Moroccan Adventures

First of all-sorry for the long post. A lot happened in Morocco and I want to be able to remember it all :) The past four days have been an absolute whirlwind and such a combination of emotions. I’m going to attempt to convey some of the experiences I’ve had in the past few days while participating in Morocco Exchange. I came into this experience excited to visit a new, exotic place and to try lots of new things. I also came into this experience with little understanding of the amazing beauty, culture and traditions that exist in Morocco.

Our entire study abroad program participated in this trip, but we were broken up into three small groups of about 15, each with a tour guide who speaks Arabic. My group was blessed with an amazing guide named Sarah, an American who teaches in Rabat, Morocco after having spent 2 years in the Peace Corps in Morocco.

We arrived in Tangier, Morocco on Saturday the 26^th by ferry and started our trip by being thrown right into the culture. There were a lot of things that surprised me and even shocked me on this trip, and I have to say one of the first was the horrific smell in the market we walked through. I didn’t know if I would make it out alive. It was certainly a learning experience! Other highlights from the first day included a visit to DARNA (a women’s center in Tangier), conversations with Moroccan students, visiting the town of Asilah and the beautiful blue and white medina, and an impromptu camel ride! 

The first day ended in the capital city of Rabat where we were introduced to our home stay families. Our family was a collection of relatives, but mainly Abdullah (14) and his cousin Sara (23) who were the only English-speakers in the house. Because I don’t speak any Arabic, I have no idea who most of the other people in the house were and I couldn’t really speak to any of them much. One aunt remembered a single word from her long-lost English lessons, and loved to repeat over and over “HI! Hi , hi, hi, hi...” It was entertaining to say the least. Abdullah and Sara tried to teach us some of their cool Moroccan dance moves too, which was only slightly humiliating for us.

On day two we had the opportunity to chat (and debate about politics, religion, etc) with some guys from an NGO in Salé called Hope for Salé where they provide classes and tutoring to anyone who wants an education. We also visited the Roman Ruins in Chellah and the Mausoleum of King Mohammed V, which were both absolutely breathtaking. We returned home for a meal with our host family. Let me take a moment to recap mealtime in Morocco; most meals are eaten out of communal bowls with your hands. It took some getting used to, but the dishes were all absolutely phenomenal, so it was hard to care that I was sharing my food with people I had just met. I quickly learned to guard my fork if I was given one because if you set it on the table, it is apparently up for grabs and Grandma seemed to always snatch up my fork when I set it down. Oops!

At the end of day two, I probably had one of the biggest cultural shocks of the trip. We all went to use the hammam, or Arab baths. I was nervous and had no idea what to expect, but I did know that it would be the first (and last) time I would bathe with countless strangers. The minute we all walked in to the hammam, it was as though a tourist attraction had come to town. I’m not exaggerating-literally ALL eyes were on the Americans who had no idea what they were doing. We looked like idiots, I’m sure and I can safely say that it will be the last time I use a public bath. I’m glad I tried it so I could better understand the culture, but I’d much prefer my own shower. Who would have thought I’d be excited to come back to Spain to take my 5-minute cold shower?

After final goodbyes to the host families, we left behind the big cities to visit some rural towns to see what kind of conditions the majority of the country lives in. We got to see the gorgeous Rif Mountains and have lunch and a conversation with a family in a tiny rural town. They were so kind to have us all at their house and answer our questions about life as a Moroccan and even took us on a pretty (although extremely muddy) walk up to the side of a mountain. Our final stop was in the old city of Chefchaouen, which is tucked away in the mountainside. It was originally populated by all Jews, so the city is completely painted in blue and white and it was gorgeous as well. We had time to shop in the market and our group all ate dinner together. I had a great Moroccan dish called pastilla, which is essentially dough stuffed with chicken and almonds and covered in cinnamon and powdered sugar. YUM. In the morning we got up to watch the sunrise and hiked up the mountain to see the view from an old mosque. It was completely surreal.

Leaving Morocco was really hard. I simply cannot believe I was only there for 4 days, because it feels like I already have such a connection to the culture and the people there. I have made multiple friends in Morocco that have all invited me back to their homes anytime I come back to Morocco. That is really just the way Moroccan people are-they are so warm, friendly, welcoming and hospitable. We see people of the Muslim faith as violent and aggressive and even dangerous and it’s hard not to think those things based on the media we see every day in the US. What I learned from this trip and from talking to many Moroccan students and my host family there is that family is everything. The daily life of a Moroccan is so drastically different from yours or mine, but in the end, the just want to spend time with their families and make time for their faith. I did not expect a short trip like this to have such an impact on me, but I guess that is what happens when you get to really know the people of a culture and interact with them and really, truly learn about why they do the things they do. When I told family and friends that I was going to Morocco this semester, nearly every one of them told me to make sure to “be safe” and to “watch my bag” and to “wear a money belt.” All solid pieces of advice, but they are so incredibly stereotypical at the same time. I apologize for the rant, but if there is one thing I can tell you about Morocco, it is that you really need to go and experience it for yourself. Feel the love that surrounds the people, feel the faith that completely encompasses the society, and learn how amazing the people are.