls got up and greeted each other in French, and my oldest daughter poured tea (Moroccan style) for the table. That memory brought a smile to my face and a calm came over my heart.  Yes I am doing the right thing, mostly because there are no wrong choices, but also because I know this experience will shape their lives in ways I cannot even imagine, and the choice to leave America and come to Africa feels so good inside my soul (no matter what has happened). Then my thought got interrupted by the beauty of this land. Morocco is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen. It has so much going on from mountains with snow caps to beautiful sandy beaches to the Sahara desert. I really love this place!!!!

I did not stay in Tangier because it is not my cup of tea. People always think that the place that has the most people and the most stores or clubs is the most popping. Not me, give me slow, quite, relaxed, and beautiful scenery and I am a happy camper. Tangier felt to me like New York and Seattle got married and had a super crowded tilted baby.  My thoughts were even moving fast when we were there…lol so were moving on………..

 

Okay lets have some FUN!!

 So one of these lovely men below have caught my attention…… If you can guess which one, I will send you a beautiful gift from Morocco… Take your pick  :)

Okay last minute change of plans, we are going to Spain Tomorrow. I don’t really follow many people, but interestingly enough the one person I do follow Inelia Benz will be in Spain giving lectures and workshops this week. OMG!!!!! How amazing is that. Barcelona here we come!!!

Here is some fun info about Moroccan Men:

None of the men in these photos have children why, because they are not married.

The culture here breeds Marriage.

They are not about kicking it, they are about settling down.All that living together for 5+ years with children and no sign of a wedding ring… NOT HERE!!

So, if you know you are a good woman and don’t have time for the games I suggest you come to Morocco and you’ll be hitched in no time…

                                  bachelor #1

 

 

                               bachelor # 2

 

 

                                 bachelor # 3

 

 

                                  bachelor # 4

 

 

                                           bachelor # 5

 

 

 bachelor # 6

 

 

 

 bachelor # 7

 

 

                                         bachelor # 8

 

 

bachelor # 9

         

We are having a wonderful time; yesterday we went shopping for transportation.  Pretty much all of the cars to rent here are manual (I can’t drive a stick shift), then they have mopeds; me on a motorcycle with the girls, not happening.  So that leaves with the choice of horse, donkey, or camel. So after hours of test riding, we finally made a decision.

Meet Jack, our new means of transportation. So today I am shopping for a compass, because tomorrow we head north.

        A sunset like this can only mean one thing.....That i am always blessed!!!!

 

                After a super stressful evening i was delighted to wake up to this

 

 

 

after riding on the bus for about 2 hours, the driver stopped here. my first thought was, all man is this anywhere?? then i heard some say rest stop.....

 

                                 this is anywhere... absolutely beautiful

I got up this morning and went to the CTM Bus Station, asked the ticket agent “what time is the next bus leaving” she said “where do you want to go?”  “Any where” I told her, and with a really strange look she said the bus leaving for; some place I can’t pronounce pulls out in 30 min. I told her “give me 3 tickets there”. And our journey begins……

 Okay, so for my family please read the whole story before you start Freaking out.  So our mysterious bus ride to anywhere, took us to the coast, a little town called Essaouira. We get off the bus and a swarm of people came around us offing to take us to hotels, Riads and apartments for rent, then they offered to take us. They have people here that push your bags in a wheel barrel to the hotel while you walk beside. The girls thought it would be fun, so we pick a Riad from one of the many brochures that were being waved in our faces and we rented a wheel barrel. They girls got in with the bags and this guy did not speak English starting pushing them. I was really impressed…. So we are walking along and in the distance I could see a large body of water in the street, I thought maybe it had been raining allot before we got here. From distance it seemed shallow. I was walking beside the guy and the girls then he bares to the left to get around the water, but it was so muddy that I bared to the right to get on the side walk. The more he walked pushing the girls the deeper the water got. He got a little stuck in the middle of this big body of water with my girls, I was almost freaked out but I maintained my cool. He then backed up and pulled the wheel barrel out of the water and then went up a ramp to the left. I was on the other side of the water. I ran up a little further to where it is not so much water and tried to cut across to meet up with them but it is blocked off by construction. I could still see him but he is really far away by now.  I did not want him to get out of my sight so I lifted up my skirt and jumped into the Large body of water and tried to run threw it, but it was to slimy and slippery to run. All the people around started clapping and screaming “Yeah African Mama Mama” OMG!!!!! Really People!!!!. I was not even looking down because I did not want him to leave my sight. So I made it through the water with god knows what all over legs and feet.  My sandals broke in the water so now I’m on the ground with my bare feet and my sandals still around my ankles. The guy turns right so I started running but it was glass all over the ground. So it was more like hopping really fast. I turned the corner and I could see him again, then he turns right again. Now I am all the way freaked out. My heart is beating out of my chest; all I could think about were these emails I have been receiving about Child Trafficking. My stomach was flipping all over the place. Then I saw him again, he is still at a distance so I’m trying to run/hop faster to get to him. I stepped in something mushy so I look down (yup it was donkey doo doo…… But when I look up I don’t see him. More thoughts of Child trafficking are filling my mind, at this point I am ready to just start screaming but I didn’t, I just kept going forward (With poop all over my feet )in the direction I saw him last. When I got closer I saw him standing still and looking around. When I finally got to him he says in English “Where did you go? I was looking for you..” I was panting, sweating, shoes all tore up, Shit  and glass stuck to my feet, looking all the way crazy. I could not even say anything, I was so relived. I followed him very closely the rest of the way to the Riad. As soon as we got there I ran to my room and immediately washed my bloody/Shity feet and sat on the toilet.  I was thankful for two reasons (1) because my children were safe and sound (2) I had not seen a toilet in a week.  (For the last week it has been African style only) What is it, about being in scary situations that makes people have to use the bathroom???? Lol

Okay so here is my request from all the readers, I love you and I know you only want what’s best for me and the girls, but please for the love of god, DO NOT EAMIL ME ANY SAD OR SCARY STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE LOSING THEIR CHILDREN WHILE TRAVELING!!!!!!!!!!! IF YOU FEEL WORRIED ABOUT US, THEN PRAY FOR US! I LOVE AND WELCOME PRAYER!! Thank you sooooooo much.

P.S. When I promised to spice it up and take you on an adventure, this is not what I had in mind.  I was thinking more like trying new food and riding Camels…lol

All is well that ends well. I wanted to go out and look around but that was too much I got to go to sleep!!!!   

SO OUR SUPER ADVENTURE BEGINS TOMORROW 10-6-2012. I WILL GO TO THE BUS STATION AND PICK A RANDOM PLACE TO START AND WE’LL SEE WHERE THE GIRLS AND I END UP…. THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!!!

Helpful tips when in Africa/Morocco

My daughters had coke a cola for the first time today.  I was not a happy camperL When being hosted in Morocco it is an insult to tell the host no. We ran out of juice and she did not want the children to be thirsty.  They were like wow!! We never tasted this before. So here are a couple helpful tips when eating in Morocco.  It is better to be hosted that to stay in a hotel; you will learn the culture faster and you will eat much better. Every meal is well balanced with veggies, meat, starch, fruit and tea. If you have any allergies it is best to let the person in the house that speaks English know and they will inform the host. (Most likely your host will not speak English) Try not to have more then 3, try not to be a Booshie American.  The host will go out of her way to make things you like. It is best to like everything and keep smiling.  Every day in Morocco the family eats together. Everything shuts down for 2 hours during the day and the children and husbands come home to eat and nap before going back to school and work. When at the table timing is key;, it is respectful to try a little everything. Find the item that you like the most, because every time it is low she will keep adding more and insisting that you eat up. Your host has been working very hard all-day in the kitchen to prepare your meal, you don’t want to insult her. Now getting up from the table is very tricky. If you get up first she will think that you did not like the food and are not enjoying the company. If you try to get up last she will want your company and will keep putting more food on your plate. (I learned this that hard way) The best thing is to eat kind of fast at the beginning and then slow down at your second and third serving (it is customary to have more than one serving of food). Then watch the person next to you or across from you and try to time yourself so when they get up, you can get up. And keep smiling.  The Host will not let you wash dishes, but try to help by offering to wipe the table or sweep the floor, most likely she will say no and insist that you go rest, but keep trying to help she will appreciate it.

Okay so let’s back up a bit... Maheeyah went to school on Monday, I wish I could say it was wonderful, but it was exactly like wonderful but different. The children were so excited and in awe of her hair and personality, that a soon as we walked in they all ran up to her at once and started touching her clothes and hair. (Here is a tid bit of info about Maheeyah, she forbids people to come into her space without being invited, and she does not allow anyone to touch her without her permission. ) she was outraged and mad as hell… So that was pretty much it. She kept her face tight and her arms balled up the whole time. When she was at her desk the child next to her tried to reach out and touch her hair, Maheeyah snapped her head around and growled at the little girl sending the poor child into tears…. Yeah today was less than perfect! Where was Baby Jesus when I needed him?? lol

Marakech is a wonderful town, if you come from America but don’t want to give up any of your American habits... There is rap music blasting everywhere; and even KFC, Pizza Hutt, and McDonalds have made their way to Africa. Most of the homes have Microwaves; It is pretty much the west just with a lot of donkeys. For all of you who know me, know that just will not due, especially the RAP music. OMG!!!I think I’ve heard more rap in the last 3 days than I’ve heard all year. So I got to thinking, maybe Marakech is not really the place for me. I was not expecting America to follow me to Africa. So this is what I’m going to do, we are going to hold off on the schooling for now, and I am going to Backpack across Morocco. I am on the search for the perfect Morocco; the Morocco that has little to no influence by the west. Does it exist?? I don’t know, but I would love for you to go with me while the girls and I travel by foot, bus, train, camel, horse, and donkey. Yes, I said Donkey.  I promised the readers and my girls an adventure and that’s what you’ll get. So get ready, stay tune, we pull out in 3days...

 

International looks good on me...lol.. I am In the hallway of the hotel in Istanbul.

 

 

 

I’m 3,598 miles away from you and still can’t get you off my mind. I guess there’s nothing left to say but…..

 

Nana and Maheeyah having some fun in the sun

If you are ever in Rabat Morocco, you have to stay at Riad Dar Alia, they are so sweet and will make you feel at home. You are going to want that after traveling 16hours..

And this is the reason I’m going to gain like 500 lbs; they have a pastry shop on every corner here. I’ve died and gone to dessert heaven. I know I was a fat girl in my last life!!! I just know it!!

(Traditional Moroccan Salad). Most of the time I had no clue what I was ordering, but it was really good. As soon as the salad came out I thought about my mom. This is her kind of food!!!

In Rabat at Souk el-Ghezel and Rue Hadj Daoui