This blog will serve as a temporary website until I can update the school's website. Let's get right to it.
When are the apartments going to be ready? August 15th. It is recommended that you arrive about 5 days before orientation (September 1st). It will give you time to adjust to the time, settle into your apartment, and explore the city.
Who will take care of me? One idea is to be assigned a host family that will show us around and get us situated. I plan on meeting with the Parents Council president because we have a lot of planning to do. Someone will meet you at the airport, just notify them of your arrival time.
When is orientation? September 1st
When is the first day of school? September 7th
How do I get there? There are many ways, but U.S. -> Canada -> Paris -> Marrakech is one option. I would like to try U.S. ->Madrid -> Marrakech. EasyJet is the European carrier that offers low airfare. You arrange the flight, keep receipts, then you'll be reimbursed shortly after you arrive (and submit your receipts). Most airlines send you an email confirmation. You can forward the email(s) to the business office.
Should I take a computer? If you have one, it might be a good idea. I'm taking my iMac. It has all my video, photo, graphic design, and teacher files on it (plus my webcam for Skype). Remember to bring a 110/220 converter and power strip with surge protection. I'm considering bringing my printers, too. I use them here all the time, so I don't expect it to be any different over there.
How will we get to school? The Embassy bus transports all staff to and from school, twice a day: 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The public bus runs every hour and goes past housing and the school. Some staff members have cars, so you can always arrange rides with them. The school also has two drivers, and if you need to run an errand during the school day, you may be able to arrange a ride. There are also taxi services, and some people have scooters or ride bikes. I would like to ride my bike and get a scooter!
Where are the apartments? They are about 20 minutes from the Meddina (Old City), in the "New City" called Gueliz. It's pretty much in the tourist center.
What size are the apartments? They range from 2 to 3 bedrooms, 1 to 1.5/2 bath, kitchen and living room. We'll have photos soon! Not all teachers/staff live in the same apartment, but we generally live in the same area, roughly 10 minutes apart.
What's the school bell schedule like?
Homeroom/1st: 8:35 - 9:25, then 5 min. passing
2nd Period: 9:30 - 10:20
3rd Period: 10:25 - 11:15
4th Period: 11:20 - 12:10
Lunch: 12:10 - 12:50
5th Period: 12:55 - 1:45
6th Period: 1:50 - 2:40
7th Period: 2:45 - 3:35
From the end of August until September 22, 2009 Ramadan will be celebrated.
http://www.travel-exploration.com/subpage.cfm/Ramadan
Classes will be 40 minutes long, instead of 50, and school will begin at 9:30 a.m. Be prepared for short periods during the first month of school! The bell schedule will be posted once I get it.
Do I get sick/personal days? Yes. 8 sick days and 3 personal days. Please avoid sick/personal days on Friday and Monday (you can still fly to Paris late Friday and return late Sunday -- I love how that sounds!).
When is Back to School Night and Open House? I don't have the specific dates for those, but they are staggered.
How do I communicate with my family in the U.S.? You can sign up for a Skype account (you will need a webcam), or you can buy a cell phone in Morocco. The local company is called MoracTelecom. There are no contracts, just buy a SIM card with 100 minutes and you're set. I was considering an iTouch and using the WiFi feature to send email, Facebook.
Anything else I should know? Yes. But I haven't gotten that far yet. You can start commenting on this blog and Tim will get to meet you, and soon others will get to meet. I think Christina and I are the only teachers from California, and I've heard others are from Virginia, and Midwest. You can see my Facebook badge below, sign up, then we'll all be "connected".
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