Average People
Fatima is an average person.
Her name is the most popular girls name in the country, just as Muhamed is the most popular boys name. Her husband lives and works in another country, also not uncommon. She raises 3 children, "Brahim" older son (20's), "Samira" a daughter (19), and a younger son (16).
She invited us over for faTur, the break-fast during Ramadan in their working class city 10 km away.
Their apartment is tiny, seemingly carved out of a crooked building. In order to find it, Fatima sent Samira to meet us at the main boulevard 1/2 kilometer away. She came with a neighbor 6 year old boy. It was 6 pm. "Why did you bring the boy?" we asked.
"I can't walk alone on the street in the evening. It's not safe and it's not good." Samira wore a black headscarf fundy-style, long sleeves, and ankle length dress. All black.
The rooms were small, the salon barely big enough to fit a sofa, 2 round tables, a TV and skinny frige. Nonethless, the array of foods laid out was impressive. Harira soup, ($5) 40 dh/kilogram dates, slilo, honey fried pastries, sweet bread rolls, bghrir pancakes, and cake. All home-made. Drinks included milk, fruit shake, sweet mint tea, coffee, and orange juice.
We knew from experience that they were honoring us as guests, even though they couldn't afford it. Impressing us was costing them. Such is the local culture. Hospitality says, "the guest is king."
Her name is the most popular girls name in the country, just as Muhamed is the most popular boys name. Her husband lives and works in another country, also not uncommon. She raises 3 children, "Brahim" older son (20's), "Samira" a daughter (19), and a younger son (16).
She invited us over for faTur, the break-fast during Ramadan in their working class city 10 km away.
Their apartment is tiny, seemingly carved out of a crooked building. In order to find it, Fatima sent Samira to meet us at the main boulevard 1/2 kilometer away. She came with a neighbor 6 year old boy. It was 6 pm. "Why did you bring the boy?" we asked.
"I can't walk alone on the street in the evening. It's not safe and it's not good." Samira wore a black headscarf fundy-style, long sleeves, and ankle length dress. All black.
The rooms were small, the salon barely big enough to fit a sofa, 2 round tables, a TV and skinny frige. Nonethless, the array of foods laid out was impressive. Harira soup, ($5) 40 dh/kilogram dates, slilo, honey fried pastries, sweet bread rolls, bghrir pancakes, and cake. All home-made. Drinks included milk, fruit shake, sweet mint tea, coffee, and orange juice.
We knew from experience that they were honoring us as guests, even though they couldn't afford it. Impressing us was costing them. Such is the local culture. Hospitality says, "the guest is king."
posted by Carl | 5:56 PM
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