In my life I have had the opportunity to travel to a myriad of beautiful and unique places, all of which have profoundly touched my life but few, had such an impact as that of living in Rabat Morocco. Located in the mystic oasis of northern Africa, Morocco is a mixture of many different cultures and masters the art of blending traditions, both new and old. Rabat itself is more of an administrative city, hosting the embassies of all foreign nations who have presence in the African country. I traveled to Rabat as the cultural immersion aspect of the Arabic language course affiliated with my university due to the fact that Morocco is one of the more “western friendly” countries in the Arab-speaking world. It was this aspect of their culture; openness and warmth that helped me feel right at home from the very beginning.
My stay in Morocco was unique due in large part to the fact that I stayed with a family in the old Medina. Living there I got to experience Morocco in a way that few others do. I became a local. Living with a Moroccan family is a bit different than staying at a hotel or even in the newer parts of the city. We had to abide by the rules as any woman in the culture would; which in my opinion enhanced my stay. Morocco, and in specific, Rabat, is not as strict in regards to dress and is especially lenient on foreigners. That being the case, there is something to be said for respecting the culture and I made sure to cover my arms and legs, which was pleasing to my Moroccan ‘mom’ who was pretty traditional. Although we had to follow certain ground rules we also reaped the benefits of becoming her Moroccan children for the summer; four delicious Moroccan meals a day, including a couscous feast on Fridays for lunch and afternoon Moroccan mint tea time (as customary in many traditional Moroccan homes).
In regards to learning a second language there is truly no better way to learn a language than to be fully immersed in the culture. Arabic is the primary language of Morocco. Unlike many of the more common languages in America, it does not use the letters found in the basic Latin alphabet (Latin script), but rather uses the characters of Arabic Script, which already increases the degree of difficulty when learning this language. However, once you get past this minor speed bump and begin to really appreciate the differences your mind will be opened and it becomes easier to understand and speak. From my day-to-day dealings with my host family (most of whom spoke very little English, if any) to bargaining with shopkeepers in the Medina, the rate at which my spoken Arabic improved was exponential especially when compared to the amount of time that I was actually there. Like many other large cities in Morocco, Rabat has a large population of people who speak French and Spanish and many of the younger people can also communicate effectively in English. Which makes navigating the city a lot easier than one might think.
While I was in Rabat my daily activities ranged from visiting school children and orphans to planting trees in developing areas of the city and visiting key sites in Moroccan culture and history including:
● The Mausoleum of Mohammed V: The Mausoleum of Mohammed V is an intricately designed historical building, which contains the tombs of the Moroccan king and his sons and is considered by many to be a modern architectural masterpiece.
● Chellah (Sala Colonia): Found just outside of Rabat Chellah is a necropolis complex of ancient Roman and Medieval Ruins dating back to before 40 AD when it was taken over by the Romans. It is currently home to the tombs of several generations of royals and a definite must see in Rabat.
● Hassan Tower (Tour Hassan): Is the minaret of an incomplete mosque, which was started in 1195 with the intent of being the largest minaret in the world. Work was stopped on the minaret and mosque in 1199 due in part to the death of the then Sultan. It is also surrounded by the beginnings of 200 columns and
several incomplete walls.
In addition to these amazing sites if you get the chance to visit in the month of May it would be in your best interest to attend the Mawazine festival, which is an annual festival of world music that takes place in Rabat. It is touted as a festival that promotes a more positive image of Morocco and brings musical acts and performers from across all different genres. This festival coupled with the aforementioned historical gems all work together to make you feel a part of the culture and give you a better understanding of what modern Morocco is but more importantly the rich history from whence it came.
From the people, to the sights, to the culture the time I spent in Morocco was truly transformative. I learned a great deal about myself but more about the kindness and generosity of a people and culture that I had very little prior exposure. I would encourage any and everyone to visit Morocco and look forward to returning sometime in the very near future.
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