My first days in Morocco have been very fun as well as full of much activity with trying to get situated. Coordinating plans with everyone, transportation, and acclimating to the time difference was a little rough, but trying all the different foods, restaurants and sights to see was very nice. Some people that we are on the trip with us have had some trouble with the airport baggage being late as well as Jenna forgetting her phone in the taxi on the way to the airport, but thankfully everyone got here in one piece. Get used to how bathrooms worked as well as getting around using my limited Arabic is challenging but enjoyable because I get to learn more about different cultures. The first activities were fun with the tour guide as well as just walking around and enjoying the city but they were very tiring as the days went on. We went around the old medina with a tour guide giving us all the different places as well as Learning about the rich history of each place we travel as well as its cultural significance makes this trip feel well worth it along with the people I meet everyday. Handling the differences in culture and daily life isn’t as jarring for me and it’s more enjoyable to be in this atmosphere. There are many differences but similarities as well like crossing the roads here you don’t need a sign or a crosswalk but we still do tip for food and drinks. Another aspect about the culture that was jarring was going to the classic hamam which we went with a guy from the reception desk because he said that he would take us. So going in we didn’t realize that we would be laying bare on the ground with the water and everything and be scrubbed with everyone around us. But after being in there and using the black soap mixed with fragrance as well as being surrounded by friendly people it was a great experience. But all around these past few days have been a great so far and an amazing learning experience about the culture, food, history as well as language. Everyone that I am on the trip with is very nice especially the program director Wissal because she has been very helpful with everything and a lot of fun to do activities with. I am looking forward to learning a lot more in marakesh and in the blue city.

.1. One cultural experience I had this week that left a strong impression on me was when we were all sitting outside next to the street at this restaurant and a kid came up to us selling socks. The kid didn’t look any older than 9 years old and he was selling a 2 pack of socks for 50 dirham. I have always seen homeless people in the US and people begging for money but I have never seen a kid by himself doing it in the way he did. We didn’t buy anything but eventually the kid came back to us and just asked for food because he was hungry, then we of course gave him 20 dirham to get food from the restaurant . After that I started seeing the kids in the street even younger than him coming up to us and asking for money or food. That was one aspect about the culture I had to get used to. 

2.   A time I interacted with a local Moroccan was when we all went to the restaurant right next to hotel called the Comedia. The first time we went the waiter Achruf was very nice to us and we introduced ourselves and everything. But we kept going back everyday and he was always there so he started to recognize and memorize our names and started talking to us about work and he even offered his number so that way we could call ahead and get a table. 

3.    One aspect that surprised me the most was how nice and how much hospitality they had for people. I was always warned that all the people here would try to scam  and  hurt you once they found out you were American. But everyone here is very nice and understanding of the language barrier and of course they charge you more for things but at the end of the day it isn’t malicious. 

4.     New words I learned this week was “muzian” which means good, “bessaf” which means very much and “zwena” which means beautiful. We use these words everywhere we go and you can hear them in every conversation on the street.

5.     I have felt that I have learnt a lot about the culture in tangeir as well as a lot about Moroccan culture. Also me being able to talk to the people in my limited Levantine Arabic as well as learning more and more   Local sayings  and customs. I feel as though me being more outgoing here will help me when I get back home with interactions and networking. 

  Since the last reflection much has happened during my time in Morocco. Before we left Tangier Ustetha, Ben, Omar,  Cianna, Sutton and me went to the city of Asila which is only a 45 minute train ride from Tangier. The city was very small but beautiful because it was right off the coast. We enjoyed the architecture of the old city as well as the beaches. The people there were very friendly and Omar found a Mosque to pray in. 

    We left Tangier with saying bye to our friend Mohammed which was the one who worked at the reception desk at the hotel and took us to the traditional hamam. I think the hardest part of leaving for everyone was leaving behind our restaurant which we went to so often that the staff knew our names. We boarded a nice train with AC to go to Casablanca station but then we had to switch to go to Marakesh and the train we went on was a little less nice. We could feel the weather switch from the windy coast with cooler temperatures to the more dry and hot desert climate of Marakesh. Coming into the new hotel was a stark difference between Hotel Tanjah Flandria and the new one which is called Hotel Dinwane. Hotel diwane has a more traditional architecture but it seems more built for tourists. Our new director from world strides, Walid, said to me during breakfast that he thinks he is the only Moroccan here. 

   On one of our first days we had a tour of the old city and went around the Souccs for a bit. The sellers there are very aggressive and admit about selling. One day me and Ben went into the old city to find a chess set and I went to one of the sellers and told him that we were just looking. He showed us a chess set and said it was 350dh, so we said okay thank you we just wanted to know what prices the things were. But then the man started asking what price we wanted and how much and Ben said 200, so the guy said 250. But then I told Ben that if he didn’t want it he doesn’t have to so Ben said no. The guy then preceded to agree to 200 but Ben didn’t want it so he pushed us out of the store and called me a thief. I understood that he wanted to sell it and it was for a good price it’s just that me and Ben didn’t really liked how it looked too much so we wanted to go look at other chess sets. Thankfully we haven’t had a similar experience like that again. 

 Another not ideal experience we had it Marakesh was when we were sitting at a restaurant outside and these Senegalese guys came and tried talking to Cianna and they said they didn’t want any money or food which confused us. Then when we left the guys followed us and so we went into a store and they followed us to the door and were begging Cianna to come with them to buy them something from the market. Eventually the guys left us alone and went away.  Even with all these negative experiences there were still nice people I have met in Marakesh and very beautiful places I’ve been, though I prefer Tangier.

Context: Mohamad is a young man that we met while at Hotel Falundria, he was working reception when we asked about where the Hammam was and told us that he lived right next to one and offered to take us with him. We befriended him while going to the Hammam and went out with him once more before we left to Marrakesh, so I decided to interview him.

(this interview was done over text and translated from Arabic)

ME: What is your favorite part about living in Morocco?

MOHAMAD: My favorite part about living in Morocco is that I am with my family and friends, I don't think I would want to move anywhere else. 

ME: Are you originally from Tangier? 

MOHAMAD: No actually, I was born in Chefchaouen but came here to live with my uncle for work.

ME: Oh so, in Chefcheouan there aren't many working opportunities? 

MOHAMAD:  No not really, so thats why I came here to make money and send it back to my mother.

ME: So, what do you do in your free time?

MOHAMAD: I go out to a lot of cafes with my friends and I try to go to the Hammam every other week becuase its so relaxing.

ME: If you had to change one thing about Morocco what would you change?

MOHAMAD: Probably the amount of crime that's present as well as corruption in law enforcement.