Never Have I Ever...Had A Snow Day

Naturally growing up in Florida,hurricane days are built into school schedules. Snow days are not. My town in Morocco is a little different. People have been predicting snow for the last 2 weeks. Well it finally came; over 2 feet to be exact. It snowed for 22 straight hours. We may have lost electricity for 36 hours but I enjoyed every minute of the experience.

It started snowing Thursday afternoon and by Friday morning, at least a foot had fallen. Not everyone in my family was excited but me and SiMo (8 years old today…Happy Birthday!) were looking forward to playing in it. So SiMo came into my room at 9:30 yelling “Ilham, Nkr! Nkr!” (my Arabic name, Wake Up! Wake Up!) After patiently waiting for me to inject coffee into my system, SiMo showed me how to build a snowman (we made 2). And then we spent the rest of the enjoying the snow. It was still falling but we walked around town, visited with people, had a snowball fight, made snow angels, etc. I was experiencing something for the very first time and I wanted to soak it all in.

It is warming up outside and the snow has started to melt but I am loving it all. I love my family; I love my town; and I love Morocco.

And now for your viewing pleasure:

Ali indifferent to all this snow; Keeping with the metaphor of his and mine lives…I was way more excited about this new thing in our lives than he was. Then again, I am 22 and he is 5 months.


It is like the frozen tundra


Odd photo but I like it




One of the many times I fell/was pushed in the snow


Town’s Crown, showing that us Berbers support the King


My town is beautiful!




My family’s front door


SiMo with one of the snowmen. Notice the hat, Roll Tide. Probably the only snowman of its kind in Morocco


SiMo making a snow angel


Sunset with evergreen trees full of melting snow


Black and white of trees by the creek


Mosque in black and white