3/27/26

After 7 months it is hard to believe that it is finally time to meet the Morocco cohort! We all flew to JFK where it was like a Teachers for Global Classrooms version of “Where’s Waldo!” After a lengthy wait in the TSA line, several of us were able to snag a table in the airport for a quick bite. Our thoughtful travelmate Matt brought handmade bracelets with colors from the Moroccan flag as well stickers for us all. It was so fun to chat with different people as we boarded the plane, many fellow travelers waiting to board were interested in our group and what we would be doing in Morocco. 

After a smooth overnight flight, we landed in Casablanca where we were greeted by the lovely Alham from the Moroccan-American Commission for Educational & Cultural Exchange (MACECE)! MACECE knew exactly what we needed post flight- snacks and water! As well as a gift bag with Fulbright Morocco swag. Our group loaded the bus and headed to Morocco’s capital, Rabat. I wish I could say that I spent the bus ride taking in the Moroccan scenery but travel got the best of me and I took the opportunity for a nap. 

After arriving at our hotel, we had some time to freshen up before lunch at the hotel. As the day progressed, several of us struck out to check out the neighborhood and partake in the Moroccan tradition of eating couscous on Fridays. This was the first of many cool facts I would learn! After dinner, we explored the neighborhood we were staying in which was within walking distance of the Mausoleum, gorgeous views of the ocean, and many cats! The Mausoleum was closing when we arrived but that did not deter many locals from rollerblading, skateboarding, walking, and lounging in the beautiful ocean side spaces. There were several soccer games going on as well. Whenever I travel, I love seeing the way that people utilize spaces around the city and spend their evenings. The decline of free and accessible "third places" environments beyond the home (first space) and workplace (second space) like public libraries, parks, and community centers has accelerated across the United States and it is worrisome to me as these space are essential to community building. It was a great introduction to Morocco to see community in action. Our first day in Morocco had me excited to see more. 

3/28/26

Day 2 in Morocco started with breakfast at the hotel then a journey to Chellah. Today MACECE staff member, Hafsa, joined us. It was so interesting to talk with the MACECE staff throughout our time together about their roles and all the different people they’ve met through Fulbright and other programming.  From the moment our Fulbright cohort touched down, the foundational importance of Moroccan hospitality was evident everywhere, from MACECE’s welcoming gestures to the generous interactions with shop owners and staff.  It had me reflecting on the spaces within my own community where I feel welcomed and brainstorming ways to ensure new families entering our community have the opportunity to feel the same.

The mix of cultures, architecture and history here was incredible at our first stop of the day. We were lucky to have an extremely knowledgeable guide sharing the history of the Chellah with us as we took in the scenery. I learned about the  unique blend of Roman ruins and Islamic architecture.  This blending of culture and style is something that I would soon realize is very common across the country.  I think I had some misconceptions about what Morocco would look like prior to arriving and it was so striking to see the beauty and history around us. Not only was the structure beautiful but the gardens were immaculate and filled with wildlife including cats (of course!), turtles and storks! It was also quite the temperature change compared to snowy Maine. Following this, the whole group headed to the Mausoleum. The Mausoleum is guarded by Royal Moroccan guards, some who were on horses. The care and attention that is given to places and people of importance across the country was something that stood out to me. We had lunch as a group and had the opportunity to try tagine for the first time! Tagine is both the name of the slow-cooked stew, which comes in many variations, as well as the distinct ceramic pot used to cook it. The tagine pots are an art form in appearance and the taste also qualifies as art! I was worried that I would struggle to find food I enjoyed on this trip but within the first few hours, my worries were proved to be unfounded.

After lunch, a few people in the group decided to head across the river to Sale to kayak along the Oued Bou Begreg River, gaining a new perspective of several of the sites we had visited earlier that day. This was a highlight of the trip and really proved that saying yes to all opportunities is the best approach when on a trip like this. The waterfront was active and boats ranged in size from the kayaks we were on to massive yachts. We were aware of the modesty culture in Morocco, primarily covering your shoulders and knees, and I was curious to see how this translated to the waterfront. It was great to see children and adults of all genders enjoying the water activities with comfortable modest swim clothes!  We wrapped up this spectacular day with an amazing cooking class at Roots Academy. Roots Academy is a school offering language instruction and  workshops in English, Arabic, Moroccan Darija and more. We were able to make some traditional recipes for dinner and experience the process of making and drinking Moroccan mint tea. Roots Academy states on their website: "the importance of integrating within a community cannot be underestimated. Roots' classes, workshops, and programs take this into consideration by providing elements of immersion." I want to transfer this element of immersion into my own classroom setting by giving the multilingual learners I work with more opportuntiies to engage in the local communities our schools are a part of.  Some ideas for my students include cooking, exploring nature, or conversing with locals about Maine traditions. I know my experinces of getting to immerse in cooking Moroccan food and the tea ceremony were deeply impactful! 

3/29/26

Day 3 was another packed day of fun and adventure. We headed to UNESCO world heritage site The Oudaya Kasbah and explored the shops in Rabat. We got plenty of shopping done and after exploring with the whole group- several of us decided to return back to the area via Tuk Tuk! During this tour we were able to try a few different foods and explore parts of the medina that we hadn’t seen while on foot. The medinas feel like an intricate maze to someone exploring for the first time so it was so helpful to have local knowledge and suggestions. Some of the foods we tried included a sardine sandwich, beet juice, and fresh donuts. One of the drivers even sang some Celine Dion during the ride. The bartering culture was a bit of a learning curve in the market but many Fulbrighters scored sweet deals and seeing all the different art and traditional crafts was an experience in itself. Talking with the various shop owners, I enjoyed learning about how different items are specific to different regions or cities in Morocco. The host city that I was assigned to, Safi, is well known for its pottery so I held off on buying any pottery until we arrived there. One compelling parallel I noticed between the United States and Morocco is the strong emphasis on regional product specialization. While looking into geographic size comparisons, I discovered that Morocco is roughly the same size as California. That comparison makes the economic dynamic even more intriguing, much like California’s distinct regional hubs, where specific areas specialize in everything from viticulture and agriculture to tech, Morocco features vibrant micro-markets deeply tied to geography and cultural heritage. Whether it's Fes specializing in leatherwork, the Souss-Massa region producing argan oil, or Safi renowned for ceramics, both regions demonstrate how distinct locales within a similar physical footprint carve out their own economic identities. Exploring economic identity in my region of Maine as well as the regions from around the world that students are coming from would be an engaging experince! 

3/30/26

Monday kicked off our first day of academic programming. We were welcomed by executive director of MACECE, Dr. Rebecca Geffner and then briefed by the regional security officer from the US Embassy in Rabat. Following this we had two very interesting presentations one giving an overview of the Moroccan education system and another exploring the linguistic landscape in Morocco. We headed to lunch at Ba Sidi where we had another filling meal and ended the day with a visit to the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture. Learning about Amazigh culture and the efforts to include indigenous language into signage, which is currently mostly in French and Arabic, across the country was so thought provoking. It got me thinking about how different states in the US might honor indigenous communities with linguistic visibility around the community. It could be even more powerful to have students involved in this process! After a full day of learning, some of us ventured back down to the water to eat dinner at a restaurant which was located on a boat called Le Dhow. Not only did we have a delicious seafood dinner with beautiful views but to our surprise there was karaoke on Monday nights. What a fun way to wrap up the day with fan favorites including an original song about the Cats of Morocco performed by Sarah and Lisa and a riveting rendition of Africa by Toto from Matt! 

3/31/26

Another busy day of presentations and visits to local institutes in Rabat. The presentations focused on the integration of AI into the education system, Moroccan identity and culture, and historical relations between Morocco and the United States. Learning about the long history between Morocco and the U.S. was very interesting, especially the fact that Morocco was the first country to acknowledge U.S. independence in 1777. I had read mostly memoir style books in preparation for the trip and I wish I had focused a bit more on looking at the history of Morocco. This made the presentation content even more engaging for me! There were some movie recommendations shared during the cultural presentation including Razzia and Casablanca Beats which I am looking forward to watching. The conversation surrounding AI in education is one I navigate frequently in my own context. While my feelings about AI remain mixed, I found Morocco’s approach compelling, specifically how they are leveraging AI to cultivate both soft and hard skills in students. This dual focus mirrors an emerging priority in my own educational environment, and hearing speakers highlight how the Moroccan system intentionally balances technical competency with human-centered skills offered valuable perspective for my own practice.

 In the afternoon we visited a Spanish school called Colegio Español as well as Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) where we attended presentations from students studying to be teachers and two members of our group, Shannon and Josipa, gave presentations, too. This visit was another highlight of the experience, I loved talking with the ENS students who were studying to be teachers and it made me think a lot of the students I get to work with at University of Maine Farmington. It got the wheels turning on how I could form a connection between the two groups. I had students in my course EDU 306: Teaching Multilingual Learners K-12 write post cards but I planned to share them within my host community already- I wish I had brought even more post cards!

Visiting the École Normale Supérieure (ENS) vividly underscored the trip’s ongoing theme of reciprocity, turning a routine campus visit into a dynamic, two way exchange of insights. At ENS’s teacher preparation program, we visited not just as presenters, but as eager learners, listening to Moroccan student teachers share their perspectives on pedagogy, language, and culture. Fulbright teachers, in turn, delivered engaging presentations on American educational practices, sparking meaningful dialogue across cultural lines. This fluid exchange of ideas demonstrated that true professional growth thrives on mutual respect, proving that the most transformative educational journeys are paved with shared learning and genuine, reciprocal connection.

4/1/26

Hard to believe our time in Rabat has already come to an end. Many of us shared how deeply we loved this introduction to Morocco through its coastal capital, a city that felt both steeped in history and remarkably welcoming. We had a wonderful visit to Rabat American School (RAS), and given my background teaching at an international school in South Korea, it was fascinating to see how that global educational model operates in a Moroccan context. Standing on campus with sweeping ocean views and impressive facilities naturally made me reflect on the stark contrasts in resources between public and international schools, a complex reality present here just as it is in the U.S. and around the world. Observing a lesson in the high school ESOL classroom was a true highlight; watching students navigate new language concepts reminded me of the universal resilience of language learners and how central empathy is to effective teaching. Afterward, over another VERY good lunch at MACECE, we networked with alumni from various Fulbright programs. Hearing the stories of Moroccans who had spent time studying or researching in different parts of the U.S. brought the core mission of our trip full circle. It reinforced that exchange isn't just a trip we take, but a rich, continuous web of human connection and mutual learning. With full hearts and plenty to reflect on, we jumped on the bus and headed to Casablanca for the next step in our adventure!

4/2/26

Our first full day in Casablanca was yet another major highlight of the trip. (Spoiler alert- everything felt like a highlight!!!) We started the day at the hotel with a presentation from Ms. Imane Hamoudou about Moroccan architecture. Moroccan architecture seamlessly fuses Amazigh, Arab, Andalusian, and French influences into a distinct Islamic aesthetic characterized by rich ornamental traditions and thoughtful spatial organization. Signature design features include inward-facing courtyard residences (riads), iconic horseshoe arches, and meticulous handcrafted detailing like geometric tilework (zellij), carved plaster, and decorative cedarwood. Ranging from monumental earthen fortress-cities (kasbahs) to vibrant coastal medinas, the style masterfully balances modest, unadorned exteriors with lush, sanctuary-like interiors. It was so interesting to hear about all these special aspects of architecture and then get to immediately see them up close! 

After the presentation we traveled to Hassan II Mosque for a guided tour. It was truly breathtaking. I had never been to a mosque before so that in itself was an unforgettable experience but to learn the history of the Hassan II Mosque made it that much more special. It was fairly busy while we were there with other groups also taking tours but this crowd was nothing compared to the hundreds of thousands of people who come to Hassan II Mosque during Ramadan! The deep ties between culture and religion in Morocco is another take away for me and something I will continue to think about for a long time after the conclusion of this experince. 

After this we ate another great lunch and headed for a visit to the Direction Provinciale- Casa-Anfa, Ministry of National for Education & Training for a presentation and discussion about Moroccan Educational Reform in the K-12 levels. In Maine, there are state level conversations about the direction of our education system so I enjoyed getting to hear about what the Moroccan government is prioritizing in terms of educational reform. We also got to hear from two Fulbright alumni about special education and supportive after school programming in Casablanca which drew both parallels and differences between programming like this in the United States. A student spoke during this meeting about her educational path and the choice to study in English. Her presentation piqued my interest given my guiding questions around English instruction in Morocco! We concluded the day with a guided tour of Quartier Habous, one of the oldest neighborhoods of the city and which dates back to 1916. 

4/3/26

Our second day in Casablanca was full of thoughtful conversations from start to finish. We started the morning exploring strategies for building global competency skills in the classroom alongside Fulbright alumnus Dr. Ayoub Akdemy. Then we shifted into an engaging session on special education and broader access to education in Morocco, led by Dr. Hajar Ouknider, a Fulbright alumna and professor at ESTC. Midday brought a relaxed networking lunch connecting Fulbright Moroccan alumni and current Fulbrighters, which brought a fun 'small world' surprise. I unexpectedly crossed paths with a fellow Mainer, Shae. Even more unexpectedly- she was teaching in our host community and had met our host teacher Abdelmottalib already! It was a nice reminder that no matter where you travel on the map, home has a funny way of finding you and made me that much more excited to head to El Jadida and Safi. After lunch we heard about U.S. public diplomacy and community outreach in Morocco from Ms. Jenny M. McGrady, Deputy Director of Dar America at the U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca. We saved the most special part of the day for last: visiting the IDMAJ Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting children, women, and vulnerable youth. Mr. Boubker Mazouz, the Founder and President of IDMAJ, spoke with us about his work and we had a guided tour of two of their centers. Seeing the dedication of the local team, the positive energy of the youth, and the real community impact happening across both sites was truly moving. There was also the most beautiful musical performance to end our visit as well as many cookies and tea, of course! We wrapped up this Casablanca chapter of our journey feeling inspired and thoughtful about everything we experienced.

El Jadida & Oulilidia  (4/4-4/6)

After weeks of connecting over Zoom calls and messaging back and forth on WhatsApp, Matt, Josipa, and I—“Team Safi”—were SO excited to finally step off the screen and travel to El Jadida to meet our host teacher, Mr. Abdelmottalib Hakkar in person! There is a distinct magic in turning virtual anticipation into real human connection. Abdelmottalib, a 2021 Fulbright alumnus who had spent time in Pennsylvania, teaches English at CPGE Moulay Abdellah Secondary School in Safi. Knowing his history with the program made the exchange feel even cooler, he had once navigated our shoes in the U.S., and now he was opening his world to us.

We hit the ground running upon arrival, exploring the historic El Jadid Medina before heading to Abdelmottalib’s home to meet his wonderful wife, son, and daughter. Being invited into their family space was a poignant reminder of how genuine hospitality is central to authentic cross-cultural exchange. Abdelmottalib’s wife prepared the most delicious lunch for us, capped off with incredible homemade ice cream for dessert! I quickly realized that being perpetually, delightfully full was going to be a running theme of our trip, a testament to the overflowing generosity of our hosts. After exchanging gifts and some stories, we wrapped up our family visit and headed to the riad Matt had found for us. It was seriously incredible, providing a peaceful, stunning space to unwind and reflect on how effortlessly a shared grant had brought relative strangers together into a tight-knit team.

The next morning we woke up early to head down the coast to Oualidia. We made several stops along the way, taking in the views of the ocean from up high on cliffs in Jorf Asfar and walking on the sandy Sidi Moussa Beach.  We drove through a bustling market where many people were buying groceries and materials. Whenever I travel, I notice the stark contrast between big box American grocery stores and weekly markets in various countries. For me, the person to person connection that occurs in a market is much preferred over the fluorescent lighted isles. We explored an old fortress, climbed through an extraordinary grotto/ cave and then hung out by the lagoon of Oualidia. We met up with a good friend of Abdelmottalib’s, Prof. Yousef Hammadi, and had the best lunch of fresh fish that was grilled at the back of the open air restaurants as well as oysters- Matt, Josipa and I also tried sea urchin. Coming from Maine, which is well known for seafood, I did not expect this seafood feast while in Morocco but it was seriously a treat! We wrapped up our time in Oualildia with a scenic boat ride and then the drive back to El Jadid. 

Safi (4/6-4/9)

We woke up ready to hit the road to Safi to visit our host school! Previously Abdelmottalib had worked in a school in his home town of El Jadida but at the start of the 2025-2026 school year, he took a job teaching English in Safi, about two hours by car away from his home. Abdelmottalib does not have to commute back and forth everyday but it was still very surprising and impressive to me that he was able to handle such a long drive to work! (I did hear from Abdelmottalib in August 2026 that he has accepted a job closer to home, so no more 4 hour round trip drives for work, yahoo!!!!) 

Safi, another beautiful Moroccan city, is well known across the country as the pottery capital and also well known for sardine production. In December 2025, Safi experienced deadly flash flooding. It was devastating to see the lingering impacts of this during our visit in April. The resiliency of the city and its people was apparent and things were beginning to be restored and rebuilt. We stayed in the Safi Medina and Abdelmottalib made sure to show us some great shops and restaurants around the city. In addition to visiting the various stalls filled with pottery, we also got to head to the beach to visit a local surf school! Unfortunately the waves were way too big for us to try surfing but it was so neat for all of us to visit such a well known surf location. 

During our first visit to CPGE Moulay Abdellah Secondary School, we attended a cultural fair put on by the students. CPGE is a residential school for students who are primarily interested in studying subjects in the STEM field. Due to the residential nature, students attending the school come from all different areas of Morocco. It was truly amazing to engage with student presentations from all across the country. Some of the students even brought in special jewelry and traditional clothing unique to their hometowns, proudly sharing the deep history and cultural significance behind each piece. Seeing their eyes light up as they showcased their local heritage added a whole new layer of depth to the room. Beyond the academic discussions and lesson plans, it was these personal touches that brought Morocco’s rich cultural tapestry vividly to life. Even though we didn’t get to see every city in Morocco during our time there, we certainly got to learn a lot about different cities through the Moroccan students! I hope to recreate a similar experience for the students I support in my district’s high school International Student Program. Giving these students the platform to lead cultural presentations would allow them to showcase their heritage while offering local American students a rich, firsthand window into new cultures and global perspectives.

In the few days we spent in Safi, we fit so much in and got to see a true spectrum of approaches to education through our time at CPGE as well as visits to a private school, Édouard Manet and a public vocational school, Lycee Technique Khawarizmi. Just like with educational institutions in the United States, there are funding, resource, and structural differences between public and private schools. It was so appreciated that Abdelmottalib ensured we got to see all the different types of schooling in the area and at each school we were warmly welcomed by students and staff. During our school visits, we were able to observe multiple lessons. When observing Abdelmottalib’s English class at CPGE, it was impressive to see how much content students were able to get through in one lesson. It was rigorous work and if I were to do similar lessons with students in my setting, I think we would likely take a few days to complete the activities. During our time at CPGE, Matt, Josipa and I taught a lesson about the sustainable development goals to an English class. As I mentioned during the early stages of our trip, there are MANY cats in Morocco and during our lesson we had a guest kitten present. It was hard not to get distracted by the cuteness! Abdelmottalib and his colleagues were gracious in giving up important instructional time for our lesson and this experience of teaching with my travelmates was absolutely one of my favorite aspects of the entire trip. 

One difference in instructional practice that a CPGE staff member highlighted was the fact that before the three of us taught our lesson, we took time to introduce ourselves, our backgrounds and our interests to the students. The staff member at CPGE said that oftentimes teachers there have to jump right into the content without taking the time for personal introductions. He was hopeful that these introductions may be a part of their instructional norms in the future! At the conclusion of our time in Safi we were honored to attend a closing ceremony and receive awards from the administration for our time at CPGE. It was incredibly hard to say goodbye to all the students and teachers we had the opportunity to meet, especially Abdelmottalib and his family but I certainly left Safi and El Jadida with many people I want to return to visit!

4/9 

When we returned to Casablanca, we were anxious to reconnect as a whole group to share the experiences from our host communities. The other host cities included Marrakech, Laayoune, and Chefchaouen, and listening to everyone talk made me appreciate just how rich and multifaceted Morocco truly is. It was fascinating to hear how distinct each region felt, from the vibrant energy of the bustling souks in the south to the quiet, surreal blue alleys up north. Hearing my colleagues’ perspectives reminded me that while we were all part of the same Fulbright grant, we had each been gifted a completely unique lens into Moroccan culture, geography, and community life. We spent the evening swapping stories and enjoying a delicious dinner by the ocean, taking in the cool sea breeze while catching up on everything we had missed. Sitting there surrounded by warm laughter and deep conversation, I felt a grounding sense of gratitude for the bond our group had formed. By this time, we were all realizing our time together in Morocco was coming to an end even though it felt like we had just arrived, a bittersweet reminder of how quickly time moves when you are fully present, learning, and building connections that feel destined to last

4/10 

Our final day together kicked off with breakfast and an insightful presentation from an alumna and political analyst at the U.S. Consulate. Her perspective on Morocco’s present and future role in Africa and the world helped bridge the gap between our hyper-local host community visits and the broader geopolitical landscape. It anchored everything we had seen in a deeper understanding of the country's trajectory right before we transitioned into our final group reflection. That session proved to be deeply moving, a moment to process not just what we had done, but also how we had changed in this brief but impactful journey. It was energizing to see everyone shifting from reflecting on memories to planning for the future, brainstorming tangible ways to collaborate across classrooms and keep our connection to MACECE and our Moroccan hosts alive.

Later on, a group of us celebrated our last evening with dinner at Rick’s Cafe, taking in the nostalgic, 1940s atmosphere made famous by the iconic film while sharing a few final laughs about our whirlwind adventure. To close out the journey, Josipa, Sarah, Lisa, and I got to experience a traditional hammam. This was another part of Moroccan culture that we heard about over and over again and were anxious to experince. Through this I observed the importance of on self-care and connection between family in Morocco. Although I attended with friends, my host teacher explained that many families attend hammam weekly together. Stepping into that warm, steam-filled space felt like the ultimate farewell ritual, a quiet opportunity to let the fatigue of travel melt away and physically process the weight of everything we’d experienced over the past weeks. It was easily another major highlight of the trip, leaving us completely refreshed, grounded in gratitude, and ready for our overnight flight back to the states.

Check out the websites of my travel partners- "Team Safi", Matthew Holden and Josipa Casey, to learn more about our experiences together!

Matt's Website

Josipa's Website