"Saying Goodbye – But Not Really" by Yasmine Jakmouj
It is honestly hard to believe that my semester in Morocco has come to an end, but when I think about everything I had the chance to experience this semester, it makes it easier. One of my favorite quotes about traveling I heard the first time I went abroad in high school, and it’s still one of my favorites: “it’s better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times.” As far as my experience in Morocco goes, I would say this is undoubtedly true.
Pictures don’t do it justice - you have to hear the traffic of the bustling streets, feel the kindness of Moroccans, and definitely you have to taste the food for yourself. I’m so thankful for the AMIDEAST program and the opportunity to live in Morocco (almost) like a real Moroccan. The staff at AMIDEAST Morocco definitely deserve a shoutout for being amazing and coordinating everything so well for us - and for being great friends. I’m already planning my return to Morocco and can’t wait to see familiar (and new!) faces when I eventually make my way back.
While this semester definitely had its ups and downs, I will remember Morocco by a few specific things: the taste of sweet mint tea, my daily walks to AMIDEAST, talking to my roommate and host mom over dinner every night, and the general happiness I felt in Rabat. My experience was a little different from most since my family is from Morocco, but this trip became so much more than me exploring my father's homeland. I realized that learning Arabic was more than a means of talking to my family; it’s a way for me to connect with millions of other people and cultures. My desire to travel and see more of the world has only grown since being in Morocco (not that that’s a bad thing), but I honestly believe Morocco is a one-of-a-kind place. I found my home in Rabat, and I know without a doubt that when I return I will still have a home there.
If you’re anything like me, this experience will make you contemplate a lot more than things like “what are case endings in Arabic? And why are there 3 present tenses?” This experience not only gave me a chance to explore Morocco, but also myself (as cheesy as that sounds). While I definitely had some moments that felt like midlife crises, I’m glad I had the chance to seriously think about larger philosophical questions. Who am I? What is my identity? What do I want to do with my life? Is there such a thing as an objective good in the world? These are just a few things I found myself asking and while I don’t have answers to them, I do think I have grown to have a better understanding of some of them. Maybe I’ll never find the answers, or maybe I just need to return to Morocco and search for them again.
Reflecting on my semester abroad has brought a lot of things into perspective, but I’m going to leave with a list of my favorite things about Morocco:
Arabic class with Amina (if you are lucky enough to have Amina as an Arabic teacher, please take advantage and learn as much as you can!)
Crossing the streets like a Moroccan (if you know, you know)
The AMIDEAST excursions to Zawiya Ahansal (see my other blog) and Fes
Having tea time with sweets at random coffee shops & at home
My host mom (and her cooking!)
