Orientation

Orientations always have their ups and downs. And these past two days have been no exception to that rule.

The high points have been:

• getting to know the other international students. There are quite a few characters here, some with rather random personalities, but others are very nice and sweet. It'll be nice to sort of have a base of people to start out with who I can get along and travel with, and who will be friendly faces in my classes. There are quite a few Americans, probably more than half of the 40 exchange students, but also some from Senegal, Italy, Pakistan, and Japan.
• the food! The food is really good, lots of yummy bread, tea, meats with different spices, etc. It's always fun to try out new things.
• getting my classes decided. I think my schedule is almost completely decided with the exception of Arabic: History of the Middle East & North Africa in the 20th Century, Women and Development, Middle East Politics, and International Law & Organizations. I also got my books today, and with the exception of one book that was disappointing because I already used it for a course, they all look fantastic.
• getting used to the campus, my room, seeing other students around, and beginning to get my bearings a bit. The campus isn't huge (small school, only about 1300 students), but its very pretty. Although all the buildings look exactly the same (red roofs and whitish-yellowish walls) so it takes a little manuevering to figure out where you are the whole time.

Low points:

• the boredom. Yesterday wasn't too bad, but today I spent a lot of time sitting and waiting for various orientation sessions to be over. I understand the importance of orientations, but I also have a very western view of time and therefore I don't like to waste it. This morning we sat for two hours with the other newcomers (a class of about 70 "freshman" that came in this semester - they don't really use the terms freshman, sophomore, etc very much and see their degree programs more in terms of semesters, so they can start in the fall or the spring, unlike in the US where most undergrad freshman start in the fall) to hear about student services. About 25% of the information was applicable to us, the rest was mostly for people who had never been to college before...then this afternoon we had a whole session on adjustment & adaptation for the exchange students. Again, I'm sure if you had never been to another culture, never studied cultural differences, and were completely insensitive to other people this HOUR-AND-A-HALF long session would have been helpful. I did not find it to be so. Of course, this may also be because I think its important to talk about culture shock and how to deal with it, but I don't think its important to dwell on it because you can't really do anything about it until you are dealing with it. I spent a lot of time staring out the window at the very blue sky.
• Arabic Placement Exam. One of the worst tests I've ever been given and probably the 2nd most depressing after my last semester's econ final. But at least I should have actually known that information. This exam was the one they gave to native Arabic speakers...and it wasn't so pretty. And after that we got to go into a room and do an oral portion of the test where you were supposed to have a conversation with a professor who could gauge your skill. I emphasize the word "supposed" because at that point I was so tired and frustrated by the first one that I didn't get very far before I just looked the man in the eye and said I just don't have the speaking skills that I should, explained my experience and left. Bad news bears. We'll see how all that goes.
• the "not knowing." I feel like the beginning of any experience is always a little rough, because there is just a lot of ambiguity. And if I was reminded of anything today, it was that Middle Eastern cultures are more comfertable with ambiguity over all...so there is probably a little more than usual. So, while I feel like I'm adjusting pretty well so far in the couple days I've been here, the ambiguity of certain things with my classes or getting a few things done, or figuring out how to do this or that...just feels like a bigger thing than normal. Which is part of what the whole experience is about I know, but is still hard.

Soon enough though, the little details will be figured out and I can go ahead and actually begin to experience more of the Morocco I came to experience!