tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80431893296215959542011-07-08T14:20:52.527+01:00a North African chronicle by Jacqueline PowersJacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-13726647343086172682010-08-21T20:44:00.001Z2010-08-21T20:52:02.439Z2010-08-21T20:52:02.439Z

Fave Washington, DC Eats View Fave Washington, DC Eats in a larger map Eating Out In Rabat View Eating Out in Rabat in a larger map A Week in the City of Light (and Food!) View A Week in the City of Light (and Food!) in a larger map A Weekend in Essaouira View A Weekend in Essaouira in a larger map Exploring Marrakech View Exploring Marrakech in a larger map A _ In Block Island View A

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-48993879330082990262010-01-24T20:44:00.001Z2010-08-21T20:23:41.390Z2010-08-21T20:23:41.390Z

Although my vie au maroc has come to a close since the end of my Fulbright grant in December, Andrew and I will be heading out on a new adventure in just a few days. Before we settle back in the U.S. this spring, we'll spend three months traveling through East Africa... first stop: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-38988210521419144112009-11-24T11:41:00.015Z2009-11-24T13:12:36.909Z2009-11-24T13:12:36.909Z

In between mozzarella eating, gelato licking and wine drinking, Liv showed me around her neighborhood and took me to Roma's most famous sights!We decided to climb all 551 steps (!) to the top of St. Peter's Basilica... here we are, only half way there!Once we did get there, the view was absolutely beautiful!On Friday, we toured the art gallery at the Borghese villa and walked around the gardens.

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-73374849572289234862009-11-24T11:27:00.017Z2009-11-24T12:36:08.973Z2009-11-24T12:36:08.973Z

Words cannot describe the deliciousness of my trip this past weekend to visit my baby sister Olivia in Roma... I may have gained five kilos in five days, but it was worth it!Fresh pasta with meat and truffle ragu alongside prosciutto and melted cheese tartines on our first evening at the hostaria down the street from Liv's apartment.Enjoying my first 'suppli', a deep fried rectangle filled with

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-12705259861104048692009-11-17T14:37:00.012Z2009-11-24T11:27:05.631Z2009-11-24T11:27:05.631Z

Since our trip to Essaouira, Andrew and I have made more of a concerted effort to cook at home. Too many nights out equals just too many dirhams, and how nice is it to curl up on the couch in your pjs? We've been busy making all sorts of dishes...Red beans and rice with pork sausage (thank you, pork lady, I love you)Homemade pasta sauce to last a week (or a few days for A) with tomatoes,

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-33235843973801854102009-11-17T13:39:00.026Z2009-11-17T18:11:24.569Z2009-11-17T18:11:24.569Z

Yet again, I find it's been a month since I posted. Just last night Andrew was bumbling around on his blog, and reminded me that once upon a time my own blog received an average of 200 visitors per week! That number is now down to a measly 70. Shame on me.So what have I been up to over the past few weeks? Aside from obsessively and compulsively (and likely annoyingly to Andrew) checking my law

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-62157369423997882972009-10-16T17:16:00.012Z2009-10-16T18:28:31.470Z2009-10-16T18:28:31.470Z

After spending three weeks in the U.S., I arrived back in Morocco last week feeling a bit glum. I had been home, in America, for three whole weeks. How could I not miss it?I had watched my little brother compete in a triathalon (where he snagged 3rd place, go Will!). Mom and I went down to the city for a walk in Central Park and afternoon tea at Lady Mendl's. We sailed one Sunday from Larchmont

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-29441480062860590842009-09-11T13:49:00.010Z2009-09-11T14:53:43.302Z2009-09-11T14:53:43.302Z

To get Andrew and I through a busy weekend, including surfing at Mehdia beach on Sunday, I've gone into cooking and shopping mode today.First thing this morning after my run, I tossed together a smashed chickpea salad courtesy of Deb at Smitten Kitchen. This melange is perfect by the spoonful for a snack or thrown together with a piece of chicken on a baguette for lunch. One can of chickpeas, a

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-69835157610477173162009-09-07T14:08:00.007Z2009-09-07T16:24:29.250Z2009-09-07T16:24:29.250Z

This past Thursday afternoon, I hopped on the train to Fes for a trip to see Bouchra and her husband, Abdesalaam, and their two adorable kids, Houda and Oussama. Ever the generous hosts, they fed me everything you can imagine. And more. Beef tajine, harira, shebakiya, dates, couscous with goat's head, homemade bread, freshly squeezed juice, Moroccan mint tea, chicken tajine, malawi, beghrir,

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-42889268201413207012009-08-31T11:07:00.012Z2009-08-31T15:25:10.082Z2009-08-31T15:25:10.082Z

When Andrew mentioned to me on Friday morning that he (gasp!) didn't have to work this weekend, I went into immediate planning mode. Where could we go for an overnight? Some place not too far away, accessible by public transportation, relaxing, not too expensive, that would let us have a glass of wine with dinner...I remembered hearing about Villanora, a quiet little bed and breakfast in Moulay

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-81410046038794173822009-08-28T15:00:00.011Z2009-08-28T15:55:07.933Z2009-08-28T15:55:07.933Z

Yesterday morning, fellow Rabatis Gabi and Sara hopped on the train with me to Casablanca. We spent all morning at Insaf and instead of my normal volunteering schedule (mornings in the nursery, afternoons in the sewing atelier), the three of us did one giant tour of the facilities.After our meet-and-greet in the reception, we headed upstairs to learn about the four-women team in charge of

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-43845016168320525832009-08-28T11:04:00.003Z2009-08-28T11:29:55.649Z2009-08-28T11:29:55.649Z

This IPS article by Suad Hamada on women’s right in Bahrain has been on my mind for the past couple of days. “Feminists in Bahrain are seeking new Islamic perspectives on gender and women's empowerment, and asking for modern interpretations of the Quran,” she writes.One of the interesting things I’ve realized regarding women’s rights in Morocco is that there are essentially two main arguments in

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-6107401885602418902009-08-27T17:23:00.004Z2009-08-28T10:12:25.292Z2009-08-28T10:12:25.292Z

For any of you readers interested in my last post about the family law reform in Mali, I regret to tell you that President Amadou Toumani Toure had decided not to accept the new law. In an effort to supposedly preserve national peace, President Toure has returned the proposed law, which would increase women's rights, back to the Parliament for further review. Meanwhile, extremist Islamic groups

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-81014247199628472102009-08-24T10:17:00.006Z2009-08-24T11:02:10.947Z2009-08-24T11:02:10.947Z

So has everyone heard about the new family law that was passed in Mali on August 3? I must have been out of the loop, because yesterday's BBC article was the first I had read on the subject.After ten years of discussion, the Malian parliament ratified a family law that improves women's status within marriage. The new law aims to give women equal rights within marriage as well as increased

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-85503210983382083132009-08-23T08:47:00.009Z2009-08-23T09:16:30.982Z2009-08-23T09:16:30.982Z

If you haven't already, I hope you'll take some time today to read the New York Times Magazine. This weekend's edition focuses on Why Women's Rights Are the Cause of Our Time. With Secretary of State Clinton's recent visit to Africa and the media focus on women in Afghanistan over the past few weeks, I was delighted, but not surprised, by the Magazine's themeI found the interview with Secretary

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-65328663908732782702009-08-19T21:14:00.004+01:002009-08-19T21:32:25.151+01:002009-08-19T21:32:25.151+01:00

Check out this blog post by my friend and fellow Fulbrighter Liz about today's New York Times article on Moroccan family law (the Moudawana) and its impact on single mothers.Though timely, the article falls short of a perfect report. The authors do a decent job of describing the difficult situation faced by single mothers, but they fail to discuss the efforts of Moroccan organizations like INSAF

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-38394484491080922392009-08-19T07:21:00.003+01:002009-08-19T07:28:11.163+01:002009-08-19T07:28:11.163+01:00

Reading a New York Times Article this morning about the recent violent attacks - suicide bombs at checkpoints, bank robbery, rockets in the President's palace - in Afghanistan, just hours before tomorrow's election, made me consider one thing: would I go vote?Consider this, according to the article:"...the Afghan Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement asking all domestic and international

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-92042390316773958222009-08-18T15:38:00.009+01:002009-08-18T17:33:06.150+01:002009-08-18T17:33:06.150+01:00

Because my Mom keeps nudging me (OK, and because I'm super excited about it), I thought I would indulge all of you with a short post about volunteering at Insaf, a women's shelter for single mothers located on the fringes of Casablanca.***I spent yesterday morning in the nursery with about a half dozen infants, ranging in age from two weeks to six months. Yasmine, the sole six-month-old and

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-45747404423639528292009-08-14T19:32:00.008+01:002009-08-14T22:13:27.160+01:002009-08-14T22:13:27.160+01:00

So about that "accountability"... I'm still waiting for President Obama to make a statement about the the recently reformed Shiite Personal Status Law in Afghanistan.Current Afghan president Hamid Karzai is the front runner in the elections set to take place in just six days on August 20th. Backed by warlords and western powers alike, Karzai represents a mix of contradicting ideals. Most recently

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-3556712948581838882009-08-12T14:26:00.008+01:002009-08-12T14:56:09.251+01:002009-08-12T14:56:09.251+01:00

Witness to War, a one hour documentary featuring first-hand accounts by CNN correspondents, is an eye-opening view into the dire situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.Although the full film is being aired on television only, three short segments are available via CNN's website.After watching these clips this morning, what struck me most was the parallel between American military and political

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-24050021632293457842009-08-12T09:50:00.004+01:002009-08-12T10:08:09.430+01:002009-08-12T10:08:09.430+01:00

I in no way want to even attempt to tackle the Israel/Palestine issue; that's beyond the scope of this blog. But I do want to share with you an article by Jon Elmer, which describes the current situation of Palestinian prisoners and the impact of such incarceration on the lives of women, in particular. The facts and figures speak for themselves..."The arrest of the women is part of a pattern of

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-47021956713730533482009-08-10T23:13:00.006+01:002009-08-12T12:03:00.570+01:002009-08-12T12:03:00.570+01:00

As a follow-up to today's earlier post on sexual violence in the DRC, I recommend you all take ten minutes out of your day to read this fascinating, hard-hitting article by Adam Hochschild on Rape of the Congo.

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-31926764067071169432009-08-10T18:44:00.011+01:002009-08-10T19:14:28.134+01:002009-08-10T19:14:28.134+01:00

Reading about recent sexual violence in the Congo reminded me of a piece I wrote back in March of 2006 for a journalism course at Georgetown. Professor Maureen Corrigan had encouraged us to cover a live performance and lucky me, the Vagina Monologues (starring my adorable roommate Emily) was showing that week!Part theater, part political activism, the Vagina Monologues was created by Eve Ensler,

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-17779062851802118542009-08-10T18:20:00.004+01:002009-08-10T18:41:59.590+01:002009-08-10T18:41:59.590+01:00

While hundreds of thousands of Conogolese women have been sexually assaulted in recent years, easily becoming the most brutally traumatized victims of a civil war, the current Congo-Rwanda military operations against rebel groups has spurred a new and unprecedented type of violence: sexual violence against men.As the New York Times reports, "The United Nations already considers eastern Congo the

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043189329621595954.post-72497501768728063432009-08-08T11:05:00.004+01:002009-08-08T11:22:29.548+01:002009-08-08T11:22:29.548+01:00

So by now I've likely got most you thinking about how terrible the situation is for single mothers in Morocco. And it is, don't get me wrong. But that doesn't mean you or I should forget about the difficulties that women face in American society. Yesterday's New York Times op-ed by Bob Herbert reminded me that gender violence is a growing problem in the US, despite society and the media's attempt

Jacqueline Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00652670812085983617vieaumaroc@gmail.com