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
