Ben Morejon -- Morocco (MAHD)

From the very start of my Morocco adventure, I did not stop learning and developing new ways of looking at things. The orientation in Rabat prepared us well for living in Morocco. The Darija, Maghreb Arabic, lessons we had were very effective, and they actually enabled me to pick up the language a lot faster than I expected. The cultural exploration and scavenger hunts around Rabat were also a lot of fun. I particularly appreciated learning about the taboos and cultural norms of Morocco before we started our homestay in the village.

I was blown away to see how compatible all of the EIL group members were with each other. The size of the group also helped us to get close and to make relationships that a larger sized group may not have permitted. I have never been in a group for this short of time and felt as though I have known everyone for years. We all opened up and experienced the same things together, which helped us bond and learn.

Before we started our homestay, we visited the desert. It was awesome riding jeeps far into the desert and then jumping on camels to walk even further over the dunes in what felt like a moonscape. We stayed in a great small hotel where we slept on the roof and gazed into the sea of stars. Even though many of my group got sick that day, including myself, it was unforgettable and I really enjoyed the desert.

My homestay in Loutichina village was extremely fascinating. My family was hospitable and made me feel at home immediately. From the first day with them, I worked in the fields with my father, watered crops with my brothers, cooked lunch and dinners with my mother, and shared conversations in broken Arabic with my grandmother. I realized throughout how similar my family back home was with my host family in the middle of North Africa. I feel deeply that we share so many more similarities than differences, once you look past materialistic things.

I lived a good mile from the center of town along a path. Our group taught children English and math at the local village school. Teaching these children was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. It felt really good to watch as they progressed and learned day by day. I was surprised to see that every day, more and more children would attend the classes as word got around the hill sides that Americans were teaching morning classes. That made me feel great and I felt I was making an impact on their lives. We also helped build the local association building, but the teaching meant much more to me.

During our time in the village, we also took cooking and weaving classes. The cooking sessions taught us the basics of North African cuisine and we got to make some neat meals. The weaving turned out to be very interesting for several reasons I did not expect. I found that it was very therapeutic to me. I was able to see and help wit the development of the entire rug, from building the looms to weaving the piece row by row. As it developed, I felt a building sense of accomplishment and calmness. The best part was seeing the results of our weeks of weaving. I learned the process and hard work that local woman go through to make beautiful rugs. I now have a totally new appreciation for this type of hand work.

After saying goodbye to our families and all the people in Loutichina, our group traveled to Marrakech and Essaouira. These were my two favorite cities in Morocco. In Marrakech I was able to see things that were so out of the ordinary. People screaming for your attention in the market stalls, snake charmers playing the flute, and monkey performers were all around you. In Essaouira we saw the cleanest beaches of Morocco. The atmosphere was relaxed and focused a lot on music and the arts. Essaouira was also a place where the influences from Europe and the rest of the world were very present as a resort sight with great hotels, restaurants, and activities that draw tourists.

To sum up, EIL in Morocco was one of the best experiences of my life so far. I never would have thought that I would be able to live on a farm in rural Morocco and explore so many places so closely. I helped my host family with their daily work and felt as though I was a real part of their family. I also gained a lot of new self-confidence while on this program. Making such a big difference is the lives of others and having other people make a difference in my life in such a short period of time, only five weeks, puts many things into perspective for me. I learned that so many things are possible if you set your mind to it and attempt something new. The results from trying the unexplored and new are very fulfilling and it is the best way to learn and grow.

I’d like to thank the EIL supporters for providing me this scholarship chance to go to Morocco and have a really great experience. Thank you.