Back to Rabat..For Good!

Today we had our CMA arabic final in the morning, and then we took off for Rabat! We stopped at the ancient ruins Volubilis and the city of Meknes on our way. The ruins were cool but it was the hottest it has been yet in Morocco and we were all SWEATING!!! Anyway, the best part of my day was definitely coming back to Rabat. I met my new host family which I already feel will be better than the first. There is a 16 year old girl who speaks a little bit of english (which is GREAT) and an 11 year old boy who is in Casablanca right now but I will meet him on Tuesday. The parents were also both really nice and the grandmother and aunt joined us for dinner. As soon as I got to the house the family was extremely welcoming and helped me carry my heavy bags up the stairs to my room. Once I got settled we had lots of food, tea and coffee (atay w qehua!). This was around 7:00pm. Then Kawtar (the 16 year old) asked me if I wanted to go out with her and her aunt and grandmother. We went shopping in the Medina. The Medina in Rabat near their house is a lot calmer than Fes. It was not only less crowded but everyone just seemed more relaxed. In Fes I couldn't even glance at a shop without the owner harassing me into buying something. Once we came home I unpacked and then watched some Moroccan game show with the family. I didn't quite understand what was going on but everyone was cracking up the entire time so I assumed it was funny? Then we had dinner; BRISKET AGAIN! I was pumped. This time it was brisket with french fries, an interesting combination. We watched the rest of the game show during dinner and then I came up to my room only to find out that my house has Wifi!!!! I could not be more excited. Kawtar seems awesome, and she said they have hosted a few time before so they know what they are doing. She said she hosted a girl named Esther last year for 3 months and they are super close and still talk so I am hoping to have a similar relationship with her. I also like it because since she is 16 and her brother Oussama is 11, it is like having Rachel and Benji here...they're just missing Joanna! I have my own room upstairs which is great and already feel more at home than I did in Fes.