The past ten days have been extremely eventful. Before my arrival (today) in Aix-en-Provence, I visited my roommate in Morocco and my friend + family in Paris. Morocco is beautiful, and I’m pleased that I was finally able to visit the country. My roommate lives in Casablanca, although we spent the majority of our time in Marrakech. Marrakech is located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains and is often referred to as the Red City. As Dinah informed me, this is because most of its buildings are colored red. The old city of Marrakech is separated from the new, with a wall that spans approximately 20 kilometers.
Marrakech, The Red City
Garden of Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech Medina
I arrived in Aix this afternoon and will start orientation this upcoming Monday. I’m living with a host family, Nelly and Guy, who are also taking in another student aside from myself. I have yet to walk around Cours Mirabeau but plan on touring around the axe this evening and tomorrow morning. Although I am studying abroad in a new country, foreign environments are not entirely new to me. I’ve lived in Germany; however, these next four months will be the longest I’ve lived abroad. I’m a person who enjoys change, and I find different values and traditions exciting. In regards to whether or not people experience the world differently, I often find that all cultures come with their ideologies that act as a lens for perspective. Although ideology is not necessarily concrete amongst an entire population, there is a commonality amongst a nation that is usually quite evident. With an open mind, I hope to come to understand the ideologies of those living in France and offer my experiences and perspectives.
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