Tag Archives: Mentoring

The TechWomen delegation spent its last day together touring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Fez. The historical tour was fascinating and the rooftop lunch (at the Palais de Fes dar Tazi Restaurant) delicious. However, I was glad to have been in the group that visited Fez informally the Friday before because (as is often the case with Official Guides), we mostly were shepherded into relatively expensive shops. Fez felt more touristy (or “touristic” as they say in the Middle East) and less friendly than any other city I have been to in Morocco.  But any day with my TechWomen sisters is a good day – we had a delightful time together regardless!

Images Copyright 2014 by Katy Dickinson

This morning, the TechWomen delegation toured the impressive Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca – the largest mosque in Morocco. My favorite comment by our tour guide: “This is the largest chandelier – it weighs 1,400 pounds, plus four pigeons.”

We ate lunch at  Rick’s Cafe. Then, in the afternoon, we heard and gave presentations on entrepreneurship at the Technopark Casablanca, Morocco’s first industrial park. My presentation is tomorrow: Mohna Dhomse and I are giving a talk called “How to Start a Blog and Share Your Voice… Safely!” at the Khalil Gibran School in Rabat.

Images Copyright 2014 by Katy Dickinson

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