Today was my second day of classes. The class schedule is really confusing, but since we use the same room for all of them, I just sit at my desk and see what subject comes up next. Today we had Arabic Media, FusHa, and a round table discussion (complete with mint tea and cookies). We discussed al-hijra, and were required to research it beforehand. I stupidly thought that meant to research the Islamic Hijra, so I came prepared with information about why the Prophet Muhammad left Mecca for Yathrib. We ended up discussing immigration (another meaning of hijra) in the Arab world and in the U.S.
The author of my textbook (Al-Kitaab, the foremost Arabic textbook), Mahmoud Al-Batal, is in Morocco and came to AALIM. He sat in on all three of my classes (with me and six other students). It was intimidating at first, but he's so helpful and patient. At the end of classes, I ran into him downstairs and he said repeatedly that my Arabic is excellent. That means so much to me and it's such an honor to get a compliment from someone like him.
All of the professors at AALIM are enthusiastic and really kind. I've learned so much in just a few days. Even though classes are only from 9-1, the rest of my day is filled with homework, and when I'm done with that I speak with my host family in Darija. Or I should say they speak in Darija and I do my best to follow. I'm so excited to see what my Arabic will be like by the time I leave Morocco.