I just bought leopard print socks. For those of you may not know, imitation animal clothing is not really my style. But hey, new country, new style, right? Not that leopard print exactly screams of Morocco, but hey, I’m going to work it.
Tonight post-dinner we watched a show that was like a Moroccan version of Judge Judy. Divorced parents with a custody battle on their hands; a lawyer defending each parent and then three judges to make the decision.
My host mother is a chatty type. While I was reading my homework for tonight, (a task that proved to be difficult considering I haven’t done schoolwork in how long?) she sat down next to me and shared essentially her life philosophy. She told me that the reason she continues to go to the CCCL and ask to host exchange students is because she wants to change the way Americans see Islam. She does not support war; she doesn’t believe in killing others. All people, she told me, are God’s children whether they be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, American, Indian…whatever they may be. And she cannot support anything that would harm someone who is just as human as she is. The word Islam, after all is a derivative of the word salaam (peace). I smiled to myself because here in front of me was a tiny Moroccan woman smarter than 90% of the world’s politicians.
To test her I asked, What about Amal? What if she decides to marry someone who isn’t Muslim (musulman)? She told me that it’s not up to her. It’s her daughter’s choice and in the end, c’est la coeur qui decide (it is the heart that decides).
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