I have tried extremely hard to keep my perceptions to a minimum. I wanted to go into this experience with an open mind and form my opinions based on what I see and hear myself rather than what other people tell me.  I think all my anxieties are based on spending so much time away from my family rather than being fearful of spending time in Morocco. I have never been away from my family for 7 weeks and have my reservations about it. The only time I’ve even been out of the country was 12 days in high school I am close with my whole family and while I’m excited and grateful for this opportunity I’m still nervous about leaving them. I have a lot of anxiety about not letting myself have the time of my life because I’m too homesick. I don’t want to focus on the negatives of this trip I want all my attention to be on why it’s going to be amazing.

 

Every time I call my mom I have a little buyers remorse. Two months isn’t a long time in the grand scheme of things but when your sick and exhausted emotions tend to run high. My mom was also very against the trip from the start. She loves Holyoke and sees no reason to venture from her safe comfort zone. I love my mom with all my heart but I don’t want to go through life uneducated about the world. I want to see, I want to experience. Massachusetts isn’t enough for me no matter how much I love the people there. I need more.

 

I think once I’m in the beautiful country of Morocco taking in all there is to offer I won’t be homesick anymore. I hope to gain a lot of perspective on this trip. Being from the United States there is no real culture division. I want to immerse myself in the culture and get as much as I can. I also want to learn to spend time away from home to prepare myself for the future.