Unexpected Weather and Expectations

Hello all,

Ready for another look into my adventures in Africa? Or should I say Antarctica...?

Funny thing about Ifrane, Morocco...it SNOWS. Actually, it blizzards. Quite a bit! Today was officially my third day of classes, and two have been canceled because the Professors are unable to make it to campus from their homes, and the roads are beyond terrible.

Here are the classes I am taking:

1. Intermediate Arabic 1 (Modern Standard)

My great friend Taylor and I make the 'hike' to the cafe.

2. Comparative Religion -- I thought this would be so interesting to take in a predominantly Muslim country.

3. History and Cultures of North Africa

4. Women, Culture and the Media -- Again, what a cool perspective I'll be getting, taking a gender studies class here.

5. North African Government and Politics -- Which, surprisingly, I believe will be the most interesting and beneficial for my research!

So, I believe I am going to really enjoy all of my classes! Arabic has been pretty stressful as they use the immersion method here, (the professor does not use English to explain anything...) which is something I am not used to! Although it's a very small, study-party-worthy group. :) I know I'll improve!

And, I still have not had Comparative Religion! It's one of the two classes that was canceled tonight - along with Women Culture and the Media - and it was also canceled on Monday! This is INSANITY! I never in a million years thought I would go to Morocco, and have to miss class because of over a FOOT of snow and ice! The weather has been just one of the surprises here.

So you think you're getting a different lifestyle on your study abroad trip..? Let me tell you about mine...

More surprises came in the form of campus expectations we received during orientation! Now, the accuracy of these depends on who you talk to, of course. Needless to say. us international students want to conduct ourselves in a way that is always respectful, so we took these to heart.

Here are a few of the regulations we follow not only at AUI, but in Morocco!

- Campus curfew! This was definitely something new. In the US, having a curfew in college seems like such a downer...but actually, we understand that it's a security issue. Especially for us international students. SO, the curfew is midnight, you must be back on campus! Interesting, right?

Marche in Ifrane - what a completely new e

- Public drunkenness is against the law. As in, you can go to jail. I'm not just talking about Muslims (who are technically forbidden from consuming alcohol, according to the Quran), it applies to everyone! Even though the drinking age is 18 here, and as a foreigner, you are allowed to drink, you cannot be drunk in public. We are still trying to make sense of this one.

- On campus, you cannot walk on the grass. Okay...

- Also, on campus, males and females are not allowed to be together in private spaces. So, of course the dorms are segregated by sex, and there is absolutely NO entering of the opposite sex's dorm or room. However, I have seen loopholes on campus... (ex: boys standing outside of girl's windows to talk.)

- More on that note, there is no PDA allowed on campus. This excludes the Moroccan way of saying hello, of course, which is kissing both cheeks of the person you are greeting. (I've actually grown to LOVE this method and will be bringing it to my friends and family back home!) The absence of PDA is somewhat refreshing and takes the pressure off in many ways, but again, it's also something new!

- Dress code. Of course, all of my relatives were drilling me on this before I left the states. Yes, it is proper to cover oneself more here than back home, however, it is not as strict (especially on campus and in the cities I've been to so far) than you would think. All of us are being safe and covering our chests, legs and shoulders, but we are allowed to wear leggings!

I have been feeling so full these days. Full of happiness and gratitude. This is an amazing experience that I continue to learn from everyday. It's challenging, yes. But oh, so rewarding! I've begun to befriend some Moroccan students, and everyone has been so wonderful! This weekend a few of us may be going to Fes, if the weather permits us. It will be nice to get out of Ifrane for a day or two, and get out of the snow...

I'm off to do some more homework now, I already have quite a bit of reading! The good news; I am excited to do/learn about everything!

Until next time! I love and miss you all! 

Sofia xo

My Moroccan Journey Begins: Orientation and Adaptation

Finally!

To all my family and friends who have been waiting to hear about my trip and see some blog posts - the wait is over! I finally have the time to sit back and reflect a bit on the last few days, and I am so excited to begin blogging about my amazing opportunity that is a semester abroad in Morocco!

So before I dive right into all the stories, let me talk briefly about my trip getting from the US to Morocco...

I flew from Minneapolis to JFK airport in New York, and then straight through the night to Casablanca, Morocco. The overnight flight wasn't bad, in fact, the plane was fairly empty - leaving room to stretch out and make sleeping tents. The food was also quite a pleasant surprise - I had salmon! However, I can't lie. As the lights dimmed and people fell asleep, there were a few tears. These emotions are REAL, people! I missed my family, had no idea what to expect from this trip, and was exceptionally exhausted from all the traveling. Once we landed in Morocco, things changed. I was immediately excited! My traveling buddy Paola (who I had just met the day before) and I then waited at the Casablanca airport for a few other people to take the train together. Everyone is so kind! I have grown to love my fellow international friends like family. We all watch out for one another and each have special strengths to bring to the table.

The train ride was brutal. Not only were we a group of excited Americans in a foreign country, but we also had massive amounts of luggage - making it impossible to blend in, in any way, shape or form! We all slept on that train ride. Five hours and countless amounts of uncomfortable stares later, we arrived in Fes!

We were then picked up at the train station by some of Al Akhawayn's student ambassadors! I am so in love with Moroccan people. Honestly - and I cannot emphasize this enough - they are some of the most hospitable and generous people I have ever met. Not just the students, but the people we met on the train, who took pity on us as we spoke to them in broken French, Darija AND Arabic. They helped us load our massive suitcases, gave us directions, and constantly smiled and showed empathy as they felt our exhaustion. SO genuine and kind.

~~~~~~~~~~Jumping ahead...~~~~~~~~~

My university is AMAZING. Ifrane is a small town located in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The University is one of the main attractions, and most people know exactly where you need to go when you ask for help. My campus is so beautiful and looks like a postcard town in the Swiss Alps, especially when it snows. Yes, SNOWS. For anyone who was wondering, it does in fact snow in Africa!

It's day five now, and I've been to the marche (or market) almost everyday. You can buy almost everything there - as long as you're willing to dig deep, look around, and barter! So fa,r my main purchases have been: A pair of thick winter hiking boots (they are so very clunky, but so very necessary), a new pay-as-you-go phone for calling and texting friends in Morocco, Khamisa hand earrings (a Moroccan good luck symbol), new fleece lined leggings and socks, and chocolate! All this and more things from the campus store like body wash, notebooks and toilet paper...and I haven't even spent $100 yet!

Everything is very inexpensive here, and I am slowly getting used to the new currency. I am also becoming more adapted to the culture, as well! The simplest things are so different here, and there are some practices you just don't do. For example, they informed us that, as a woman, making eye contact with a man in a public space is an invitation for him to come up and try to 'get with you', as are many other examples that would seem so strange to anyone living in America! Also, staring in Morocco is not considered rude! This is something that I am still not used to, because when you are a foreigner and look out of place, people make it their business to stare. I'm talking constant staring!

These pieces of information and so many others have come from our three days of orientation. They made sure to brief us on how to dress, where to eat, how to converse with people, resources on campus etc. In a future blog post I want to list all the things that are different and expected at AUI (Al Akhawayn University) compared to my school back home in Minnesota! So stay tuned for that post!

Besides all that, the food is amazing, the people are kind (and smile at you often), the scenery is lush and the experience - rewarding. I know this has been a long post, and I haven't even covered half of what I wanted to say! Please look out for my next blog post! I begin my (daunting) classes tomorrow, so keep that in mind while waiting!

There are so many things to I want everyone to know, but for now just know this; I am safe, with kind people and very very happy. :)

Sofia