A few of my favorite things

I have been feeling a little under the weather these past few days and thought an upbeat blog post--about the things I have discovered in Morocco and really like--might help cheer me up (because it's all about me, you know). It's easy to focus on the annoyances, the inconveniences, the bewildering differences, but there's really much to love here. For instance:

-Storks on rooftops.

-Egrets in trees.

-People at the marché, both vendors and other customers, who are willing to do just about anything to figure out what it is I am asking for. They'll usually try to teach me the word for it in French or Arabic, too. And they are very patient!

-The phrase "Welcome to Morocco!" which almost everyone says once they find out we are new and actually live here.

-Safety. I feel very safe here.

-The view from my living room window.

-Schweppes citron.

-Little flan-flavored yogurt cups. (They aren't really yogurt, but they are yummy!)

-Fresh loaves of bread for 2 or 3 dirhams (that's less than a dollar) each.

-Moroccan mint tea.

-Buying fresh things in bulk. Our favorites? Harissa and olives.

-T and I both like what appears to be a slower pace of life. It's something I feel I can learn a great deal from.