Dec 23

Dec 23 "Once in a Lifetime Gift" by Scarlett Watters

To have been given the opportunity to study in Morocco is to have been given a once-in-a-lifetime gift.

Everyday was an opportunity to explore the beautiful country and get to know it's wonderful people. From traveling to the Atlas mountains in Marrakech , sightseeing in Tangier, immersing into a traditional souq in Khemissat, and exploring the capital of Rabat, there was always something amazing to see within Morocco.

Roommate selfie. Photo credit: Watters, 2024.

The most amazing experience of all, however, was the host family and language partners. Being with the host family was the most beautiful way to see inside the day-to-day life and love of Moroccans. The mom always made us feel at home, and seemed so thrilled to host us in her home. And her hospitality knew no bounds, especially in term of serving food! There was always so much traditional yummy foods that were made; I never felt like I was missing out on the taste of Morocco.

I was nervous about living with strangers in a country I never had been to, in a culture I’ve never experienced, and speaking only in a language I barely knew. But I found that the best way to live with them was to know that they were delighted to have me. They wanted to meet a stranger from a different country as much as I wanted to. And it was ok that I didn’t know about the culture, because they were excited to teach me about it. It wasn’t easy, but it was by no means as scary and as difficult I had made up in my mind. I was also nervous about having a roommate, because I am not used to sharing personal space with anyone but my husband. But having a roommate was like having a sibling to spend time with. And it made mealtimes feel like a sort of family dynamic. Everything that made me nervous turned out to be what made the trip amazing.

Language partner picture. Photo credit: Watters, 2024.

As far as the language partners go, this was one of my absolute favorite part of Morocco. I had genuine connections with these people, and I looked forward to spending as much time with them as possible. I made friendships that will make it to hard to leave. I gained insight on different ways of life, and when I traveled through Morocco with these friends, they made me feel apart of what Morocco is.

Morocco is a beautiful country with such an intricate history and people. Their desire to host others and make them feel welcomed is something I have not seen in this way before. I am very happy to have been blessed by God to come to this country to study this beautiful language and live amongst and love these beautiful people. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.