Jillian C. York · October, 2008

Latest posts by Jillian C. York from October, 2008

Morocco: Halloween Not Just for Expats Anymore

The Halloween tradition is a muddled one; with traditions in an ancient Celtic celebration, Halloween started in Europe and made its way to the United States, where it has been embraced as a holiday for children. In recent years, however, the American version of Halloween has spread to the rest of the world, with Morocco being no exception.

29 October 2008

Morocco: Barça Fan Jailed for Superlative Statement

Many bloggers were shocked last week to learn that a young Moroccan man had been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for what seemed like such a minor "crime." The young man, a Barça (FC Barcelona, a soccer team) fan, allegedly wrote “God, Nation, Barça” on the blackboard at his school. Morocco's motto is "God, Nation, King."

27 October 2008

Morocco: Tangier Experiences Massive Flooding

For the past few years, Morocco has been experiencing a significant drought. Unfortunately, recent rain storms have brought little relief, as Northern Morocco experiences massive flooding, claiming the lives of...

26 October 2008

Blogging Rural Morocco: Peace Corps Volunteers

Morocco has an active and healthy blogosphere. Bloggers write in Arabic, French, English, Spanish, and Amazigh, covering a wide range of topics and issues. The one negative about the Moroccan "blogoma," however, is that the majority of its adherents are clustered within major cities (Casablanca, Rabat, Fez) and abroad; little is blogged about the rural areas. That's where the Peace Corps and Fulbright bloggers come in; as many are stationed in remote areas of Morocco, they are able to paint a picture of the other side of life in the country.

22 October 2008

USA: “Obsession” Anti-Islam Film Angers Bloggers

Last week, many newspaper subscribers across the United States were surprised to discover a DVD inserted into their Sunday paper. The video, which can be viewed in its entirety on YouTube, is entitled "Obsession: Radical Islam's War With the West" and portends to compare the threat of radical Islamism with that of Nazi Germany prior to World War II.

8 October 2008