Post by Bridget Granger

The delightful aroma of packaged airplane cuisine wafted through the cabin as I anxiously scanned the nighttime sky for city lights. Sheer anticipation and excitement billowed within me as I approached my group's final destination; Marrakesh, Morocco. Four  days prior, I flew from Michigan to Washington DC for three jam packed days of pre-departure orientation. It was in Washington DC where I met the sixteen other NSLI-Y Arabic scholarship students. Among the seventeen of us, we represent over ten states from across the country.  We are all quite different and come from various backgrounds, which often causes many engaging and entertaining conversations within the group. Pre-departure orientation consisted of conference meetings with informative individuals ranging from State Department employees to the president of our implementing agency Legacy International. Subject matters included talk about cultural faux pas, safety matters, and general customs of Morocco. It was on the fourth day when my group and I began the long and stressful trek to Africa. Roughly thirty hours after leaving the DC hotel, we had safely arrived in Morocco! Jet-lagged and utterly exhausted, our bus pulled up to the CLC (Center for Language and Culture) where our Arabic lessons are held. Host families had lined up awaiting our arrival with the warmest of welcomes. It is now my eighth day living in the city of Marrakesh, and each day presents new and enthralling experiences! So far my group has visited the Medina of Marrakesh which is sensory overload! Snake charmers, flame throwers, and belly dancers all drawing crowds as traditional Moroccan music mixes with the shouting of vendors and the singing of henna artists. Incense burns while the scents of citrus juice, spice mounds, and couscous fill the air. Bargaining in the Medina is also quite the experience. With my new Arabic vocabulary I talked a man down from 200 dirhams to only 80 dirhams. Shopping has been one of my favorite aspects of the trip so far, and the insanely low prices make it all the more satisfying. In addition to the Medina, my group also visited a boarding school for girls who want an education but would otherwise be unable to get one with the state of poverty that they are in. The same day we stopped by an orphanage and held little babies and played with disabled children. Morocco and Moroccan culture drastically differs from the United States. I am constantly absorbing the many intricate pieces that create the mosaic of Morocco. I can only hope that by the end of this journey I will have gained a better understanding and appreciation for not just Moroccan culture, but the different cultures of the world. Below is a list of just a few cultural observations made in my first week abroad.

1. Moroccans eat late.

The EARLIEST my host family has ever eaten dinner is somewhere around 10:50 pm! At first I thought it was just my family but the next day in Arabic class everyone confirmed they had dinner around 11pm too. I am not at all accustomed to eating so late, hence my diminishing supply of American junk food.

2. Moroccan life is loud.

My American roommate and I have yet to go a night without hearing a lively wedding, rambunctious house gathering, or men on mules with microphones yelling out what remains gibberish to us. The traditional Muslim "call to prayer" which signals prayer time can also be heard from very far distances and has woken me up on occasion. And although this particular species is not of human variety, there is this extremely obnoxious rooster somewhere in the vicinity of my neighborhood who "cock-a-doodle-doos" into the wee hours of the morning. I will gladly supply a 200 dirham reward to anyone who "takes care" of it.

3. Moroccans never sleep.

For the life of me I can't figure out how they get any sleep! They go to bed at around 2 am, pray at 4 am, and wake up to go to work/school at 7 am. How they make it through the day remains to be a mystery. If only they could let me in on their secret because I really could use it.   

4. Moroccans are some of the warmest and most hospitable people you can ever meet.

My host family is absolutely amazing and they have truly taken me in as a member of the family. This seems to be a consistent feeling from all of the members of my NSLI-Y group as well. Between taxis drivers, shopkeepers, and helpful citizens, Moroccans generally have huge hearts and are usually always willing to provide assistance.

*Note: The above statements are merely observations and do not apply to all Moroccans.