A Story by Marwan

Last night I spent a beautiful night speaking with my girlfriend about a lot of things.

I missed her more than everybody else because I've never seen her before face to face except on facebook. She doesn't live in the same city where I live.

Now I will relate how I met her.

Firstly, she's my cousin's bast friend. My cousin gave her my facebook account, and she sent me an invitation. I was shocked when I saw her picture. She's very beautiful. Without thinking, I agreed to her invitation. I started talking to her like anybody else, but inside of me, I had a different feeling. I really like her, or I can say I loved her from the first sight, from the first conversation between us. I found in her everything that I was wishing to find in my girlfriend. I told that to my cousin, I told her my feelings.

A few days later, my feelings were grown up and I was waiting for the moment when I would tell her about it.

Sunday, February 3, 2013. When I finished the Access Program, I went home, I opened my facebook account and I was waiting for her without patience. I called my cousin on her mobile phone to tell her to tell her friend (my girlfriend) to open her facebook account. Finally she opened it. I was so glad to see her. I started talking to her, and a few minutes later I told her what I was feeling inside. I told her that I loved her and I want my life to be with her. She couldn't answer me at that moment. She told me to give her a little time to think.

Monday, February 4, 2013. I spent Sunday night without sleep, I was thinking about her. What would her answer be? In the afternoon I called her before I asked her to tell me her answer. She was shy to tell it to me. She told me she would write it in a text message. The text message said:

"Marwan, yes I agree to be with you. I have the same feelings about you, I want me life to be with you"

I was laughing while I was reading the message, I was very happy. I can't describe my gladness at that time, because I had had two years of loneliness, I was a pessimistic person, but when that girl came into my life she made it change, it completely changed in a lot of ways.

I love that girl, I love her more than everybody. I'm very sincere with you.

In short since I met that girl, my life changed.

To be continued......

Poetry by Marwan

I found an idea in an indirect way
Is to sing rap in English, now listen what I say
If you remember one girl gives a clash to Moroccan boys
She didn't look at herself but I looked at her like little toys.
Don't be angry you'll be hungry
McDonalds is close now...Don't say how!
You eat a lot of food, but nothing good.
I don't want to continue and I tell you why
Because I won't see you cry.
Don't call the police, I'll leave you in peace.
But all that is just to make a joke.
Let's forget and drink a glass of coke.
You're the humblest girl I've seen,
Not like one girl. She looks like a poop green.
You know what I'm talking about
So this is the end I'll see you out.

Quote by Hamza

"Don't try to be how people want you to be, but be how you want to be."

Poetry by Hamza

My life is in my hand
     but I can't understand!
     what will happen in the end?
The best or the worst?
     I'm sure I won't be lost.
     However, I don't agree with most!
Who say they're weak.
     No one is weak, because he's not sick.
All things are saved
     in my mind are conserved
     to be more aware
     say you have changed!
     and don't stay disappeared
     yes you're discovered
          by yourself............

Letter Poems

Today, we worked with poetry in class. The assignment: write a letter poem to somebody else. The only rule: Use English. Here are some of our poems.

Dear friends

       The importance I gave is not enough to say thanks, but I am sure to say  I am cool because you bring me smiles every instant I think of you, however near or far our hearts are touching everywhere in the world…,if only we were brothers, but I know it’s the reality.

                                                                     By your faithful friends !!!

                                                                                                   Hamza & Mahdi.

MAJESTY KING OF SWEDEN by Youssef and Yassine

I hope that you open the border

And make a new order

Between Morocco and your kingdom

With all peace, Majesty we want to see how your people live in prosperity and freedom

Rabat and Stockholm, in my mind are like twins

But on the economical level we live in the crisis

So help us majesty, we want to see your paradise

They talk about your prettiest girls and the Swedish luxurious lifestyle .

Help us majesty.

For my classmates in Amideast

Starting with my noisy partner Youssef

He didn’t know something called enough

Next is Yassine the drawer

He has a big bike and a lot of power

Hajar the quiet girl

She didn’t care about the world

Jihan the active

And Chaimae wears everything expensive

To the others whose names I didn’t write

Sorry there is no more lyrics and I lose my focus sometimes.

                                                                                Marwan

Dear Destiny,

I know that you exist in all parts of the world,

You are the only one who can control our behavior and show us the right way to have a good future.
We all believe in you,
Just thinking of you gives us the strength and power to continue our lives even if it's full of harm.
The tolerance, indulgence, and cooperation are in your nature,
You represent the peace in the world and without you the life will not be worth living.

by Samah

Portraits by Abdellah

Drawing of Said Jmani:

Original drawing:

Couscous

Couscous is the most popular dish that characterizes Morocco. Moroccans usually eat it on Fridays for lunch when the family is all together. Couscous can be considered as the toughest Moroccan dish you can make. Women do better with making it, because it took lots of time and needs lots of patience. This meal contains lots of ingredients like carrots, potatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, cabbage, turnips, chickpeas, chicken or meat, looots of spices.... And we add caramelized onions and raisins for decoration.

Eating couscous on Fridays is a Moroccan tradition and since a long time Moroccans eat this meal on those when they all go to some member's house and usually it's granny's.

And if you want to give it a try, here are the steps you should follow to have a good Moroccan couscous:

First, you should steam the couscous (there's pre-packed couscous which facilitates this step and it's available in supermarkets). It should be steamed 3 or 4 times!

At the same time, you cook the vegetables and the chicken or meat, in another pan. Then it's the caramelized raisins and onions turn! Mix the sliced onions, raisins, spices, sugar or honey in a sauce pan, add some water, cover it, and leave it cook for approximately half an hour over low heat.

After finishing cooking... It's serving time! Empty the steamed couscous into a dish that Moroccans call "Gasaa". Next put the vegetables and the chicken or meat on the top of the couscous. Finally, we put the caramelized onions and raisins (the "Tefaya") on the very top.

Here in Morocco, the way we eat it is much different than the one you do in America or anyplace in the world. We eat couscous in the same big dish and we usually use our hands. The older members are professionals; they make balls so it gets easier to hold and to eat.

So good appetite, and enjoy eating the most popular and delicious meal ever!!

Written by Mahdi, Khalil, and Hamza