Goodbye Letters to Morocco

all the host brothers and cousins making an exodus with us out of the medina on the last day.

This wonderful adventure has now come to an end. From being here in Morocco I feel like I have gained a sense of culture awareness beyond anything I could have gotten in Seattle. This trip has opened up another side of me I thought I never had. This was my first travel abroad experience, but it definitely won’t be my last. Going home with all of me new knowledge of the Moroccan culture will be hard to keep inside to myself. I have never felt so comfortable with people in my life until I came to Morocco. Their warmness and readiness to make you feel at home was amazing. Being away from home was hard, but the host families were so loving that being homesick was way in that back of my mind. I would love to come back to Morocco one day to have an even fuller experience, but until then I am ready to tell the world all that I know and hopefully other young adults will get to have this experience. – Lacresha Lowery

There is only a day and a half left and I don’t want to leave. Every night I think about how close the days are and soon it will be the day for me to leave. I will miss my family so much and the friends I made here. Going back home would be so hard for me because of how much I have adapted to Morocco and the culture. It would be so different for me because I am so used to eating with my hands and having fruit after, also eating bread all the time. The people in Morocco are so different than in New York. People over in Morocco are one of the nicest people I know and will ever meet. A part of me wants to go home but I also would love to stay here. I hope that I can come back to Morocco and be able to stay with my host family. The places in Morocco also will be missed. I loved Tanger so much, its one of the prettiest places. Also Marrakesh had a great night life. Fez was okay, it was not my favorite but of course the mansion/ ryad we stayed in was awesome and I would love to bring my family over to see it. Rabat is one of the places where everything started and that is why I would miss it oh so much. I wish these days can go by slow so I can still be here with my family until it hits tomorrow, we go to Casablanca. So today I hope to make the best out of me and my host family who I would still stay in touch with when I go back to New York because they are not just my host family they ARE my family. Goodbye Morocco and see you soon. Insha Allah. - Rebecca Reyes

Today is our last full day in Rabat. Looking back on this trip, I can reflect on how different I was at the beginning of the trip as opposed to now. Living in Morocco and being so immersed in the culture have completely opened my eyes and have altered my perception of the world for the better. While anticipating this trip in Seattle shortly before it took place, I remember or even being able to guess what to expect. That is why I loved this experience so much because now I have completed it, and I have learned from it. I have seen things that I never knew existed, I have discussed problems that I never knew were problems, and I have become close friends with people whom are completely different from myself. I am so grateful from the bottom of my heart for the people who put so much time into making AmidEast and OneWorld Now! the programs that they are, because as a product of their programs, I can vouch for the fact they are successful. This trip have changed my life and made me into a better and more well-rounded person. – Amy Taylor

Asal sunset!

It is the last morning we will be staying in Rabat, and I still wake up not believing I’m in Africa! I’ve learned so much studying abroad! I came to Morocco for multiple reasons and one was to break stereotypes among the Arab/ Muslim culture. Conforming to a predominant Muslim country was awkward at first but as I became closer to my host family I began to learn and see what their values and cherish their great hospitality and family. I never got homesick on the trip. However, I began to realize how much my family means to me and how much it means to be around them. I never saw this coming but I am glad the realization hit me. Almost everyday, one day was planned out and scheduled. I wonder how it’s going to be like when we go back home. This trip was a privilege to have and I am thankful I was one of the few who got to live the experience. All of my reasons for coming to Morocco have been lived and answered. I am so excited to go back home and share how much fun I had and also about how much I learned about Morocco as well as their culture. I was very excited to have spent my 17^th birthday here, which is a day I will never forget. Thanks to OneWorld Now! and Amideast I have lived my dream instead of reading and hearing about it! – Michelle Moises

I can’t believe were leaving Rabat tomorrow and Morocco the next day. It really just feels like home, and it’s been an experience that I don’t want to just let become a distant memory. The most valuable part of the experience for me has been having a host family. My host family has made me more comfortable by providing a surrogate community, and significantly boosted the level of cultural immersion for the trip. Going on city tours and visiting attractions can be interesting, but provides a surface experience compared to spending time getting to know the people around you. I know almost everyone who living in our ally and there is always something to do; be it visiting the public bath house with my host sister or playing soccer with all the little boys in the ally. I think what I’ll miss most in Seattle is community here, where I can have a good time with people of all ages despite considerable language barriers. This trip has wet my appetite for the world. – Inness Wragg

Over all this trip has been the most amazing thing I have ever done. It’s so weird how in a few days we will be leaving “home” to go home; a cultural custom and a whole new way of living we have gotten used to. I guess now we have to play this whole adaption game over again but this time in Seattle. What confuses me the most is when people come up to me and ask “How’s your trip? How’s Morocco and what is your favorite thing you have done so far?” I just stare and wonder “what a broad question?” Because through my eyes and mind there’s flash backs every moment and every adventure. We did so many wonderful things that is so difficult for me to grasp the feeling and experienced and then ask yourself what’s your favorite moment, impossible. The past couple of weeks of living here has taught me a new way of living. For the first time ever, I am comfortable with myself as a whole. I have a complete understanding of my surroundings. Being on this trip has given me a reality check on how much we complain in life. I recall some moments of unnecessary complaints, I was perfectly fine and yet I still found something ridiculous to complain about. It’s funny how we complain so much in life that the time when there is nothing to complain about we do it unintentionally. And if I was to come back, insha allah. I wouldn’t do it any differently. Looking back from the first time we met, I thought, “wow! What a random group of ten.” But now, I feel honored to be with such amazing people. Morocco had been good to me and I most definitely wish to come back sometime. So you ask me, do I want to go home, no, because I am already home. – Sundus Abdilahi

These last weeks have opened my eyes and have made me love this country. I will miss a lot of thing like bartering but mostly the people. I also will miss the house and our ally. I had many great times just hanging out in or alley on top of our roof in our house. –Trevor Elder

last night at cafe Bahia.

…and so comes the last blog entry. I have bittersweet feelings preparing for departure, through first and foremost the BIGGEST “thank you” to OneWorld Now! and AmidEast, most especially Molly, Suzanne and Naoufal! I would also like to sound an “unheard thanks” to my family and neighborhood for their unique hospitality and embrace as a brother, son, peer and friend, to which by all means I am forever grateful. And also to Trevor, Sundus, Michelle, Lacresha, Rebeca, Inness, and Amy, for countless reasons, I am honored to travel, live and experience with. Disregarding emotional acknowledgements, I was lucky to take a “spur-of-the-moment" "day excursion” to Tanger, a beautiful Northern- most African/Moroccan city in the Strait of Gibraltar, from which we saw the South tip of Spain! Though viewing Spain was understandably a memory in itself, I will rather miss the ally, Arabic class with Madam Zubidah, couscous, nights with Mostapha, cards, the roof, taking pictures, excursion, check-in, being with everyone, the one-eyed cat, lenient driving, the boy in the window, the cornerstone, the sour strawberry/pistachio ice cream, volleyball at Rabat beach, the call to prayer, Radio2M, Mohammad: our bus driver, camels, Café Bahia, cross-cultural conversation, broken Arabic, my family and everything else that has been to me “Morocco.” Until next time, insha allah! – Jim McGowan

Community Service in Rabat

After a speedy trip through Morocco, we returned back to Rabat, our host city in Morocco to do some community service projects with Moroccan students. The students are part the Access program run by Amideast. Through the Access program they learn english outside of school until they become fluent in the language. They took their summer free time to spend with the OneWorld Now! students and join us in our community service projects.

Our first community service project was at a local orphanage. Located in the middle of Rabat, it is named after the princess of Morocco. The orphanage is staffed with trained nurses and foreign NGO volunteers. We met some while we were there and a few were from Washing ton. We did art projects and spent a learning day with them in our two day service. We will forever remember this orphanage and the smiles of the beautiful children we spent our days with.



This week I have been so happy doing community service. Going to the orphanage made me cry so much because I wish I could make a different to some kids and take them home with me, especially this one kid I fell in love with. He was so happy when he saw me and sad when I left. Going to the orphanage made me realize more about life and love my family even more, it made me want to get closer to my brother so that was a great experience. We also did some planting which was fun and painting on a wall, which I loved. I have been sad that the days are counted and I am almost leaving because I have gotten so close to my host family and another host family which makes me sad thinking about leaving. I have gotten so adapted to so many different things here and I know going back to New York I will feel wierd at first. I love eating with my hands and tea time is always great so I will miss that so much. Well, so long and can not wait till tomorrow.
-Rebeca

Returning to Rabat after excursion was comforting after living out of backpacks in hotels, but also provided the side effect of wondering how I’d let so much of the trip go by already. It really feels like Morocco is my home now and Seattle is just a memory of a fun vacation. This week was community service week, and the most difficult/rewarding activity was playing with kids at an orphanage. As an American it astounds me that no women here keep children born out of wedlock. Our Moroccan group leader, Naufoul had a discussion with us afterwards about how even places like the orphanage are run in a corporate way in order to make a profit, which really resonated with me, and made me think back to the other orphanage in Azrou. Wondering if it was too was a façade. Other experiences have been more positive this week; shopping at the souk, meeting again with the Moroccan students, studying Arabic, and the dyed chicks my host mother bought for her four year old son. I still feel like we are in the middle of this trip, but its time to start packing and say our goodbyes.
- Inness


At first I was nervous going to an orphanage because I haven’t been to one before. But my experience in the orphanage brought me to a whole different level. When I go back to Seattle, my plan is to visit more. Though the thought of abandoned kids is devastating, the feeling of putting a smile on their faces made a difference for them, as well as me. We also painted this week. It was exciting! I felt like I left my mark. Planting was also fun too! I enjoyed it a lot. We planted plants at a school and also cleaned up. I felt like everything we did this week made a difference somehow and that makes me really proud of myself and others. My favorite part of the week was having group talk session. We have had many laughs of joy! At the same time I felt that everyone was opening up and wants to learn more about each other. When I first came to Morocco, of course my head was full of thoughts and questions from the unusual things I had spotted. But I never asked questions to build knowledge for myself instead of wondering all the time. I am thankful for every single bit of the trip. I learned something new everyday!
-Michelle Moises



Our second community service was located in another part of Rabat. We painted community walls right across from where a busy bus stop was located. We were met with a large blank wall but it was soon transformed. With the help of some local artists, we were able to change a few blank walls into beutiful pieces of art.



Hi. I am having a blast. In this last week I have started to feel like I know my way around. When I go out somewhere I always know where I am going and the once confusing streets and alleys that seemed to have no pattern now make sense. This week we have been doing community service which has included helping in the orphanage, painting murals and planting plants.
-Trevor


Being the first week after excursion and however sad to say, the end of my last full week. I enjoyed the new schedule with community service mornings and Arabic class afternoons and odd-jobs include volunteering at an orphanage, painting a series of murals, planting trees etc. I was most satisfied during my work at the orphanage. It’s inspiring how these children live despite “conditions.” I had two unsurpassable conversations generally regarding cultural differences and misunderstandings. I feel both humbled and enlightened and I only hope to carry these values into my future life. I tried escargot! Hope to make the most of the next clump of days.
-Jim McGowan

Our next project was at a local elementary school where we planted trees, gardened and left a living footprint here in Rabat. The elementary school was a small 8 classroom facility and taught students about four different languages, Arabic, France, English, and Spanish.


Service learning this week has helped me assimilate me into the community of Rabat. Working in the orphanage on Sunday and Monday was one of the hardest things I have done, but it was an emotionally rewarding experience. Talking about abandoned children with the group really opened my eyes to a problem which I never knew was even a big issue before. As well as working in the orphanage this week, we have beautified a public wall by painting on it, and rejuvenated an old grown-over garden. I know that the last few days of this trip will be bittersweet because I am leaving so many good friends I have made here and going home to friends and family I have missed so much in Seattle.
-Amy


These past days have been very interesting for me. I feel as if I am in a dream world, where Morocco is my home and Seattle is the vacation area I have visited in the past. Being in Morocco has helped me have a better understanding of everything. I seriously feel like a new person, much wiser and very appreciative. One of the community service activities that we did was planting, it was very interesting at first when we were told that all we had to do was put the plant in the hole they had dug for us, which seemed quite silly. Once we got there it was totally different, we did some intense gardening. It was wierd how I enjoyed it, I was hot, sweaty, tired and dirty yet it was very entertaining for me. After we got done gardening a few of us played basketball, which I thought was very hilarious; I remember just running/jumping around with my beaten down leather sandals that somehow became a size larger just playing a really intense game. Overall, I would not change anything whether or not it is the silliness of clothing, the texture of our feet, or the awkwardness of being a foreigner. It has been amazingly enjoyable.
-Sundus


Our last stop was at the local community center where we learned to play chess from a National Chess champion and other assorted activities like Ping Pong and cards. Then there was a demonstration by a local seamstress of how they made traditional Moroccan designs. The community center also served as a seamstress school, where students can train to create the beautiful designs and create an income. After a filling meal of Chicken Couscous, we all got together and danced! What a ending to an amazing week.



It is almost time to say goodbye to Morocco, but I feel like I just said hello. In the beginning it was a huge adjustment I had to make for myself living here in Morocco. Overall this experience has opened up my mind to a new world. I have met some of the coolest people on this trip that have taught me so much about life. Being surrounded by a country of friendly people was great. If it was not a warm greeting they invited you into their home for tea or a meal. I hope to one day be able to come back to Morocco on my own and find out more about the country. I can not say thank you enough to my host family for their hospitality and warm hearts, and all of the tour guides on exursion.
-Lacresha

Excursion Week

On the second week of our trip, we embarked on a country wide excursion through Morocco. First we visit Fez, which is known to be the oldest city in Morocco, is the location of the oldest University and the smallest city streets. In the old medina in which we toured, is made up of a maze of about 9600 alley ways. It is a city well known for its history and tanneries.

I had an amazing time on excursion week. I learned so much about myself as well as the Moroccan culture. We first went to Fez and the weather was extremely hot! The architecture of the city was beautiful and a hand full of history. Walking through the medina, seeing ruins of history and learning about it was an experience I won't forget. It felt like a privledge standing in front of the oldest and first university that was built. Azrou was also a great city. I won't forget the people. Meeting the Berbers and walking through their homes was a cultural experience on how welcoming and artistically built these people were. Our guide in Azrou was one of the most generous people I have ever met in my entire life. It is rare to find someone who will invite you to lunch and dinner to their house and cook outstanding meals, introduce us to his family, and tour us around the city leaving us with a beautiful experience and thoughts on the city Azrou. Marrakech was a city different from the others. It had an amazing night life. The woman in Marrakech amazed me. It was the first city I've seen tons of girls on motorcycles! The market was my favorite. I've definitely experienced shopping in a whole different aspect which I thought was a nice cultural experience to remember. Overall the excursion taught me to appreciate what I have. I've also learned to take my experience home not only to share how much fun I had but the Moroccan experience I've had.
-Michelle Moises

We went to Fez, Marrakech and a Berber village during this last week. It was great. In Fez we stayed in this gigantic house, got to wander the city and see a tannery. It was cool. Then we went to a Berber village which was also fun. There was also a tree that we saw on our way to Azrou that was from the ninth century. It was really big. We also fed these monkeys peanuts while we were there. Finally we stopped in Marrakech which I will just have to talk about later bedcause there was so much. -Trevor Elder

We then headed to Azrou and Ifrane. Located on the tops of Atlas Mountains, the air was a lot cooler and the scenery was a out of a fairytale. The beauty of Morocco's wilderness is all located with the semi- nomatic Berber natives of Morocco. We were welcomed by many of the warm Moroccans of Azrou, and experienced Morocco.



Although at first I was sad to leave my host family, it was so enriching to see how diverse Morocco is culturally and geographically. The medina in Fez is much more complex than Rabat with twisted narrow streets full of people and donkeys. Azrou is a very small, quiet town with access to all kinds of natural beauty, though the day we visited the falls was the day it was redirected to water crops. Marrakech is a tourist city much more so, and has the most vibrant night life I have seen anywhere with its huge open air market and performers. Although living in a host family seems like the part of this experience with the most value for me, the excursion was important in demonstrating what a large and varied country Morocco really is.
-Inness Wragg

Excursion has been amazing! We have done so many things, I don't know where to begin. The Ryad in Few was beautiful and I had so much fun on our hike yesterday. We saw some camels and then there was a huge rainstorm on our drive back to Marrakech, how unexpected!
-Amy Taylor

One of my favourite things we did on excursion was going to the tanneries. First of all I have never been to a tannery, so I was very excited. I remember walking through the small alleys and basically being amazed by the amount of people outside in the piercing heat and working their hearts out. Another thing that amazed me was how many donkeys there were, that was the basic means of transportation through Fez since the alleys are so closed in and narrow. We stopped by this booth that was selling mint leaves, so we would have something to smell during our visit to the tannery (it’s said to smell awful). The entrance of the tannery was where they sold their leather shoes, pockets, wallets, purses etc. Once you go up the stairs to the roof, it was just incredible. The level slightly lower than we were on, had the leather stretched out. It was spread from multiple roofs, making an outer square, and in the inside there were multiple circles in the bottom that had various colored water to dye the leather. In each circle there was either a man with a large amount of leather or two men working on the leather together. The water came up to their waist. It was probably the coolest thing I have ever seen. Every person had a specific task in there and I completely admired their stamina and dedication.
- Sundus

In our last week we visited Marrakech. This is the busiest city in Morocco. Very adapted for the tourists. We saw many foreign faces other then our own. Here we drove for an hour for our hike to a beautiful waterfall. After the hike we experienced our first Moroccan downpour. I guess we bring the Seattle rain wherever we go!




Excursion was the busiest week I have ever had in my life, other than finals. The schedule was jammed packed with so many exciting things to do. On the way to Azrou we stopped by a Berber village that was within 2 miles of one of the King’s palaces. When the van cut onto a little dirt road, I had no idea where we were going, but I was still curious. When I stepped out of the van, I thought to myself that there was no way that people, families, actually lived there. The roofs were made out of pop cans and other miscellaneous items. Then I looked around and all I saw were women. Their greetings to us were so heartfelt, in my mind I thought that it would be so disrespectful to just stop and take a tour of their village. After the tour was over I had a feeling like no other. I had experienced people having pure happiness that money and material things didn’t buy them. It made me wonder about the people who have so many things that only make them happy for a moment.
- Lacresha Lowery

Excursion week was great. I loved the hike, it was cool. It wasn’t hard. Sometimes I still can’t believe I am in Morocco. The mansion we stayed in in Fez was amazing. I loved it. I want to come over one day with my family. The city I loved the most was Marrakech because it reminded me of New York. It was so busy and it had a great night life. Too bad we only had one full night in Marrakech. I can’t wait to see the next days I’m staying in Morocco I don’t want to think of leaving.
- Rebecca Reyes

Though this marks the end of "excursion" and the end of week two in Morocco, there is still much to be marked upon. In this past week of five days, I boarded in a mansion hidden in the alleyways of Fez, observed a local tannery, touched a ninth century tree, fed peanuts to monkies of the deep forest, felt the foreign embrace of the Azrou people, followed a small hike through High-Atlas waterfalls and am still looking up to the weeks ahead! It has been fun with everyone from Fez to Ifrane and Azrou to Marrakech
-Jim McGowan

For the last week we will be doing a lot of community service in our host city of Rabat.

Thoughts of the First Weeks

Hello to ALL, I love it here, the pictures, the alley, my host family, my travel group, the FOOD, Illias, Rayda and Donyah, not Tuna, the medina, and everything in between, including the weather, which I hear is a record high back in Seattle. I am learning Arabic more than ever, and also broken French at times, Moroccans assume I am French. Thank you to EVERYONE, Amideast for their hospitality, the travel group for their good times and embrace, Suzanne, Molly, and Naoful for encouragement, and a packed itinerary, MY FAMILY in Seattle, and here in Rabat, and of course, One World Now! Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine my young self here, in Morocco, AFRICA with such incredible, inspirational, hilarious people! Looking forward to excursion and weeks ahead.
-Jim جم McGowan

Morocco is fantastic! I loved talking to the Moroccan students who are going to be exchange students in the US next year! They were so warm and welcoming and excited about moving to America. We all exchanged numbers and email adresses so they can contact us when they get to the states. Many of them are going to be students in Washington. I am looking forward to showing them around Seattle. This is GREAT! -Amy Taylor

This week has been an incredible experience for me. I have never would've believed that at 17 I would be familiar with a small area in Morocco, living harmoniously, with a non- english speaking family! The architecture here is stunningly friendly, but there are also many beggers and stray cats. The funniest example of culture disparities this week has been the suprise and confusions of the Moroccan students we were with. When the girls in our group got excited about seeing a baby donkey. It is so exciting to be here, I can't believe I'm in Africa! Love to my family and friends in Seattle.- Inness Wragg

Oh my God Morocco is so much fun. I love my host family, they are very nice. The food is so good and the places are pretty. We went to the kings tomb and that was fun. We also have seen trees from different countries. This is such a great experience. I am enjoying every bit of it. Can't wait to see what else is out there in Morocco. -- Rebeca Reyes

OMG, OMG, OMG! This has probably been the most amazing five days of my life/the longest EVER! There has been so much going on I don't even know where to start. My host family is just wonderful and loving, the people in the city are really lovely. Just been here for a few days and I feel at home. :D The way they endure our wierd behavior/our lack of Arabic is beyond imaginable. This experience has helped me grow as a better and more mature young lady. I can now carry myself in a higher altitude. Now I am able to be "responsible" for mysellf. No worries parents, all is good and will always be. Love always, Sundus

I'm having a good time in Morroco. I have had fun with my 3 host brothers and host parents. This is cool. Hi Mom and I heard it's hot in Seattle.- Trevor Elder

So we have spent almost a week in Morocco and my experience has been over the top! It was funny looking back in my journal, and how scared I was to meet my host family but come to find out they're FABULOUS. The food is great also! I love Morocco and I can't wait to invest in more of my exxperience here. - Michelle Moises

This experience so far has been so different from what I had pictured when I was back in Seattle. I guess I had let my imagination run a little bit wild becuase I was so nervous for what the unknown was going to be. My host family is so great I feel like they are my own. The food is amazing and I cant wait to go on excursion. - Lacresha Lowery

First Few Days

Bye Parents! Dont worry we'll be back.

First Stop in New York City, the UN.

Arrived safely, but a little jet lagged!

Site Seeing in our host city, Rabat!

Visiting Chellah, Roman Ruins from 200 B.C.

Mohamed V's Masoleum.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY LACRESHA!

Funny quote of the week...

Lacresha on Hydration

"Why aren't you drinking more water?"-Suzanne
"I have to give my bladder a break you know!"- Lacresha