I am now writing you from Morocco!
I flew from Paris to the Rabat-Sale airport with around 12 other students from the three SIT Morocco programs, and I happened to be seated next to a girl on the migration program (I'm in Multiculturalism and Human Rights) who is from Minneapolis, went to Blake, and goes to Colgate. We talked for most of the flight about people and things we know in common. Shortly after entering the airport, all I could think was "wow, I'm going to experience so much culture shock when I return home". Why "when I return home" and not "now", I don't know. Going through customs, I experienced some questioning. The man asked me my nationality and I told him American. He asked me a few more times before saying "but your last name is Arabic". This has never happened to me before. I explained that my great-grandfather is Syrian, but I am of American nationality. The group then boarded a bus and were driven from Sale to Rabat. The set-up of the two cities is much like the twin cities- both separated by a river. There were a lot of signs of growth between the two cities, with a newly added tram (only 6 months ago) and major constructions sites near the river.
We were dropped off at our hotel where we are spending the next 4 nights. We were then led through the medina to our program center, The Center for Cross-Cultural Learning (CCCL). It was quite a sight, 45+ tired and in-awe Americans pushing their way through crowds of Moroccans. At the center we got to see what we were told is the second best panoramic view of Rabat. And it really is beautiful. I will post pictures hopefully soon! I then introduced myself to the academic director, Abdelhay, and he asked me my name and where I'm from. When I told him Minnesota he said "Oh! Where in Minnesota?". I replied "Just outside Minneapolis". He laughed and said, "Ok, but where outside Minneapolis?" When I told him Edina, he said "Oh no, I am going to have to hate you. In 1971, I was an exchange student at Southwest high school!"
After touring the center, we were taken for our first true Moroccan meal. And it was delicious. This morning, we had breakfast next door (so much fresh squeezed juice!) then headed back to the CCCL for our first day of orientation. We had lessons in Moroccan norms, safety, and how to handle street harassment, which I can already tell is going to get old very quickly. Today, walking back to our hotel in the medina, a man simply shouted "New York City!" What kind of response he was expecting, I don't know. After the lesson, we were given our Arabic class schedule then, while non-beginners took a 3-hour placement test, us beginners got to wander around the area. We headed straight for the beach, a 5 minute walk from the center. A few people from the group split off to get arabic phones. After a long and rough translation process, we finally managed to get phones, complete with arabic letters on the keys, a prayer time notification setting, and an application telling you which direction to Mecca. We finished the night with dinner and internet access back at the center.
First thing in the morning tomorrow we are given a "drop-off" where we are placed in an unknown area with one other person and have to find our way back. If you don't hear from me tomorrow, I am most likely lost in the medina.
I will leave you now with some random facts on Morocco:
1. If you swam/boated directly West, you would end up somewhere in North Carolina
2. You can buy anything on the streets. Literally, anything.
3. You should not/cannot use your left hand to eat, as people do not use toilet paper...
4. It is illegal for Muslim's to buy alcohol
5. The tallest point in Rabat used to be a cathedral until Mohammed V ordered a mosque be built taller. Now, a skyscraper is the tallest point (Abdelhay noted it is an interesting image that money and power can still beat religion)
6. There are two types of time here: secular (relaxed) and religious (rigid and prompt)
I flew from Paris to the Rabat-Sale airport with around 12 other students from the three SIT Morocco programs, and I happened to be seated next to a girl on the migration program (I'm in Multiculturalism and Human Rights) who is from Minneapolis, went to Blake, and goes to Colgate. We talked for most of the flight about people and things we know in common. Shortly after entering the airport, all I could think was "wow, I'm going to experience so much culture shock when I return home". Why "when I return home" and not "now", I don't know. Going through customs, I experienced some questioning. The man asked me my nationality and I told him American. He asked me a few more times before saying "but your last name is Arabic". This has never happened to me before. I explained that my great-grandfather is Syrian, but I am of American nationality. The group then boarded a bus and were driven from Sale to Rabat. The set-up of the two cities is much like the twin cities- both separated by a river. There were a lot of signs of growth between the two cities, with a newly added tram (only 6 months ago) and major constructions sites near the river.
We were dropped off at our hotel where we are spending the next 4 nights. We were then led through the medina to our program center, The Center for Cross-Cultural Learning (CCCL). It was quite a sight, 45+ tired and in-awe Americans pushing their way through crowds of Moroccans. At the center we got to see what we were told is the second best panoramic view of Rabat. And it really is beautiful. I will post pictures hopefully soon! I then introduced myself to the academic director, Abdelhay, and he asked me my name and where I'm from. When I told him Minnesota he said "Oh! Where in Minnesota?". I replied "Just outside Minneapolis". He laughed and said, "Ok, but where outside Minneapolis?" When I told him Edina, he said "Oh no, I am going to have to hate you. In 1971, I was an exchange student at Southwest high school!"
After touring the center, we were taken for our first true Moroccan meal. And it was delicious. This morning, we had breakfast next door (so much fresh squeezed juice!) then headed back to the CCCL for our first day of orientation. We had lessons in Moroccan norms, safety, and how to handle street harassment, which I can already tell is going to get old very quickly. Today, walking back to our hotel in the medina, a man simply shouted "New York City!" What kind of response he was expecting, I don't know. After the lesson, we were given our Arabic class schedule then, while non-beginners took a 3-hour placement test, us beginners got to wander around the area. We headed straight for the beach, a 5 minute walk from the center. A few people from the group split off to get arabic phones. After a long and rough translation process, we finally managed to get phones, complete with arabic letters on the keys, a prayer time notification setting, and an application telling you which direction to Mecca. We finished the night with dinner and internet access back at the center.
First thing in the morning tomorrow we are given a "drop-off" where we are placed in an unknown area with one other person and have to find our way back. If you don't hear from me tomorrow, I am most likely lost in the medina.
I will leave you now with some random facts on Morocco:
1. If you swam/boated directly West, you would end up somewhere in North Carolina
2. You can buy anything on the streets. Literally, anything.
3. You should not/cannot use your left hand to eat, as people do not use toilet paper...
4. It is illegal for Muslim's to buy alcohol
5. The tallest point in Rabat used to be a cathedral until Mohammed V ordered a mosque be built taller. Now, a skyscraper is the tallest point (Abdelhay noted it is an interesting image that money and power can still beat religion)
6. There are two types of time here: secular (relaxed) and religious (rigid and prompt)
So, did you, in fact, make it back?
ReplyDeleteSo great to hear your experiences! I'm excited for you and will continue to live vicariously through your blog.
Love,
Amy