There’s about two hours left until I land back home, and my mind feels as turbulent as this plane is right now. Deciding to study abroad in Morocco was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It was a very unique experience and I learned some very valuable things. Being in Morocco was a big culture shock. The country continued to surprise me, even to the very last day. Like with every culture, there were good and bad things about Morocco. I am happy to say that I am taking away more positives than negatives.

 

 

During my time in Morocco, one of the biggest obstacles was language. I was consistently frustrated by my inability to comprehend even the simplest sentences. I wish I had come to Morocco with more knowledge of Darija vocabulary and phrases. I frequently wanted to have a longer conversation with people I met, beyond shnoo smitek and mtshirfeen.

There are so many things I’m going to miss about Morocco. The jus d’orange, zit zitoon, zitoon, xhubs. I’m going to miss navigating the medina and bargaining for the latest item that’s caught my eye. I’m going to miss the warm sun, the ocean a quick walk away from my residence. I’m going to miss the hanout five feet away for my latest snack craving. I’m definitely going to miss the ridiculously low prices (80 cents for an avocado!?). I am going to miss the tram, and prochaine station bibliotheque nationale. I am going to miss the close friendships I made with the other WPI students on the trip. I am going to miss sitting at a café for hours, and drinking mint tea whenever and wherever.

I feel like I gained a lot from this experience. How to navigate difficult and stressful situations, how to communicate with people when you don’t understand each other. How to be independent, especially in a foreign environment. How to behave in social settings when you are not accustomed to the traditions and culture.

I would absolutely recommend Morocco for other students considering it for their HUA project. I think that Morocco is a great place for a humanities project, with the diverse array of topics to choose from. There is also a big cultural difference between Morocco and the USA, which leads to more opportunities to explore and leave one’s comfort zone. There are definitely a few things that I wish I had known before coming to Morocco but I am grateful for the opportunities to explore the country and try something new.

 

I know I want to return to Morocco one day. I have already gotten demands from friends to take them to Morocco after seeing pictures and hearing descriptions of the country. Even after spending two months, there are things I wish I could have done or things I really want to do again. I feel like Morocco is a country you can never get bored of. I am extremely thankful to WPI, my family, my friends, and my professor for making it possible for me to have this wonderful experience. Until next time, Morocco!