Morocco: A Trip For a New Perspective

Traveling to a different country is a hassle. Traveling to a country in which I did not understand much of their culture was certainly an adventure of its own! When my three friends and I were discussing possible destinations for Spring Break week, Morocco was not a place that suddenly came to our minds. After doing Google search and looking at many pictures, we couldn't resist take a second look at Morocco. Then we definitely liked what we saw.


On February 27, we boarded the plane to Agadir but as soon as I stepped out of it, just three hours after leaving cold London, I felt a sudden rush of heat. The airport's welcome sign read in Arabic and French. After seeing the sign and feeling the heat I realized that I was indeed in Africa. Never in my life had I imagined traveling to this continent--for vacation.


When we arrived at hotel I immediately noticed one troubling sign from the start: the hotel welcome foyer had a row of flags of different nations; missing was the American flag. I don't know if this was done intentionally or simply for tourism attraction to welcome those who come here the most but at any rate this troubled me in a place where Islam dominates the government and everyday life.

Before we came here, we learned that there's little to see or do in tourist-dominated city of Agadir so we adjusted plans to spend more time at another lively city called Marrakesh. The 6-hour bus ride from Agadir to Marrakesh was long but not dull. I sat by the window filming and taking pictures of everything I could possibly see. I saw beautiful maintains villages that are built on top of hills, road stop shops and many herdsmen who kept vigilant eye on their sheep and ram. I swear at one point I saw a giraffe eating from a tree. My friends doubted my sighting but I'm certain I was not delusional that day. During the bus ride we met a young man named Simon who was on his way back home from Agadir after visiting his friend there. Simon was helpful in telling us more about Marrakesh and what we can do there. Later, we would never know how much he would help me and Justin to save money on food and other items we knew would cost us more simply because we are tourists. By the end of our trip he became our trusted helper and remained a dear personal friend to me to this day. 

During my stay in Marrakesh, I spent most of my time wondering around a large shopping center called Djemaa el Fna square. This is the liveliest part of the city where regulars and tourists come to buy traditional food, souvenirs and receive lots of entertainment. One such entertainment could be considered a brush with death when men with snakes sneak behind you and try to place one around your neck, then expect t you to pay them. I kept my eyes alert for any possible situations because I strongly dislike snakes, let alone have one coiled around my neck.


One day after climbing high mountains with our friend Simon, Justin and I sat down for a real Moroccan delicacy: Kuskus with ram's meat. We sat on the edge of a fast rushing river surrounded by high mountains as we enjoyed our food. Forgetting about the safety for time being was our only option.

One of the most unforgettable moments during my stay in Morocco happened when our new friend Simon invited Justin and me to stay for a day at his family's house. His family, just like many others here in Marrakesh, is devout Muslims who have book of Quran on display in the center of their social room and who regularly pray five times a day. The men of the hose go to a local mosque for daily prayers while women stay at home and kneel down in the center of the guest room facing Mecca. What intrigued me the most was how the family welcomed us and accepted us as members of their own clan during our stay. The mother and her recently divorced eldest daughter made delicious meals for us and constantly refilling our tea cups each time they found one empty. I was pleasantly surprised when the entire family allowed me to video tape and photograph their house, their most treasured Quran, and even themselves. 

In the end, I came to appreciate the Moroccan culture more than I had imagined I would. I've seen extreme poverty on the streets of a country where the King is admired so much, despite his lavish lifestyle, by those who have nothing. I've wondered many streets of this beautiful Northwestern African country. I've also made friends like Simon and Mehdi, two college students who earn to do something greater but can't because of financial and cultural obstacles. One thing is reassuring to know, however, is that those two young men still have high hopes for future to come.