Morocco! (and a little something else)

So I’ve arrived safely in Rabat. My host family is friendly, the city is beautiful, and the food is excellent. But first…

Bet you didn’t see that coming. I visited  Frankfurt! I had some time between flights, so I took a subway and explored the city. It was my first time in Germany, and it didn’t disappoint. The contrast between the modern global city and the quaint German town intrigued me the second I hopped off the subway. I walked around most of the city and was treated to picturesque views of domes, alleyways, and bridges.The first thing that struck me was how the city looked so quintessentially metropolitan at eye level. The storefronts of Frankfurt blend together in a cosmopolitan swath similar to other major cities. Tilt your head back, however, and Frankfurt’s true colors show. Every building, save for a couple malls and skyscrapers, looks like it’s from two centuries ago. I enjoyed the plazas and stopped in two cathedrals, one from the 14th century!

I discovered a Chinese restaurant in downtown Frankfurt. I ordered beef and broccoli and was surprised at how good the meal was. I happily spoke Chinese with the staff and some Chinese tourists. The chance to use my Mandarin was definitely very welcome. 

Fast forward to Morocco. I arrived at my host family’s house late at night and chatted with my host brother until 4:30 am. His name is Saad, and his English is excellent. They are very kind.

I slept through the afternoon. After chatting with Saad and my host parents, I got dressed and hailed a taxi to American Ambassador’s residence near the U.S. Embassy in Rabat for the Rosh Hashanah dinner. Ambassador Sam Kaplan and his wife, Sylvia, are so kind and hospitable. They warmly welcomed me to Morocco and I was honored to be seated next to Mrs. Kaplan. It was actually my first meal in Morocco! A sweet, savory, and all-around perfect chicken-based “tazhin” (the zh is pronounced like “s” in pleasure) was served. As I sunk my teeth into the uniquely Moroccan dish and enjoyed the wonderful company, something clicked. I instinctively knew that Morocco was the right choice. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to this adventure! It was indeed a memorable evening.

My host brother and I went out for a walk around the beach the next day. It was the last day of Ramadan – the Night of Power, or the night Mohammed ascended to heaven. I even donned a white linen tunic, customary attire for Muslim men on the last day the end of Ramadan. The view was quite a treat. The moon formed a perfect scimitar-like crescent in the sky, and it was reflected in a pristine pool just above the waves. I’d describe it some more, but I could just show you:

My first week was fascinating. To celebrate Rosh Hashanah and then the end of Ramadan within the first twenty four hours of arriving in Morocco was quite the treat.  I also explored Rabat thoroughly and discovered lots of nifty nooks and crannies. I was pleased to discover that I feel really comfortable navigating even the labyrinthine sprawl of the old walled city, or Medina. More on that later.

I started my volunteer work last Monday. I expected it to be pretty swell, and it was even better. I'm teaching English to high school students around my age. They're willing to learn and very fun to teach! They're already helping me practice my Arabic, too.

I had my first Arabic lesson last Wednesday. It's a thrill to be delving into an entirely new language again. I'm really liking Arabic so far. The throaty sounds of the language are so different from anything I've ever heard before, and the flowing writing system is delightfully fresh. 

Oh, and, hearing babies speak Arabic is adorable. Just saying.

In short: Morocco's awesome. : D

- Gavin

The Summer

This summer was pretty fantastic. I found a paid internship to help fund my gap year. For most of the summer, I clocked in at Girardi and Keese, the downtown law firm of Erin Brockovitch fame.

That's right. I worked at the Erin Brockovitch firm. Stuff like that only happens in LA.

It was a great experience. I gained a new understanding of the legal profession and loved the water cooler scene. I wore a suit and tie every day and went to office parties. One night after work, I even walked to the Walt Disney Concert Hall with the office to see the LA Lawyer's Philaharmonic. Having Azuka Ehi, one of my best friends from Harvard-Westlake, working with me as a fellow intern only made it better.

Interestingly enough, three co-workers at the firm knew Michael Brownstein - two from HW, one from Princeton. One of the HW grads worked with him at UTA, and the Princeton alum was in the Cottage eating club with him.

On lunch breaks, Azuka and I explored most of the key locations from the movie, 500 Days of Summer. Our personal favorite was the fountain. Which fountain? THE Fountain. If you've seen the movie, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

(If you haven't seen it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2seAJsrtIbQ)

I also tutored Chinese this summer. I started out teaching several children, but I ended up in the office cafeteria helping my boss write Chinese characters on a legal pad as well.

Speaking of Chinese, I worked as a translator for a Chinese film. It was written and directed by a Westerner and produced in China. The actors in the film ad-libbed most of the time, so the English-speaking editor/director/writer couldn't go by the script. That's where I came in. I sat next to him in the dimly-lit editing room, hunched around the editing bay, and translated every word. It was a great new way to use my Chinese.

I enjoyed time with my friends before we all head off in different directions.
It was the best summer of my life, hands-down.

I leave for Rabat in 18 hours. Within hours of landing, I'll be at a very special dinner. (Thank you, Uncle Dan Primer and Mark Lehmann!)

The Ambassador of the United States of America

Mr. Samuel Kaplan and Mrs. Sylvia Kaplan

request the pleasure of the company of

Mr. Gavin Cook

at a Rosh Hashanah Dinner

on Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

Villa America

Avenue de Fès. No. 15

Hassan - Rabat

 

A Little Bit of Background

I'm Gavin. I'm taking a gap year!

I graduated from the Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles this June. I was accepted into the Princeton Class of 2014 and deferred admission for a year because I received the HW Brownstein Fellowship. It helps fund a gap year of community service and cultural immersion for one senior.

(For more on the Brownstein fellowship, see: http://www.brownsteinfund.org/
If you're a prospective applicant, see: http://students.hw.com/Portals/44/Brownstein.pdf)

I am that senior (now graduate).

I am very thankful to the Brownstein Family and Committee for this opportunity and honor.

I'll be spending the next three and half months teaching English and learning Arabic in Rabat, Morocco with the Projects Abroad program. Rabat, an ancient coastal city, is the capital of Morocco. I depart September 7th. I'm excited. : D

A few quick facts about Morocco:
- It was the first country to acknowledge America's independence.
- It is a sister city of Honolulu.
- The current king, Mohammed VI, is very progressive and is an avid jet-skier.
- It is the intersection of African, Middle Eastern, and European cultures.
- The beverage of choice is Moroccan mint tea - sweetened green tea brewed with fresh mint leaves.
- Arabic, French, English, and Berber (a North African language related to ancient Egyptian) are all spoken in Morocco.

I'll be using this blog to keep you all updated on my adventures/explorations/insights/stories/thoughts. If you have a question about a post, don't hesitate to leave a comment! I'll do my best to get back to you.

So that's about it. Thanks for reading!

- Gavin 正明