The guys on the trip had the opportunity to go to a Hamaam in Morocco. Mohamed, a Moroccan young man around our age who worked at the Hotel Flandria Reception in Tangier. He offered to take us with him to a Hammam, which is a traditional spa and/or public steam bath beginning in Turkey and spreading in the Middle East. In Arab society, it is normal to strip completely or down to undergarments, and share a bath in the steamy hammam with friends, family, or even colleagues. What was interesting to me, that this drawn out process was a self-care ritual done weekly by many Moroccans. In the U.S such a practice would be met with shame, or would be viewed as exotic, luxirious, or strictly for special occasions. 

Walking to the Hammam was a long trek, about one mile or so, and involved us all trekking through a few different souks. We squeezed past fish vendors, bakeries, cafes, and the occasional motorbikes. Before the Hammam, you must provide your own toiletries, so it is common to purchase oils and soaps, and to bring your own pair of exfoliating gloves. Of course, you bring a change of clothes, and at this Hammam, we brought our own towels. Once we arrived we paid around 80-120 dirham if I remember correctly,  and took off our overclothes, leaving boxers on, and taking off socks/shoes. Then we grabbed the black exfoliating soap we purchased to share (it smelled like raspberries!), and then went into the steam room. 

There were about four chambers, one for a corridor, the second one for rinsing, the third one for scrubbing, and the largest one to collect water. The Water collection room also served as a waiting room, so we walked all the way to the back to start the experience. There, we were handed empty buckets. Afterwards, Mohamed instructed us to all open the soap, and start to rub it in on our skin. After a few minutes, one of the employees took everyones buckets and filled them with a mixture of Hot and Cold water from fountains in the room. Afterwards one by one we were pulled into the room for scrubbing, and were layed face down on the tile floor. Water was poured on us, we were scrubbed with the gloves we provided. and even our hair was washed. Then after a thorough scrub, which was super foreign to me, we went to the next room where we just rinsed ourselves off. Afterwards, everyone just hung out in there socializing, before exiting through the corridor and adjusting to normal temperatures before changing into clothes and leaving. I really enjoyed this experience because it really helped me partake in a slower-moving and more relaxed culture.