<--The glass pyramid outside the Louvre Museum in ParisWell, it's been a very packed 10 weeks. I'm pretty tired and ready to be back "home" I suppose.
The last 2 days of exploring Paris were nice enough but as impressive as Paris is for its grand architecture and high culture, I'm reminded that European cities aren't my thing. I wanted to at least see Paris but I don't enjoy museums or crowds so I just wandered around to get a sense of the city and tried to stay away from the hoards of tourists. I was dumbfounded at the lines for all of the attractions, particularly for climbing the Eiffel Tower.
It was good to have the affirmation that I'd rather be in South America or Africa on a dirty, rusted out old bus filled with chickens and goats, lurching down a pot-holed road, sweating my butt off than in a museum or 1000 year-old cathedral with sculptures of dead white saints. ha
In any case, yesterday, I wandered by the Eiffel Tower and hung out for awhile inside Notre Dame cathedral. Today, I ventured out to a big bookstore in Montparnasse to buy a book by a French Gnawa scholar I've been wanting to read. Then I wandered around the grounds and garden of the Louvre Museum, down towards Place a la Concord and further on. I spent about 8 hours or more on my feet and it felt like half of the day, I was searching for a toilet, only to turn around and spend $6 or more on a cappuccino.
Looking back on the 10 weeks, I packed it pretty well: the big wedding in Casablanca; four weeks in Tetouan studying guimbri and Arabic, and three lilas with a trip to Asilah and Tangier to meet more ma'alemin; 5 weeks in Essaouira for the Festival and for studying more guimbri, beginning to learn how to sing and play the songs on the guimbri, as well as general Gnawa concepts; meeting several people in Essaouira who changed the direction of my Gnawa research (Zilabidin, Laraby, and of course, Sidi); various trips to Sidi Kaouki, Aourir (the village near Agadir), Diabat, and Imessouane for lilas; hanging out at Ma'alem Seddik's house and spending more time with all the guys there, learning so much about various perspectives on Gnawa; attending the Hamadcha mosseum and developing my teacher/student relationship with Sidi; studying French in my free time.
I feel very satisfied with my trip and hope that I gave myself enough rest time, too. I guess I'll find out when I get to Boston. I am really craving nature right now. Except for my trips to various beaches here, I didn't get to see the mountains in Morocco, which are magical. I'm very much looking forward to nurturing that need in Colorado when I spend 2 weeks with mom. It will be good to be "home;" the only real home for me right now, I suppose. I am so glad I went back to Morocco as even 10 weeks there really made a difference for how I will approach the next 2 years of my Master's program in Ethnomusicology.
Now, my questions are very different and I'm curious to see how I will approach the ideas of music in trance and possession. A part of me feels like I need to go do some research in Niger or West Africa and experience West Africa vodou or NE Brazil. Who knows. Right now, I'm looking forward to a big hug from mom, a home-cooked meal, iced tea on the patio, and soon after that, the Colorado mountains.
I'm waking up at 4:30 AM tomorrow to get to the airport in plenty of time so I'm going to sign off now....
I leave you all with a beautiful practice I learned in Morocco: before you put anything in your mouth, liquid or food, and before you walk through the door to someone's home, take a moment to give thanks. The Moroccans say, "Bismillah" which means, "In the name of God." It is a way to remember what a gift it is to eat and drink and to have a home. At this very moment, although we are more sheltered from it in our Western society, there are so many people going hungry, thirsty and living on the streets.
For every bit of sustenance that passes your lips and blesses your life, give humble thanks.
