Azilal

a December sunset over mainstreet in Azilal

Next week the Azilal students are putting on an English show for the community! Check the blog for photos and videos of the event. 

Student Spotlight #15: Lycee Ouzoud (Morocco)

Mohammed

My name is Mohammed Lamani. I am 15 years old and I was born in Azilal, Morocco. I speak Arabic, Berber (Tamazight) and English.

Three words that describe me are happy, generous, and smiley! 

In Azilal I have two older sisters and one younger brother. My mother is a housewife and my father is a merchant. He owns a hanut where he sells food and snacks. 

In my free time I like surfing the web on sites like Facebook and blogs. I also like soccer and playing soccer computer games. My favorite singer is Mohambi and my favorite food is couscous and pizza. The Quran is my favorite book. 

The best thing that happened this year is when I played soccer with my class team and we won the school cup! I was so happy to be a champion. 

I think Americans should know that the Moroccan people are gentle, generous and kind, especially here in Azilal. Also we have magical views like our Ouzoud waterfall and beautiful Bin El Ouidane lake! 

Student Spotlight #14: Lycee Ouzoud (Morocco)

Chaima

Hello! My name is Chaima and I am 15 years old. 

I speak Arabic, French, English and a Berber language called Tamazight. 

In my family I am the baby. I have two sisters and one brother who are all older than me. One of my brothers is a soldier for the Moroccan army. 

Some words that describe me are shy, beautiful and frank. 

My hobby is travel! The three countries I would most like to visit are the USA, Italy and Great Britain. I hope I can go one day!

My favorite sport is basketball. The book I like the most is called Ki Fahi and it is a historical book about Adolf Hitler. 

I want to share with you that Morocco is a beautiful country and it is full of beautiful nature. It is a good place for tourists because it is calm and the people are good and gentle. 

Student Spotlight #13: Elkins Pointe Middle School (United States)

Isabella

My name is Isabella Drake. I am 13 years old and was born in Roswell, GA, USA. I speak English, Italian, and a little Spanish. My mom was born and raised in Italy and my dad was raised in a small town in Indiana. My mom and dad met when they worked in London, England. My mom learned English and moved the USA after they had two daughters.

Some of my favorite hobbies are swimming in my pool or jumping on a trampoline. I do gymnastics 6 hours a week and enjoy watching American football. My favorite type of music is pop. The foods I really like are Italian, Japanese, and American. My favorite American food is bacon cheeseburgers, or a New York strip steak.Three words that describe me are intelligent, athletic, and confident.

One of my favorite memories from this year is when I went to Italy and I got to see my friends that I had not seen in years.

Something Moroccans should know about America is that you may think we have a lot of freedom, but we don't. Our parents are always scared that something will happen to us if we go out alone. Therefore adults are everywhere.

Do you have a lot of freedom in Morocco? What are the schools like? Do you live in a city or in the country? Are there a lot of big cities in Morocco?

Other things I would like to tell you are that the schools here might be different than in Morocco. Here, we have 8 different classes. When each class is over a bell rings and we have 4 minutes to get to the next class. Two of those classes are called "connections", which are classes like art, music, drama, physical education, health and more. Our connections classes change every nine weeks, During the four minutes between classes we can go to our lockers, the bathrooms, or to get water. Also, one of the periods a study and lunch period. My schedule is: band first, then physical education, then social studies, then science, then Spanish, then lunch, then math, and lastly language arts. When the school day is over some people walk home, some get picked up in a car by their parents, but most students ride the bus home.

Student Spotlight #12: Elkins Pointe Middle School (USA)

Daniel

My name is Daniel Acosta. I am 13 years old and was born in Budapest, Hungary in Europe.

Some languages I speak are Spanish, Hungarian, and English. I have family members in many places around the world like Hungary, Colombia, Spain, Poland, Ukraine, Canada, Australia, United States, and Indonesia. I love travelling and have traveled a lot in my life.

My favorite sports are soccer and martial arts. My favorites things to eat are steak, kebab, and hamburgers. I like to listen to all kinds of music. Three words that describe me are: smart, brave, and athletic.

Some of my favorite memories from this year were Summer break, and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Something Moroccans should know about America is that it is a very diverse country and there are are people from all over the world here. I am interested in knowing what traditions, foods, sports, and hobbies Moroccans have.

Class time in Morocco

ElHabib and Khadija helping us write for the blog

ELHabib in Mr. Said's class preparing for an English play. It is very funny! 

Student Spotlight #11: Lycee Ouzoud (Morocco)

ElHabib

My name is ElHabib Bibih. I am 16 years old and I speak English, berber (Tashelhight) and Arabic.

I've got 3 brothers and 1 sister and of course my parents.

I think I am funny, pleasant, and happy. In my free time I like playing soccer and swimming. I also like to listen to pop music like Rihanna and eat couscous. My favorite couscous is made with beef.

My favorite thing about this year is that I get the chance to play with the soccer team at my school. I play all positions.

I think Americans should know that Moroccan people are very gentle and kind. If you want to have a fun vacation you must come to Morocco!

Student Spotlight #10: Lycee Ouzoud (Morocco)

Khadija

My name is Khadija Assou and I am 15 years old. 

I speak Arabic, Tamazight and English. In my family I have two older brothers, Youness and Mouhamed. They live in Azilal with me. I also have my parents Malika and Brahim.

Three words I would use to describe me are happy, crazy and generous. 

In my free time I like to read books and play video games. My favorite video games are driving games that I play on my computer. I also like to listen to a lot of music, like classical music and jazz. Some of my favorite musicians are Chris Brown and Eminem. 

My favorite book is Treasure Island. I like to eat pizza. In Morocco we put fish on our pizza sometimes. I also like chicken pizza, and of course couscous. 

My favorite thing about this year is my English classes and my chance to improve my English.

I think Americans should try to learn our language and about our culture. They will see that in Morocco people are generous and kind and fun to visit. In Morocco we have a magical nature. 

Student Spotlight #9: Elkins Pointe Middle School (USA)

Jacob

My name is Jacob Montes-Sabino and I am thirteen years old. I was born in Roswell, Georgia, United States and I speak English and Japanese.

Something I would like to tell you about my family is that we are very athletic. We like to exercise a lot and play sports.

Some of my favorite hobbies are playing sports and video games. My favorite sports are soccer and football. My favorite music is a song called "Hotline Bling" by Drake. My favorite books are Maze Runner. My favorite foods are baked ziti and fried rice.

One of my favorite memories from this year was early release day at school because we went on a field trip and I got to ride on the school bus with all my friends.

Student Spotlight #8: Elkins Pointe Middle School (USA)

Abby

My name is Abby Carpenter. I am twelve years old and I was born in Roswell, Georgia, United States. I speak English and Japanese.

Something I would like to tell you about my family is that I have two sisters who are twins.

Some of my favorite hobbies are bookworm, musical, and enthusiastic. My favorite hobbies are playing violin, dancing, and reading. My favorite sports are dance and football. My favorite music is classical and pop-punk. My favorite books are Harry Potter, and fan-fiction. My favorite foods are sushi, candy, and hamburgers.

One of my favorite memories from this year was when I got into an orchestra.

Something Moroccans should know about America is that we may seem perfect, but we have political disagreements.

I am glad I was given the opportunity to communicate with you!

Photo time in America!

 Katie, Micah, Mason, and Makaila in Mr. Leventhal's Social Studies class.

Student Spotlight #7: Elkins Pointe Middle School (USA)

Mason

My name is Mason Bicnell. I am thirteen years old and I was born in Atlanta, GA, USA. I speak English and I'm learning Spanish.

Some things I would like to tell you about my family is that it contains 4 people; my mother, father, my brother, and me. Three words that describe me are intelligent, handsome, and athletic.

Some of my favorite hobbies are football, baseball, and basketball. My favorite music is pop. My favorite book is "Hatchet". My favorite foods are ribs and steak.

One of my favorite memories from this year is my birthday.

Something Moroccans should know about Americans is that we are very loud!! :)

Another thing I would like to tell you is that our Social Studies class is very interesting and fun with Mr. Leventhal as our teacher. Yeet! :)

Student Spotlight #6: Elkins Pointe Middle School (USA)

Makaila

My name is Makaila. I am twelve years old and I was born in California (USA). I speak English, Sign Language, and I am currently learning Spanish.

Something I would like to tell you about my family is that I have an identical twin sister named Mariah. Three words that describe me are: intelligent, creative, and fun.

Some of my favorite hobbies are playing volleyball and reading. My favorite book is "Wonder" by R.J. Palacio and my and my favorite foods are potatoes, sushi, and cheesecake.

One of my favorite memories from this year was volunteering at the Elementary school with my friend at their Halloween dance party.

Something Moroccans should know about America is that America is a place everyone should visit in their lifetime.

Other things I would like to tell you are that I am in 7th Grade, I am in Jr. Beta club at my school, and I play the clarinet in my school band.When I grow up, I want to go to Stanford University in California.

Student Spotlight #5: Lycee Ouzoud (Morocco)

Assma

My name is Assma. I am 16 years old.

I speak 5 languages: Arabic, French, English, Tamazight and a little Korean.

I live with my mother and my sisters. My father lives in another house because they divorced 6 years ago. 

Some words that my friends always use to describe me are shy, funny, and sometimes serious. 

My hobbies are reading and writing novels. I had written a whole novel in Arabic! I also like signing and dancing in my free time with my BFF Salma. I want to learn Korean because I love K Pop!

Americans should know that we (Moroccans) are not too different from them and we live a lot like them, but we do have special traditions (like wearing a headscarf). That's it! I want to have friends from America and to learn more about your culture. 

Student Spotlight #4: Lycee Ouzoud (Morocco)

Kawtar

Hi friends, my name is Kawtar Oumachame. I am 16 years old. I speak Arabic, English, Berber (Amazigh), and also French, but I am not a very good French speaker. 

I have 4 sisters and 1 brother but I live only with my parents. Some words that describe me are funny, helpful and polite. 

My hobbies are reading short stories and watching English movies. My favorite English movie is Eat, Pray, Love. Basketball and tennis are my favorite sports and I love pop music. 

I like Moroccan food like tagine and couscous. 

I would like to share with you about my town, Azilal. It is a beautiful, small city in the center of Morocco. The region is famous because of it's amazing landscapes like the Ouzoud waterfall and Bin El Ouidane lake. Thousands of tourists visit the region every year. I hope you can come visit it!

Student Spotlight #3: Lycee Ouzoud (Morocco)

Said

My name is Said Imzili and I am 16 years old. I speak Amazigh, Arabic, French and English.

I have a big family who live in Azilal with me: 2 sisters, 4 brothers, and my grandma. My dad is retired and my mother is a housewife.

I have three words that maybe describe me: happy, helpful, and easy-going.
My hobbies are : playing sports, reading, getting up early, and helping my mother in her housework.

My favorite sports are basketball, soccer, and swimming. I can swim in the pool in Azilal, in the Ouzoud waterfall, and in lake Bin El Ouidan. My favorite foods are popular foods like meat tajine and couscous.

A memory: We celebrated Eid El Kbir (or Eid El Adha) recently. It is a religious celebration. The children wore new clothes. In the morning, I got up early. I kissed my parents hands and heads. We ate a big breakfast with all my family and people in the neighborhood. Afterwards we went to the mosque for Eid prayer. After that we slaughtered the sheep and ate "mechoui."
In the afternoon we visited friends and relatives. With them we drank tea and ate cakes. In the end, other family and neighbors invited us to dinner.

Something Americans should learn about Morocco is that Morocco has a different culture, and Morocco itself has many cultures. Each place in Morocco has its own culture.

Student Spotlight #2 - Elkins Pointe Middle School (USA)

Micah

My name is Micah Rodman. I am twelve years old and I was born in Atlanta, GA, USA. I speak English and a bit of Spanish.

Some things I would like to tell you about my family are that I have two sisters and a dog. Three words that describe me are intelligent, athletic, and nice.

Some of my favorite hobbies are lacrosse, basketball, and swimming. My favorite sports are lacrosse, and basketball. My favorite music is rock or pop. My favorite books are The Maze Runner series. My favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs.

One of my favorite memories from this year is having good teachers.. Something Moroccans should know about America is that we like McDonalds.

Another thing I would like to tell you is that our class is fun and we all like Mr. Leventhal.

Student Spotlight #1 - Elkins Pointe Middle School (USA)

Katie

My name is Katie White. I am thirteen years old and I was born in Atlanta, GA, USA. I speak English and partly Spanish.

Some things I would like to tell you about my family are that there are five people and we love big family dinners. Three words that describe me are fun, smart, and energetic.

Some of my favorite hobbies are cheerleading and tumbling. My favorite sport is cheerleading. My favorite music is country music. My favorite book is The Maze Runner and my favorite food is sushi.

One of my favorite memories from this year was my birthday. Some thing Moroccans should know about America is that Americans are very loud.

Other things I would like to tell you are that I have two sisters; One is an older sister and I also have a twin sister. Also, my grandfather is from Egypt.

Welcome! \\ MarHaba!

Welcome to the USA- Morocco Cultural Exchange Blog!

This exchange is made possible by the US State Department's English Access Microscholarship Program students, Peace Corps Morocco volunteers and Fulton Country Schools students. However, content, opinions and stories expressed in this exchange are the students' alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Fulton County, the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or the Moroccan Government.

Student Spotlights are posted every week, and we share fun things about culture in America and Morocco! We invite you to post comments for the kids to learn more about them.* Thanks for reading!

1. *respectful comments only will be tolerated