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!

One of the things I heard about most before coming to Morocco is ‘Moroccan Time’. With many jokes about Moroccans constantly being delayed to appointments and meetings, I expected it. Moroccans are notoriously late to most events, and this could be anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour delayed. (The one notable exception I have observed is the train timings. They will leave the second they are scheduled to, and arrive on time as well.)

Overall, the Moroccan culture seems to have a disregard for time. There is especially a disregard towards the consideration of another person’s time. Although it is okay to be delayed, especially in a culture where it is the norm, there does not seem to be any thought towards the people waiting for your arrival. In one case, we had planned to meet someone at 6 pm. However, we would not have been ready with the necessary materials, so we requested for the meeting to be delayed until 6:30 pm. The person we were meeting with suggested 7, which we agreed to. However, they did not actually arrive until well past 8. There was no communication that they would be delayed this much, and no explanation for it after they arrived either. The hour that was spent waiting for the person to arrive could have been used more productively if we had known that this person was going to be so delayed. Because we were just waiting, it was a waste of time and a little frustrating, since we were waiting for this person to arrive to eat dinner and complete an activity.

I have also noticed that there is little consideration for other people’s schedules when planning things. When scheduling interviews or meeting times, I will usually offer a day or two that I have time available and ask when a person is free. I am then expecting the person to reply with a few options of when they are available so that then I can agree on a time that works for me. However, when trying to plan things here, I suggest a few days and I am only given one option in return. Often this time is very inconvenient for me or I am unavailable, and it seems uncomfortable to keep rejecting potential times.

I have also noticed that Moroccans don’t seem to plan things long term. If I am ever looking to schedule anything further out than a day or two, I am told to ask again later. I am a planner, and I need time to prepare for meetings and appointments. Therefore, it is a little frustrating and very stressful to only have a few hours or one day to prepare for an appointment.

The disregard for other’s time is one of the cultural aspects of Morocco that I dislike the most. Although there is a reputation for Moroccans to be very hospitable, that hospitality and friendliness do not seem to come through when it comes to scheduling and time. Of course, this is my perspective as an outsider to the country and the culture. I am used to the strict scheduling and punctuality of the USA and of the environment I was raised in. It is most likely one of the things about Morocco that I will not get accustomed to, and one of the few things that I dislike.

Something that has been on my mind the past few weeks is the concept and practice of respect. The Oxford Dictionary defines respect as “a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements” or “due regard for the feelings, wishes, or rights of others”, but I think it is a really difficult concept to define. Respect is almost an emotion, and it is something very different and personal to every individual.

Personally, I feel as though I am a respectful person. I have been raised to be respectful to my elders. I try to be aware of how my actions affect the people around me. I will be polite even with people I don’t particularly like. Everyone has something to offer in the world and it is important to keep that in mind. This does not mean that I am perfect of course, and I think this trip had made me realize how much I need to improve.

Surprisingly, the tram is one of the best places to see respect. There is standing and sitting room on the tram. People sitting in seats will leap up and offer their spot to anyone who they feel deserves it more than they do. The elderly, the young, women, the disabled will all be offered several seats as soon as they step on the train. Even if they try to refuse, people insist that they take their spot. I am amazed at the attentiveness of the tram-riding Moroccans. I am usually so occupied with conversing with my friends, or looking outside, or thinking about my ‘to-do’ list that I will not really be paying attention to who is entering and exiting the tram. By the time I do realize that someone boarding the tram may need my spot, they have already been given one by several other people. I wonder if this makes me seem rude?

I am also amazed at how instinctive and casual these interactions are. I feel like if someone were to give up their seat on a busy tram in New York or another big city in America, they would immediately be posting about it on social media or looking for praise. Instead, in Morocco, I see such interactions several times a tram ride, and it is completely second nature.

There is also a lot of respect towards the disabled. Although the roads and buildings are not always accessible (especially those ramps and sidewalks!), I feel like people are more helpful and friendly towards the disabled. Frequently, there has been an elderly man in a wheelchair who boards the tram near the IES center. As he is trying to board, there is a slight incline, and his strength is probably not all that it used to be. He struggles to wheel himself from the platform onto the tram, but people will immediately give him a gentle pull or push into the tram. One of my friends told me about how once when she was riding the tram, there was a man sitting down and holding two crutches. The tram stopped at his station, and he was struggling to stand and get out of his seat. Immediately, people made sure the doors didn’t close and helped him get his things and stand. There is such a big concept of independence in America, that sometimes it leads to an ‘every man for himself’ situation. I wonder how these situations would have played out differently in the States. I think that there is a lot to learn from Moroccan culture, and it is important to take the good away from anywhere you go.