My first post!

Hi everyone!

I figured it would make sense to do one post before I leave for Morocco. Today, we drove from Charleston to Pittsburgh and the weather wasn't exactly ideal. The snow poured for most of our trip and the roads were pretty bad but luckily we made it safe and sound. The picture below doesn't look too bad, but the storm was pretty intense!

We are staying in a hotel on the outskirts of Pittsburgh tonight and I will fly out tomorrow afternoon. My plane departs for Washington, DC around 2 PM and from there, I will fly to Madrid. After a short layover, I will be off to Casablanca to begin my Moroccan adventures. From Casablanca, I will be riding two trains until I get to Fez, where I will be picked up by a van from the university.

I am re-arranging some of my suitcases and attempting to downsize and pack lighter, a feat I've never conquered in the past. The photo below shows a few of the items I have bought and been given for my trip.

In the upper left hand corner, I have a French phrasebook. It features useful phrases like "Y a-t-il una salle d'opera?" Translation: Is this an opera house? Hopefully, it will be useful if I have basic questions and need a quick translation while I travel. The Fodor's Morocco Travel Guide has been incredibly helpful and has allowed me to learn more about various destinations in Morocco and the sites to visit in each. It also includes important information pertaining to cultural customs and practices in Morocco. I was excited to hear mint tea is often served with meals in Morocco (mint tea = love :). In the back is my lovely pink elephant, Darwin.

The Aveeno Sunscreen was also a must-have for this trip. I must preserve my pastiness while abroad. Hopefully, 30 SPF is sufficient! My passport is an obvious necessity as well. Next, I included some Moroccan currency, which I purchased from AAA in Charleston. I bought 600 dirhams, which is equivalent to about $86 in the United States. The money will cover my train tickets once I get off of the plane in Casablanca. If only I could read the Arabic written on the bills. Luckily, there are numbers for clueless Americans like me.

My sister Laura bought me Arabic for Dummies for Christmas, which I haven't had a chance to use yet, but should be helpful. I also bought a French tutorial CD, which also came with a USB and SD card with recorded French lessons. I also packed two journals, which I hope to write in regularly during my study abroad experience. Thank you for the wood-covered diary, Rachel! On top of the red journal is a AAA travel debit card. For Christmas, my Mom bought me an international outlet adapter. I'm not sure if I will need it or not, but figured it couldn't hurt to bring. Finally, I packed lots of Band-Aids and neosporin. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am THE most accident prone/clumsy person ever. Don't worry guys, I am prepared!

I look forward to sharing my experiences on this blog. I promise the pictures will be more exciting once I actually arrive in Morocco! Special thanks to Steven and Katie, both of whom studied at AUI and have been incredibly helpful. Steven, I'm sure you're ready to kill me at this point, but I really appreciate all of your advice.  I hope everyone is having a wonderful new year!