I’m in the complete beginner Arabic class. We have been learning the alphabet and how to connect the letters. We have also been learning to say how old we are, what country we are from, and what city we are from. Thursday and Friday my teacher was out because his wife was in labor with their first child. He had a boy and everyone here through a celebration for him during lunch. There was music playing and he danced, and cookies were passed out. Friday we left for the Sahara Desert. It was a really long trip. It took one day just to drive to the city. Not much happened on Friday since it was too hot for the monkeys come out so we ended up just going to the hotel. The hotel we stayed in was really big and beautiful. Since it was in a city that was known for fossils they had fossils as decoration, tables, stair rails, sinks, etc. Saturday we went to a fossil workshop. They told us about the quarry where they dig the fossils out. It is 50 meters deep and all of the fossils are in marble, unlike the US where they are in sandstone and other soft rocks. Then they showed us the workshop where they carefully hammer out the fossil from the surrounding marble. Being a geology major I had to learn most of the fossils he told us about but there was one I didn’t know about and also some types of trilobites that I haven’t seen before. I bought a few fossils and some minerals that I didn’t have to add to my collection back home. The Sahara was amazing! I got to watch the moon rise up over the dunes and it was nice and peaceful. The food at the camp was the best food I’ve had so far on this trip. I did a little bit of dancing and participated in the drum circle. I got called a berber by one of the locals, so I must have been doing good. I was also wearing a traditional kaftan and headdress.
Ahlan! My first week in Morocco has definitely been a culture shock. When our plane first landed I was very nervous about how different it would be from where I lived in Georgia. Just looking at the vegetation everything was different, it was much drier and a LOT less green. The first couple days I wanted to go everywhere, I still want to go visit every place I can. We were all so eager to explore the GSU study abroad group walked all the way to the beach, which using a fitbit was about 6 miles, detours included. During the week we explored different shops and visited the souk. A couple of people and I went to the souk together and we tried bartering. Most of the shop keepers were very welcoming even though we didn’t speak Arabic very well. The souk is already my favorite place. Classes started the first Tuesday we arrived and we met our teachers and had classes for 3 days before we left on an excursion on Friday. The teachers here do not speak Arabic to you in class, it was difficult at first to adjust, but not they were patient and helped us understand what they were saying. On our first excursion, which was to the Sahara desert, was a 400 hour drive. It was unlike any cross country I’ve driven before. As we drove I noticed most people out here herded sheep and it was a very rocky land scape. The food that was provided was very filling, and they made sure to stuff us with how much food they tried to feed us. We stayed at a haunted hotel, I thought the jin got Carley and Angel at one point in the night. But we safely made it through the night and had a wonderful breakfast provided by said hotel. We then left to visit the souk close to the desert and bought scarves for turbans and dresses to make the camel ride more comfortable. We ate a desert pizza it had which I’m pretty sure had cow beef and onions in it. Finally we rode camels in the Sahara, when we got to the camp I got a great view of the desert by climbing up to the highest sand dune. Some of the boys went with me to surf down the sand on snowboards. We had dinner there and stayed up dancing and playing music. The next morning we got up at 5 am to watch the sun rise on our camels. The first week was amazing and I believe it will be hard to top in the next few weeks.
My first week in Morocco was: Interesting. The first day was stressful since my flight was delayed four hours and my driver spoke no English; on top of not sleeping for two days. Once I arrived in Rabat I settled in and as a group we went to a restaurant right next to our center called “Dar Naji”. We stumbled through the order and ended up getting “mixed salad” and five different plates of chicken to share among us five. The salad got put out and it was much different than expected. Not exactly the salad we were anticipating. By the time the dishes of chicken came out we were almost full. It was very good to eat a traditional Moroccan meal as my first meal in Morocco. The next day we took our placement tests and went on a six mile walk around Rabat. We looked around some stores and walked to the beach. On the way to the beach area, Mandi and I got flashed by a dude in an archway… not so great. The next day as a group we had breakfast and then an orientation at the main school. After that we went on a small tour of Rabat. We saw the King’s unfished mosque, the souk, and a few other places. The rest of the week we did a lot of eating, shopping and exploring. Being in class was also super awesome. I thought I would have a really hard time in class, but it is going really well so far. Tuesday we had a calligraphy workshop and Thursday we went to one of the most popular pottery workshops in Morocco. I spent too much money there. Friday morning we left for the Sahara! Sarah forgot her passport so we had a slight time delay at the beginning, then it was smooth sailing. We drove for 100 hours and then stopped in Zayda for lunch. After we stopped at Oasis of Ziz and took a few pictures. We piled back into the vehicle and drove for a few more hours until we got to our hotel. It was really big and very nice (even though it was haunted). After dinner we built a fort and went to bed. When we all got ready to go in the morning we drove about 15 minutes to a fossil place and learned some cool stuff about fossils and the process of digging them up. Again I spent too much money there. Then we ventured over to a souk and bought clothes and turbans for the desert. We then divided up into SUVs and started driving into the desert. We stopped for lunch in khamalia (had the best cow beef pizza ever) and enjoyed dancing and Gnaoua music. Then we got back in our SUVs and (raced) to the Merzouga desert main camp. After an hour of tea and napping we all hopped on our camels and started our journey towards our campsite for the night. Once we got there we took some pictures and hiked to the top of a sand dune and watched the sunset behind a dune as the moon rose behind another. Hiking down the dunes was much more fun than hiking up. Once we returned to camp, we played drums around a fire pit. I got a chance to play drums with the rest of the guys and I was definitely not made to play drums. Then we ate, told ghost stories, and went to bed. Sunday morning we woke up at 5:00am and rode our camels back to the main camp as the sun rose from behind the dunes. It was a very rough camel ride. We got back and had a lot of bread for breakfast (as usual) and left shortly after. We got on the road and stopped for lunch at the same place we had dinner Friday. After we started heading home and stopped for about 15 minutes in Azrou to pet wild monkeys. I got to bottle feed a baby monkey water. We all got back Sunday night and showered and went to McDonalds. Overall, it was a very fun week!
Hey it is Savannah here. The first week in Morocco has definitely been a different but good experience. The first week, I feel like, has been a roller coaster. From getting here, to site seeing, to trying to emerge yourself in the culture as much as possible and trying not to stand out as much. Even when you think that you are “fitting in” as much as possible by speaking as much of the language you can and dressing the way Moroccans dress, you still realize that you are always going to stand out no matter what. Being a girl and a foreigner you get a lot of attention, whether you want it or not. From people staring at you to people begging for money, because they know you aren’t from around here or guys trying to get your attention negatively or simply to tell you that you are beautiful. For the most part though, people are very friendly and love that you are able to experience their culture. Besides that, I had to get use to the amount of bread that you get for all three meals. From never eating bread to getting served it with literally everything is definitely strange and something I still am getting use to. I was so excited that I was able to go to the desert this past weekend and get the experience, and of course, I was excited to be able to ride a camel, since it is my favorite animal. The Souk was a pretty awesome experience also. Just the overall atmosphere of the Souk is pretty intense, but very laid back at the same time. It is a very hard to explain and is something that you just have to experience in person. I have definitely working on being patient still with how much slower things work here. Nothing is on American, which is fast paced, everything is slower. Except driving here (haha). Driving and honking here, I think, is a sport. The red light will literally just turn green and 10,000 (not really) people are honking. Lines and speed limits are suggestions and driving in a cab is nerve racking. The first couple of cab rides, I was like “Oh lord, my life is going to flash before my eyes.”, but now I just laugh about it, and I think by the time I leave here I will be wondering why Americans won’t be driving the same way simply out of habit of me being around it for 6 weeks. I am staying an extra two weeks and can already seeing it being great.
This first week in Morocco has been so much different than anything I have experienced. It started off with the vert very long flight from Atlanta and to Rabat until finally we landed and i got my first peek. It was a little different than I had first expected and was definitely a culture shock at first. The first night at Dar Naji we let the waiter choose our meal for us and ended up with a massive mixed "salad" although it was unlike any salad I had before this along with 5 different places of food, all of which were new and delicious. Since that first night we have tried a different restaurant every night and have yet to be disappointed with all the options, other than getting a little tired of all the bread. The ordering process has been a little difficult as we do not yet know all the words and phrases to communicate effectively but it always ends up working out. Other than food we have visited downtown Rabat where we toured the souk and Mohammed V avenue and all around there. As a small group we have walked all around in different directions from the residency finding cool little restaurants, houses, parks, and much more. We returned, very happily, to the souk to stock up on all the fake shoes, watches, and sunglasses we could find while paying close to nothing. Other than that we haven't toured the city too much. The beginning of the week was also filled with a bit of surprise. That surprise being simply the food and people. The amount of beggars, the way the people act (especially towards foreign women), the sheer amount of bread served with every meal, THE DRIVING, and so on. Although a bit of a shock and also a few laughs with the way they drive, it was very interesting to see a bit of the culture this week and I am excited to learn more in the 3 weeks to come. Moving on to the weekend, on Friday we hopped on the bus for the extremely long trip to Merzouga. Although long the bus ride was fun partly because of all the sights on the way. There were many many more animals than i expected to see and the changes from mountains to flat lands was extremely interesting to watch. Once we finally reached The Sahara and had gotten all our desert gear we jumped up on our camels for an amazing and beautiful ride to our camp site. Once we arrived we got to hike up to the top of the dunes and look out on a landscape like no other I have ever experienced. This was followed by some great tajeen, music, and fun. After the early morning haul back on the camels the next day we jumped back on the bus for the long trip back. This ride was mostly catching up on sleeping other than stopping to see the monkeys and feed them. After all that and a very long week we returned home to clean up, eat some McDonalds and get some very much needed sleep. Overall this was absolutely amazing and I can't wait for the next to come.
What up. It's Riane. I just want to say that first of all living in Morocco for a week is like living in an entirely different world. Even from the moment we stepped out of the airport the weather and smells were just completely different. Although my first day here I just slept for 24 hours, it was a lot of fun to venture out the next day and explore some of the city. We went in a small group and came upon a park that shared a border with the palace. I've never been so close to royalty before. The city is great and the people are all so nice. The server at a smoothie place took 20 mins with us trying to figure out what it was that we wanted to eat. The food here is so different. Never in my life before have I been offered so much bread with every meal. The people here really love their bread. It is also really inexpensive to get a really nice meal. I remember I was so shocked when I saw this one place had $4 personal pizzas that looked like they weren't from the frozen section at Walmart. The excursions have also been amazing and being in the desert over night was so surreal and wonderful. I loved every moment of it. Even when my camel almost fell down he was a trooper though and regained his balance. I love love love the shopping here. Where else can you get such wonderfully handcrafted pieces for less than tjmaxx? I cannot wait for the next three weeks of this trip because I know it will be a blast.
This week in Morocco has definitely been a great experience! I was placed in the Beginner 3 class, and although I expected to struggle through it, I'm actually enjoying the class. The culture shock that everyone talked to me about never really hit me; I haven't felt overwhelmed by the differences between Morocco and America. One thing that I have enjoyed to the fullest is the food here! I love food, so being here and getting to taste new things has made me extremely happy! We found this great Italian restaurant named Reggio, and I love the food there, but I'm also excited to try more Moroccan restaurants. The Sahara trip was amazing! Although the bus ride was long and the camel saddles weren't exactly comfortable, this trip was one of the greatest adventures of my life. Everything about it was great! The stops along the way, seeing different traditions, and simply being one with nature made this weekend one that I will never forget. I'm definitely looking forward to the next three weeks here!
My first week in Morocco was amazing. I saw lots of new things, met new people, and ate some pretty delicious food. The night we arrived in Rabat, we ate at Dar Naji, which is the restaurant next door. It was my first experience with Moroccan food and it was so good. We've eaten at a few different places since then and I've liked all of them, but the food at Qalam wa Lawh is really good as well. We eat breakfast every morning, if we make it down on time, at around 7:15. Lunch is at 12:30. I usually get chicken Tagine, which I learned is named after the pot it is cooked in, instead of what's in it. We took a couple trips around the city during the week. The second day, we all walked to the beach. It was a really long walk, but it was so worth it. The beach is beautiful and it was just fun to see the city. We also took a trip to the souk (market) to look around. The souk is so cool. We didn't stay very long because we had other things to do. I can't wait to go back. This past weekend all of us went to the desert. We got on to the bus, drove for a million hours, and spent the night at a very nice hotel in Erfoud. Dinner was served there as well. There is always food here. I feel like I'm always eating and drinking tea. Once we got to the desert, we rode camels to the camp site. Honestly, I was terrified of riding a camel. It was amazing though once I finally got over how scared I was. The whole ride through the desert was so beautiful and camel was super nice. We spent the night in the Sahara where we ate, played drums, and told ghost stories. Well other people told ghost stories and I listened. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life. I feel like I've left so much out, but my first week has been great and I'm excited for the weeks to come.
My dad was in the military when I was growing up so I moved around all over the states and got to experience how people live life in different parts of the country. I think living that lifestyle embedded in me a desire to travel even more and experience other cultures and other people. I'm a foreign language major and learning languages has always been a passion, so when I had the opportunity to come to Morocco, I didn't pass it up. It was an uphill battle and I came across some setbacks along the way but when I finally got on the plane in Jacksonville, I couldn't contain my excitement and happiness. Arriving in Morocco was great, as soon as we stepped out of the airport a smile as big as the Sahara spread across my face. The weather was beautiful, the sky was clear, the sun was as bright as ever, and my adventure began.
The very first night, our group went to a restaraunt called Dar Naji and I got to experience my first meal in another country; it was my first time having tajine and it was unbelievable good. Every meal after that was just as satisfying. Nothing has been to out of the ordinary but the flavours in each dish are very new and very good. I might not be able to make the switch back to American food!!
Classes started Tuesday after an orientation and tour of the city on Monday; I was put in Beginners 2 (B2) and was pretty excited because I was hoping to be put in that class so I would have a little bit of a challenge without being too overwhelmed by the difficulty or too bored by the easiness. I've already learned so much, from tons of new vocab to new grammar (which has been my favourite part). My teacher is so very kind and helpful, she makes it easy to understand and follow along. The B2 and B3 classes meet four times a week for clubs and we get to interact with each other and learn more about different aspects of Arab and Moroccan culture. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed because the B3 students have a wider vocabulary range than I do so I don't understand sometimes, but participating in those activities have been good for me and make me want to try harder and do better, and everyone is so nice!
I've made a few friends since I've been here and have gotten to know my current friends even better. I've been rooming with two girls that I previously knew and hung out with and this week we have gotten closer to each other along with other girls from GSU. I couldn't have asked for better people to be able to spend this time with and experience this beautiful country with. Some of us are in different levels so it makes it nice to study together and challenge and learn from each other. My friends that I've made that aren't from GSU are so interesting; a lot of them know multiple languages from Italian, French, Spanish, German, etc. I'm a French major and I've actually gotten to practice some of my French here as well.
Morocco is a multi cultural country with multiple languages. The French occupation in the 1900s affected Morocco so now many Moroccans speak French, which makes it good for me when I don't understand. I can have it explained to me in French so that I will better understand and be able to use it in Arabic later.
Other than classes, we've had two workshops and an excursion so far. Our first workshop was calligraphy and it was beyond fun. I did a little calligraphy in middle school but it's so much different in Arabic, with different forms and names. I'm looking forward to another calligraphy workshop. Our second workshop was pottery, where we got to go to a pottery market and see the process that goes behind the making of all the beautiful plates, dishes, tajines, etc. that you find all over Morocco. I bought a plate with the Moroccan flag on it for 50Dh, which I think is a really good deal. It's all handmade and it's all amazingly flawless.
I got to go to the desert!!! I've been looking forward to this trip since October 2015 when I first knew I was going to Morocco. I was pretty nervous about t being hot, because I can't stand the heat in Georgia during the summers. But it was such a nice weekend, and I never felt too hot to be uncomfortable. Sarah tied a turban for me, and others, multiple times that weekend and it was surprisingly cool and comfortable. We got to ride camels through the sand dunes and... I gotta hand it to those camels. Walking up and down the dunes is a difficult feat and they make it look easy. Way to go, camels. My favourite part of that trip was watching the sunset over the dunes and seeing the moon rise up. the sky was vastly beautiful. After sunset, everyone spent some time together inside the camp before dinner, and afterwards there was a fire and music and dancing. I played drums and danced around the fire... in the desert... in Morocco!!!! This entire experience has just been unbelievably mind blowing.
The car ride to the desert was a long one, but it gave me a lot of time to come to some realizations. Looking out the window, I saw so many people doing so many things. Many people were standing under a tree enjoying the shade, some sat on the steps outside and talked with friends; I saw people building walls and kids playing ball. Looking at the buildings and trees and rock and dirt, I realized that this is home for so many people. People are born here, people live here, and people die here. Morocco is home for millions. Each person has their own place in daily life here, whether it's a student at school, or a mom at home, or even a construction worker building houses. Each person contributes to the world and it makes them just as important as any CEO in America. There is no comparison because no matter what you do or where you live, you are human and you make a difference in this world, no matter how big or small. This is something I thought about a lot along the drive and it made me so happy to feel that way because it gives me hope that my contribution in life will mean something, just as everyone else's that I saw farming wheat or herding sheep.
I think that the experiences and the realizations that you have during study abroad are probably the most important. I've already learned a lot about myself and about life and it's only been the first week. I love Morocco, and I love life and people even more after spending a week among the Moroccans.
This first week in Morocco has truly been eventful. We landed in Rabat around 2 pm on Saturday afternoon and exchange our money for dirham at the airport. When we arrived at the apartment we received our trap phones and keys to our bedrooms. Everyone washed up and went to dinner that night, after dinner the majority of the group went out for drinks. Monday we went to Qalam wa lawh and had orientation then took a tour of the city. The remainder of the week we had class as usual and two workshops; calligraphy, and we went to a pottery shop. Friday we left at 8 am to head to the Sahara for our first excursion. We stayed in a creepy hotel haunted by ghost, but it was FABULOUS! We woke up the next morning and went to the fossil museum, the souk, and then to the the outskirts of the desert and ate this wonderful pizza that had cow beef. After lunch we rode out to the campsite and got on the camels and rode about an hour out into the Sahara looking over sand dunes. We ate dinner at the campsite, told ghost stories by the camp fire, and I left the group early to get a good night's rest. We woke up at 4:30 am to get back on the camels and ride back to the hotel while watching the sunrise. The ride back to Rabat everyone was either asleep or on the verge of sleeping. This first excursion was one of the coolest things I've ever done in my life, and I plan to make more memories while I'm here.
This week in Morocco has definitely been a great experience. It has definitely been a culture shock and great learning experience. The classes are challenging but I'm actually enjoying them. One thing that I have enjoyed to the fullest is the food here! One of my favorite dishes would have to be the cow beef pizza that we had on the excursion to the Sahara. The Sahara trip was amazing! Although the bus ride was long and camels arent quite my favorite animal but the trip had to be one of favorites. Hopefully this week will be just as action packed as last weeks
All expectations I had going into this trip have already been shattered and exceeded this first week I spent in Morocco. The staff at the Qalam wa Lawh are extremely accommodating and make the transition to the country fairly easy. Even though I am in a course I thought to be more advanced than my level, my teacher is aking it easy and fun to learn. There are certainly things that are shocking and different but not in a negative way. Whether you are in the modern downtown center or in the souq of the old medina haggling for anything you could ever want to buy, you will experince things would have never even dreamed. Also, the only way to have a bad meal here is to ignore the local cuisine and try to stick to food you are familiar with. People here are friendly and want to bridge that culture gap with you so it is crucial to meet them half way. Do not complain, do not complain, and do not criticize because it only does you harm. Not suggesting you go out by yourself, but try to come out of your own shell and encourage your classmates to explore what this city and country have to offer. Let me not forget the trip to the Sahara. It is almost beyond words because once you finally make it into the desert and get on your camel you are awestruck. I cannot wait to experience more in my next three weeks of class and traveling.
Week one of our Moroccan adventure has been absolutely amazing for me. This is my first time leaving the U.S. and exploring a new country and practically every moment has been a new experience. From day one, we have been trying new foods and seeing new things. The tajine from Dar Naji I tried that first night was delicious, but by far my favorite meal has been the desert pizza we ate at Dar Gnaoua. In just a few days of classes I have already learned so much. I can't wait to improve my conversational skills and talk more with the natives. Although everyone here has been really patient when speaking with me in Arabic, maybe in the future I will be able to avoid getting handed a water bottle when asking to use the restroom! The workshops have been really interesting. Writing calligraphy was rough, but really fun even though mine looked like an elementary schooler wrote it. We also had a pottery workshop and got the behind-the-scenes tour of how the pottery is created. All the pottery was so beautiful and so inexpensive!! Sara, Isabel, and I explored the souk and it was really exciting. We tried our hands at haggling and were able to get a lower price on some items, although one vender agreed to accept 90 MAD and then when I handed him a 100 MAD bill he laughed and said okay bye-bye! It was a lot of fun, but my souk skills need some major work! Out of all the fun things we have done this week, the weekend excursion has been the most incredible. I will never forget our camel ride through the desert and the trek up the sand dunes with Mandi and Isabel; the view was incomparable. The desert was so beautiful and the people there were so kind to take care of us. I loved dancing around the campfire and attempting to play the drums with them. The long bus ride was well worth it! I hope I can go back one day and see it all again, but I know the experience I had was truly once-in-a-lifetime.
This is Faatimah here and my first week has been quite eventful and full of new and interesting experiences. My first day I was able to get to know all of the people here with me, from the people at GSU to those who came from all over to study Arabic. Hearing their advice on different places to eat and go and how to handle interactions with other Moroccans had been insightful and I still find helpful all now. Taking the taxis are what I liked most about the first few days, I would get excited about a new opportunity to use what I learned so far to get me to where I needed to go. Also it was nice to see the drivers’ faces light up because I knew some Arabic. First few days of class were very helpful with understanding Arabic better. I had been placed in beginner’s one which I personally found to be a disappointment because I knew I had it in me to have been placed higher but I’m glad I am where I am because my teacher Miriam is very much easy to understand and very nice. My first round of tutoring also helped me out a lot more than I thought it would, I was able to understand past and present forms of words a little bit better. Two of the activities we had done over the week were calligraphy and pottery. I honestly think I enjoyed seeing all the pottery more than the calligraphy because it was interesting to see all the different things that was made out of just clay. I bought two small cups of vibrate colors that day. Our first excursion to the Sahara Desert was one to remember because of the isolation involved. It was as if there was no other connection to the outside world and we were all in our own bubble out in the middle of the desert. Our trip for lunch was my absolute favorite part of the entire excursion. Our Moroccan beef pizza was absolutely tasty and the African drum playing and dancing was such a spiritual experience for me. I got to dance with one of the drummers and I had so much fun doing that. The camel ride to the campsite was unfortunately too short of a ride for me, I enjoyed it so much I wish it was a little longer. The Bedouin people welcomed us openly and I was even able to have a nice conversation with one of the camel drivers, albeit there as a bit of a language barrier but I still enjoyed our conversation and I was able to learn the words for camel and sand from him. I hated we had to leave but it was fantastic seeing the sunrise on our way back. Was such a beautiful experience.
Ahlan! Shianne speaking. I learned a plethora of information throughout my first week in Morocco. Some things I learned in the classroom, and some outside of it. For instance, I learned that I am absolutely terrible at bargaining for items I want to purchase. I didn't even buy anything on my first trip to the Souk! I was way too intimidated by all of the merchants throwing prices at me. I hate arguing and confrontation so I just kind of smiled and backed away. Next time, I will have to go back with someone who can show me the ways of bartering. My favorite thing I have had the opportunity to do in Morocco is riding camels and camping in the Sahara desert. The ride was long but worth it. That experience only happens once in a lifetime, and some people will never get to do that at all. I feel very lucky and blessed to have seen the full moon setting as the sun rises over the orange sand dunes. I will cherish that memory forever. I also love that I have gotten so much practice in my Arabic language. Most people in Morocco either speak French or Arabic, not much English. I have been forced at times to communicate with the Arabic I've learned. I feel so cultured and open minded for being totally submerged in this atmosphere. When I return to America, I will carry more knowledge with me. My favorite thing I've learned in class is pronunciation. My language skills have improved because of the amount of time we have spent elaborating on how to pronounce words. I can't wait for my remaining time in Morocco and to have more experiences. Massalamu!
Journal Entry 1
ReplyDeleteI’m in the complete beginner Arabic class. We have been learning the alphabet and how to connect the letters. We have also been learning to say how old we are, what country we are from, and what city we are from. Thursday and Friday my teacher was out because his wife was in labor with their first child. He had a boy and everyone here through a celebration for him during lunch. There was music playing and he danced, and cookies were passed out.
Friday we left for the Sahara Desert. It was a really long trip. It took one day just to drive to the city. Not much happened on Friday since it was too hot for the monkeys come out so we ended up just going to the hotel. The hotel we stayed in was really big and beautiful. Since it was in a city that was known for fossils they had fossils as decoration, tables, stair rails, sinks, etc.
Saturday we went to a fossil workshop. They told us about the quarry where they dig the fossils out. It is 50 meters deep and all of the fossils are in marble, unlike the US where they are in sandstone and other soft rocks. Then they showed us the workshop where they carefully hammer out the fossil from the surrounding marble. Being a geology major I had to learn most of the fossils he told us about but there was one I didn’t know about and also some types of trilobites that I haven’t seen before. I bought a few fossils and some minerals that I didn’t have to add to my collection back home.
The Sahara was amazing! I got to watch the moon rise up over the dunes and it was nice and peaceful. The food at the camp was the best food I’ve had so far on this trip. I did a little bit of dancing and participated in the drum circle. I got called a berber by one of the locals, so I must have been doing good. I was also wearing a traditional kaftan and headdress.
Ahlan!
ReplyDeleteMy first week in Morocco has definitely been a culture shock. When our plane first landed I was very nervous about how different it would be from where I lived in Georgia. Just looking at the vegetation everything was different, it was much drier and a LOT less green. The first couple days I wanted to go everywhere, I still want to go visit every place I can. We were all so eager to explore the GSU study abroad group walked all the way to the beach, which using a fitbit was about 6 miles, detours included. During the week we explored different shops and visited the souk. A couple of people and I went to the souk together and we tried bartering. Most of the shop keepers were very welcoming even though we didn’t speak Arabic very well. The souk is already my favorite place.
Classes started the first Tuesday we arrived and we met our teachers and had classes for 3 days before we left on an excursion on Friday. The teachers here do not speak Arabic to you in class, it was difficult at first to adjust, but not they were patient and helped us understand what they were saying. On our first excursion, which was to the Sahara desert, was a 400 hour drive. It was unlike any cross country I’ve driven before. As we drove I noticed most people out here herded sheep and it was a very rocky land scape. The food that was provided was very filling, and they made sure to stuff us with how much food they tried to feed us. We stayed at a haunted hotel, I thought the jin got Carley and Angel at one point in the night. But we safely made it through the night and had a wonderful breakfast provided by said hotel. We then left to visit the souk close to the desert and bought scarves for turbans and dresses to make the camel ride more comfortable. We ate a desert pizza it had which I’m pretty sure had cow beef and onions in it.
Finally we rode camels in the Sahara, when we got to the camp I got a great view of the desert by climbing up to the highest sand dune. Some of the boys went with me to surf down the sand on snowboards. We had dinner there and stayed up dancing and playing music. The next morning we got up at 5 am to watch the sun rise on our camels. The first week was amazing and I believe it will be hard to top in the next few weeks.
My first week in Morocco was: Interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe first day was stressful since my flight was delayed four hours and my driver spoke no English; on top of not sleeping for two days. Once I arrived in Rabat I settled in and as a group we went to a restaurant right next to our center called “Dar Naji”. We stumbled through the order and ended up getting “mixed salad” and five different plates of chicken to share among us five. The salad got put out and it was much different than expected. Not exactly the salad we were anticipating. By the time the dishes of chicken came out we were almost full. It was very good to eat a traditional Moroccan meal as my first meal in Morocco. The next day we took our placement tests and went on a six mile walk around Rabat. We looked around some stores and walked to the beach. On the way to the beach area, Mandi and I got flashed by a dude in an archway… not so great.
The next day as a group we had breakfast and then an orientation at the main school. After that we went on a small tour of Rabat. We saw the King’s unfished mosque, the souk, and a few other places.
The rest of the week we did a lot of eating, shopping and exploring. Being in class was also super awesome. I thought I would have a really hard time in class, but it is going really well so far. Tuesday we had a calligraphy workshop and Thursday we went to one of the most popular pottery workshops in Morocco. I spent too much money there.
Friday morning we left for the Sahara! Sarah forgot her passport so we had a slight time delay at the beginning, then it was smooth sailing. We drove for 100 hours and then stopped in Zayda for lunch. After we stopped at Oasis of Ziz and took a few pictures. We piled back into the vehicle and drove for a few more hours until we got to our hotel. It was really big and very nice (even though it was haunted). After dinner we built a fort and went to bed. When we all got ready to go in the morning we drove about 15 minutes to a fossil place and learned some cool stuff about fossils and the process of digging them up. Again I spent too much money there. Then we ventured over to a souk and bought clothes and turbans for the desert. We then divided up into SUVs and started driving into the desert. We stopped for lunch in khamalia (had the best cow beef pizza ever) and enjoyed dancing and Gnaoua music. Then we got back in our SUVs and (raced) to the Merzouga desert main camp. After an hour of tea and napping we all hopped on our camels and started our journey towards our campsite for the night. Once we got there we took some pictures and hiked to the top of a sand dune and watched the sunset behind a dune as the moon rose behind another. Hiking down the dunes was much more fun than hiking up. Once we returned to camp, we played drums around a fire pit. I got a chance to play drums with the rest of the guys and I was definitely not made to play drums. Then we ate, told ghost stories, and went to bed.
Sunday morning we woke up at 5:00am and rode our camels back to the main camp as the sun rose from behind the dunes. It was a very rough camel ride. We got back and had a lot of bread for breakfast (as usual) and left shortly after. We got on the road and stopped for lunch at the same place we had dinner Friday. After we started heading home and stopped for about 15 minutes in Azrou to pet wild monkeys. I got to bottle feed a baby monkey water. We all got back Sunday night and showered and went to McDonalds. Overall, it was a very fun week!
Hey it is Savannah here. The first week in Morocco has definitely been a different but good experience. The first week, I feel like, has been a roller coaster. From getting here, to site seeing, to trying to emerge yourself in the culture as much as possible and trying not to stand out as much. Even when you think that you are “fitting in” as much as possible by speaking as much of the language you can and dressing the way Moroccans dress, you still realize that you are always going to stand out no matter what. Being a girl and a foreigner you get a lot of attention, whether you want it or not. From people staring at you to people begging for money, because they know you aren’t from around here or guys trying to get your attention negatively or simply to tell you that you are beautiful. For the most part though, people are very friendly and love that you are able to experience their culture. Besides that, I had to get use to the amount of bread that you get for all three meals. From never eating bread to getting served it with literally everything is definitely strange and something I still am getting use to. I was so excited that I was able to go to the desert this past weekend and get the experience, and of course, I was excited to be able to ride a camel, since it is my favorite animal. The Souk was a pretty awesome experience also. Just the overall atmosphere of the Souk is pretty intense, but very laid back at the same time. It is a very hard to explain and is something that you just have to experience in person. I have definitely working on being patient still with how much slower things work here. Nothing is on American, which is fast paced, everything is slower. Except driving here (haha). Driving and honking here, I think, is a sport. The red light will literally just turn green and 10,000 (not really) people are honking. Lines and speed limits are suggestions and driving in a cab is nerve racking. The first couple of cab rides, I was like “Oh lord, my life is going to flash before my eyes.”, but now I just laugh about it, and I think by the time I leave here I will be wondering why Americans won’t be driving the same way simply out of habit of me being around it for 6 weeks. I am staying an extra two weeks and can already seeing it being great.
ReplyDeleteThis first week in Morocco has been so much different than anything I have experienced. It started off with the vert very long flight from Atlanta and to Rabat until finally we landed and i got my first peek. It was a little different than I had first expected and was definitely a culture shock at first. The first night at Dar Naji we let the waiter choose our meal for us and ended up with a massive mixed "salad" although it was unlike any salad I had before this along with 5 different places of food, all of which were new and delicious. Since that first night we have tried a different restaurant every night and have yet to be disappointed with all the options, other than getting a little tired of all the bread. The ordering process has been a little difficult as we do not yet know all the words and phrases to communicate effectively but it always ends up working out. Other than food we have visited downtown Rabat where we toured the souk and Mohammed V avenue and all around there. As a small group we have walked all around in different directions from the residency finding cool little restaurants, houses, parks, and much more. We returned, very happily, to the souk to stock up on all the fake shoes, watches, and sunglasses we could find while paying close to nothing. Other than that we haven't toured the city too much. The beginning of the week was also filled with a bit of surprise. That surprise being simply the food and people. The amount of beggars, the way the people act (especially towards foreign women), the sheer amount of bread served with every meal, THE DRIVING, and so on. Although a bit of a shock and also a few laughs with the way they drive, it was very interesting to see a bit of the culture this week and I am excited to learn more in the 3 weeks to come. Moving on to the weekend, on Friday we hopped on the bus for the extremely long trip to Merzouga. Although long the bus ride was fun partly because of all the sights on the way. There were many many more animals than i expected to see and the changes from mountains to flat lands was extremely interesting to watch. Once we finally reached The Sahara and had gotten all our desert gear we jumped up on our camels for an amazing and beautiful ride to our camp site. Once we arrived we got to hike up to the top of the dunes and look out on a landscape like no other I have ever experienced. This was followed by some great tajeen, music, and fun. After the early morning haul back on the camels the next day we jumped back on the bus for the long trip back. This ride was mostly catching up on sleeping other than stopping to see the monkeys and feed them. After all that and a very long week we returned home to clean up, eat some McDonalds and get some very much needed sleep. Overall this was absolutely amazing and I can't wait for the next to come.
ReplyDeleteWhat up. It's Riane.
ReplyDeleteI just want to say that first of all living in Morocco for a week is like living in an entirely different world. Even from the moment we stepped out of the airport the weather and smells were just completely different. Although my first day here I just slept for 24 hours, it was a lot of fun to venture out the next day and explore some of the city. We went in a small group and came upon a park that shared a border with the palace. I've never been so close to royalty before. The city is great and the people are all so nice. The server at a smoothie place took 20 mins with us trying to figure out what it was that we wanted to eat. The food here is so different. Never in my life before have I been offered so much bread with every meal. The people here really love their bread. It is also really inexpensive to get a really nice meal. I remember I was so shocked when I saw this one place had $4 personal pizzas that looked like they weren't from the frozen section at Walmart. The excursions have also been amazing and being in the desert over night was so surreal and wonderful. I loved every moment of it. Even when my camel almost fell down he was a trooper though and regained his balance. I love love love the shopping here. Where else can you get such wonderfully handcrafted pieces for less than tjmaxx? I cannot wait for the next three weeks of this trip because I know it will be a blast.
This week in Morocco has definitely been a great experience! I was placed in the Beginner 3 class, and although I expected to struggle through it, I'm actually enjoying the class. The culture shock that everyone talked to me about never really hit me; I haven't felt overwhelmed by the differences between Morocco and America. One thing that I have enjoyed to the fullest is the food here! I love food, so being here and getting to taste new things has made me extremely happy! We found this great Italian restaurant named Reggio, and I love the food there, but I'm also excited to try more Moroccan restaurants.
ReplyDeleteThe Sahara trip was amazing! Although the bus ride was long and the camel saddles weren't exactly comfortable, this trip was one of the greatest adventures of my life. Everything about it was great! The stops along the way, seeing different traditions, and simply being one with nature made this weekend one that I will never forget. I'm definitely looking forward to the next three weeks here!
Marhaba!
ReplyDeleteMy first week in Morocco was amazing. I saw lots of new things, met new people, and ate some pretty delicious food. The night we arrived in Rabat, we ate at Dar Naji, which is the restaurant next door. It was my first experience with Moroccan food and it was so good. We've eaten at a few different places since then and I've liked all of them, but the food at Qalam wa Lawh is really good as well. We eat breakfast every morning, if we make it down on time, at around 7:15. Lunch is at 12:30. I usually get chicken Tagine, which I learned is named after the pot it is cooked in, instead of what's in it. We took a couple trips around the city during the week. The second day, we all walked to the beach. It was a really long walk, but it was so worth it. The beach is beautiful and it was just fun to see the city. We also took a trip to the souk (market) to look around. The souk is so cool. We didn't stay very long because we had other things to do. I can't wait to go back.
This past weekend all of us went to the desert. We got on to the bus, drove for a million hours, and spent the night at a very nice hotel in Erfoud. Dinner was served there as well. There is always food here. I feel like I'm always eating and drinking tea. Once we got to the desert, we rode camels to the camp site. Honestly, I was terrified of riding a camel. It was amazing though once I finally got over how scared I was. The whole ride through the desert was so beautiful and camel was super nice. We spent the night in the Sahara where we ate, played drums, and told ghost stories. Well other people told ghost stories and I listened. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life. I feel like I've left so much out, but my first week has been great and I'm excited for the weeks to come.
PART ONE
ReplyDeleteMy dad was in the military when I was growing up so I moved around all over the states and got to experience how people live life in different parts of the country. I think living that lifestyle embedded in me a desire to travel even more and experience other cultures and other people. I'm a foreign language major and learning languages has always been a passion, so when I had the opportunity to come to Morocco, I didn't pass it up. It was an uphill battle and I came across some setbacks along the way but when I finally got on the plane in Jacksonville, I couldn't contain my excitement and happiness.
Arriving in Morocco was great, as soon as we stepped out of the airport a smile as big as the Sahara spread across my face. The weather was beautiful, the sky was clear, the sun was as bright as ever, and my adventure began.
The very first night, our group went to a restaraunt called Dar Naji and I got to experience my first meal in another country; it was my first time having tajine and it was unbelievable good. Every meal after that was just as satisfying. Nothing has been to out of the ordinary but the flavours in each dish are very new and very good. I might not be able to make the switch back to American food!!
Classes started Tuesday after an orientation and tour of the city on Monday; I was put in Beginners 2 (B2) and was pretty excited because I was hoping to be put in that class so I would have a little bit of a challenge without being too overwhelmed by the difficulty or too bored by the easiness. I've already learned so much, from tons of new vocab to new grammar (which has been my favourite part). My teacher is so very kind and helpful, she makes it easy to understand and follow along. The B2 and B3 classes meet four times a week for clubs and we get to interact with each other and learn more about different aspects of Arab and Moroccan culture. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed because the B3 students have a wider vocabulary range than I do so I don't understand sometimes, but participating in those activities have been good for me and make me want to try harder and do better, and everyone is so nice!
I've made a few friends since I've been here and have gotten to know my current friends even better. I've been rooming with two girls that I previously knew and hung out with and this week we have gotten closer to each other along with other girls from GSU. I couldn't have asked for better people to be able to spend this time with and experience this beautiful country with. Some of us are in different levels so it makes it nice to study together and challenge and learn from each other. My friends that I've made that aren't from GSU are so interesting; a lot of them know multiple languages from Italian, French, Spanish, German, etc. I'm a French major and I've actually gotten to practice some of my French here as well.
Morocco is a multi cultural country with multiple languages. The French occupation in the 1900s affected Morocco so now many Moroccans speak French, which makes it good for me when I don't understand. I can have it explained to me in French so that I will better understand and be able to use it in Arabic later.
Other than classes, we've had two workshops and an excursion so far. Our first workshop was calligraphy and it was beyond fun. I did a little calligraphy in middle school but it's so much different in Arabic, with different forms and names. I'm looking forward to another calligraphy workshop.
Our second workshop was pottery, where we got to go to a pottery market and see the process that goes behind the making of all the beautiful plates, dishes, tajines, etc. that you find all over Morocco. I bought a plate with the Moroccan flag on it for 50Dh, which I think is a really good deal. It's all handmade and it's all amazingly flawless.
PART TWO
ReplyDeleteI got to go to the desert!!! I've been looking forward to this trip since October 2015 when I first knew I was going to Morocco. I was pretty nervous about t being hot, because I can't stand the heat in Georgia during the summers. But it was such a nice weekend, and I never felt too hot to be uncomfortable. Sarah tied a turban for me, and others, multiple times that weekend and it was surprisingly cool and comfortable. We got to ride camels through the sand dunes and... I gotta hand it to those camels. Walking up and down the dunes is a difficult feat and they make it look easy. Way to go, camels. My favourite part of that trip was watching the sunset over the dunes and seeing the moon rise up. the sky was vastly beautiful. After sunset, everyone spent some time together inside the camp before dinner, and afterwards there was a fire and music and dancing. I played drums and danced around the fire... in the desert... in Morocco!!!! This entire experience has just been unbelievably mind blowing.
The car ride to the desert was a long one, but it gave me a lot of time to come to some realizations. Looking out the window, I saw so many people doing so many things. Many people were standing under a tree enjoying the shade, some sat on the steps outside and talked with friends; I saw people building walls and kids playing ball. Looking at the buildings and trees and rock and dirt, I realized that this is home for so many people. People are born here, people live here, and people die here. Morocco is home for millions. Each person has their own place in daily life here, whether it's a student at school, or a mom at home, or even a construction worker building houses. Each person contributes to the world and it makes them just as important as any CEO in America. There is no comparison because no matter what you do or where you live, you are human and you make a difference in this world, no matter how big or small. This is something I thought about a lot along the drive and it made me so happy to feel that way because it gives me hope that my contribution in life will mean something, just as everyone else's that I saw farming wheat or herding sheep.
I think that the experiences and the realizations that you have during study abroad are probably the most important. I've already learned a lot about myself and about life and it's only been the first week. I love Morocco, and I love life and people even more after spending a week among the Moroccans.
This first week in Morocco has truly been eventful. We landed in Rabat around 2 pm on Saturday afternoon and exchange our money for dirham at the airport. When we arrived at the apartment we received our trap phones and keys to our bedrooms. Everyone washed up and went to dinner that night, after dinner the majority of the group went out for drinks.
ReplyDeleteMonday we went to Qalam wa lawh and had orientation then took a tour of the city. The remainder of the week we had class as usual and two workshops; calligraphy, and we went to a pottery shop. Friday we left at 8 am to head to the Sahara for our first excursion.
We stayed in a creepy hotel haunted by ghost, but it was FABULOUS! We woke up the next morning and went to the fossil museum, the souk, and then to the the outskirts of the desert and ate this wonderful pizza that had cow beef. After lunch we rode out to the campsite and got on the camels and rode about an hour out into the Sahara looking over sand dunes. We ate dinner at the campsite, told ghost stories by the camp fire, and I left the group early to get a good night's rest.
We woke up at 4:30 am to get back on the camels and ride back to the hotel while watching the sunrise. The ride back to Rabat everyone was either asleep or on the verge of sleeping. This first excursion was one of the coolest things I've ever done in my life, and I plan to make more memories while I'm here.
This week in Morocco has definitely been a great experience. It has definitely been a culture shock and great learning experience. The classes are challenging but I'm actually enjoying them. One thing that I have enjoyed to the fullest is the food here! One of my favorite dishes would have to be the cow beef pizza that we had on the excursion to the Sahara.
ReplyDeleteThe Sahara trip was amazing! Although the bus ride was long and camels arent quite my favorite animal but the trip had to be one of favorites. Hopefully this week will be just as action packed as last weeks
Hakim
Marhaban
ReplyDeleteAll expectations I had going into this trip have already been shattered and exceeded this first week I spent in Morocco. The staff at the Qalam wa Lawh are extremely accommodating and make the transition to the country fairly easy. Even though I am in a course I thought to be more advanced than my level, my teacher is aking it easy and fun to learn. There are certainly things that are shocking and different but not in a negative way. Whether you are in the modern downtown center or in the souq of the old medina haggling for anything you could ever want to buy, you will experince things would have never even dreamed. Also, the only way to have a bad meal here is to ignore the local cuisine and try to stick to food you are familiar with.
People here are friendly and want to bridge that culture gap with you so it is crucial to meet them half way. Do not complain, do not complain, and do not criticize because it only does you harm. Not suggesting you go out by yourself, but try to come out of your own shell and encourage your classmates to explore what this city and country have to offer. Let me not forget the trip to the Sahara. It is almost beyond words because once you finally make it into the desert and get on your camel you are awestruck. I cannot wait to experience more in my next three weeks of class and traveling.
Week one of our Moroccan adventure has been absolutely amazing for me. This is my first time leaving the U.S. and exploring a new country and practically every moment has been a new experience. From day one, we have been trying new foods and seeing new things. The tajine from Dar Naji I tried that first night was delicious, but by far my favorite meal has been the desert pizza we ate at Dar Gnaoua. In just a few days of classes I have already learned so much. I can't wait to improve my conversational skills and talk more with the natives. Although everyone here has been really patient when speaking with me in Arabic, maybe in the future I will be able to avoid getting handed a water bottle when asking to use the restroom! The workshops have been really interesting. Writing calligraphy was rough, but really fun even though mine looked like an elementary schooler wrote it. We also had a pottery workshop and got the behind-the-scenes tour of how the pottery is created. All the pottery was so beautiful and so inexpensive!! Sara, Isabel, and I explored the souk and it was really exciting. We tried our hands at haggling and were able to get a lower price on some items, although one vender agreed to accept 90 MAD and then when I handed him a 100 MAD bill he laughed and said okay bye-bye! It was a lot of fun, but my souk skills need some major work! Out of all the fun things we have done this week, the weekend excursion has been the most incredible. I will never forget our camel ride through the desert and the trek up the sand dunes with Mandi and Isabel; the view was incomparable. The desert was so beautiful and the people there were so kind to take care of us. I loved dancing around the campfire and attempting to play the drums with them. The long bus ride was well worth it! I hope I can go back one day and see it all again, but I know the experience I had was truly once-in-a-lifetime.
ReplyDeleteThis is Faatimah here and my first week has been quite eventful and full of new and interesting experiences. My first day I was able to get to know all of the people here with me, from the people at GSU to those who came from all over to study Arabic. Hearing their advice on different places to eat and go and how to handle interactions with other Moroccans had been insightful and I still find helpful all now. Taking the taxis are what I liked most about the first few days, I would get excited about a new opportunity to use what I learned so far to get me to where I needed to go. Also it was nice to see the drivers’ faces light up because I knew some Arabic. First few days of class were very helpful with understanding Arabic better. I had been placed in beginner’s one which I personally found to be a disappointment because I knew I had it in me to have been placed higher but I’m glad I am where I am because my teacher Miriam is very much easy to understand and very nice. My first round of tutoring also helped me out a lot more than I thought it would, I was able to understand past and present forms of words a little bit better. Two of the activities we had done over the week were calligraphy and pottery. I honestly think I enjoyed seeing all the pottery more than the calligraphy because it was interesting to see all the different things that was made out of just clay. I bought two small cups of vibrate colors that day.
ReplyDeleteOur first excursion to the Sahara Desert was one to remember because of the isolation involved. It was as if there was no other connection to the outside world and we were all in our own bubble out in the middle of the desert. Our trip for lunch was my absolute favorite part of the entire excursion. Our Moroccan beef pizza was absolutely tasty and the African drum playing and dancing was such a spiritual experience for me. I got to dance with one of the drummers and I had so much fun doing that. The camel ride to the campsite was unfortunately too short of a ride for me, I enjoyed it so much I wish it was a little longer. The Bedouin people welcomed us openly and I was even able to have a nice conversation with one of the camel drivers, albeit there as a bit of a language barrier but I still enjoyed our conversation and I was able to learn the words for camel and sand from him. I hated we had to leave but it was fantastic seeing the sunrise on our way back. Was such a beautiful experience.
Ahlan! Shianne speaking.
ReplyDeleteI learned a plethora of information throughout my first week in Morocco. Some things I learned in the classroom, and some outside of it. For instance, I learned that I am absolutely terrible at bargaining for items I want to purchase. I didn't even buy anything on my first trip to the Souk! I was way too intimidated by all of the merchants throwing prices at me. I hate arguing and confrontation so I just kind of smiled and backed away. Next time, I will have to go back with someone who can show me the ways of bartering. My favorite thing I have had the opportunity to do in Morocco is riding camels and camping in the Sahara desert. The ride was long but worth it. That experience only happens once in a lifetime, and some people will never get to do that at all. I feel very lucky and blessed to have seen the full moon setting as the sun rises over the orange sand dunes. I will cherish that memory forever. I also love that I have gotten so much practice in my Arabic language. Most people in Morocco either speak French or Arabic, not much English. I have been forced at times to communicate with the Arabic I've learned. I feel so cultured and open minded for being totally submerged in this atmosphere. When I return to America, I will carry more knowledge with me. My favorite thing I've learned in class is pronunciation. My language skills have improved because of the amount of time we have spent elaborating on how to pronounce words. I can't wait for my remaining time in Morocco and to have more experiences.
Massalamu!