KatysBlog

To start our first day of TechWomen delegation meetings in Rabat, Morocco, we asked many questions at our US Embassy briefing (held at the lovely and delicious Riad Dinarjat restaurant). We then visited the Rabat Technopolis to hear from local entrepreneurs, followed by a lively discussion with women students of the University of Rabat (IUR). Our official photographer Kelsey Brannan generously sent me the Technopolis group photo above to include here.

In the evening, the mentors participated in a form of musical chairs called “Speed Geek” to hear seven of our own TechWomen Emerging Leaders from the classes of 2011, 2012, and 2013 telling us of their startups, ideas, and adventures in business and technology.  It is one of the great joys of professional life to hear from successful mentees – we are so proud of them!

Images Copyright 2014 by Katy Dickinson – except for group photo at top: by Kelsey Brannan, US State Department Copyright 2014

Yesterday was the first delegation day for the TechWomen in Morocco – we enjoyed a bus and walking tour of Rabat, followed by a wonderful party (complete with a drum band and kaftan fashion show) at the house of Nezha, one of the remarkably generous local mentees. “Touristic” sites we visited included:

• Chellah – A large ancient cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments – includes a Roman ruin and an Islamic burial place, with many resident storks, egrets, and cats.
• Kasbah des Oudaias (“the qasbah“) – Site of Rabat’s original ribat or fortress.
• Old Medina – Hassan Tower – Minaret of what was, at the time of construction, intended to be the world’s largest mosque – left unfinished.  Royal guards with horses in elaborate dress included.
• Mausoleum of Mohammed V – masterpiece of modern Alaouite dynasty architecture containing the tombs of King Mohammed V and his two sons, the late King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah.

Images Copyright 2014 by Katy Dickinson

Pictures from our day in Fez Morocco before the official start of the TechWomen delegation.

Two wheeled donkey carts are common on the roads:

A truck of sticks for firewood:

We stopped for directions and to buy oranges from a roadside produce vendors:

Most windows in the old city feature lovely ironwork:

Many streets are so narrow only pedestrians, motorcycles, and donkeys can get through:

Dar Zaoula carpet sellers where I bought a vintage Berber kelim:

The ancient leather tannery in Fez is famous and very smelly:

Fez is also famous for its metal work:

Images Copyright 2014 by Katy Dickinson

A group of us TechWomen US State Department mentoring program delegates arrived in Rabat, Morocco, yesterday and we have been having delightful adventures ever since. Unfortunately, I can upload my photos to my TechWomen photo collection but the hotel wifi is flakey so I mostly cannot see them once uploaded.

We have made a friend in Lamia Bounahmidi (CEO of startup venture Looly’s Couscous) who has been showing us her home country. Today we got very lost driving to Fez. Apparently, the Fez road signs were removed for a construction project. When Lamia asked for directions, the toll taker asked “Don’t you have any friends? They should have told you!” We ended up following signs to Kinitra and then signs to Khemisset and then signs to Fez by using what Lamia calls Moroccan GPS – rolling down the window and asking for help frequently. Finally in Fez, we went shopping and walked miles among the lovely old buildings. I bought spices in the souq, and a rug at Dar Benhayoune (also called Dar Zaoula) in Fez, then we drove back to enjoy an amazing traditional dinner at Dinarjat in Rabat.

Our TechWomen official tour is tomorrow.

Image Copyright 2014 by Katy Dickinson