#reason to visit in morocco

[septembriseur]

...

Posting this without a real ending because I’m feeling extremely exhausted tonight:

I've been stewing over this. I saw someone I worked with in AFG, who now has a high level admin position in Iraq, posting on LinkedIn about "This is why I gave up my comfort and security... for my students!"

The same woman not only once stormed out of a meeting because I was talking about decolonization issues on campus, but also continually complained about the fact that she was required to sometimes leave the compound (in an armored car with full security escort) in order to visit the secondary campus, as she felt this was unreasonably dangerous and she shouldn't have to leave the compound at all.

The thing is that I don't doubt her feelings are genuine, just as a (different) white American professor was being genuine when she said (in an experience that I have written about elsewhere) that she did not think of herself as a Westerner because she had taught in the Middle East and Asia for more than fifteen years. At times I question whether my reaction is insane or naive. Am I crazy? Is it those people whose behavior is reasonable, and mine that's not?

After the meeting that the woman above stormed out of, the Afghan man who worked as the office secretary just outside the door to the room thanked me. But I have never been entirely sure if he was doing so out of pity, or if he was being sarcastic, or if he was sincere then why he was sincere.

I was listening to a podcast about Roger Casement the other day, and a historian (whose area is LGBT history) identified Casement's cruising for sex in Africa as one of the factors that led to his becoming enlightened/radicalized. One the one hand, that seems very dubious (see: twentieth century Morocco). On the other hand, I do think that that one of the most notable characteristics of many Westerners in the Global South is their lack of intimate relationships with local people. They cannot imagine a genuine relationship of any kind that crosses the boundary between local/international. I think that they find something inherently inappropriate about the idea. (Jennifer Fluri has written some interesting articles about social and sexual relationships of internationals in Kabul.)

[bipolarman2022]

On the coast of Rabat, Morocco, stands an imposing lighthouse that has guided ships to safe harbor for decades. Its light is a constant beacon in the darkness of the Atlantic, a symbol of hope for those venturing into deep waters. But this lighthouse, like so many others, is also a silent witness to a tragic love story, marked by the ocean and the secrets it holds.

### The Encounter

Amar, the lighthouse keeper, had lived his entire life in the tower, having inherited the position from his father, who had inherited it from his father before him. He was a middle-aged man, solitary, whose only companions were the light of the lighthouse and the constant roar of the sea. His routine was methodical: turning on the light at dusk, ensuring everything was working properly, and turning it off at dawn. His life was simple, but it was also imbued with a profound sadness that even he couldn't explain.

One day, amidst a particularly fierce storm, Amar saw from the tower a small boat struggling against the waves. Without a second thought, he ran down the stone stairs and rushed to the shore. There, he found Said, a young fisherman, exhausted but alive, who had managed to reach the beach with great difficulty.

Amar helped him to his feet and took him to the lighthouse. That night, as the storm raged outside, the two men talked for hours by the fire. Said was cheerful, with an energy that contrasted with Amar's calm demeanor. He had jet-black hair and eyes that shone with a vitality that seemed capable of illuminating even the darkest nights.

### The Love Born in the Storm

As days passed, Said began to visit the lighthouse more often. He did so under the pretext of thanking Amar for saving his life, but both knew there was something more. Slowly, their friendship turned into something deeper. The two men, so different, found themselves in a shared solitude, in a connection that needed no words.

Love blossomed between them in the tranquility of the lighthouse, away from the curious eyes of the outside world. Amar, who had spent most of his life in solitude, discovered in Said a reason to live beyond his duty. Said, in turn, found in Amar a peace that the sea had never offered him.

For months, their love remained hidden, a secret shared by the waves crashing against the coast. But like all beautiful and fragile things, their relationship was destined to face the harsh blows of reality.

### The Tragedy

One night, in the depths of winter, Amar noticed that the lighthouse's light was flickering unusually. Something was wrong with the mechanism. Worried about the ships that might be in danger, he went out to check the lamp. While he was working on the repair, a huge wave struck the tower, shaking it with unexpected violence.

Amar managed to stabilize the light just in time, but upon returning, he found Said waiting for him at the base of the tower. The young fisherman, drenched by the rain, had a look of terror on his face.

"Said, what's wrong?" Amar asked, though in his heart, he already knew the answer.

Said, his voice trembling, confessed that his boat was missing. In a desperate attempt to save what little he had, Said had gone out that night to secure it, but the sea had swallowed it. Without his boat, Said would lose everything: his livelihood, his future.

Amar tried to console him, but Said, consumed by despair, ran towards the shore, where the waves were crashing furiously. Amar followed, shouting his name, but the wind drowned out his words.

Said, in a final act of desperation, waded into the raging sea, as if the ocean could return what he had lost. Amar ran after him, but the waves were relentless. Despite all his efforts, he could not reach him. Said was swallowed by the waters, and his body never resurfaced.

### The Lighthouse and the Fisherman

Amar could never recover from the loss of Said. The light he had found in that young fisherman was extinguished along with him. From then on, he continued his work at the lighthouse, but the sparkle in his eyes had faded. The people of Rabat noticed the change in him, how his figure became more hunched, his face darker.

The lighthouse continued to light the coast as it always had, but for Amar, its light had become a constant reminder of what he had lost. He spent sleepless nights staring at the horizon, hoping to see Said's return, even knowing it was impossible.

Over time, the fishermen began to tell a legend. They said that on the darkest nights, when the sea is calm, one can see the figure of a young fisherman walking along the shore, looking for someone. And at the top of the lighthouse, a solitary figure watches, waiting for a return that will never come.

Amar, the lighthouse keeper, lived the rest of his days in the lighthouse, clinging to the hope that one day the sea would return Said. But the ocean keeps its secrets, and he never saw the man who had filled his life with love again, even if only for a brief and tragic time.

Thus, the light of the Rabat lighthouse continues to guide ships, but within its walls lies the story of a love that, like the waves of the sea, was born in the storm and was swept away by the tide.

[cancerianfille]

I jus’ wanna say that i hope dad dies

Seriously

Allah is my suffice n my best deputy against him

I can’t take this man anymore

The reason why my mom has a nervous system disorder now is because o’ the trauma he caused her since the 1st day o’ their marriage

The reason why my mom was a bad person w me in some lotta situations in her life was because how dad was to her

The reason why my aunts were always separated was because o’ my fuckin’ grandma n dad

The reason why my family in Morocco miss us alot n we can’t visit them every year is my dad

The reason why my mom was mentally ill in 2017 which caused her to be physically ill too was my dad

The reason why im afraid to say the truth about everything n the reason why i forget everything about the truth that i really wanna say is because o’ how much my dad is a scary person

The reason why i m@$t0rb@t€ n my sister probably does n my brother probably does n my mom probably does too

Is because o’ my Fuckin’ dad n how abusive he is n how alcoholic he is n how much o’ a weed smoker he is n also because he caused trauma fo’ his children from his 1st wife by marryin’ my poor mom without either tellin’ my mom that he is already married to a woman before her or tellin’ his 1st wife n her children that he’s goin’ to marry a Moroccan woman n gonna have children from her , so that’s why his children from his 1st wife did teach us about 🌽 n zegz as a revenge fo’ their mom from my mom n us (me my sister n my brother)

The reason why my cancer fighter aunt died breakin’ up w us was because o’ my dad n the reason why my other aunt is breakin’ up w my mom n us (me my sister n my brother) is because o’ my dad

N the reason why my grandma (my dad’s mom) died not satisfied with us allllllllllll is because o’ my dad

The reason why we became psychopaths ever since we were born until now in our youth time is because o’ my dad

The reason why i hate men is because o’ my dad

The reason why i held a neif to my belly when i was a kid was because o’ my dad

The reason why my mom tried many times to commit sew-side was because o’ my dad

The reason why my older sister is not religious is because o’ my dad

The reason why my younger brother is 17 years old n still scared from my dad is because o’ my dad

The reason why i myself am a hypocrite n my sister n my brother n my mom r , is because my dad loves the hypocrites so much

My dad is a narcissist

My dad doesn’t want to see ppl bein’ or feelin’ fine at all

My dad is an abuser

My dad is a womenizer

My dad is an alcoholic

My dad is a bad bad bad person

My dad made us allllllllllll pay off the price o’ him bein’ a psycho man n mental ill person

My dad is a narcissist again

My dad doesn’t love my mom i doubt that soooooo much , he might wanned to “just” marry my mom because surprise (he is a womanizer 🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂😆😆😆😆😆)

My dad cheated many times on my poor mom n she loved him so hard (stupid to be like that, mom !) n surprise (me n my mom saw videos he took by himself w his nokia phone (back at the time) when he was gettin’ drunk w bad filthy women like him huggin’ n kissin’ my fuckin’ fat ass dad)

My dad doesn’t care at all he fakes carin’ about us !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My dad is no good human bein’ , human race doesn’t need him

My dad is a psycho person

My dad is a loud mouthed liar n person in himself .

N i forgot to say

That the reason why i hort myself is because o’ my dad

My dad is a sad fat person

My dad is a fat person that i realllllllllllllly don’t wanna look like at alll (my dad n his family have the fat genetics so that’s why i am an @n@ gurlie right here 😂😂😆😆😆😆😆😆🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹)

My dad thinks that he is the one n only (lemme add on that , he’s the one n only bad fat shit father i’ve ever seen)

My dad thinks that he’s alllllll good but he’s allllllll bad

Idk wht to say else !

If i could jus’ let my mom join us on tumblr

She would make money outta tellin’ u’all about the story o’ her 22 year old marriage .

[umlewis]

Lewis Hamilton Champions F1 Return To Africa, Says Sport Can't 'Ignore' Continent

Formula One's summer shutdown is a fourteen day period for the paddock to recharge. Some visit family, others go to the beach with their friends. Lewis Hamilton started his break similarly, visiting his family in Turkey before devoting part of his break to traveling through Africa. He tried to maximize his time there, he said, going "straight from the airport into activities, history museums and just cultural experiences in each of the different countries I went to." Hamilton stopped in Morocco first and later visited Senegal and Gorée Island off the coast of its capital city, Dakar, which served as a prominent French slave trade base until 1848. Further into the trip, Hamilton met refugees at the Maratane Refugee Settlement in northern Mozambique, a country that's home to more than 33,000 refugees (predominantly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda), according to the UNHCR. "There's so much to take from it," Hamilton said Thursday in Zandvoort, Netherlands, ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend. "I'm still digesting the trip and going to a refugee camp and seeing the work being done there and how people are displaced." Hamilton shared how "it's one thing reading about it and seeing it on the news, but actually seeing it and speaking to kids who have ten kilometers to get to school to have an education and then ten kilometers back and not having school meals, not able to eat during the day." He said children and women seemed most affected and that he noticed not many men were around the camp "because they're either killed or taken in different conflict areas." That was really heavy to see and experience, and then in Senegal and seeing the slave areas just to see what the country has been through, and it's such a beautiful place. Through all those experience, it's adding to my compass of what I want to do going forward." These experiences got his mind working, he said at Zandvoort. "It's great to see organizations doing amazing work, and what can I do to get on board? How can I help?"

Conversations continue to arise around bringing F1 back to Africa, which hasn't had a grand prix since 1993 and is the only continent (aside from Antartica) that doesn't have a race. Rwanda is one location, and Hamilton said Thursday that he has "been doing a lot of work in the background and spoken to people in Rwanda and South Africa." The current Concorde Agreement allows for 25 races a year, and F1 continues to expand the calendar, recently adding two more grands prix in the United States (Miami in 2022 and Las Vegas in 2023). The Mercedes driver said that the current reason for not competing in Africa is because a track isn't ready; however, as Hamilton pointed out, "there is at least one track that's ready" - Kyalami in South Africa, where the 1993 race was held. "We can't be adding races in other locations and continue to ignore Africa, which the rest of the world takes from. No one gives anything to Africa," Hamilton said. "There's a huge amount of work there that needs to be done. I think a lot of the world that haven't been there don't realize how beautiful the place is and how vast it is. I think having a grand prix there would really be able to highlight how great the place is and bring in tourism and all sorts of things, so why are we not on that continent?"

With or without you: Hamilton prepares for life after Bono

Ahead of this weekend's race at Zandvoort, Mercedes confirmed that Pete Bonnington, Hamilton's long-serving race engineer, had been promoted into a new role as head of race engineering at the team. By committing his future to Mercedes, Bonnington-known as Bono -put an end to suggestions that he could follow Hamilton to Ferrari for next year. He will remain Hamilton's race engineer through the rest of the 2024 season and will continue to engineer one of the Mercedes drivers next year. Asked by The Athletic about Bonnington's decision, Hamilton said he "would have loved to have continued with Bono" next year, saying he was "like a brother." The pair have worked together for six of Hamilton's seven world championships, making Bonnington the longest-serving engineer in the Mercedes driver's seventeen year F1 career. Hamilton said he was "really, really, really happy" for Bonnington and understood why it would be difficult for him to also move to Ferrari. "I knew it would be an unlikely scenario that he would go with me because it's such a drastic change within his life," Hamilton said. "But I'm really happy the team have acknowledged and made changes so he can grow more with it. I think he'll now be able to show even more of the great things that he's been doing. But either way, we're going to be family forever. We've spoken about it. We just want to make sure we finish on a high." Hamilton will not learn the identity of his new race engineer at Ferrari until January, when he officially starts on the team, which he admitted was "tough." "That makes it really difficult," Hamilton said. "I think it's probably the same for anyone moving into a new office. It's not until you go. It'll be very heavy-loaded at the start of next year."

[tessa-liam]

Turning the Page 

I'm the Problem -4-

Choices, The Royal Romance AU

Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City, an epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son. 

Turning the Page Masterlist     

Main Pairing: Liam Rys x F!MC Riley Brooks     

All characters belong to Pixelberry, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who belong to this series. 

Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression.    

Rating: M🔞Warnings - crude language – not Beta’d - please excuse all errors. 

Words: 2490     

Turning the Page 

I’m the Problem – 4

Chapter Summary: Maxwell returns to Cordonia and sets out to find a solution for Riley while simultaneously keeping her secret. Madeleine announces her truth. Liam and Leo make plans to visit New York City.

Music & Title Inspiration: Anti-Hero, Taylor Swift 

A/N1: In this alternate universe, after King Constantine orchestrates two individual scandals to humiliate and entrap Riley Brooks and Olivia Nevrakis in shame, Madeleine Amaranth secures her position as the Queen of Cordonia. Riley, as the King’s mistress and Olivia, in self-imposed exile. Tariq is never found. 

A/N2: My submission for @choicesflashfics, Week #54, Prompt 3 - “Go on, say it...You were right.” 

A/N3: My submission for @choicesoctober2023, Seasonal: Autumn/leaves 

 Cordonian Royal Palace, Capital

The cool autumn breeze rustled the leaves that adorned the grand courtyard of the Cordonian palace. It was a Friday afternoon, and the sun cast a warm, amber glow over the grounds. Queen Madeleine stood atop a raised stage, the center of attention. Flanked by Kiara and Penelope, she prepared to make an announcement that would send shockwaves throughout the Kingdom.  

Madeleine’s icy demeanor and calculated actions had earned her the monicker, ‘Ice Queen’ by the people of Cordonia. Her reputation was one of coolness and sometimes unkindness, a stark contrast to the warmth and compassion expected of a queen. She had proven herself a formidable figure, always ten steps ahead of those who dared to challenge her. 

As the whispers of the court swirled around her, the queen’s gaze never wavered. Her sharp, emerald eyes scanned the crowd, filled with anticipation. The reason for this gathering was a secret closely guarded until now, and even those closest to her were unaware of what was about to unfold; except for the queen mother, Regina, who stepped onto the stage in solidarity.  Her mother, delighted for her daughter, remained in Fydelia; to watch the press conference on-line. Her father, in disagreement with his daughter to come forward, remained defiant but was in attendance. 

The father of the child she was carrying was not King Liam, her husband and the ruler of Cordonia, but a royal from Morocco.  

Godfrey watched from the sidelines, with a mixture of anger and pride. He always had ambitions for his daughter since her birth, wanting her to wear the crown that had been promised to their family by King Constantine. When Crown prince Leo abdicated, it had opened the door for Madeleine to pursue the crown once more, this time with King Liam as her partner. 

But Liam harbored a deep loathing for Madeleine. Theirs was an arranged marriage, after he had been unhappily separated from his American suitor; a scandal orchestrated by none other than Godfrey himself. He had believed that by tearing his true love apart, he could pave the way for Madeleine to ascend the throne by using Liam’s sense of duty against him. 

Yet, despite his selfish intentions and machinations, Madeleine found herself pregnant with a child from a foreign Royal. A fate Godfrey did not foresee and did not prepare for. 

Olivia stood beside Liam, along with the members of the Royal council to stand in unity with their King. Watching the press conference from a third-floor balcony overlooking the Royal courtyard; the mood was somber, the future of the kingdom hung in the balance. 

 Olivia had presented the recently uncovered proof with the damning documents and letters to the Royal council. All of the materials originating from the Duchy of Karlington in England, at Godfrey’s behest. Along with proof, that Tariq had been paid handsomely by King Constantine for his part in the scandal. 

Liam’s heart swelled with a strange mix of emotions today– anger, betrayal, guilt, and relief that Madeleine's ambition was finally being exposed for all to see. The paparazzi, sensing a controversy of epic proportions, jostled for position at the front, their cameras flashing like lightning. Prepared to fire questions at their queen, and demanding answers; eager to capture every detail of this historic event. 

With a calm, but resolute voice, Madeleine announced, “Good afternoon and thank you all for your interest.” Looking out towards the crowd of attendees, her vision blurred with unshed tears, she took a deep, shuddered breath. 

“I am here today to formally announce that I am with child.” 

The court gasped, and the people of Cordonia exchanged glances filled with a mixture of shock, curiosity, and judgement. Madeleine’s carefully constructed façade had cracked, revealing vulnerability beneath a frosty exterior.  

“My future is uncertain at this point. The child I carry may not be the heir you all expected, but it is a future I am prepared to face, whatever it may hold.” 

The fallout from this revelation would shape the destiny of Cordonia in ways no one could predict. 

*** 

JFK International Airport, U.S.A.

The cool autumn air swept through the bustling JFK International Airport, carrying with it a sense of finality. Riley stood beside Maxwell, the noisy commotion of travelers around them seemed to fade into the background as they shared a moment of quiet understanding. 

“I can't thank you enough, Maxwell,” Riley said, her voice filled with gratitude. “For everything.” 

Maxwell smiled warmly; His eyes reflecting the sincerity in hers. “It's been my pleasure, ‘little blossom’. You've brought a light back to my world that I didn't even know I was missing.” 

Riley glanced down at the toy airplane in her hand, a small token of Maxwell’s affection for William. “I'll make sure Li gets this …  from his uncle Max. He's going to love it.” 

Maxwell nodded, a wistful look in his eyes. “He's lucky to have you in his life, just like I've been lucky to know you, Riley.” 

As the boarding call echoed through the terminal, they exchanged a final lingering hug. “Remember, this meeting stays between us. It's our secret,” Riley whispered, her voice barely above a breath. 

Maxwell nodded again, understanding the weight of their shared secret. The cruel clause that Madeleine added to the Cordonian arrangement. “You have my word. This is between us and no one else.” 

With a final smile. Maxwell turned to join the queue of passengers, disappearing into the crowd. Riley watched him go, her heart heavy with a mixture of sadness and hope. She knew that this moment marked another turning point. Not just for Maxwell and herself, but for William as well. 

As she turned to leave the airport lobby, she noticed a small display of souvenirs nearby. Her eyes fell on a Statue of Liberty keychain; a replica of the one that she had given to Liam on the night of his coronation. The memories flooded back, and she could not help but reach for it. 

The key chain felt cool in her hand, its familiar weight was comforting. She paid for the little statue, tucking it alongside the gift from Maxwell, carefully into her bag. They were more than just trinkets. They were symbols of the two worlds she straddled, the two hearts she held dear. 

 With one last glance back at the bustling airport Riley turned and made her way out into the brisk, autumn New York City morning. She knew that even though a chapter was closing, the story was far from over. As she hailed a cab, she felt a renewed sense of purpose.  

Cordonian Royal Palace, Capital

 Liam stared out of the window of his study, his thoughts a turbulent storm within him. The revelation of Madeleine's pregnancy had torn through the kingdom like wildfire. It had left him with mixed emotions; relief that his marriage was over, anger at the combined deceptions against him, and a reminder of his profound regret of losing Riley, the woman who still held his heart. The world had seen the cracks in his kingdom's facade, yesterday, and the weight of it all was taking its toll on him. 

As he contemplated his future and the steps to be taken to rebuild his kingdom's reputation, there came a familiar knock at the door. Liam turned his attention away from the view of the palace gardens and called out, "Enter." 

Bastien opened the door and announced, "Your Majesty, Prince Leo is here to see you." 

Leo stepped into the study, with a concerned expression on his face. He was aware of the turmoil that had engulfed his younger brother’s life. They had shared a close bond when they were younger, one forged by the trials and tribulations of their upbringing as princes. Although regrettably, after he abdicated, he wasn’t around for Liam. Without a word, Leo walked over and embraced his brother, offering a comforting presence. 

Liam sighed deeply, the weight of his responsibilities threatening to crush him. "Leo, you have no idea how glad I am to see you. Thank you for coming on such short notice." 

Leo’s eyes narrowed in on Liam, the concern deepening. 

“You have always been the strong one, Liam. But now, it's okay to lean on someone else. The whole kingdom has been in turmoil since that press conference broke. You are not alone in this. We'll get through it together." 

Liam nodded, appreciating the support. "I'm done with that sham of a marriage, Leo. I should have listened to you and trusted my instincts long ago. Go on, say it. You were right." 

Leo gave a reassuring pat on Liam's back. "It's never easy to see the truth when you're in the midst of it.”  

After placing two crystal tumblers and a bottle of Macallen’s on the desk, Leo took a seat across from Liam and poured scotch into each glass and slid one across the desktop. 

“What are your plans now, Li?” 

Liam’s jaw tightened, without hesitating. “First, I need to find Riley. I cannot let her slip away from my life, Leo. She means everything to me, and I’ve made a colossal mess of things. I must apologize and beg for her forgiveness. I hope that she will find it in her heart to understand.” 

Liam leaned back in his chair, considering more options. "And, I'll have to address the kingdom. We need to rebuild our family reputation and assure our people that we're still dedicated to their well-being." 

Leo nodded in agreement. "That's a good start. I am happy that you are not forgetting about yourself, Liam. You deserve happiness too. You should reach out to Riley, talk to her." 

Liam's expression softened at the mention of Riley's name. He knew Leo was right. "I am the problem, Leo. I need to make amends. But first, there's something I need to ask of you." 

Leo raised an eyebrow, curious. "What's that?" 

With a determined glint in his eye, Liam replied, "I need to attend the U.N. conference in New York City. It's time to strengthen our presence on the international stage and show the world that the Kingdom of Cordonia is still standing strong." 

Leo smiled and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "That's the spirit, Liam! But I have a better plan for you to consider.”  

Liam looked at his brother with interest. “How so?” 

“Let Olivia look after Cordonia and I will attend that party and put on a show they'll never forget.” 

Liam chuckled, shaking his head. “Leo, that includes speeches, meetings, dinners …” 

“Yeah, bro … not my first rodeo.” Leo grinned, mischievously. 

As the two brothers continued to discuss their plans for New York, the weight on Liam's shoulders seemed to lighten. 

Throne Room, Cordonian Palace 

The Cordonian throne room, adorned with opulent tapestries and bathed in the soft glow of crystal chandeliers was filled to capacity. Journalists and dignitaries from across the Kingdom had gathered, their expectant gazes fixed upon the ornate golden throne. 

King Liam stood before his throne, flanked by Leo and Olivia with a few trusted advisors. He took a deep breath, stealing himself for the task at hand. He could not allow the instability to persist in his absence, while in New York City. 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Liam began, his voice projecting with regal authority, “I stand before you today to address the recent revelations concerning my Queen. I understand the concerns and questions that have arisen in the wake of the news presented by Madeleine, and I owe it to you, my people, to be forthright.” 

He paused, allowing the gravity of the moment to settle. Murmurs and camera flashes filled the room. 

“I have chosen to confront this issue with transparency and grace, as I believe it is my duty to lead with integrity. Madeleine 's past actions are her own, and she has taken responsibility for them. She has chosen to face the consequences, as we all must when we err.” 

The room was silent, captivated by his words. 

“I implore you to remember that as a Kingdom and society, we must learn to forgive and to grant the opportunity for redemption. Madeleine, like all of us, is capable of change and growth; albeit not in my Kingdom.” 

Liam's gaze swept the room, taking in the expressions of the gathered audience, some skeptical, some understanding, but all listening intently. 

“While I address this matter, I want to assure you that the governance of our Kingdom remains steadfast. My commitment to our people remains unwavering, and I will continue to lead with the same dedication and determination that you have come to expect from me.” 

He could sense the tension in the room began to ease, replaced by a quiet sense of hope and understanding. The support of his people was vital to maintain stability during this trying time. 

“I will now take leave to address the situation abroad,” Liam concluded. “I am heading to New York in pursuit of a personal matter. Rest assured, the affairs of our Kingdom are well attended to in my absence, and we will emerge from this challenge stronger, united and more resilient than ever. Thank you all for your attention.” 

With those words, Liam descended from the dais, surrounded by his Royal guard, chased by camera flashes and questions posed.

With the press statement concluded, Liam made his way back to his study where Bastien awaited him. 

“Your Majesty, the jet is ready and our contacts in America have been alerted,” Bastien reported. 

“Thank you, Bastien,” Liam responded. “Leo … let's not waste any more time.” 

 As the jet soared through the sky, bound for New York, Liam's thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions and uncertainties. He knew that finding Riley was only the beginning. His challenge was to win her back. 

Thanks for reading❤️

📌All fics & edits: @ao719 @txemrn @queenmiarys @sfb123 @twinkleallnight @alj4890 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @harleybeaumont @busywoman @karahalloway @kingliam2019 @imjusthereforliam @lovingchoices14 @kyra75 @tinkie1973 @emkay512 @malblk21 @kristinamae093 @charlotteg234

📌TRR/TRF Liam & Riley @jared2612 @irisk12 @thesvnsins @walkerdrakewalker @emersyn-in-cordonia @mainstreetreader @belencha77 @iluaaa @mysticalfangirl @queenwalton @bascmve01 @umccall71 @choicesfrog @amandablink

📌Submissions @choicesficwriterscreations @choicesflashfics @choicesmonthlychallenge

[gildedlavender]

Ok, so here are my very long winded thoughts about OBX part 2. This might be a lot, but I’m not only heartbroken but extremely angry. First, fuck the Pates/Shannon. Finding out that the creators of your favorite show not only hate JJ and Kiara, but also their fans is awful. Having the nerve to sit there and say all that bullshit to try and justify killing JJ? If Rudy wanted to leave, which it’s sounding like that, they gave JJ the worst end possible and tried to ruin his character just to spite him, which is pretty evil. They could’ve written him off any other way with an easier possibility to come back next season. Not to mention them talking about possibly making Riara a thing?! Excuse me?! Kiara would never be with anyone else in the last season, let alone him. I swear to god if they try to pull that shit, Madison better raise hell on that set, because no one hates Riara more than her.

The disrespect to not only JJ but Kiara as well just baffles me. They made Kiara lose her soulmate and now she’ll be the only one who’s alone and miserable. JJ going through hell the whole second half of the season only to have no character development, his friends not be there for him or seem to care about what he’s going through, then die and barely have anyone except Kiara react?! He was abused his whole life, only for his real father to kill him. What kind of an ending for a beloved character is that? JJ literally died for no reason. He’d given Chandler what he wanted already. Having him still die afterwards was just cruel and unnecessary. Not to mention, his death felt weird and rushed. First, instead of running away after giving Chandler the crown, they just stand hugging in his vicinity, then when JJ gets stabbed, Kiara just stands there and doesn’t intervene until he’s done getting stabbed? Then, you expect me to believe he died that quickly afterwards, when Sarah got shot and they had time to drive her all that way before she “died” and came back to life? Rudy gave a good performance, and Madison gave a pretty good one, but I needed more from her in that scene. Everyone else’s reactions were off as well. Why was nobody trying to get him to a hospital, put pressure on his wound, or do CPR? Why wasn’t everyone sobbing and doing everything they could to keep him alive? Then they just buried him in the sand in Morocco?! That made me sick. They can’t even visit his grave. It’s so disrespectful.

Not to mention, Jiara just got together at the end of last season, then the first season we see them as an actual couple, he fucking dies and they’re over, and to make it worse, we barely got any Jiara scenes in Part 2. It literally feels like we never even got to see them as an actual couple. One bad angled kiss scene in 10 episodes is preposterous. If Rudy actually asked for less Jiara intimate scenes, the Pates should’ve shut that shit down immediately and made him do his job. I don’t know why he’d suddenly have an issue though since he didn’t seem to have one in season 3, or Part 1. And Madison’s acting in part 2 during most Jiara scenes, except the last episode, were really emotionless. Even if she was mad at Rudy, she shouldn’t have let that affect her performance. How can both of them be so unprofessional?

The Pates basically said all the couples were endgame. Now you’re telling me, that after everything, everyone gets a happy ending but Kiara and JJ? How would anyone want that for a fan favorite couple? Genuinely why did they even bother making Jiara a thing if this is how they were going to end. What was the point?

Next, a big fuck you to Rudy and Madison for going through that whole press tour giving us hope like that about Jiara. Talking about them being endgame, JJ having great character development, and Rudy acting excited about another season. Literally none of what they said was true. I genuinely don’t know how anyone allowed this to happen. If Rudy wanted to leave so bad, why did he always say he loved playing JJ? He couldn’t suck it up for one more season, seriously? I don’t know what happened between part 1 and 2, but they felt like two completely different seasons. How was he ok with that being JJ’s ending? And the Pates have to be the dumbest people on earth to throw away almost their entire fan base like that. This isn’t some high brow drama where killing main characters is expected. This is a fun teen summer show about treasure hunting. The only way they can make this right is to use the crown to bring JJ back. I would have to think by now, they’re realizing what a horrible mistake they’ve made and that they’re going to be in a lot of trouble for season 5. I’m praying that they can convince Rudy to come back for at least one episode to give him and Jiara a happy ending. I don’t care what they have to do. This was one of the best teen dramas out there and it brought me so much joy. Now I can’t even stomach rewatching it. I’ve never seen a show destroy itself so completely so quickly. Regardless, JJ will always be one of my favorite characters and Jiara one of my favorite ships. They deserved so much better.

[archaeologyfjones]

Do you ever travel to other countries to do your archeological research?

"Rarely! When I do I often drop Mattie a visit for academic reasons, and then María as well. Though I say that, she usually prefers to do things on her own, sometimes we get to work together, which is always a treat. I'd have to say my favorite sites have been in Morocco while I work with Asma - gosh, I ain't talked to her much lately. Oh! I've also been invited to the Pedra Furada site in Brazil by Miss Letícia. Some others I've had the honor to work with: Miss Subira and the wealth of sites in Tanzania and Miss Njeri in Kenya. The three of us adore paleoanthropology, though we don't really talk much. I would love to reach out to Tariku to see if there are any opportunities in Ethiopia...but there hasn't been much time."

((I would like to thank @crepegosette for allowing me to namedrop their wonderful Brazil OC, Letícia. All names for Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia were by @peonycats who has some of the most amazing OCs in this fandom. Very wonderful mind! I should have asked before borrowing your names for them and for that I apologize.))

[agentsquirrelsgotrobots]

Trans! Cody fic

There's more than one reason why Morocco isn't welcome on Griffin Rock.

This is a little lead up to the Trans! Cody au that I am writing using one of my favorite tf fanfiction tropes - humans to transformers. It's not necessary to read to understand the fic, so if the tags are triggering for you, feel free to skip. This is just a little thing to show how many times Cody has hidden that he is AFAB from the bots and how his family helps him in that respect.

Tw deadnaming, transphobia

Nobody said anything when Cody went to the pool.

Heatwave noticed that unlike the other boys, Cody wore a t-shirt over a black sports bra? On his chest.

Nobody said a thing when Cody's uncle called him Ce instead of Cody, Cody reintroducing himself and everyone quickly moving on.

Nobody said a thing when Charlie pulled Anna aside for a chat after Frankie invited Cody to a sleepover party at her house.

Why would they ever think that there was anything to miss? Really, it was just an open secret, and honestly, the Burns often forgot that the bots didn't know. That didn't mean that they didn't respect Cody's desire to pass quietly, and they showed their allyship quietly as well.

That didn't mean that everyone was so respectful.

"Carly? Carly Burns, that's enough of that. Be a proper young lady now, that's enough!" Morocco said, pulling a panicking Cody in front of the cameras.

"Carly? My cousin? She left when I was four! My name is Cody. You got the wrong kid!" Cody twisted out of Morocco's grip and ran out of the lab with a copy of his files, smashing the camera as he went.

He was crying, God was that embarrassing. Usually, he had three big siblings and his dad to stand in the way of people like him, but he just felt exposed, vulnerable in every way, and so, so uncomfortable.

He crossed his arms over his chest. He had worn his coat today, so he just wore a comfy sports bra instead of a proper binder or binding tape. He knew it wasn't what he wore, Morocco was around before he was born, but it still ached to know that Morocco had recognized him so quickly. Uncle Woodrow had left around the same time he had changed his name, and even though he wasn't the biggest fan of Ce, he could at least tell that Woodrow was coming from a place of caution.

Being off grid meant he wasn't always clued into name changes and little life events, so he tended to default to generic nicknames until he and Kade's names came up naturally in conversation. (Kade's mom was a piece of work, and his name was changed when he was an infant and a toddler for his own protection.)

He made it to a waiting Chase and hugged Charlie tight. His father returned his hug and had Chase gun it. They made it to city hall, where Morocco was racing with the footage of Cody reacting to his deadname. Open secret or no, outing a minor is incredibly dangerous, and the fear of Cody being killed over Morocco's petty greed was a stomach turning thought in Charlie's mind.

They made it, and Barney had already arrested Morocco for child endangerment. Apparently, chasing two children with dangerous robots was illegal. Imagine that.

Charlie ceised the camera footage, more than happy to make sure it got misplaced. No one threatened his kids and got away with it.

"Chief, I wasn't aware that you once had five children in the house." Chase said back at the house. "Is there a possibility that Carly could be an issue in the future?"

"Chase, I have always had four children. Carly visited for a little while, but Cody has been through a lot today, and I would rather like to go upstairs and make sure he is doing alright. End of discussion." Charlie had to force himself to calm down. The more defensive he got, the more the bots might push, and he REALLY didn't want to hear his son's deadname today anymore than he had to.

The bots were quiet after that, and he met his youngest in the kitchen, eating a bowl of ice cream and nearly swimming in one of the hoodies he had stolen from the boxes of merchandise that was sold at fundraisers before they got the bots, and Optimus's checkbook, available to them. Now, they were just spare clothes to hand out to anyone who needed them.

Kade gave him a bowl of his own. His personal bucket of ice cream was tucked under his arm and already had a giant spoon stuck in it.

"It's that kinda night, dad. Cody's probably gonna finish his ice cream, He already took his sleep medicine and head off to bed. I will have him keep his door open just in case."

Charlie smiled as the meds hit bottom as Cody stopped scraping the bottom of the empty bowl and toddered off to bed, hearing his drop onto his bed with a thud.

[instructionsnotincluded]

urgh i’m sure you’re sick of hearing about it but i have no friends who watch obx and idk where else to channel my feelings 😭 I AM SO UPSET. I genuinely can’t believe they’ve done this, i was lulled into a false sense of security by the announcement for season 5 because i thought surely Rudy would hang on for one final season. I was so convinced rafe would die after his goodbye to sophia that i was distracted from the real danger (sidebar i hated that they build up that relationship just to end it in one sentence over a phone call, i really had hope after rafe telling her it was okay).

I wish they’d brought it to a close this season so badly and just given them a happy ending. The worst part is i was genuinely enjoying part 2 for the most part even with the crazy plot lines. I was hopeful we’d get some real resolution following JJs crash out with him facing up to his issues and talking it out, particularly with Kiara.

The lack of Jiara was genuinely so jarring and obvious i assumed it was intentional and would come to some sort of head wherein JJ would acknowledge how distant he had been and there would be some kind of emotional breakthrough/makeup for the couple but NO. like they really gave us nothing like the handshake when they parted ways had me screaming WHAT WAS THAT.

the death was so so badly done like obviously we would never be happy with JJs death but there were so many better ways around it, having him actively die protecting the pogues not just randomly being stabbed while standing around, having him actually get to say goodbye to them?! POPE NEVER GETTING TO SAY I LOVE YOU BACK?? and like why was he buried in the sand in fucking morocco that literally broke my heart like alone and to be forgotten and never visited in the fucking desert?? Im so angry i’ve been so excited for this season for the longest time and had so much hope based off part 1, i really felt like they’d been listening to the fans and giving us what we wanted in terms of season 1 vibes and i was so hyped to rewatch it all once i finished yesterday, but now the entire thing feels so tainted??

he suffered so much for absolutely nothing and no reason whatsoever. i feel i can’t even rewatch the parts of pt2 that i enjoyed again because they’re so tainted by the jarring energy between rudy and maddison now that i know it’s not part of the plot. it’s so glaringly obvious that none of this was planned, even if there’s some truth in them initially wanting JJ killed off there’s no way they would’ve followed through with it after seeing how much of a fan favourite he became. like they really gave bro an entire arc of suffering with no resolution other than him saving sarah then just killed him??

i feel so upset today idek what to do with myself, i can no longer enjoy any of my jj content without feeling so heartbroken. at least if they’d just had him leave or given him some form of resolution before his death the whole series wouldn’t feel so tainted… sorry for this insanely long ramble i just needed to offload this somewhere. thank god for people like you working harder than these god damn writers to produce actual good plots 😭💗

Never be sorry! We're all upset! I haven't seen any post or response defending the season, like I do really think everyone hated the ending and hated the way it went down. I've seen a lot about just wishing it had gone down different, not that he didn't die, but that it was for an actual reason. Which is a complaint I have about a lot of actual books. I'm not upset someone died, I'm just upset that it always feels pointless and makes the story feel like it should never have happened.

I was also lulled into the false sense of security with season five. I thought for sure it was because Rudy wanted to leave and they decided to give it a proper ending and not doing anything drastic with his character. Oh how I was wrong. My hope is that Rafe and Sofia are able to work through things in season five, and that they can get to a better place, because I do think they really love each other, and I do think they still do. But I guess we'll see if they force Kiara and Rafe together or not...

You can very much tell that there is a lot of tension between JJ and Kiara because there's a lot of tension between the actors. It was not hidden well at all, they barely interact with one another and if you haven't watched Season three or the first part of season four, you would never know they were supposed to be in love. If anything, it looked like they hated each other.

JJ's entire death scene and the scenes following were just piss poor. Everything about it was bad, and I think it's because everyone knew that this was going to be bad. Everyone knew this would end the show. They're literally watching and filming the end of this series and these stories and they couldn't do anything to make it better. I think it feels and looks so bad, because they felt the same way we do about it.

I'm upset too, it's been a trash week and it feels like the one thing we were looking forward to made it so much worse. It's ok to be upset, and it's ok to not want to see or read anything to do with the Pogues right now. Totally understandable. I felt the same way right after, like do I want to take a break from Audrey and JJ for a while? But I decided that JJ's still alive as long as we write him, as long as we love him, and I think we all deserve that.

[ghostiewriter]

Based on the trailer, the stills and following the bts content i see the episodes this way:

401 will consist of 20 seconds of the flashbacks lol then building the shop/house, jj buying the boat and end with the bike race.

402 will be them realizing they got not money and a payment due so they’ll visit the shady house for the blackbear gig. and maybe it ends with the scuba dive situation since they’re already on investigation move.

403 will be the jiara date, jumping off the pier, finding the bodies on the beach and the boat/submarine bed jiara scene and this is why i think kie says the “i thought things were different now…” speech to him since she’s already traumatized they’re back in danger.

404 is probably the riots, topper wanting to buy their land (since they haven’t been able to pay) and the court house fight. JJ breaking window.

405 is for sure JJ with the Carreras and the whole police situation, they probably end the episode with JJ being taken to the station and maybe the reveal that Luke is back in town.

406-407 will be angsty and just figuring out the familial drama + the mission going absolutely crazy and the pogues doing all sorts of things.

408 most likely plot based about the leads leading up to Morocco and Rafe planning to go with them for some reason.

409 going to Morocco and figuring out how to get out of the country with JJ (who’s probably still in trouble with the police) + reaching Morocco.

410 the entire Morocco situation

dear god, i keep forgetting they end up in morocco at some point in this😭😭😭

[queenmiarys]

A/N: hello everyone, this wasn't my intention to start writing then put things off , plus with this I tried to do my research and I asked a few of the ladies here some advice, a few weeks ago I called my uncle who's a doctor and asked him, so if any advice please just inbox me, I know no one who's even been shot before so here's what I came up with.

A/N please excuse any errors or misspellings, I did very little editing, this has been sitting in Google docs a while waiting on an end to be added. I want to thank anyone who reads and like my story. Any feedback is welcomed trust me I would not be offended, this is a learning experience to me, I wrote somewhat in middle school, I read others work and be like some of you could be professional writers.

------------

ENVY

Book: The Royal Romance

Paring: Liam x Mia

Summary: Summary: This takes place 2 years after meeting Riley, Liam meets 24 year old Amelia Ramos and starts a new relationship.

Rated R

Most characters belong to pixelberry

Warning: Gun violence, some profanity, 18+

Chapter 3 Disaster strikes

New York 

"Liam needs me, it's a big night, so Maxwell told me Liam has met someone he spent a lot of time with  while he was here."

"Yeah Drake told me about her, but do you think he's over Riley?"

"The way Max tells it he is, he said has the same look for Mia he used to have for Riley.

"Oh interesting but what about the situation?

"That's not our place, but thank you for being there for her, I love you."

"I love you too Olivia."  He pulled her close and showered her with soft kisses 

"Leo, you'll  make me late." I need to Shower and get dressed."

-------

Cordonia

Liam spent most of his day in meetings. He made it back to his quarters at 3pm, he knew Mia would be up around 7am to get ready for work.

She answered on the second ring. ”Hello beautiful, how is your morning going?"

“It’s okay I just really miss you a lot, "  I was just having coffee and doing a little online grocery shopping before work." Liam hit the FaceTime button

I miss you too, my love. I've closed the deal I was working on, so after this fundraiser, I can come visit for a few days. I know you have work and you planned to come here in 2 weeks." A  knock on his door. "My love someone is at my door, can you hold for a moment."

"Sure."

“My son, we need to talk."

“Okay father give me a minute I was on a call, I’ll be right back."

“My love It’s my father he needs to talk with me, I’ll call you when you get off work.( Kisses)

" Okay lo, I mean kisses talk to you later." Oh boy I almost told him I love him, good save I hope, you know it's too soon for that she said to herself.

"Yes Father?"

"May I come in?"

"Sure father" 

"Son, you know I'm  getting up in age, it's time I stepped down."

"When?"

"At the end of the next social season, William, I need you to find a wife. Madeleine is my first choice,  but I can understand you looking elsewhere, but to reality secure that you choose a good queen,Princess Francine Hassan of Morocco, or Princess  Alana of Norway, either woman would be a wonderful choice for Cordonia for different reasons and I met the princess of Norway she's so beautiful."

 "Father, I will not be in some loveless marriage or marry for Cordonia, I will find my own wife, someone I love and care about."

"All I have ever tried to do is protect you, from getting hurt, from experiencing the pain I was caused when someone took your mother, the only woman I've ever loved away from me, you are all I have left of her. 

He felt bad for his father, but he still wanted love and if he was granted a second chance, he was going to grab it and hold on for life. 

"I understand, but I'm a man you must trust that I'll make the right decisions regarding my love life." He finally said 

"Son, your enemies will  use  the people you love against you and that will hurt you more than anything, remember I love  you son, and only try to protect you." 

" I love you too father, but if you'll excuse me I gotta go, I take it you can  see your way out."

He walked into the hallway,  he took a deep breath to try calm his nerves before he called Drake. 

Hey Li."

"I really need to relax before this Gala, are you guys for a spa day?'

"Sounds good buddy." Max said 

"Yeah count me in." Drake said

They were all relaxing when Max brought up Mia.

Liam smiles at just thinking of her. " I am falling for her, I mean she could be the one, I don't know what about this woman that makes me so happy but I believe that we belong together, I mean she's beautiful, smart, caring and she smells absolutely amazing all the time, guys I so wish she were here tonight."

" Buddy I'm so happy to see you happy again, you deserve it."  Max said 

"And so do you Drake, you'll meet someone, who will make you happy." 

Liam Studied Maxwell for a moment, " My friend, so do you, are you still dating that Mark guy?"

Max,was  looking down avoiding eye contact, Drake turned to look into his eyes  "Okay Beaumont spill it, what are you hiding?" 

"I was on a date with Ava and Mark ruined my date, he caused a scene, both broke up with me.

"Why didn't you talk to us?" Liam asked

"Really, it's no big deal."

"I'm assuming this happened around 2 weeks ago? Drake said" 

"How did you know that?" 

"Well Beaumont you were in an unusually bad mood,"

Drake laughed. "Oh my God Beaumont, I just realized all the women you've dated are red heads."

Maxwell smiled. "So what about it?" 

“So you do have a thing for Liv?"

"I never thought of her that way, sometimes she can be kinda scary and sexy at times." Desire crossed his eyes for a moment 

“I don’t know you all made me think how hot she can be at times, but she probably would never date me

"Never know until you try Max, Liam patted him on the back

“Let face it Max said, she always had a thing for you Rys men.

"What do you mean men? I only knew she was kind of into me."

“Max and Drake laughed, kind of, she's been in love with you forever man."

“ But after she found out your feelings for blossom, I saw her making out with Leo ."

Both Drake and Liam's mouths hang open.

“My brother always gets what he wants but just plays with women's feelings too much, I hope he's not going to hurt my friend."

They all made it back to the  palace and went there separate ways to get ready for the Gala, it was now 7pm, Liam had the chef to prepare him dinner, there would be food but they served dinner really late at this event.

He ate, then showered and got dressed, it was 9pm time for the Gala. Mia was just getting off work, he faced her, she picked up on the first ring, “Hello beautiful how was your day?" 

“It was nice, I just miss you like  crazy, I have been thinking I own my own business and Jennifer is reliable, I want to come to visit you."

 “My love, that sounds wonderful, but I didn’t want to pull you away from anything important, you told me your work was very important."

“It is but in a short time you become important to me too, you told me you had a ball to attend right?".

“Yes a fundraiser to help families living on the streets of Cordonia, we give them a home and see if we can help them get on there feet, we only help them for a year, we support them  either till  they find a job or they opt out of the program, we hate to see that happen, we start this last year we helped 10 families get on their feet, last year we only raised 6 million." 

“I will ask my dad to put in 6 million for me, I’m sure once he sees why I’m asking he’ll have no problem  with it, we've been talking for 30 minutes and you have a ball to attend."

 “I'd rather stay in my suite talking to you all night, a knock on the door, he let out a sigh sorry my love It’s my guard (Kisses) call you once I am done."

————————————————————– 

He mingled  and  worked the room, he knew his smile could get him just about anything he wanted, he had already raised 10 million dollars this year, he thought about Mia 16 if her father gives, an older lady walked up that he had never saw before, she offered 20 million if I spent one night with her, I had to decline, after all she to old and I have a girlfriend.

 I worked the room more, Drake and Maxwell and Rashad, come over laughing, I see you sent Mrs. Ferguson." 

 “Neville actually  slept with her for her 30 mill for his father's charity event." Rashad said laughing.

“So gross I couldn’t imagine being with someone who could be my Nanna, come on I am only 26 and that lady is like 60/70." Liam said as he laughed. 

——————————————————————————-

Mia had hung up and went and showered, she hadn't washed her sheets yet that still smelled of him,  she only slept on his side of the bed, he had left a bottle of his cologne behind and she would spray a little in the air before falling asleep 

 She slept for about an hour before she heard banging on the door, it was almost five, they came in with wine coolers and food, Jen looked around. " Is your man back already?"

“I wish, sit guys I want to talk to you, Jennifer I need you guys help, I want to visit Liam, but I need someone I can trust with my baby, you both know how important my career is, but I got to be honest in a short time I’ve fallen in love with Liam .

“Love is big Mia, you just met him." Jen said.

“I know but  I have never felt this way for anyone before, sure I have loved guys but I was never in love with them." 

Her friend's mouth hung open, the sex must be good if he got you all in love, she didn’t look up at her, so you haven’t had sex?" Oh my God you really are in love."

“ Let's take your mind off this call my brother Amy, let’s play cards, Daniel came over.

 “So Dan, who's your new boy toy this week?

“Are you staying with mom again?" 

"Jen, please I'm fine, and God no I'm not staying with mom."

“I was just checking on you, I wish you would settle down and pick one guy, we all worry about you"

“Jen you start this every time you are drunk stop it, I am fine." 

 She didn’t say anything else, she took her phone out texting her mom.

The announcement caught Mia's attention. "Turn that up.

"This is Craig Shyster reporting from Corodia General hospital, we got a tip that Prince William Rys, was shot in the shoulder doing a Gala fundraiser last night and the person who shot him was shot dead on scene, right now we have no further information about the Prince condition at this time."

It was like someone punched me in the gut , I got dizzy, I was losing my mind, all flights were canceled to or from Cordonia, I got myself together, I called my father.

He could hear my voice trembling, asking what was wrong.

“Father, did you see the news about Prince William Rys?"

“Yes I saw it but what does that have to do with you?

“He’s the guy I was telling you about."

"No flights are going in or out. I need your private jet.

“Mia, that might not be a good idea, the prince just shot you in danger.

“Please father, I don't care, I need to get to the man I love."

“But you haven’t known him long and you believe you love him?"  

“Yes and he may be dying thinking I didn’t care enough to come be at his side, father please I’ll do  you want even let you put me back under your protection, I will follow whatever you want to  get me to Cordonia please."

—-------;--

2 hours earlier

Olivia and Penelope made their way over to Liam smiling, “ we made 4 times the amount as last year,

 Him and Olivia walked across the room. “So I hear you met someone"

“Who told you this? 

“I can’t reveal my secrets, but if this Mia woman is what you want I wish you all the best."

“Can I ask you something  Olivia?

“Sure you can."

 “Why didn’t you tell me about you and Leo?"

“Well we didn’t tell anyone it just happened."

"I assume my father doesn’t know, and how do you feel about Leo?

“I love him, and Con knows they had a big fight about 6 months back, we were at Leo’s in California when your father visited him, but don’t  worry me and Leo will handle it."

A man walked over and handed Liam a note saying his father needs to speak with him, unknown to Liam his father had got a similar note saying Liam needed to speak with him, excuse me lady Olivia

————————————————————–

Drake went along as  security, they entered the room and it was dark, “I guess my father hasn’t arrived yet, they turned on the light and one of the head guards, Damien, had a gun pointed at Constantine's head.

 “Dammit what are you doing Damien?"Drank asked

“ avenging my  parents death, see  along with Olivia parents, my family should be on the throne, my brother may have failed but I won’t."

"Your old man ordered my parents alone with Olivia parents to be assassinated for fighting for what was rightfully theirs, the Rys family should have never been on the throne

"Gentleman let me tell you, your father is not a good man

Drake's eyes went wide,giving an annoyed look. What the hell is he talking about your father.

Damien could see Drake trying to figure out what he was talking about

"Oh my Mr. Walker I assume that King Constantine has never told you he’s your real father?" Am I right?" He laughed."

“What? He’s not my father you fucken psycho and never will be!"

“Drake my boy I have documents that say otherwise,  the birth certificate you have is from America but see you were born here, your father the king arranged it all, for  Jackson to adopt you and legally become your father go on ask him to tell the truth ?'

Tears were running down Drake face, "TELL THIS SONOFABITCH YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER GO ON CON FOR ONCE IN YOUR MISERABLE LIFE TELL HIM HE’S WRONG."

“Son I can’t do that, it’s all true your mother was my mistress and she got pregnant, she didn’t know who your father was me or Jackson, but the test come back 99.9 that I was your father, so I paid off American doctor to say you were born in the US, were only a week old." 

Drake fort Back his emotions, he knew he had to sort out whatever feeling he had later, right now he had to stay in professional mood and dispose of the situation at hand

"Who dies first?" they head Damien ask

"I volunteer, please just let my boys go they haven't done anything but be born into the Rys family but they are innocent."

 " I love both of you and only try to do whatever is best for you." 

"How touching."  He pulled the trigger and Liam leaped in front of his father getting shot In his Left shoulder, both Constantine and Liam hit the ground, at this time Drake has managed to get his spare gun and shooting Damien dead.

Drake took off his dress shirt asking Constantine to apply pressure to the wound, until he can get some help

Once the EMT arrived, they were led in and out through a secret tunnel, they got him to hospital quickly.

[swaggypsyduck]

thank u for the tags my loves @han-merlin @cherishlalune.

rules: tag 10 people you want to get to know better

relationship status: single(?) possibly might change if i dont get the ick

favourite color: blue

song stuck in my head: blicky– fresh x reckless (dont ask)

song i last listened to: stone wall stone fence– gregory and the hawk (i love this song so much its so green and foggy)

three fave foods: maghrebi couscous w lots of smin, canadian costco poutine, and shfinj (a moroccan doughnut) but i dip it w maple syrup instead of honey (EVERYONE IN MOROCCO MADE FUN OF ME FOR IT UNTIL THEY TRIED IT AND BEGGED ME TO SHARE... yes i brought my own maple syrup to morocco. sue me!)

last thing i googled: all quiet on the western front wins. eeaao deserved everybit of praise it got! but the book for aqotwf holds a soft spot in my heart.

dream trip: i want to go to japan and/or scotland. not like big cities i wanna be by the seas or in the mountains or walk near the plains and stay in old family run hotels. i love walking and exploring. for those asking why not someplace warmer? bc im terrified of bugs. (but i do want to visit peru and chile for the same reasons) oH and i have to visit italy and brazil for @mchiti and @lesbionel!!

anything i want right now: to visit my family on the east coast. i miss my aunts and uncles. also to have deep fried calamari. ugh im craving tunisian calamari sooooooo badly (i think they got it from the greek but like tunisians do it better imo. or maybe its just the tunisian families and restaurants ik)

uuuh idk who to tag so if u did it already that's chill. feel free to do it if i dont tag u!! @mchiti @mrs-bellingham @mavieesttriste16 @kylianmbappeh @karotland @anchyxsblog @liverpool-enjoyer @prettypleiades @roobylavender @rashbeans @lesbionel

[adamwatchesmovies]

John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum features some of the series’ most inventive, most satisfyingly kill-happy scenes. Its plot also tends to get in the way, particularly during the middle. At 131 minutes, this relatively straightforward story is far too long, though the sequel - set to be released in 2023 - could change that. If all of the new characters introduced throughout pay off later, this film may seem less bloated than it does now.

Excommunicated from the secret society of assassins whose operatives are everywhere, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is now on the run with a $14 million bounty on his head. Seeking to escape the innumerable mercenaries on his tail, he begins cashing in favors from his former allies. Unfortunately, even those only take him so far.

It’s hard to pick which of this film’s many action scenes is the best. There’s one set in a library where John uses a thick tome in a way you’ve never seen before. This man really can use ANYTHING to fill another grave. If I were to choose, I think I’d have to go with another sequence, however. It’s set in a museum full of knives, axes, and other edge weapons. The choreography as the glasses cases are broken and the weapons are taken out is unbelievable. It’s so good you can’t turn away, even when someone gets their brutal comeuppance.

There’s more to Parabellum than just seeing John execute wave after wave of killers, however. There’s a plot that digs deeper into the world of the High Table. We learn more about who John was before he met Helen. More of the inner workings of the society are shown through “The Adjudicator” (Asia Kate Dillon) and several assassins who want to take down John… because they’re huge fans of his. It confirms our suspicions: the Continental is merely a piece of this huge society that operates as a world of its own. From the tattoo-clad Operators to the Concierge of the Continental Hotel (Lance Reddick) to the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) and his legions of turncoats dressed up like vagrants on every street corner, it makes so little sense it makes perfect sense.

One of the defining features of the series has been its New York location. John is always on the run - either chasing or escaping from someone. This means we’ve visited many of the city’s landmarks and several have been given a new identity within this world. This is one of the reasons why an extended sequence where John travels to Casablanca is off-putting. Though Sofia Al-Azwar (Halle Berry) is an interesting character with a fighting style all of her own, did this movie really need to travel all the way to Morocco? In the end, you know John’s business will have to be settled back in New York anyway, so all of these meetings he has with the Berrada (Jerome Flynn) and with the “Elder” (Saïd Taghmaoui) seem unnecessary. It’s cool for the movie to have aspirations to be more than an action film but some of this feels like it would fit better in a spinoff movie. I’m saying this because this road through the desert brings us to a movie pet peeve of mine: someone loses a finger. This sort of injury creates a wall between the story and the audience. We know they didn’t REALLY chop off the actor’s digit so in every scene from then on, your eyes always drift back to their hand to see if you can spot a gaffe. The finger is taken off as a display of fealty but it could’ve been done a thousand different ways. Why this?

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum may be the least of the series but it also contains action scenes so good they make what we saw earlier seem like nothing. Those opening moments, in particular, will knock your socks off, so much that even if the film drags towards the middle, you’ll still be entranced by this ballet of blood and bullets. This is an ambitious film with spectacular martial arts set pieces, the likes of which most other action franchises could only dream of. (June 24, 2022)

[beardeddetectivepaper]

£905/£50,000

I would like to share the story of my friend Smahan. Today Smahan and her children have been torn from Hashem, beloved husband and father. Whilst Smahan and her children have escaped Gaza, Hashem is still there. Today, with this current unprecedented war, loss of life and famine, I am creating this GoFundMe on behalf of my friend Smahan and her family to help her. Hashem spent every penny he had to help get his wife and their three children across the Rafah border from Gaza into Egypt. This saved their lives. Tragically, Hashem was unable to join them. He did not have sufficient funds for himself and the fact that he only had Palestinian nationality, he was unable to get on a humanitarian list to escape the bombing in Gaza. Their separation was heart wrenching but Hashem found solace in the fact that his three small children and his beloved wife were safe. I would like to ask for your help to raise funds that could help him make the crossing, seek legal aid in Egypt, travel to reunite with his wife and children and provide the medical and psychological help his children desperately need to help heal the trauma they have suffered. Gazans are dying daily, through bombing, starvation or sickness. Hashem is one of 2.4 million in this predicament. But there is a way to help this man, who risked his life to save his children and his wife. Please help me save him so that he can be reunited with his wife and his three children, Katia (11yrs), Nabil (5yrs) and Linda (11months). This is their story.

We are a family from Gaza. We lived a happy modest life, despite years of intermittent war, deprivation, and siege. Life in Gaza has always been about survival and making the best of a terrible situation. But we managed that. With the help of international aid agencies, Gazans were able to build schools, hospitals and make homes. Today, things are very different. This war is very different. Today, my three children and I find ourselves separated from my husband, their father. Our little family has been torn apart. Like hundreds of thousands of Gazans, we are, indeed, war torn. There is no help. I am left with no choice but to rely on the generosity of strangers in the vain hope that it will reunite my family. I would like to tell you my story. I will deliberately remain silent on the political reasons for the war. There is enough information available to learn more about this. This is my story. It is the story of a small family trying to survive the horror of Gaza. I am originally from Morocco, and my husband is a Palestinian from Gaza. In 2010, my husband and I embarked on a challenging journey filled with countless emotions, from love and passion to exhaustion and tears. After investing a tremendous amount of effort, resources, and energy, we finally succeeded in moving together to Gaza, my husband’s home. It was a dream come true for us, as we had yearned to be together for a very long time. Our joy knew no bounds when we were blessed with three beautiful children, who brought immense happiness and meaning to our lives.

For 13 years we have not managed to leave Gaza, even for a holiday, for my parents to meet their grandchildren, or to visit family and friends. It proved too difficult. Every time we packed our bags and attempted to go on a holiday, we faced insurmountable obstacles and complications at the border, as virtually all Gazans prohibited from leaving. The options were limited and with three small children, it was never worth the risk. Every time, upon being turned back, we consoled ourselves in the fact that being together in our home with our happy, healthy children was enough for us and that what mattered most to us was being together.

Unfortunately, today Nabil’s speech has deteriorated, and he has started pointing at things instead of saying them. The only word he manages to say now is ‘papa’. He needs to constantly be holding my hand or his dad’s, as he is severely traumatised by the terror he has experienced. Linda, the youngest of the family, is only 11 months old. Throughout her entire two months experience of the sounds of war – the screaming of neighbours and the deafening sound of bombardments – she hadn't left her dad's arms even once, and when she finally came to me for a feed, it felt like a small victory. But that victory was short-lived because the day that broke our family was more powerful than our strength and beyond what we could withstand. It was the day when we had to leave without Hashem, my husband and father to my three small children. We had to say goodbye at the Rafah border. I and my children have Moroccan nationality, and after some pressure from the international community, some dual nationals have been able to buy their freedom and leave Gaza. My husband Hashem, being Palestinian, was not allowed to leave. So, we took the decision to tear our family apart as a last resort. Death is what likely awaits Gazan children if they remain in this tiny space, under constant bombardment and war. Today there is a famine in Gaza, and children are dying of thirst and hunger. It was a painful price to pay, but for the sake of the children’s lives, we had to break our family apart.

My children and I are now safely back in Morocco. But not a day goes by without us living the experiences of this horrific war. In addition to the trauma the children are now faced with, what truly breaks my heart is the constant tearful demands for their father. The children cry themselves to sleep every night. My daughter Katia asks me, ‘How is my daddy going to survive the bombs?’, and now that famine is prevalent and all over the news, she asks, ‘How will Daddy eat and get water?’ Their dad was our guardian, protector, comforter, and motivator, as he led us, walking through the broken landscape that is Gaza, evading bombs, scavenging for food and water, and wiping the tears from my children’s faces in the face of the daily horror and misery they witnessed. We are lost without him. This deeply personal story is a heartfelt plea to help us reunite our family and get Hashem, my husband and beloved father of our three children, to safety. Hashem’s one-and-only goal was to get the children to safety. He spent all the money he had to try to get us out. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for all of us, as the fees were very high. That Hashem only has Palestinian nationality also did not help. Our family currently faces several challenges. Primarily we need help to raise funds to allow Hashem to buy his way out of Gaza and meet the associated costs of reuniting with us. This includes paying ‘border fees’, travel, and visa/legal costs. The children also need specialist psychological and educational support to help them overcome the trauma they have experienced.

It is very difficult for me to have to ask strangers for help, but I must do something to help reunite and heal my family. My husband, Hashem, did his part, now I must try to do mine. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Any contribution, however small, will make a difference. My children and I are incredibly grateful for your generosity.

[umichenginabroad]

Madrid Week 12: I got got (Morocco, part 1)

Hola a todxs! Niko back here with week 12/13/14 of studying abroad in Madrid! Don’t fear, I will not be going on any esoteric rants about time or something this time (except for the fact that I have 45 days left in Madrid, damn). Instead, I wanted to take this blog to write about the experience I had visiting northern Morocco this weekend with a tour group. Spoiler alert, it was awesome, and I’ve had a ton to reflect on. Moroccan culture is unlike any that I’ve experienced in my life (which makes sense, as I’ve only ever traveled in Europe, the Caribbean, and the Americas), and I had the pleasure of being immersed in it while simultaneously meeting new people. Since there’s so much to unpack, I decided to split this blog up into two parts, for the two legs of this trip. Let’s dive in!

Smart on the inside

This trip has definitely been a highlight of my travels thus far, and looking back, I really got the best of both worlds. I went on this trip with a tour group from a company called Smart Insiders, which helps young people in Madrid (especially those coming from abroad) find housing, get involved in community activities, and most importantly, travel. I would not recommend Smart Insiders, or any tour group for that matter, if you’re a serial planner when it comes to travel and need to fit in every item on your bucket list — or someone who prefers to wander a city, choosing what to explore based on vibes alone.

With that being said, I would highly recommend Smart Insiders — or tour group experiences in general — if you fall somewhere in between those two extremes. Traveling with a tour group means that there’s a pretty rigid schedule to every day, but if you don’t mind letting go of the reins and can just ride the flow set by the tour guides, you can have as amazing of an experience as I did (given that the tour company is good. Smart Insiders was).

A month or two back, I signed up for the trip alone. A friend had recommended it based on a trip he took to Spain’s Basque country. When I saw that they had a trip to Morocco, I immediately resolved to sign up. I had wanted to experience traveling in a tour group again after my first time in Buenos Aires (where I met Gaia, my italian friend I visited and wrote about many weeks back!), and Morocco was a bucket list travel destination for me. Given that the culture was so distinct from what I was used to, I figured that it might be nice to have the whole trip planned out for me ahead of time. 

So, I paid a reasonably low price for the group (~200 euros for 3 days of travel, tours, housing, etc), bought the plane tickets fro Air Arabia, and forgot about it until last weekend. Flash forward a month or two, and I was immediately buffeted by an arid wind as I stepped off Plane that had just landed in Tangier. Once we were through customs, I was greeted by a Moroccan man named Saied and a large congregation of around twenty familiar faces from the flight over, mostly 20-something year-old Americans with some Canadians, French, and a Belgian sprinkled into the mix (majority of which were English teachers). Smart Insiders collaborated with a Moroccan tour company to put together this trip, for which the entire itinerary had already been laid out.

We piled onto our little tour bus and started getting to know each other. As we departed towards our first destination, Asilah, I was flashed with deja vu from the bus scene on the way to Iguazu Falls, Argentina. A highlight of that trip was the people I met, and I stepped away from it with one key takeaway: people who like to travel are, almost by definition, open to new experiences. That attitude extends towards their interactions with others. Consequently, I knew that I would meet interesting people this weekend, and if not, I was assured that I could always keep myself company — especially with an entirely new landscape and culture to explore.

Both Worlds

Which two worlds was I referring to in the section above, you may ask? Solo and group traveling.

I came alone on this trip, which meant that I had no allegiances or obligations to anyone but myself and the schedule set by the tour leader. During our blocks of free time on the trip, I could choose where to go, what to do, and who to do it with — and to be honest, I spent most of my free time in Morocco wandering around by myself. Call me fascist or impatient, but I don’t really like the democracy (and associated waiting) that comes along with traveling in a large group of people — especially if they don’t know each other well. 

When I travel alone, I can do whatever I feel like, at my own pace, which was a luxury in the ultra-dense Souks in Morocco. I’ve found that my self confidence in new environments has really blossomed this semester simply because of the amount of weird cultural situations I’ve had to navigate by myself. Without this, I would have never had the confidence to break away from the group, and I’m proud of myself for getting to the point that I could do so comfortably. 

“But wait Niko,” you may ask, “Didn’t you just say last week that traveling with close friends is always better”. Why yes, my friend, I did (might I add, very conveniently, and actually not on purpose). Seeing the world with close friends gives new depth and meaning to the things we experience while traveling. 

I chose to be alone a fair amount on this trip, true. However, the majority of my time spent was with the group. Together, we went on guided tours, shared meals, spent many hours on the bus chatting (and sleeping), rode camels, and more. I can’t say for certain if I’ll meet up with anyone on this trip again in the future (shoutout Gaia again :) ), but I learned something from everyone I met (especially the two french girls on the trip! merci!) that I’ll take with me now for the rest of my life. By the time we rolled up to the airport together on Sunday, I felt that we had all really bonded. I knew almost everyone’s names, and relished in the feeling of being part of the tiny temporal community we had formed — a community which would never exist again, which made it all the more special. If you have the opportunity sometime, join a tour group and go somewhere cool for the weekend! It’s a unique adventure that I think everyone should experience at least once (and it’s soft on the bank account, too ;) ).

Hell-o Morocc-o!

So, now about Morocco itself, the focal point of the trip, which was one I’ve been looking forward to for the entire semester. As I mentioned, this trip would be my first time in Africa, and my first time experiencing a non-western culture. I certainly was not disappointed (sorry about the lame title of this section. I’m embarrassed).

Moroccan culture is a mix of Arab, Berber, African, and European cultures, but to an outsider like myself, the Islamic/Arabic influence came across most strongly. We visited Asilah, Tangier, and Chefchaouen, all of which are located in the northernmost tip of Morocco, bordering the strait of Gibraltar. Consequently, Spanish is a very common second language to Moroccans, after their native dialect of Arabic. More often than not, Moroccans would start interactions with our tour group in Spanish (and oftentimes, we would respond back to them in Spanish, too B) ). French and English are also very commonly spoken, and an impressive number of people I interacted with were fluent in all three.

We started the trip in Asilah, a small town on the west coast of Morocco’s northern tip, known for its quiet beauty and art scene. It was very calm and incredibly peaceful. One of our local tour guides, Hasan, led us on a short route through the city where we took our first look at a Moroccan city. We had lunch (freshly caught swordfish) and departed, spending the rest of the day hopping around different sites in the region: the caves of Hercules, the Cap Spartel lighthouse, and a beach on the side of the highway where we all took our turn to ride on a camel (which I wasn’t a big fan of — more info in the picture description). 

We finished at Tangier, where we checked into our hotel and departed for a group dinner at a traditional restaurant. The food was delicious, and we got a little surprise too. I finished the night drinking some mint tea and eating some flatbread at a little bar in a square. Yum.

In general, the food in Morocco was amazing. I’m a big fan of the Mediterranean/Arabic spice palate (and mint tea, although it was a little sweet to my liking), and that’s all we ate the whole weekend. One mini takeaway that I realized: I think food in America has trained my palate to desire more salt than is used in other countries. In Morocco (and Spain, Italy, at times) I often found the a bit undersalted. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this (or maybe not… nearly 90% of Americans consume sodium at levels which exceed amounts recommended by the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans), but it’s interesting to be aware of.

We spent the next day exploring Tangier’s Medina (historic city center). The streets were narrow, the architecture was beautiful, and the shopping was plentiful and diverse. The shopping district had a vibe that was completely distinct to any I’ve visited before, people were bustling, things were colorful, and every few steps we’d get a whiff of some heavenly spicy soapy or incense-y smell.

We visited a pharmacy (where I picked up authentic Moroccan Argan oil), a textile shop (I got an epic cotton-cashmere scarf), and various shops selling artisan goods and souvenirs (a sick black woven belt, some postcards). Shopping in Morocco has a distinct vibe for one very special reason: none of the items have set prices.

Dance battle in the souk

If you weren’t aware, if an item has no price tag in a Moroccan shop in the Souk (market area), you have to bargain/haggle to get a good price. Crudely and metaphorically, haggling is somewhat like a dance battle, with each dancer attempting to gracefully undercut the other’s bluff with their words, body language, and actions. You can’t make a starting offer that’s too low, because then you’ll risk the vendor laughing in your face (consequently relinquishing all your power). You can’t show too much interest in the product because then the vendor knows that you would be willing to pay a higher price. But you can’t show too little, or you’ll hit a stalemate and they won’t be willing to negotiate further. Maybe it’s like judo or something, using the opponent’s body weight against them, something like that.

Having watched a few youtube videos about haggling strategy on the plane ride over, I was ready to roll when I stepped into a huge artisan shop. Every action was intentional. I found a woven leather belt that I really fancied — but focused my attention towards other items until I was ready to make an offer. The vendor gave me a starting offer of 350 Dirham (Moroccan currency, ~35 euros). I countered with 100 (seems low, I know. you’re supposed to counter with ⅓ of the original price and go from there). After a good amount of back and forth (trying desperately to hide my steadily rising heartbeat and sweaty palms from showing on my face or in my voice while a few other shopkeepers and another member of the tour group watched the battle ensue), we reached a stalemate. I pulled out my ultimate trump card: I started to leave, to show that I I didn’t care that much (I totally did, this belt was sick). He called me back to make me a cheaper offer to keep me around, around 200 Dirham. I said 150, take it or leave it. Deal made. Boom. Great success, and now that belt holds a little more meaning that it would have if I had just picked it off a shelf.

My biggest fail? In a shop shelling scarves. The vendor was hyping me up, saying I must be so smart if I speak so much Arabic (I knew like 4 phrases), where am I from, what languages do you speak, etc. etc. Then I found a scarf. He offered me 100 dirham for a Pashmina scarf (which was not handmade, but beautiful nonetheless), I countered with 30. The vendor pulled out the “he’s not like other vendors” tactic, said that he prefers not to start with a crazy high price, and thus doesn’t have much room to go down. He was a really nice guy, I believed him. We settled on two scarves for 170 Dirham, and I left happy. I proceeded to walk through the Souk, seeing  scarves of the same maker hanging up at a nearby shop. I asked how much for one, he told me 80 dirham. Damn, I got got. The other guy was intentional with every action, he knew what he was doing. Well played bro. 

Haggling like this was exciting, it let me practice a skill I didn’t have, it was totally new. I felt culturally immersed, and got some cool things out of it that I’ll have as a memory. Although at times it was stressful, I kind of wish more people did business like this in the USA. It would be fun.

But simultaneously, I felt a good amount of resistance when I first started practicing the skill. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being incredibly cheap offering a third of their asking price, especially when in theory, I could have afforded it. There’s a lot of nuance with this surrounding the privilege I carry with me when I travel — more on that in the next blog. 

Overall, Tangier has a good vibe. Downtown is very modern, which is in stark contrast to the old-town artsy vibe of the Medina. We left in the late afternoon to Chefchaouen, the “Blue Pearl”, which was my favorite leg of the trip… more on that in the next blog, along with some important commentary/reflection…. Stay tuned!

As always, thanks so much for reading :). Check out the image descriptions for more details, and I’ll see y’all in the next post!! You can read it here.

Salam,

Niko Economos

Aerospace Engineering

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Madrid, Spain

economos@umich.edu