Angie Teaches Her First Lesson!

On November 5th I taught my first lessons to the Moroccan students. I taught three different classes.

They were learning about marriage in other cultures. They read a passage about marriage in Japan. Then I taught them about marriage in America. I used my projector and laptop to show them pictures of typical American wedding festivities and activities.

I thought I would share the pictures with the blog world, along with the explanations I gave the students. (Hey all of my friends who are in the pictures! Thanks for sending me pictures of your engagements, weddings, etc. so that I could store them on my laptop and then use them to teach in Morocco!)

The first step is the PROPOSAL (vocabulary words I defined are in bold). The man asks the woman, "Will you marry me?" The woman can say yes or no. (Shout out to Katie and Mitch for an awesome picture of Mitch's proposal!)

If she accepts, then they are ENGAGED. The man gives the woman an ENGAGEMENT ring. In America, it is usually a diamond ring (Hey Steve! Thanks for giving me a diamond ring! I like it!) Note to readers: the above ring is not mine. It is Katie's.

Once they are engaged, the couple takes an engagement PORTRAIT to give to their family and friends. (Shout out to Jennifer and Donovan's engagement portrait.)

This is my sister and BROTHER-IN-LAW in their engagement portrait. (Hey Mandy, when I showed this picture the boys in the second picture shouted, "She's very beautiful!")

Before the wedding there are often parties. One is called the bridal SHOWER.

There is lots of food.

And gifts. It is called a shower because the GUESTS shower the bride with gifts.

On the day of the wedding, it's important for the woman to feel beautiful.

Many American brides get manicures... (The students were all over what a manicure is.)

and pedicures...

so they can feel beautiful. (Shout out to Lisa for looking so cute in this pre-wedding picture! Thanks for not getting mad that I shared pictures of your hands and feet with students across the world.)

During the CEREMONY the bride wears a white dress. The man and woman promise to love each other for ever. They promise to be true to each other forever. The students told me that Moroccan men and women promise the same thing. Ahhhhhhhh.... (Many of you have seen this picture before. I'm sorry. I just heart heart heart it.) (Hey Jason! I think you might be taller than Lisa!)

During the ceremony American grooms wear TUXEDOES. Some are black, some are white, and some are black and white (I failed to detail the travesty that was powder blue, brown, etc. tuxedoes in past decades. I didn't want the students to have a negative idea of America). (Shout out to Tom for looking so dashing in his tuxedo and Janelle for most likely selecting the tuxedo.)

The bride selects her very best friends to be BRIDESMAIDS. The bridesmaids stay with the bride during her wedding and help her. They often wear the same dress. One of the students raised his hand and commented that the bridesmaids all wore uniform dresses. I was impressed. (Shout out to Mandy for having such adorable bridesmaid dresses and stunning bridesmaids!)

Weddings are very happy... (I took this awesome picture of Jen and Donovan right after they got married. Thank you for appreciating that it rocks.)

and fun. The students all laughed when they saw this picture. (Hey Lisa and Jason! It was a good kind of laugh, don't worry!)

People travel from far away to attend weddings. I traveled from Alaska to attend the wedding of one of my friends. Our other friend Christy traveled from Hawaii. We were all roommates in college and traveled far to be with Janelle on her wedding day. (Shout out to the ladies of Heritage Manor #109!)

This is my whole family when my sister got married. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, everybody! Whole families get together to attend weddings.

This is the RECEPTION. The reception is a party after the wedding. They parents of the bride and groom and the bride and groom usually stand in a line so people can say congratulations and hug and kiss them.

This is a wedding cake. It usually has lots of TIERS.

On top of the cake is usually a small bride and groom.

I had a lot of fun sharing the pictures with the classes. They asked questions and told me about Moroccan weddings. They laughed and talked and smiled.

I hope for many more successful teaching experiences.