MOROCCO!
- alexandrahayes2005
- Apr 7
- 5 min read
Hi everyone!
I have definitely fallen behind with this blog over the past month, but it has been so chaotic navigating a new country and academic schedule! Obviously, we did not get to go to Jordan because of the war with Iran and missiles in the Jordanian airspace. However, our program was incredibly lucky to get diverted to Rabat, Morocco, and still get to experience a third country in our comparative semester. My time in Morocco was amazing and unique, and it began with celebrating Eid with our homestay families.
A day after arriving in Rabat, we piled into our impromptu homestays on the eve of Eid Al Mubarak. I lived inside the walls of the Rabat medina, or old city, which was a beautiful area. The medina is filled with white-washed coastal walls, bustling markets, and lively street food vendors, and is perched on the hill above the central Rabat beach. Our homestay was in the heart of the Medina, and on the day of Eid, we celebrated with our homestay's extended family with lots of dancing, sweet treats, and a large meal of lemon-chicken tagine for lunch/dinner. The previous evening, we broke the fast with our family with the traditional meal of dates and hard-boiled eggs, along with tons of pastries and other delicacies.
After Friday's Eid celebration, we had a free weekend to explore Rabat. We were lucky to have beautiful and sunny weather, so I went for a solo surf at the Rabat beach! The waves were absolutely perfect, and although I wore a wetsuit, the water wasn't too cold at all. Surfing was such a cool way to meet some local Rabat residents, and one 70-year-old French woman who was tearing up the waves:) The weekend was amazing, and we visited the beautiful Andalusian gardens and the Kasbah de Oudayas, as well as passing time at the gorgeous beach cafés.
For the next full week, our group went on our experiential learning excursion around Morocco, and we visited Marrakesh, Agadir and Essouira. We did SO much on this trip, but I'll give a few highlights below.
In Marrakesh, we had the chance to visit the Al-Nour Foundation (https://www.alnour-association.org/), which works to provide disabled Moroccan women with the opportunity to work and advance their socio-economic position through producing beautiful, hand-sewn textiles in a disability friendly workplace. The organization sells their products on-site in their workplace, which is nestled in the heart of the Marrakech souks, and also partners with local hotels and retailers to resell their products. If anyone is ever in Marrakech, this organization and store is well worth the visit. After visiting with the Al-Nour Foundation, we were able to explore the maze of souks in the heart of Marrakech, and take a tour of an old Quranic academy.
Next, we ventured to Agadir, which is a coastal city situated southwest of Marrakech. Agadir is famous for a gorgeous beach, but on our first day there, we spent time at Ibn Zohr University learning about the indigenous Amazigh, or Berber, people. Professor Oudadene opened with the common expression, "Scratch a Moroccan, find a Berber," and gave us an oral history on the origins and terminology of the Amazigh/Berber people of North Africa. His lecture highlighted the importance of linguistic and cultural traditions of the Amazigh people, such as the preservation of their language and indigenous practices, such as that of harvesting Argan oil. Professor Oudadene also introduced us to his PhD students who are studying the anthropology, literature, and expression of Amazigh culture across a variety of areas. After, we visited Tamaynut, which is a civil society organization dedicated to the preservation of the Amazigh language and dignity in the greater Moroccan community.
On a less academic note, we had a day off in Agadir, during which I went to nearby Paradise Valley! On the way, I got to sample ten different varieties of local honey (my favorite was cactus!) from a local organic farm that is situated on the route to Paradise Valley. The honey was amazing, and they also served traditional Moroccan mint tea. Paradise Valley is located in the Mid-Atlas mountains, and it is a gorge/canyon with waterfall pools that was home to lots of hippies (including Cat Stevens!) in the 70s. It was only about a mile hike-in from the winding highway, and the landscape was absolutely breathtaking. I hiked up the side of the canyon for another mile, and the walls dropped 80 feet to the water below! Then, I went for a swim in the beautiful (and very cold) watering hole at the base of the falls. This place was ethereal and stunning, and I had the best adventure there. I finished the day with a fresh-squeezed orange and lemon juice at a roadside restaurant, and it was absolutely perfect.
Our final stop was Essaouira, another coastal city about three hours north of Agadir. We visited Village Solaire, a local agricultural cooperative in the Essaouiran countryside, that focuses on employing community members to preserve traditional agricultural practices, such as producing Argan oil. We had the opportunity to meet and interact with women who were actively cracking argan nuts and taking on the laborious process of squeezing out the oil. The women had a beautifully lit workshop, adjoined to the rosemary and lavender garden at the center of the village. Similarly to the Al-Nour Foundation, Village Solaire emphasized the importance of socioeconomic independence for indigenous community members (particularly women!) We learned how to make traditional Moroccan mint tea, and ate dinner in the village, which was absolutely gorgeous.
Essaouira was one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited, and my personal highlight was getting to eat a $1 freshly shucked oyster from a seaside stand in the port. I literally watched the oyster get hauled off a fishing boat, shucked, and handed directly to me. It was one of the best things I have ever tasted!
After a nonstop and amazing week, we returned to Rabat for our final week of classes and assignments. I fell pretty sick this week, so I don't have much more to report. However, I did go to a local hammam, which is a Moroccan bathhouse, and it was one of the funnier and more unique experiences of my life!
I have many takeaways from Morocco, but most of all, I am grateful that we were able to experience a third country on this program, and have a taste of living in the Arab world (although the French influence was undeniable.) Morocco was a fascinating country from the lens of immigration, free speech, and civil society, and maybe I will write more later about these topics. For now, I am moving into my homestay in Santiago, Chile this afternoon, and my next post will likely be about Chile!
Love you all, see you soon!
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