Tag Archives: Mentoring

Jill Finlayson and I were both part of the TechWomen US State Department mentoring delegation to Morocco earlier this month.  She brought along a big Nikon camera and I had my hand-sized Panasonic Lumix DMC-Lx5.  As we walked together, sometimes I would be in position for the best photo and sometimes Jill was.  With permission, here are some of Jill’s images that I am glad she captured:

Rug sellers in Fez showing the carpet I soon bought

Fez rug merchant flirting with me

Fez from the roof

Ladies with smart phones on the road from Fez

TechWomen with Lamia Bounahmidi (CEO of startup venture Looly’s Couscous) at Dinarjat Restaurant in Rabat

Storks at Chellah in Rabat

Jill at Chellah in Rabat

Jackie at the Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat

Katy and Patricia in Rabat

Rouba at the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca

TechWomen delegation at the home of Moroccan Minister Mrs. Hakima El Haité in Rabat

Cake at the TechWomen Morocco Delegation’s Closing Party

Images Copyright 2014 by Jill Finlayson

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