Although it’s only March, I have been outside of the United States for the entirety of 2019. I have doubled the number of countries I’ve been to, and tripled the number of continents. It will be interesting to be back in the United States once again, especially in a region where English is often viewed as the most common language, because it’s been a long while since billboards and menus and public transportation announcements and websites have been in my natural language.

Before arriving in Morocco, I was in Paris; after leaving, I am in Spain. It surprised me that I was more nervous for my belongings in Paris more than in Morocco. In Morocco, it was interesting that the cemeteries seemed so picturesque and photo-worthy even if they weren’t so different from those I’ve seen before, and that the knotted trees somehow were often the strongest reminders that I was in Africa. One noteworthy difference that I didn’t really like about Morocco was that there was no distinction between being from the United States and being American; in fact, some people didn’t understand when I said I was from the United States, and only got what I was saying when I said America instead. However, I’ve grown up understanding that there is a strong difference: the United States is a country in the continent of America. People from Canada, the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Columbia, Peru, Uruguay, etc. are all American; but this is not the way it seems all Moroccans see it. When I’ve visited Mexico, some people are even a little critical of people from the United States say that they’re from America and will respond with “So am I, but which country” just to highlight the difference; therefore, it felt a little traitorous of me whenever I had to say America when the United States didn’t translate well. Finally, a comical difference in Spain is that pigs are so worshipped in the cuisine, even though so nearby in Morocco eating pigs is so frowned upon.

Perhaps one thing that really surprised me about all of these countries is that there really aren’t as many rules for coffee names as I had thought there were. I was always under the impression that espresso drinks were clearly defined and universal, but this is surely not the case. In the States, I most often see that lattes are espresso with steamed milk, cappuccinos are espresso with more foam, macchiatos are essentially upside-down cappuccinos, and coffee with milk is not espresso at all but a drip with often cold cream or milk. In Paris, I didn’t drink much coffee. In Morocco, cafe au lait (coffee with milk) is espresso with steamed milk which most resembled lattes in the States, a macchiato was often really syrupy, and a cappuccino was sweet enough to taste just like coffee ice cream that had been warmed and topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup! In my sisters study abroad experience in Argentina over the summer as well as my mom’s visit to Italy during the tail end of my time in Morocco, each found drinks different from their expectations when ordering the various espresso options. But the biggest consistency has been that only in the States can one ask for big versions of the drinks; everywhere else, it seems that the drink size is nonnegotiable and ordering a second (or third) drink is the only option if you want more. It might seem silly that I’m spending so much time thinking about the differences in coffee terminology, but I do love coffee.

My term abroad in Morocco has been the most fun term at WPI so far. I feel very lucky to have been able to experience living in Morocco for two months, and happy to say that I feel I got to do and see (and eat) everything that I wanted during my time in the country. I got very close to the girls in the Humanities group, traveled around the country almost every weekend, tried food and lodging in upscale and down-to-earth places alike, spoke with countless locals and tourists, and absorbed miles and miles of the Moroccan landscape. I would definitely recommend doing the Humanities project in Morocco to other WPI students, especially to those who are comfortable trying new things and who can experience other countries and cultures without feeling a need to compare to what’s back home or judge with either blue- or rose-tinted glasses. I feel that I made the most of my time in Morocco, and will definitely want to return because I really enjoyed being there.