In Morocco we delivered our second letter during the “mad about Africa” trip. This time it was not a letter from a Moroccan who lives in Greece to his family in Morocco. It was from a Greek woman who got so attached to a Moroccan family, that she considers it her second family! It all started back in 2007, when Photini Karamouzi Chalkias travelled to Marrakesh and was hosted by Mohammed’s family.

   Photini is one of the leading members of the Artistic Union “Ulysses” to whom I had given an interview to and she handed us over the letter. You can see the interview here but it’s in Greek.

Photini handing us out the letter for Morocco, just before setting off from Thessaloniki, Greece.

   So, here we are in Marrakesh, six years later, holding a letter that travelled with us from Greece. We looked for the address we had written down and found ourselves in front of that same house where Photini was hosted. Mariam, the sister of Mohammed, was the one to welcome us. When we told her we were friends of Photini, she opened her home to us and said: “Tonight you will stay here!”. Even after so many years, they still consider Photini a member of their family. They call her “Sams”, meaning “light” in Arabic, which is what “Photini” means in Greek.

   They had us in their luxurious living-room and it was there where we met Mohammed, as well as his younger brothers, Zacharia and Abdullah. We were stunned by them, all speaking English fluently and with impeccable American accent, since they learnt by watching movies! When we asked them how it could be possible to learn a language without some tutoring, they told us that if there is a will, there is a way and they are absolutely right. It takes a lot of will and dedication for something like that…

In search of the recipient’s address in Marrakesh.

   We took a bath and after having freshened up, we all sat around the table, which miraculously never went empty. By the time we thought dinner was over, they informed us that this was just teatime and the time for dinner is coming! An enormous tajine (traditional Moroccan earthenware pot) landed on the table. The mother opened it and a delicious dish of lamb with prunes was revelled! We used bread for scooping the food from inside the tajine, which was placed in the middle of the table, as they use to do in Morocco.

   We had a lot to talk about, which took us even after midnight! Zacharia is obsessed with video games, playing every night until morning, while Abdullah is trying to get some sleep in the bed nearby! Mohammed works in a luxurious hotel and has travelled in many countries. Mariam works in a telecommunication company and is a fanatic of driving and speed! She probably takes after her father, who is a truck driver. Their mother is the only one in the family who does not speak english, but she is so communicative and cheerful that we had no problem in understanding each other.

Zacharia and his mom in the same house where Photini found herself six years ago.

   The most funny story we listened to, that made us laugh without being able to stop, took place when Photini was once in the house with the kids’ mother and she asked her what she was cooking. Since no one else was in the house at the moment, to make the translation, the mother joined her palms, moving them like a swimming fish. The thing is that Photini took this for a moving snake, so she opened her eyes and she cried with awe: “snake?”! The mother nodded affirmatively without knowing what “snake” means, so Photini thought they would have snake for dinner! She was quite willing to taste it though, but when the kids arrived, they explained to her it would be fish rather than snake!

   We felt very cozy within this family and it was a pleasure to deliver Photini’s letter. We hope that some day they will reunite. It would be very moving after so many years…