Class XIV international seminar trip Reports February 16-March 1, 2010


Morocco’s Government Annette Riherd Morocco’s Government



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Morocco’s Government


Annette Riherd

Morocco’s Government


Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with a parliament of two chambers. The Assembly of Representatives has 325 members elected for five-year terms, comprising 295 members elected in multi-seat constituencies and 30 in national lists consisting only of women. The Assembly of Councilors has 270 members; elected for nine-year terms by local councils (162 seats), professional chambers (91 seats) and wage-earners (27 seats) the prime minister is appointed by the monarch.
The last elections to the Assembly of Representatives were held in September 2007. The Independence Party won 52 seats, the Islamist Justice and Development Party received 46 seats, the Peoples’ Movement Party and the National Rally of Independents both took 41 seats, the Social Union of Peoples Forces gained 38 seats, the Constitutional Union won 27 seats and the remainder were scattered among several smaller parties.
The last elections were in June 2009 for the Municipal and the next elections are in 2012 for the House of Representatives.
There are twenty-nine officially recognized political parties. The Independence Party, or PI, which was established in 1944 was one of the earliest public demands for Independence. The party provided most of the leadership for the nationalist movement and remains a strong political party today.
Morocco is divided into 16 administrative regions, which are broken down further into provinces and prefectures. A Walis or governor administers the regions, the Walis is appointed by the King.
The Moroccan Constitution provides for a strong monarchy, but a weak Parliament and judicial branch. Dominant authority rests with the King.
The current Prime Minister is Abbas El Fassi.
Moroccan History

The earliest known settlers of Morocco are believed to have come from southwestern Asia, known collectively as Berbers or free men (Amazigh is the singular for this term).

Morocco has been the home of the Berbers since the second millennium BC. In AD 46, Morocco was annexed by Rome as part of the province of Mauritania until the Vandals overran this portion of the declining empire in the 5th century.

The Arabs invaded circa 685, bringing Islam. The Berbers joined them in invading Spain in 711, but then they revolted against the Arabs, resenting their secondary status. In 1086, Berbers took control of large areas of Moorish Spain until they were expelled in the 13th century.

The land was rarely unified and was usually ruled by small tribal states. Conflicts between Berbers and Arabs were chronic. Portugal and Spain began invading Morocco, which helped to unify the land in defense. In 1660, Morocco came under the control of the Alawite dynasty. It is a sheriff dynasty, descended from the prophet Muhammad, and rules Morocco to this day.

In 1787, Morocco signed a peace and friendship treaty with the United States. This treaty, which made Morocco one of the first independent nations to recognize U.S. sovereignty, is still in force.

In the early 1900s, the French controlled much of Morocco, and they wanted a young king whom they could influence. They let Muhammad V become king at age 17. King Muhammad V didn’t do what the French wanted: he spoke for Morocco instead of France. When many Moroccans grew angry with France’s colonial government, the French forced Muhammad V to go to the island of Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa. He never gave up his title. Eventually, the French had to bring him back; they granted Morocco independence in 1956.

King Mohammed VI has ruled since the death of his father in July 1999. Because of his direct linage with the prophet Mohammed, the founder of Islam, he also serves as his countries spiritual and moral guide.

Brief history on important people who helped shape Morocco.


  1. Fatima al Fihria (11th century) educator



  • Fatima al Fihria was the founder of what is considered to be the world’s first university. She is revered as one of Morroco’s most influential women. The university she founded, Alkarawayin University, promoted higher education in Morocco, especially in the fields of science, literature, and religion.




  1. Ibn Batuta (1340-1368) traveler



  • Ibn Batuta’s travels took him from his home in Morocco as far west as Spain and as far east as China. He is thought to have traveled more than any other person has during the medieval era. His travel narratives reveal a great deal about the period and places of his visits.




  1. Abd el-Krim El Khatabi (1882-1963) King

  • Uniting the Moroccan people against both the French and the Spanish, Abd el-Krim fought from 1920 until he was captured and imprisoned in 1926. As the most influential figure in the Moroccan fight for independence, he received a special commendation as a national hero in 1958.




  1. Hicham El Guerrouj (1974-present) runner

  • El Guerrouj first participated in sports as a soccer goalie, but when he won his first national competition at age 14, he switched to running. He has since set several world records and holds seven of the eight fastest times for 1500 meters run outdoors. He has won several world championships and in 2004 became a two-time Olympic gold medalist. His winnings have made him a millionaire and gained him intense fame in his native country.


Foreign Relations

Morocco is a moderate Arab state, which maintains close relations with Europe and the United States. It is a member of the United Nations and contributes consistently to UN peacekeeping efforts on the continent.

Morocco was among the first Arab and Islamic states to denounce the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and declare solidarity with the American people in fighting terrorism. Morocco has seen its own terrorism as home as well. On May 16, 2003, Moroccan suicide boomers simultaneously attacked five sites in Casablanca, killing more than 40 people and wounding over 100.

REFERENCES


  1. http://www.portal.euromonitor.com/PORTAL/Magazines/Countries.aspx

  2. http://online.culturegrams.com/famouspeople.country.php?fp_country

  3. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/431.htm



Spain and Moroccan Governments

Mary J. Steichen
Spain

Overview of Treaties and Laws

King Juan Carlos I, a conservative, mild-mannered king, guided Spain quickly and peacefully toward its first democratic elections in 1977. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 is the culmination of the Spanish transition to democracy. The “Law of Spain” is the term used to describe the legislation which is in force in the Kingdom of Spain, which is understood to mean Spanish territory, Spanish waters, consulates and embassies, and ships flying the Spanish flag in international waters. It is also applicable to the Spanish armed forces worldwide. Spanish law stems from the Spanish people through democratically elected institutions. Equally, part of the legislation comes from the supranational institutions of the European Union, which also enjoy democratic legitimacy. Spanish law follows the continental system, which means it is supported principally by the law in the broad sense (laws and regulations) and to a lesser extent by judicial decisions and customs. Likewise, it is a complex law, in which autonomous community legislation coexists with the national laws.


Relations with Other Countries around the World

After the return of democracy following the death of Franco in 1975, Spain's foreign policy priorities were to break out of the diplomatic isolation of the Franco years and expand diplomatic relations, enter the European Community and define security relations with the West. As a member of NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) since 1982, Spain has established itself as a major participant in multilateral international security activities. NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949 and constitutes a system of collective defense whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. With the 2001 normalization of diplomatic relations with North Korea, Spain completed the process of universal relations.

Spain's European Union (EU) membership represents an important part of its foreign policy. Even on many international issues beyond Western Europe, Spain prefers to coordinate its efforts with its EU partners through the European political cooperation mechanisms. The EU is a political and economic unit of 27 members committed to interregional integration. Spain is also a member of the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the World Trade Organization (WTO). The United Nations is an international organization of 192 member states, including nearly every sovereign state in the world, whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights, and achieving world peace. OECD is an international organization of 31 countries that accept the principles of representative democracy and free-market economy. The WTO is an international organization that supervises and works for liberalizing world trade.

Spain has maintained its special identification with Latin America. Its policy emphasizes the concept of an Iberoamerican community, essentially the renewal of the historically liberal concept of hispanoamericanismo, or hispanism as it is often referred to in English, which has sought to link the Iberian peninsula with Latin America through language, commerce, history and culture. Spain has been an effective example of transition from dictatorship to democracy for formerly non-democratic South American states, as shown in the many trips that Spain’s King and Prime Ministers have made to the region.


Historical Relations with USA

The relations between Spain and the United States were laid by the colonization of parts of the Americas by Spain. The first settlement in Florida was Spanish, followed by others in New Mexico, California, Arizona, Texas and Louisiana. The earliest Spanish settlements north of Mexico (known then as New Spain) were the results of the same forces that later led the English to come to that area. The history of Spanish–American relations has been defined as one of "love and hate" and evolved through the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, Spanish Civil War, and World War II among others.


From 1996 to 2004, Spain was led by the centrist Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. He adopted moderate policies to minimize the stress on Spain’s young democracy, fighting problems such as unemployment and foreign debt with reasonable success. However, his support of George W. Bush’s pre-emptive war in Iraq was extremely unpopular with the vast majority of Spaniards. In spring of 2004, the retiring Aznar supported a similarly centrist successor, Mariano Rajoy, who seemed poised to win the election. But during the morning rush hour on March 11, 2004, three Madrid train stations were bombed, killing 200 people. The terrorist group claiming responsibility denounced Spain’s Iraq policy, and three days later, Aznar’s party lost the election. The new prime minister, left-of-center Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, quickly began pulling Spain’s troops out of Iraq, as well as enacting sweeping social changes in Spain.
What Opportunities/Limitations Exist for Citizens of Spain

As of November 2009, the government of Spain keeps a balanced gender equality ratio. Nine out of the 18 members of the government of Spain are women. Under the administration of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Spain has been described as being "at the vanguard" in gender equality issues and is noted for taking more steps of any other modern, democratic, administration outside Scandinavia to place gender issues at the centre of government.


Spanish Laws and Regulations for USA Travelers

The US Embassy is located in Madrid, Spain at Calle Serrano 75, telephone 915.872.570 or, for after hours emergencies, telephone 915.872.200. The website for the US Embassy in Spain is www.embusa.es/cons/services.html.


Spain has very strict anti-smoking laws in public places. In particular, a total ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and leisure venues begins in 2010. Fines are assessed for violation of the anti-smoking ordinances. If you drive, an International Driving Permit is officially required. Seat belts and insurance verification are required by law. Traffic tickets are issued and paid for on the spot. Regarding hotel stays, if you experience any problems, all regulated hotels will have a complaint book. A request for this book will generally prompt the hotel to solve your problem, should one occur.
Passport and Visa Requirements

A valid passport is required for the period of stay but no visas (if staying less than three months) or shots are required for entry into Spain.


Morocco

Overview of Treaties and Laws

Moroccan law is based on (i) Islamic law and French and Spanish civil lay systems and (ii) judicial review of legislative acts in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997, although the king still possesses the actual political power.

Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, and even though the status of the territory remains unresolved, the government acts otherwise (e.g., on all maps in Morocco, Western Sahara is drawn as an integrated part of the country).

Relations with Other Countries around the World

Morocco is a member of the United Nations, the Arab League, the International Olympic Committee, the Organization of African Unity, Group of 77, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the World Trade Organization, the Mediterranean Dialogue Group, and is a major non-NATO ally of the United States since 2004. Morocco is the only country in Africa that is not currently a member of the African Union and it has shown no interest in joining, due to other African nations recognizing Western Sahara as a sovereign state.


Morocco has established the following bilateral and multilateral agreements: Council of Arab Economic Unity, Middle East Free Trade Area, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area, and the US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement.
Historical Relations with USA

In 1777, Morocco became the first country to publicly recognize the United States, and it remains one of America's oldest and closest allies in the Middle East and North Africa. Formal U.S. relations with Morocco date from 1787 when Congress ratified a Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the two nations. Renegotiated in 1836, the treaty is still in force, constituting the longest unbroken treaty relationship in U.S. history, and Tangier is home to the oldest U.S. diplomatic property in the world. Now a museum, the Tangier American Legation Museum is also the only building on foreign soil that is now a National Historic Landmark.

Morocco and United States relations are bilateral relations between Morocco and the United States. U.S. and Moroccan relations have generally remained positive. Under King Hassan II, Morocco was seen by the U.S. as a bulwark against radicalism. American diplomatic policy has characterized Morocco as a stable, democratizing, and liberalizing Arab Muslim nation, important to U.S. interests.

Morocco has received U.S. assistance since independence in 1953, via U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its predecessor agencies, receiving a cumulative amount exceeding $2 billion. The amount of USAID assistance to Morocco in 2006 was $19.2 million, with an estimated $18.9 million allotted for 2007. USAID's current multi-sectoral strategy (2004-2008) consists of three strategic objectives in creating more opportunities for trade and investment, basic education and workforce training, and government responsiveness to citizen needs.

The Peace Corps has been active in Morocco for more than 40 years, with the first group of 53 volunteers arriving in the country in 1963. Since that time, nearly 4,000 volunteers have served in Morocco, and have served in a variety of capacities including lab technology, urban development, commercial development, education, rural water supply, small business development, beekeeping, and English training. In 2007, 197 volunteers served in Morocco, working in four sectors: health, youth development, small business, and the environment.

In the 21st century, both countries have become close allies in the global war on terror. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Morocco shared valuable information with the United States about al Qaeda. Conversely, when Casablanca was the victim of terrorist bombings on May 16, 2003, the U.S. government offered Morocco – one of it oldest allies—the full resources of its military and intelligence community.


What Opportunities/Limitations Exist for Citizens of Spain

Education in Morocco is free and compulsory through primary school (age 15). Nevertheless, many children – particularly girls in rural areas – still do not attend school. The country's illiteracy rate has been stuck at around 50 percent for some years, but reaches as high as 90 percent among girls in rural regions. Morocco has about 230,000 students enrolled in fourteen public universities. The Mohammed V University in Rabat and Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (a public university) are highly regarded. Al-Akhawayn, founded in 1993 by King Hassan II and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, is an English-language American-style university comprising about 1,000 students. The University of Al Karaouine, in Fez, is considered the oldest continuously operating university in the world and has been a center of learning for more than 1,000 years.

Morocco allocates approximately one-fifth of its budget to education. Much of this is spent on building schools to accommodate the rapidly growing population. Education is mandatory for children between the ages of 7 and 13 years. In urban areas the majority of children in this age group attend school, though on a national scale the level of participation drops significantly. About three-fourths of school-age males attend school, but only about half of school-age girls; these proportions drop markedly in rural areas. Slightly more than half of the children go on to secondary education, including trade and technical schools. Of these, few seek higher education. Poor school attendance, particularly in rural areas, has meant a low rate of literacy, which is about two-fifths of the population.
Moroccan Laws and Regulations for USA Travelers

The U.S. Ambassador to Morocco is Thomas T. Riley. The U.S. maintains an embassy in Rabat, Morocco which is located at Boulevard Moulay Youssef 8, telephone 22/26-45-50 with the website located at www.usembassy.ma


It is illegal to bring local currency out of the country.
Passport and Visa Requirements

A valid passport extending six months beyond your travel date is required but no visas (up to three months stay) or shots are required for entry into Morocco.



REFERENCES:

SPAIN-

Rick Steves Spain 2010, copyright 2009, first printing September 2009.
Government of Spain, retrieved January 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Spain.
Foreign relations of Spain, retrieved January 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Spain.
Spain, retrieved January 2010 from http://wikitravel.org/en/Spain
Instituto de Turismo de Espana, retrieved January 2010 from http://www.spain.info

MOROCCO-

Rick Steves Spain 2010, copyright 2009, first printing September 2009 (with commentary regarding Morocco).
Moroccan Government, retrieved January 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccan_government
Foreign Relations of Morocco, retrieved January 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Morocco.
Morocco, retrieved January 2010 from http://wikitravel.org/en/Morocco
Kingdom of Morocco, retrieved January 2010 from http://www.maroc.ma/PortailInst/An/home


CULTURE OF THE PEOPLE

OF SPAIN AND MOROCCO

Submissions by:

CAROL COWAN

ROSE BONJOUR

KENT SWITZER

CHAD SELMAN


Culture of the people of Spain/Morocco

Carol Cowan
Topics: “The People, The Heritage, Entertainment and Architecture of Spain and Morocco”

Also: Study the people, heritage, language, art, music, sports, holidays, food, and architecture.
Class XIV of the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program began their international experience by leaving Oklahoma City, OK on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010, with a stop in Dallas, before leaving for Madrid on our transatlantic flight.

We arrived at Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD) at 10 AM on Wednesday, Feb. 17th. Members of the class were impressed by the architecture of the airport terminals. This airport is Spain’s busiest, handling more than 40 million passengers a year. MAD is located 13 kilometers (eight miles) north-east of central Madrid. MAD is the fourth - largest airport in Europe. The massive terminal 4 handles flights from 32 carriers, including American Airlines, our carrier from the US to Madrid. Airport terminals are connected by bus service and also a subway. Our group transferred to Iberian Airlines, the flag carrier airline of Spain and based in Madrid, and flew to the Malaga Airport. The Malaga airport is 8 kilometers west of the city of Malaga and is the main flight path for millions of people with flight connections to more than 60 worldwide destinations. Around 12 million passengers pass through this airport each year. We met our guide Eduardo Vandoorne at the airport, and soon boarded our motor coach.

We traveled southwest along the Mediterranean coastline to Torremolinos to eat our first Spanish meal and exchange US dollars into Euros. From here we traveled on to Algeciras. Algeciras occupies the far side of the bay from Gibraltar. The last town of the Spanish Mediterranean, Algeciras had once been an elegant resort, but today it is a port and industrial center. Thanks to our guide, Eduardo, we had almost non-stop commentary of the areas we drove through.

Thursday, Feb. 18th- Today we took the fast ferry across the Gibraltar Strait to Tangier, Morocco, Africa. The Rock of Gibraltar is the most famous rock in the world, and is made of limestone. The stretch of water that separates Gibraltar from North Africa is called the Strait of Gibraltar and throughout history has played a strategic part in battles fought and won to control the western Mediterranean seaways. It is approximately 9 miles wide at its narrowest point. Our ferry ride was rough, and many found it difficult to walk! Tangier is located on a beautiful bay and overlooks the Strait of Gibraltar and is called the gateway to Morocco. We traveled across the desert landscape to Meknes which is one of four imperial cities in Morocco. It is an agricultural center of the region, and is famous for the fertility of its surrounding soils. Although it is desert, it was unusually green. Many areas we would consider to be flooded from all the rain, the local people considered it a wonderful rain, and they appreciated the water. Some said it was the most rain they had in 15 years, and others said it was 40 years since they had this much rain. Meknes was added as an UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.

UNESCO stands for The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. There are currently 890 World Heritage sites in 141 countries. There are three categories of sites - cultural, natural, or mixed. If a site is threatened, UNESCO helps provide a plan and often funding to ensure the site’s preservation. We visited several UNESCO sites on our trip.

The National School of Agriculture was our destination for the afternoon. The director, Dr Mohammed Boulif studied years ago at Oklahoma State University and the University of Minnesota. We viewed video presentations and had extensive discussion about agriculture in the area. This was a very informative afternoon!

Our first stop on Friday, Feb. 19th was to Ranch Adarouch among the Atlas Mountains. The ranch was started with Santa Getrudis cattle from the King Ranch in Texas, but they no longer partner with them. We also visited the ranch’s feedlot. Next we had a city tour of Fes, the oldest of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, and another UNESCO site. Fes is the cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco, and is known for its leather products. The leather tanning pots were amazing to view. Fes is also home to the oldest continuously operating university in the world. The University of Al-Karaouine was founded in 859 A.D. Since its inception it has been an important education center for Islamic studies with international students to study theology. Fes is a remarkable city. Our guide, who wanted us to call Habibi (friend), took us through streets that were 1000 years old!

Saturday, Feb. 20th we visited the Roman Ruins of Volubilis, a city built in the first century A.D. by the Romans and remained an active and inhabited city until the 18th century. Although its historical structures suffered damage in an earthquake in the 1700’s and some of its marble was taken for construction in Meknes, it is the best preserved Roman ruins in all of Morocco. It was surreal to walk the paths of Romans! We headed back to Tangier, then crossed the Gibraltar straight once again, and began our stay in Spain, leaving Africa behind.

Touring Jerez de la Frontera, the capital of world famous sherry wine production, was a great way to start our tours of Spain on Feb. 21st. Winding roads take you through flat and barren plains to seemingly endless vineyards, and the rolling countryside is carpeted with blindingly white soil known as albariza, unique to this area and the secret to the grapes used in sherry. The sherry production houses are located in the center of the town of Jerez and are generally associated with an element of snobbery and aristocratic pride. The Spanish word bodega means “cellar”, but its generic meaning is “wine manufacturer.” Felipe Gomez Devault was our guide for the bodega tour. We had wine tasting of four different sherry wines produced there. They also raise purebred Spanish horses. I had the honor to be photographed with a purebred show horse that measured 17 hands. Next on the agenda was a city tour of Seville, the birthplace of flamenco dancing. Many points of interest were viewed, including beautiful ornate buildings, and history about Christopher Columbus, including viewing the Cathedral that houses Columbus’ sepulcher. We had shopping time in Seville, which was wonderful!

The 22nd of February began with a trip to a village of El Viso del Alcor where we visited a cooperative by the name of Canla, that produces and packs Seville oranges. El Viso del Alcor has 16,597 people and is 20 square km. in size. It is made of fertile, well-watered sedimentary soil. Seville sour orange trees range in height from less than 10 ft. to 30 ft. Inside the orange, there are 10-12 segments with bitter walls containing strongly acid pulp and from a few to numerous seeds. The center becomes hollow when the fruit is full grown. They are used mostly for making marmalade. The cooperative has 355 farmer members. We were able to see the production lines as the workers processed the oranges. The smell of the oranges was truly mouth-watering! For lunch we visited the town of Antequera. Our bus stopped near a Spanish bull-fighting arena. The area we drove through after lunch is called Archidona, a thriving and unspoiled village (around 10,000 population), winds its way up a steep mountain slope beneath the ruins of a Moorish castle. Its economy still depends to a large extent on the olive groves that surround the area which yield a very high quality of olive oil. In 1980, Archidona was declared a village of Historic and Artistic Interest. It is here that we toured the OleoAlgaidas Olive Oil Cooperative. Pedro Flores, the plant technical manager gave us a tour. We saw the entire process - from trucks unloading the olives among twigs and dirt, to the end result of oil pouring into containers. Tonight we had a special treat of visiting a gypsy cave flamenco show. It was quite entertaining, with several class members and Dr. Joe Williams jointing in with the dancing!

On Tues, February 23rd we were in Granada. This city rises majestically from a plain onto three hills, dwarfed on a clear day by the Sierra Nevada. Atop one of these hills is the reddish-gold Alhambra Palace. This palace and The Palace of Generalife is the most visited destination in Spain, and is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Two million people visit here annually. Some architectural highlights are: nearly all columns support false arches constructed purely for decorative purposes; ancient inscriptions are used to quote the Koran and Arabic poems; glazed ceramic tiles covered with geometrical patterns cover the walls; and water is used as a practical and ornamental architectural element. We also toured the Palace of Charles the First of Spain, which is square shaped on the outside and round on the inside! On our way to Motril, we visited Bodegas Sierra Nevada, in a beautiful setting with a 4-star hotel, vineyard and packaging facilities. After our tour given by Mayte Moya Garcia, we were all treated to wine tasting with chips, cheese and bread sticks. At this point in our trip, we are beginning to see many greenhouses that cover the area in white plastic. We received another wonderful tour at the LaPalma Cooperative in Granada. Christian Jacobi gave us an extensive overview of the cooperative, which included a power point presentation, tour of the packing plant and tours of the greenhouses. Tonight, many of the class were drawn to the Mediterranean Sea coast to walk along the beach which was very near our hotel.

El Ejido, the prosperous center of vegetable and fruit production was the starting point for Feb. 24th. This area is called “The Salad Bowl of Europe”. We visited IFAPA, a Research and Training Agricultural Center that specializes in horticultural production in greenhouses. El Ejido crosses what was once a wilderness of salt-flats and sand dunes and which in now a sea of plastic. 64,000 acres of polythene provide the environment for the year-round production of fruit and salad vegetables. Miguel Gimenez Moolhuijzen gave a power point presentation and a tour of the greenhouses here. Our next stop was at AgrupaEjido, a privately owned company that produces vegetables, packages them, and sells them by auction. We watched a live auction, and then continued to the company warehouse facilities and greenhouses where we saw cucumbers growing.

Pozoblanco was our destination for Feb. 25th. We visited the Andalusian Cooperative Cattle Raising Corporation of the Valley of Pedroches. (COVAP) This is one of the most important cooperatives in Spain, and has 15,000 members and their main businesses are cattle, dairy, sheep and pigs. They raise Iberian Hogs that are fed on acorns. We toured their milk plant and visited their pork facility that has a 600,000 ham capacity. Four hundred hams are processed a day. Members of the cooperative must purchase their feed through COVAP before they can bring their milk or hogs back to COVAP for processing. Raquel Santos Alcudia of COVAP spoke with us about their lamb feeding facility which we also toured.

On the morning of the 26th we went to Cordoba, which is another UNESCO Site, for a city tour. We will visit the Mezquita, a Roman Catholic Cathedral, also called the Great Mosque. The Mezquita’s construction was started by the Muslims over 1200 years ago. It was converted into a cathedral in the 14th century. Today it is an active church. Luis our guide spoke of a lot of history. After our tour we headed for the high speed train to Madrid. This train, called the AVE line, reaches speeds of 290 kph (180 mph) we had to pass through ticket control and passport checks before boarding the AVE train. Gates close 2 minutes prior to the train’s departure time so we had to hurry everyone and their luggage onto the train. Upon arrival in Madrid, visited the United States Embassy and spoke with the US Ambassador Alan Solomont and others to discuss US/Spanish relations and agriculture.

Today, Feb. 27th we visited the John Deere Training Center with Juan Carlos Aguado as our host. This facility is a training center for dealers in Spain and Portugal. Mr. Aguado provided us with a very informative tour. Isa Del Moro, a cattle operation near Beunavista was our next stop. Pablo Munol, the ranch general manger and Juan Vizuete, a veterinarian answered many questions we had while we viewed the large bulls. We have learned on this trip that male beef cattle in Spain are not castrated, or dehorned, and the large animals are considered ’veal’.

A Madrid sightseeing tour is planned for us after breakfast on Sunday, the 28th, given by Rosa Munoz. Madrid is the capital of Spain, and has a population of over three million. A cosmopolitan city, a business center, headquarters for the Public Administration , Government, Spanish Parliament and the home of the Spanish Royal Family, Madrid also plays a major role in both the banking and industrial sectors. Madrid is #4 on the “10 worst cities for pickpockets” list according to www.travel.yahoo.com, so we were all careful as we walked the streets of Madrid. After lunch we headed for Toledo Spain. It is one of the first Spanish cities declared a World Heritage City. Toledo sits on a rocky mound isolated on three sides by a looping gorge of the Rio Tajo. Every available inch of this outcrop has been built upon. The local economy relies mainly on tourism, wine-making and farming. Our guide Luis Alba took us to many beautiful areas, including the second largest Gothic Cathedral in Spain, the old Jewish section of the city, and a walk over a 700 year old bridge. We learned the term “Holy Toledo” comes from here, because there are 80 churches in the city. We also visited a sword making shop and watched as a skilled craftsman incorporated gold thread into gold pieces of jewelry.

On Monday, March 1st, we began our travels back to Oklahoma City. We learned you can survive an 11 hour flight, and we learned how thorough customs can be at DFW airport, while we were questioned at the agricultural customs area! Some of our group had to have their shoes disinfected! The flight to OKC was short, and we were glad to finally be back in Oklahoma! What an exciting, educational adventure we have taken!

Following is a comparison between Spain and Morocco on these points:

SPAIN: MOROCCO:

People:

Population is 46.7 million Population is 34.9 million


Heritage:

Is of European culture Is a nation of Arabs and Berbers


Language:

Has several official languages English is spoken, French commonly

in business, classic Arabic is the official spoken

language
Art:

Major tourist attraction for art Express themselves through their

(Picasso, Dali) carpets, clothing, jewelry, paintings,

sculpture

Music:

Range of styles, and feelings Arab, Berber, classical and popular

elements

Sports:

Soccer, bullfighting, basketball Football, trekking, soccer, skiing, camel rides,

horse riding, fishing, rafting

Holidays:

Mix of religious, national and Islamic religious holidays are calculated

regional holidays the lunar calendar, so their dates

rotate


Food:

Mediterranean flavor - uses olive Co-mingling of savory and sweet,

oil, herbs, and seafood meals made to be eaten with your

fingers and finished of with green tea



Architecture:

Mix of Moorish influences, Blend of Black African and Islamic

European trends and surreal most buildings feature large,

modernism intimidating archways and beautiful domes.


REFERENCES

World Airport Guides. Retrieved 11-22-09, from http://www.madrid-mad.com


By Air. Retrieved 11-22-09, from Fodor’s Spain 2010, pg. 50.
Travel, tourism-airports. Retrieved 11-22-09, from http://andalucia.com/travel/airport
Algeciras, Spain Hotels, vacations, tourism. Retrieved 11-22-09, from http://travel.yahoo.com

Welcome to Gibraltar. Retrieved 11-22-09, from http://www.gibraltar.gi/tourism


Tangier. Retrieved 11-22-09, from http://www.andalucia.com

Historic City of Meknes. Retrieved 11-22-09, from http://worldheritagesite.org


World heritage List. Retrieved 11-23-09, from http://whc.unesco.org
National School of Agriculture of Meknes. Retrieved 11-23-09, from http://enameknes.ac.ma
Travel Guide to Fes. Retrieved 11-23-09, from http://goafrica.about.com
Universities-Morocco-Providing Top Education. Retrieved 11-23-09, from http://www.morocco.com/universities
Volubilis - Roman Ruins in Morocco. Retrieved 11-23-09, from http://morocco-travel.suite101.com

The Land of Sherry. Retrieved 11-28-09, from Fodor’s Spain 2010, pg. 656-662


Visitor Information. Retrieved 11-28-09, from http://www.turismojerez.com
Exploring Andalusia - Seville. Retrieved 11-28-09, from Fodor’s Spain 2010, pg. 619-651
El Viso del Alcor. Retrieved 11-28-09, from http://www.elvisodelalcor.org and http://www.crwflags.com
Seville Oranges. Retrieved 11-28-09, from http://www.hort.purdue.edu
Malaga Province - Antequera, Retrieved from 11-29-09, from Fodor’s Spain 2010, pg. 754
In Focus - Alhambra. Retrieved 11-29-09, from Fodor’s Spain 2010, pg. 703-710
Motril. Retrieved 11-29-09, from http://www.spain-holiday.com
Almeria Travel Guide. Retrieved 12-7-09, from http://www.costaalmeria.biz
Mezquita. Retrieved 12-7-09, from http://www.travelinginspain.com and http://www.sacred-destinations.com
AVE Line. Retrieved 12-7-09, from Fodor’s Spain 2010, pg. 829-831. And http://www.raileurope.com
Madrid. Retrieved 12-10-09, from http://www.aboutmadrid.com
Toledo. Retrieved 12-10-09, from http://travel.yahoo.com

Culture of the People of Spain/Morocco

Rose Bonjour



Topics “Family Structure, Life and Ordering Dinner in Spain and Morocco”



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