I have been in Morocco for about two weeks now, and it feels like I’ve been here for a month now. Although my Darija is still limited beginner, I feel way more confident in going from place to place. Not only can I say what I want to say, but I can catch words people are saying in Darija. Being in an environment in which people are speaking Darija, it is making the learning process easier for me.

One day after class, I was walking back to the tram stop and coincidentally the tram was right there. I ran onto the tram thinking that everyone was behind me, but the doors suddenly closed. As I waved to my friends from the inside, I realized that this was my first time alone in Rabat. This was the moment that I was yearning for. Not saying I don’t like traveling in a group, but being alone allows me to self-reflect. Although I am not Moroccan, I feel as though I can “blend in” physically. I figured since I am by myself, I should try out my Darija. Being in a group, I realized I was speaking passively and let other people ask the questions that applied for all of us, but being alone I wanted to “test” myself. I went to a local hannut to buy a pack of cigarettes. With my broken Darija, I asked the shop owner for a pack, in which he responded with a slight chuckle and smile. From that interaction, I felt welcomed. Looking over my notes from class that day, I realized that I said, “Do you want cigarettes?” instead of “Can I have cigarettes?” and that was why the shop owner laughed at me. However that is the way you learn, by making mistakes and acknowledging them.
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Although I did travel by myself for that short amount of time, I still don’t feel comfortable traveling by myself. Not due to the location, but rather by the eyes of men. Back in Massachusetts, I felt like I always had the liberty of traveling to places by myself. Here in Morocco, it’s a different story. If I want to go grocery shoppings, I feel as though I must travel in a group. I guess that’s because I personally don’t feel comfortable traveling by myself, running around doing errands.
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Yesterday, as I was taking a walk with my friend later in the night, I realized we were the only females. Numerous men were walking by in groups, and again the eyes were staring accompanied by the hi’s and hola’s. I recognize that my appearance of a non-Morcaan is present whenever and wherever I go, but I wonder if female Morccans also get this treatment. I don’t want to have the stereotype of the American girl wherever I go, however that is not something I can remove.

Aside from the numerous population of stray cats, another notable factor of Morocco is the population of tobacco smokers. In America, there is a strong emphasis of how smoking is bad for your health as well as the people around you, however smoking here is nothing but common. From cafes to restaurants to just walking on the street, people are always smoking. From that, I feel like it’s easier to smoke, or rather encouraged. There are no negative social connotations like there would be in the US. In my perspective, Moroccans don’t judge me for smoking, but rather the students that are here from WPI do. Although I am not a chain smoker, I do appreciate the occasional cigarette, knowing that my lungs hate me.
I would definitely say Morocco has opened my eyes in different ways. I am really proud of myself of doing things that I wouldn’t do in America. From meeting new people, making new friends, and networking with people from different backgrounds, I am truly thankful for this opportunity. I can’t wait to see what the next weeks have in store for me.