Twitterpated

Spring is here, and new life follows close on the heels of the re-appearance of street life.

The first sign was the fall of the zaHaraH, which is one of the most beautiful words in Arabic, meaning flower (or sometimes more specifically the flowers of an orange tree.) The flowers of the fruit trees feel like the snow we never had, making the ground not only white and soft, but also with a sticky-sweet fragrance that makes me think of hummingbirds and sugar-water. In place of these remarkable snow-drop-like flowers, the trees hosted a variety of delicious fruit or decoy fruit. I first noticed this while leading the usually well-behaved sixth grade inside for science class. I looked over my shoulder at the door to the school to find several of the students out of line, and IN the tree by the door, shaking the branches to drop the small yellow fruits on their expectant classmates below. I was upset, until Simo forced one of the fruits on me. Under the tough rind, the orange fruit was juicy and flavorfully sweet; I had one of those frightening moments of self-doubt of an authority figure who has just realized that her instructions are the opposite of what she and everyone else wants. So we went to science and keyed out this fantastic tree. And then studied Outer Space.

The second sign was the kittens. Fes has hundreds of stray cats, and they are generally seen as dirty pests, though cute: akin to squirrels in US. One of my students on Monday told me about the kittens in the back of the school, and we went as a class between periods to visit them. There were four little furballs, not even a week old, nestled in a cardboard box. Karina had moved them from the school's bastement window-wells. They each had unique colourings, and the calico mama watched us protectively from a safe distance. A few students brought her their lunch leftovers, but the kittens were bothered enough that Mama-cat moved them next door Tuesday morning. It was sweet to see all the students loving the cats and talking about how to care for them.

The third sign of spring was the chicks. In contrast to the kittens, these were clearly bred for consumers, as they were a rainbow of neon colour! During lunch Wednesday morning, I heard a choir of "Miss! Miss!" calling in my classroom window. I went outside and found my students respectively holding a hot pink baby chick, a bright orange one, one in lime green, one lemon yellow chick, and a big snail. The neighbor had dyed the chicks with bright colours and was selling them for 10dh each, although my students informed me that the dye wasn't good for them and a bath immediately is the only way to ensure their safety. The neighbor had put the snail on one boy's head while he was working. All the chicks earned names, and a photo shoot of cuteness ensued. The bell rang and the chicks went back in the neighbor's cage. Math began.

The fourth sign of spring is the giant cigar-birds outside my house. They look like the ash-grey chimney swifts, with darker black wingtips and an elegant, sweeping shape - but their wingspan is about a foot long! I like watching them swoop around the road in front of my apartment, but they've recently decided to give me a closer look. They continually bombard the upper corners of my window wells! I thought this was odd, but took it for coincidence, or clumsy flying. I like to sleep with my window cracked (it slides sideways open) because the squatty-potty stinks, and Friday night was no exception. On Saturday morning around 6am, I heard the Giant Chimney Swifts start squeeking as they began their dance on my road. Suddenly, in an ungainly 'thump,' a little feathered face looked me right in the eye. I leapt out of my bed, and a sweet little (well, BIG) songbird tilted his head back and forth, looking pleasently surprised at his good fortune to have landed on a pillow! He had his wings a little splayed, but made no effort to correct them, or move at all. Had I left him another minute, I think he would have fallen asleep on my pillow! I tried to shoo him outside, but he was too pleased with himself to heed my shushing. He didn't move. And didn't move. And didn't move, except to cock his head cheekily at me. Finally, I slid the window open as wide as it would go, hoping another wouldn't join him, and picked up my whole pillow, shaking it out the window to dislodge the poor comfortable Flying Cigar. I threw the pillow into a corner of my room, closed the window, cranked down the Fort Nox blinds, and went back to sleep.

Lastly, there's me. The Fessies are not known for their great care in personal cleanliness, but this week I am hamaaming and preening myself in anticipation of my trip to Turkey to visit Steve in what is currently HIS country of residence. My flight leaves Tuesday morning from Casablanca, so I will be taking the train to Casa on Monday night, and hopefully staying with family of a friend so I can make my flight on time. Steve and I will be in Istambul together for 4 days. There's a zoo near Istambul! But it might be closed. Post a comment if you've been there and you have a recommendation for something we shouldn't miss seeing.

Happy Spring!