I arrived in Ifrane, Morocco in January, and began the semester a little over a month ago. My routine involves attending classes, participating in campus activities, and completing the bulk of my schoolwork during the week so I can take advantage of my weekends to travel or get to know the town. I decided to take a mix of computer science courses and pertinent electives so I can not only get a new perspective on my field of choice, but also take advantage of learning Arabic language and history from within the Arab World itself. Outside of classes, I’ve gotten involved through organizations like the Islamic Art & Culture club to meet peers and engage in dialogue around religion and culture.
Ifrane is a resort town high in the Middle Atlas, set apart by its distinctly European architecture and frigid winters. Even within my first month in Morocco, there were mornings I trudged to class in the snow – which definitely took me out of my element as a born-and-raised Floridian. Al Akhawayn University is roughly 20 minutes by foot to the center of town, and 40 minutes from the Marché, or city market. However, I often get there by petit taxi with friends for about 10 dirhams (about $1 USD) to visit one of the cafés and restaurants. Ifrane is quaint, cute, and lovely, but the gloomy weather makes it difficult for me to stay in town for very long, coupled with my itch to travel.
Since getting to the country, I’ve visited Chefchaouen, Tangier, Agadir, Marrakech, Rabat, and Fez. What never ceases to surprise me is that every city I see holds its own unique and defining qualities, such as the labyrinthine streets of Fes el Bali, the picturesque-blue-painted walls of Chaouen, Rabat’s unfinished yet timeless Hassan Tower, the coasts of Tangier and Agadir, and Marrakech’s lively Jemaa el-Fnaa square. I generally get around by grand taxi or train, but Morocco also has buses that go from city to city. There are so places still that I hope to see during my semester here, including Casablanca, Merzouga, and Essaouira, and already I feel like I’m running out of time here.
I haven’t yet experienced anything that I’d call “homesickness”. More than anything, what strikes me the most being in a new country for a longer term is that I’m a foreigner. I look different than the people around me, but more pertinent to my day-to-day interactions is that I communicate differently as well, facing language barriers because I don’t speak Arabic or French. In the souqs and medinas I visit, I need to hold up fingers, type out numbers, or pull out bills and coins to discuss prices and haggle. I more often than not point or gesture to get my ideas across or remember a few key words and phrases like “la shukran” (Arabic for “no thank you”), and “café au lait” (French for “coffee with milk”). It makes me think critically about not only about what it means to be a foreigner in Morocco, but anywhere. With these experiences, I’m more mindful of the stresses people face in a place.
From left to right: 1) Hassan Tower in Rabat, 2) view of Chefchaouen on the hike to Spanish Mosque, 3) Fes el Bali, 4) view of Tangier from the rooftop terrace of my hostel, 5) Al Akhawayn University Mosque in Ifrane, 6) Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, 7) Souq market in Agadir.
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