Barely legal.

We recieved official word and official papers today from the Moroccan government saying we can legally start doing the things reporters do. Since it seemed a little early to complain about our pay, we put out calls for a story.

But let's just say there's some rust that needs scraping from the college French.

A transcript, translated loosely from a call made this afternoon to what I believed was the office of the law professor who can give us the scoop on the success or not of a big-time overhaul of Moroccan Family Law that was supposed to grant women all kinds of new rights:

ME: "Ah, good day."

WOMAN WHO PICKS UP THE PHONE: "Good day?"

ME: "Yes. Good day. I am American journalist who makes an article about women. Women's law. I work for an agency of American news. I would like to make an article about the new women law."

WOMAN: "Yes, Good day?"

ME: "Yes, good day. I would like to make encounter with you for to talk on the subject of the new woman law and your opinions regarding success or not success these five years."

WOMAN: "Madame is not house."

ME [BEGINNING TO WONDER WHY THIS WOMAN'S FRENCH IS AS BAD AS MINE]: "Not at house?"

WOMAN: "Not at house."

ME: "I was believing this office telephone I call."

WOMAN: "[A bunch of stuff in Arabic]. Madame. No. House. See you tomorrow."

ME: "Okay. Yes. Maybe now is not well time for ask about my wife bring video camera to our encounter. I want to make Madame also encounter with video camera. Are you Madame's woman of clean-house?"

WOMAN: "Madame not at house."

ME: "Are you clean woman?"

[click].