Category: HUA Students Blogs C 19

A train ride, a journey

Posted on by kpspinelli

I took the opportunity to arrive in Morocco early. After flying in to the airport in Casablanca, I headed to Marrakesh via train: a three-hour ride to my destination. I took a rear-facing seat in the train, and settled in for the journey. Across from me was seated an oum in her sixties or seventies. She wore a teal plaid hijab, and the wrinkles on her face nearly gave away a soft smile if you looked from the corner of your eye. For most of the trip, we both stared out the window at the Moroccan landscape – red earth, green vegetation, blue sky, and the constant sun – as we raced past it. One effect of facing backwards in the train – in addition to being scared out of your wits when a train unexpectedly barrels past on the neighboring tracks – is that you can only see what’s up ahead by the time it’s already passed you. On the contrary, sitting facing the front of the train, the oum across from me could see the landscape as it unfolded before her: a much better view, if you ask me. It occurred to me that this paralleled our perspectives on Morocco. As a foreigner in this country, I can only view things in a retrospective and reactive manner, that is, I can look at the history and culture of Morocco as they were in the past and as they are today, but I have no idea what comes next. The Moroccan people, on the other hand, can more easily see what is ahead for their motherland; they know the influential people and ideas that will come to shape their country in the upcoming years long before their influence becomes widespread, and this sort of insight only really comes from being part of the Moroccan community. I could really feel this difference between me and the oum on the train, even though we exchanged no words about it. Two months here won’t confer upon me the same level of understanding as she has, but I hope to approximate it while I’m in Rabat.

During my three hours on the train, the minarets of the mosques flew by with frequency only matched by the red-and-white radio towers. I was struck by a feeling that here was a country so steeped in its history and rooted in antiquity, and yet pushing forward toward futurism and connectedness. In Rabat, the new tram system can take you right to the walls of the centuries-old medina, and the new opera house is just a short walk away from the historic Hassan Tower and the mausoleum of Mohammed V. Morocco integrates the old with the new in a way that I think is unmatched anywhere else in the world, and I’m so excited to explore both facets of this amazing country.

The sound of the train constantly droned on in the background during my journey, a loud white noise that I can only associate with going long distances. And just like the sound of the train, my anxiety for the upcoming two months was at a dull roar in the back of my mind; I could push it out of my focus, but it was never entirely gone. As ridiculous as it may sound, the disconnect from my friends and family back home especially weighed on me. It’s difficult to keep in touch with your friends when you’re six hours ahead of them; their free time in the evenings at home is the middle of the night here in Morocco, so even with the power of the internet it’s like playing chess by mail. Furthermore, I worried about being “left behind” somehow by those back in the US, as if for some reason I’d fade from existence in their eyes. It didn’t make any sense when I actually gave it some thought, but it still gnawed away at me, little by little. I guess what I’m trying to describe is a worry that I’ll be lonely here in Morocco. But more than anything, it was just difficult to actually believe that I was in this place that I’d looked forward to for so long! It might have been the jetlag, but I definitely felt like I was dreaming during that train ride.

In addition to my constant state of worry and disbelief, I also felt sudden pangs of anxiety every so often in preparation for my trip. Like the fright I experienced when trains flew by on the adjacent tracks, these waves of anxiety about my upcoming two months in Morocco always hit me suddenly out of nowhere – just when things seemed under control, a new crest would hit. On a scale of one to “oh-my-god-what-am-I-doing-living-in-another-country-for-two-months”, these peaks were typically about a “yikes, what have I got myself into”. Looking back on my anxiety to first come to WPI is difficult because my great experiences at college so far have superseded any negative feelings I had before attending. However, I do recall experiencing similar anxieties then as I did before flying to Morocco, albeit on a smaller scale – it just feels so much more isolating to travel literally across the ocean, instead of a few hours from home! During my first days at WPI, I had the comfort of knowing that I was surrounded by other new students who were just as confused as I was, which is a luxury I won’t have in Rabat. However, it helps that I’ll be here with good friends and familiar professors. I won’t deny that there have been a few times in the past month or so where I’ve been truly worried about my journey in Morocco, but in my heart I’ve never doubted that I made the right choice to come here.

In more than one way, the purpose of my stay in Morocco is to explore the unknown. I’ve never lived anywhere outside of the United States for more than a couple of weeks, and certainly never integrated into a foreign community like I will in Rabat. Sure, when I came to WPI I had to integrate into a new community, but there are far more obstacles here in Morocco, especially the language barrier, so this will be a new experience for me. I only know a little of the Arabic language itself, but being in Morocco will improve my abilities at a much quicker rate than I could ever achieve at home. Furthermore, my research topic (a particular facet of the Jewish exodus from Morocco post-creation of Israel) is largely unexplored, and I hope that my work can shed a little light on it for others. I don’t know if the oum on the train with me had ever been to Marrakesh before. But this whole beautiful country, and the two months I’ll spend here, are certainly uncharted territory for me. All the better.

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone

Posted on by sktarantino

Blog Entry 1 – January 3, 2019 – Holden, USA

Today is my last full day in the United States before leaving for Morocco. I realize I have procrastinated writing this introduction blog for quite some time now and I have come up with two reasons for this. Firstly, I am not an emotional person. Secondly, I do not want to think about what leaving home for two months is going to feel like because this will make me emotional. People have been asking me questions about traveling to Morocco for about a year now and I have never had trouble answering them until today. Before today, talking about the trip was similar to when you greet someone you know. They usually say something along the lines of “Hey there! How are you?”. And you automatically answer, with no consideration at all, “Good. How are you?”. I would blurt out some sentiment about how excited I was to experience a new culture so different from my own and how much I was looking forward to the food and scenery. All of this is true of course, but I never really let myself feel excited or nervous until today.

I am full of anxieties about being in a new community. At the top of this list is that I am nervous about being a “foreigner”. I have travelled to many countries, but all have them were located in Europe or Oceania. I am used to being a tourist who can blend in when she wants to. I have never before had to consider cultural differences and how they would impact my stay. I feel like I have a lot to learn about my new community and I am nervous for the uncomfortable period in which I have to settle in.

Some of the apprehensions I have are similar to those I had before going to WPI. For example, I knew then as I know now that this experience will change me for the better. However, all my friends were going to college at the same time, so we were all going through the same thing. Also, going to college is such a common experience I didn’t think about what I was feeling. It was expected of me to go to school, so I did so without thinking about turning back. Traveling to Morocco however is such a unique experience that it almost frightens me more. Most study abroad programs consist of simply going to class at an international school. I am nervous, but also excited to be able to live in Morocco. And by that, I mean to be able to truly live in the experience. Yes, I’ll be doing work, but I won’t be shuffled class to class watching the clock all day. This freedom is overwhelming and a part of me is afraid I will not take advantage of it to its fullest extent. There is a magnet on my home fridge of a quote I have decided to live by from now on. It reads: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” I will especially keep this in mind throughout my time in Morocco. The distance of Morocco is also daunting. I had the comfort of going to college a few miles from home. I never go home while I am at school, but just having home close is comforting and I basically grew up in Worcester. I am nervous about not knowing anything about the city I’m living in and being so far away from home.

I actually have one cognitive dissonance moment that I can clearly remember. I woke up in my dorm room and jumped out of bed and thought, “why did I ever sign up to go to Morocco?” I am not sure if I had just dreamed about it or if something reminded me of the trip, but I did seriously second guess my decision at 7 am on a Tuesday. I remember pondering why I was voluntarily putting myself through the stress and anxieties of traveling somewhere so different from home. I could have easily passed up the opportunity and completed my humanities here at WPI. I wouldn’t have to skip taking Anatomy & Physiology and I could save the money for IQP. I then took a shower and never thought about not going to Morocco that hard again. Sure, it would be easier and more comfortable not to go, but is that really how I want to live my life? I look back and chuckle at how excited freshman me got during Get More Insight Day when I went to the Arabic session and learned about Morocco. That initial feeling gets me through any doubtful thoughts I have.

The more I learn about Morocco, the more I feel like I don’t know. I am very excited to feel the speed of life in Morocco. From what I’ve gathered it is much more laid in back in a sense than the US. I wonder if I will have a hard time getting back to US pace after this experience. I am nervous about my future initial reactions to Moroccan hospitality. I already know that I am too apprehensive to not judge people’s intentions of inviting me over. My favorite thing about telling people I am traveling to Morocco is their initial reaction. I have found that there are three types of people who have given me advice for this trip; people who do not know Morocco, people who know Morocco and people who think they know Morocco. People who know Morocco get overly animated and express how excited they are for me. They list out food to try, places to see and tell me to talk to strangers and accept invitations. People who don’t know Morocco tell me I will have a great time and that I will learn a lot from being emerged in a different culture. People who think they know Morocco give me advice based off of movies they have watched about the Arab world. Most, if not all, of these people were shocked when I told them Morocco was right underneath Spain. I has been difficult not let other peoples perceptions cloud my own.

I hope to gain a new outlook/perspective on life that I can use to better understand the world and solve challenges presented to me. I hope to meet strangers and make friends with people I would never have come into contact with if not for this trip. I hope to make unforgettable memories of experiences unique to Morocco and of the people I befriend.

WOW I am going to Morocco

Posted on by dgferrero

In twenty-four hours, I will be on a plane on route to my destination of Morocco. Due to my discomfort while flying, I have been more focused on how to survive the plane ride rather than living in Morocco for two months. Excitement comes in and goes, like waves. The idea of me starting my journey by myself, sharing experiences that a group of people and I will only experience, and going to AFRICA makes me reflect on how lucky I am to have such privilege.

 

Growing up, my mother emphasized the importance of culture and traveling. She wanted my sister and I to step back from our “little world” and see the bigger picture, so to speak. Weeks leading to my trip to Europe when I was in middle school, teachers and friends would ask, “Are you excited?”, and of course as a younger Domenica, I didn’t process that I was going overseas, so I just brushed it off my shoulder. In my head I was imagining something similar to Peru, where most of my family resides in, but I was quickly hit with culture shock. In our stay, my mother wanted to take advantage of already being in Europe, and so we went to four different countries. Between country to country, everything was different. It was that moment in time that I truly understood how big our planet actually is, and how not everyone lives like the “American lifestyle”.

 

Going to a Morocco, my main worry is communication. Between reading, writing, and speaking Arabic, I would say speaking is my weakest front. However since I am living in a Arabic speaking nation for two months, I am forced to speak or stay mute for the entire time. I have heard from previous travelers that everyone is very friendly, and tries their best to make you comfortable. So much so, a great number of people speak English in Morocco. This is very reassuring to me, although ideally I would want to speak Arabic for the entire time. However, I am not at that level yet.

 

The anxiety of arriving at WPI freshman year is nowhere near going to a foreign country. Firstly, living close to WPI, I was already comfortable with the environment I will be living in. Not in Morocco. Secondly, I will have the opportunity to grow a relationship with not only my peers and professors, but the inhabitants of Morocco. I feel as though it will be a more difficult culture to adapt to than WPI’s culture. Thirdly, I have high hopes of going to Morocco, more of which I had when coming to WPI, because I know no matter what, I will be satisfied in doing the little things. Little things such as walking down to the Medina, going to the markets, and waking up every morning breathing the Moroccan air. 

 

As the time approaches for my departure, I am eager to experience Morocco. Do I regret anything in my decision in going? The nine hour flight for sure! But I know once I get a glimpse of the city streets, it will all be worth it.

Connecting With My Other Half

Posted on by asefiyaoui

For myself, this trip means a great deal. Now I know when I say that it may make one think “Well, this trip is a huge deal for everyone traveling, what makes it different for you?” I will tell you what makes it different for myself. You see, I have already somewhat of an idea of what environment I will be immersed in when I land in Rabat on Saturday. Somewhat. Being half Moroccan and having experienced a taste of the culture through the few relatives I have that live in the United States, along with my father, I know the basics. I know that خبيز و اتاي (Bread and Tea)  is the life and soul of Morocco and that greetings between Moroccans, especially friends and family, will take you at least one to two hours, depending on how many kisses are involved. But even with simple things like this that I know, I still know there is a astronomical amount that I do not know.

As we all know, Moroccan people are known to be hospitable, friendly, and welcoming.  I know this from the experience I have with my جدى وجدي (Grandmother and Grandfather) visiting the US many times over the years, and they never ran out of love and support for me and always brought us gifts from Morocco. It was a great experience whenever they came to the US and I looked forward to their visit. Speaking with this experience as my background, I believe that my experience with other Moroccans and society in general will be just as enjoyable as with my own family.

With being in a new community, there are concerns that many people have when attempting to acclimate to a new environment. For myself, my main concern is the language barrier that I will have between myself and people who live in Morocco.  Although I do understand Darija to some degree, and I can speak it to some degree as well, I definitely have much to improve on while in Morocco. The interactions between the people whether it be in the markets or at the masjid or just on the streets will allow me to make great strides in my “fluency” of Darija.

In a way I feel that this another “restart” for me. What I mean by this is that it is not necessarily erasing what I have known in my past, but instead it will be me continuing the same journey I have always been destined from birth to travel, but instead will have potential for new paths in life, thanks to this trip to Morocco.  Just the fact that I have never been out of the country , and have only flown on a plane once before, shows how big of a step this trip is in my life. Just like when I first came to WPI, the feeling of uncertainty and yet excitement I felt that first day of freshmen year, I share the same feelings now as I type this the day before my departure to Rabat tomorrow night.

For me personally I did not have any second thoughts on the trip to Rabat until recently when I had a rough term academically and debated if this is the best thing for me to do the term right after my extreme struggle. After some thought, I realized that I should look at it from another angle. I should not view this trip as just an academic trip but as a way to reset and refocus myself on my goals in life while gaining a new life experience that I may never get to experience again.  I think this trip will be good for me academically, physically, mentally, and spiritually and allow for me to come back to school stronger and better than ever.

I hope that when it is all said and done, that I will be able to to truly understand my “other half”, what it means to be Moroccan, and experience all of the different aspects of life that differ in my Moroccan side of the family and Morocco as a whole and compare to life here in the US. I wish to be able to express to my father, a pure Moroccan man who has not traveled back to his homeland since he came to the United States over 30 years ago, what changes have occurred in the country since he has been there, and relay all of the good things that have happened in the rapidly developing country that it is, and allow him to visit the country through my words and thoughts without physically being there. If I can do this while evolving and maturing as a student, son, and most importantly as a student, then I will consider this trip a major success. I am looking forward to accomplishing all of these goals while in Rabat, Morocco.

 

More Substance

Posted on by lccintron

I am so excited to go. I am going to travel to Morocco with my family for a few weeks before the program start date, and I absolutely cannot wait. What I hope to gain from my entire Moroccan experience is more substance for me as a person. What I mean by that is, I want to have an experience that adds to my character, to my general knowledge of the world, to my knowledge of the language, to my understanding of completely different cultures! I realize it may seem like that might be asking a lot from 2 months of classes over there, but I truly want to dedicate myself to making the absolute most I can of my time there. These past few months have been very hard for me for several reasons, but what has kept me going the most is knowing that I am about to have an amazing, life- changing experience that I am truly looking forward to. I know that if I get my hopes up too high, disappointment is practically inevitable, but I just want something different. I just know that I have had more than enough of Worcester, Massachusetts, and that I am ready to go away and study something that sparks my passion for learning again! I hope that being in Morocco will expose me to a different culture, different food, different PEOPLE! I love meeting new people! I can’t wait to make Moroccan friends! I am ready for whatever Morocco has to give me, and to let this experience enrich my life forever.

My First “World Travel”

Posted on by sleza

I have flown on airplanes a lot during my life so far. I was only in second or third grade when I flew alone for the first time, and I was hardly at all scared or nervous for it; if anything, it was kind of nice to be given star treatment for being an Unaccompanied Minor. While it’s less glamourous to be unaccompanied but not a minor anymore, I have a lot of experience flying across the country on my own, and I do like it. I pride myself on being skilled at getting around independently; I credit a lot of my comfortability with navigating cities on my own to taking public buses after school when I was younger. I tend to experience less stress, nervousness, or confusion regarding navigating public transportation or touring unfamiliar places than my peers.

While I’ve been fortunate enough to visit much of the United States, and some parts of Canada and Mexico, I have never been outside of the continent. This will be my first time on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, and the first time visiting countries that speak a language I do not know. Before arriving in Morocco, I will be in Paris for four days.

Before boarding my first flight, I experienced anxiety that I’ve never felt about flying before; I was mostly nervous that I might miss my connecting flight, or that I would land and have to go back through security again (which is unlikely but has happened once or twice to me before). After landing at LAX with almost 3 hours before the next flight, I walked about 20 or 30 minutes to the terminal through the underground maze of the huge international airport. I reached the international terminal too early for my flight information to be posted, but that did nothing to calm my nerves that I would be able to have my passport checked and boarding pass printed in time to make the flight. I busied myself with uploading photos from my phone onto my computer to free storage space on my phone, and sure enough didn’t have any trouble getting a boarding pass and boarding the plane once the time came. The flight was a long 11 hours, but I was fed well and it passed more or less uneventfully.

When landing in Paris, I was surprised at how uncomfortable I was. I think I was overwhelmed to be in a place alone where I didn’t speak the primary language, and I was nervous to leave the airport’s WiFi and be without any connection to the world I just left. I texted via WiFi to my family that I had landed, but I stayed in the airport because I didn’t know where I would go and didn’t want to leave and be left without cell service or access to internet. I was meeting up with friends whose flight would land in 3 hours, and while I had expected I would go to a café nearby or start exploring a little (or at least as much as I could with all my luggage), I was anxious to leave. Instead, I started this blog post and then heavily studied the Metro map I had gotten from the Tourism Information desk.

After learning more about how to navigate the city, I felt ready to navigate the airport. I got to the terminal where my friends would be and waited there for them to arrive, but this time I was much less overwhelmed and began to actually start having fun.

Even though I still hadn’t left the airport, I had gotten my bearings. I now knew how the Metro worked, knew which pass to get, knew where to go to get the pass and reach our lodging. I was still nervous about not speaking the language, but now at least I had a better idea of how to interact with the city; the next step would be the people who live in it. One thing that I strongly noticed was that it was a relief to be able to still be connected to the world I had just left; I can’t imagine not having a cell phone that could text over WiFi while first entering a brand-new country, even though I know that countless people travelled far away before cell phones and Internet. Having the chance to recuperate for an hour before leaving the airport was what made me feel more confident about traveling and more in control of my plans. I think that process of readying myself would have been longer and more difficult if I wasn’t able to connect with my family and friends during that time.

My experience of being uncomfortable upon arriving in Paris was very valuable information for me. I think when I arrive in Rabat, I will want to take time before exploring to really map things out and gain more of an understanding for exactly how to navigate my trip. Once that is done, I hope to be much less overwhelmed and more comfortable to really learn about what Morocco is like. I think this term will be hard, but I am very excited for it.

When I was on my first flight, although it was domestic within the United States, it was the beginning of a journey of a lot of firsts for me. I knew that in a short amount of time, my life would be changed forever. Really, I have no idea what I expect Morocco will be, or how I will use my time, or if it will be a majority uncomfortable or natural; but I think that it’s a good thing to not go in with too many expectations. I know that it will be a valuable experience, but I don’t know how it will be so. And I appreciate that uncertainty because it makes it feel even more like an adventure. And ultimately, that is what I want.

I pursued going abroad for my humanities project because I want to have my perceptions shaken and my worldview redefined by gaining experience that I otherwise may not have. My experience abroad, while short, has already given me the opportunity to grow and learn and push myself; I am excited to continue to have opportunities like that during my term in Morocco.