My second week in Morocco has ended and this past weekend has been my favorite excursion so far. We traveled to Morocco’s “Blue City” Chefchaouen and the coastal city of Tangier. Both cities had their own different vibes, and I felt as though I was in different countries all together. Chefchaouen was full of unique architecture as well as blue and white colors. The Spanish influence brought about friendly and colorful vibes. The shopkeepers were enthusiastic and had fun showing us their wares. They were also patient and helpful with our Arabic by teaching us new words for the different items they were selling. They even giggled a bit at my bartering skills. The shopping in Chefchaouen was immense. There were shops, restaurants and hotels laced throughout the labyrinth of allies. Everywhere we turned there was a shop selling colorful pottery, paintings of the city, or woven blankets. Needless to say I had no trouble shopping for family and friends (not to mention myself!) while wandering around the souk. The second city, Tangier, had a more of a relaxed vibe. We spent the day on the beach swimming in the cold but clear Mediterranean Sea. We jumped through waves and laughed when we were knocked over by them. We didn’t do any shopping while in Tangier because we were having too much fun swimming and tossing a soccer ball around while dodging waves. Overall, the day we spent in Tangier has been my favorite thus far. I love being able to swim in clear water and sunbathe. This upcoming weekend we will be traveling to Fez and Meknes to learn about the culture. I am excited to see what’s in store for the next week!
So the second week of the program has finished and it was great fun. We took a trip this weekend to Chefchaouen and Tangier and I had a lot of fun shopping and walking around with my best friends and my new friends! I was able to get a lot of nice stuff that I wanted but wasn't able to get last year so I'm pretty excited and happy with my purchases in Chefchaouen. I didn't swim in Tangier but it was still nice to walk along the shore and hang out with everyone. The water was pretty cold but it was so beautiful!
I also had my final exam and presentation before the weekend and I was really stressing about it. I ended up passing and moving up to Intermediate 1 but I still feel kind of unsure if I'm ready. I'm going to give it a few days though and try my hardest. I really do want to get the most out of my experience because I know it's only going to help me in my future.
This weekend we are going on our third, and final, excursion to Fes! (And Meknes and Walili). I'm honestly so excited for this because Fes is the best in my opinion. I did my presentation last week on Fes. And Walili is really cool. There's so much history there and seeing people this year on the trip experience all these new things and hearing some of their thoughts just reminds me of how I saw everything for the first time and it makes me happy. It truly is a wonderful experience and I'm so grateful to be part of it for the second year. I love Morocco and I love the people, the history, and also I love the culture. Morocco is an amazing country.
Two weeks are already gone and I wish I could hit the slow-mo button. Everyday, even if I just stay in the residence, I learn something new about this beautiful country and I’m reminded how lucky I am to be here. This past week we had several more workshops at the school as well as a trip to Chellah. I was also able to spend some time with my Moroccan friends, all while trying to study for our midterm. I guess we will see how well I juggled all that when I get my grade back. But I think the more I travel the more I appreciate the relationships I make as opposed to the things I see or learn.
We also made it up North to Chefchaouen and Tangier this past weekend. Chefchaouen is easily up there with my favorites cities both in Morocco and everywhere else I’ve been. Everything is so put together and random at the same. And honestly, who doesn’t love a city that is all blue? Tangier was also just as beautiful as I remember, maybe even more so since it wasn’t raining this time around. I’m looking forward to these last two weeks and I hope to make the most of them!
The second week here has been pretty eventful that I can hardly remember it! I've gone for walks around the city and see new things every night. One night a few of us went to Le Dhow to eat, and afterwards, I got to go to a little fair just outside. I got to experience my first fair ride in Morrocco! The highlight of this week was going to Chefchaouen and Tanger. I loved the color and history behind Chefchaouen. The city reminded me of one of my favorite cities in Mexico. The hike was a bit intense, but it was beautiful to see the city from up top the mountain. The vendors sold lovely products, and I was able to buy things for my family. I ooved how a lot of them could speak English and Spanish very well. One of my favorite parts was the river and how the locals use the water so much. Next we went to Tanger. I loved all of the buildings and how many Moroccan flags there were everywhere. Going to the beach was nice, but I was sad that we didn't get to go on the city tour since I was looking forward to that. Overall, I enjoyed the excursion very much can't wait for next weekend.
The second week was almost as amazing as the first (I mean what else could compare to riding a camel through the Sahara?). I got to learn a lot more in my classes and ended the school week with our midterm test (wait, our trip is halfway over?!). I got to experience some more taxi rides which are almost their own adventure. Then we ended the week getting true blue in Chefchaouen and even more blue in the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea. The history in Chefchaouen is amazing. From the poetic mosque that overlooks the city all the way down to painting the medina blue, Chefchaouen had many little jewels within the city and its history. Morocco has become one of my favorite places ever.
The second week of this Moroccan trip was even better than the last. First we went to the city of Chefchaouen the "Blue City". The city was located on the slopes of the Rif mountains, whence it gets its name "two horns", the shape of the peaks behind the city . The buildings were painted a blue in order to help move out mosquitoes and help keep the city cool. And as one can guess help coin the term "Blue City".The city itself had plenty of history and incredible views from the cliffs in the surrounding area. As far as classes go we had our midterm and appear to be staying the course of learning correct grammar. Oh there was also a trip to Chellah, a necropolis within Rabat, that dates to the Phoenician and Roman eras.
Another great week for the books! This past week was my first complete week of classes and culminated on Friday with the Midterm exam. On Saturday morning, we left for Chefchaouen, the blue city in the mountains. Chefchaouen is my favorite city in Morocco and quite possibly in the world. I wish I could transplant the entire city and its surrounding mountains into my home state of Georgia so that it’s nearer to me. We stayed at a very nice, new hotel there that I would very much like to return to and explore the city even more one day. I enjoyed our hike to the Mosque at the top of the hill overlooking the city and our free time shopping and exploring, but I do wish we had had more time in Chefchaouen to explore further. Our tour guide through the city, Abdul Salam, told us about the 3 hour hike up to the tallest mountain surrounding the city. He said that from its heights we could see the entire city and also the Mediterranean Sea on the horizon. We didn’t have the room in our schedule this time around to do the hike, but if I had a suggestion for next year it is to include time in the schedule for it! I could have spent a couple of days shopping, hiking, and taking pictures in Chefchaouen! After our time there, we drove to Tangier and went from the mountains to the beach in just a few hours! The beach was warm and the water was cool. I very much enjoyed our time swimming in the clear, blue water and laying in the sun.
At long last, I have visited the Blue City. Another item checked off my bucket list. My soul is painted all the blues of the city, and it's people have my heart. I experienced true Moroccan life and learned the importance of taking your time. The view of that city, and the bustling of the people within it is something I hope to remember long after my memories have begun to fade. I made friends with a teacher who live in Chefchaouen as a child, and a cat who I wish I could bring with me. I leave in Chefchaouen a piece of me, and in exchange, it has given me memories and lessons I hope I never forget.
We left Chefchaouen much too soon, but with great excitement to the Mediterranean Sea, in Tangier. There we spent a few hours playing in the water. Here too we made a friend, who played catch with us between the waves. These memories, though few words were spoken, and only some were understood, have shaped me into a new person, with renewed and child-like wonder of the world. There are so many people with good hearts speckled throughout the bad ones. I understand now that it's our job to find them and let them know that we exist too.
I'm grateful for this adventure and the hardships, laughs, pains and joys that accompany it.
wanted to e-mail you my blog because I don't think I have been uploading them right. Here it is:
Our second week in a foreign country was surprisingly less settled than before. We took a midterm, visited the many historical sights of Morocco , and spent every single day being immersed in a beautiful culture nothing like our own. After spending the past weekend camping on camelback in the desert (I named my companion RobShanda), we spent much of our time exploring to find our favorite nooks and surviving off of our beginner Arabic skills. My personal favorite experience this week was the time our friends decided to go on a walk at midnight, and we ended up getting lead to the bus station where we ate 3am shawarma, and returned at 5am by foot. Morocco has been filled with many surprises, such as haggling with small business owners and meeting people from completely different backgrounds than mine, and I can't wait to see what the next few weeks have in store for us. Emily Krout
I've really had a great time in morocco and this past week has been pretty hard for me emotionally. I've tried to keep myself busy to avoid letting it get to me. So far I've really enjoyed our excursions. I loved shopping in chefchaouen mostly because I got a few really cute things for aminah. I've barely bought anything for myself, but I did get a few things for my parents. I love shopping and retail therapy is real. Anyway, seeing chefchaouen and tangier was a lot of fun. I love the ocean but I wish we got to stay a little longer but I guess it was good we didn't since I already started to burn after an hour. Anyway, I'm happy to be spending time with such a great group of people. I've really had a lot of great experiences with locals as well. Usually the people have been really friendly and wanted to speak English. It's not what I was expecting. Every time I leave the residence I experience something that has been a new experience or opened my eyes. The first two weeks have been great and I'm really looking forward to the next two. It will be great to go home and see my family but it will be sad to say goodbye to such a great experience. I can't wait to go to casablanca and fes! Katie Christmas
This past weekend was absolutely wonderful. Chefchaouen was the most beautiful city I had the chance to gaze upon. The view above the city was breathtaking as we all saw the sea of blue buildings hidden in the valley. I will always remember walking through the city and just simply talking to the local shop owners while arguing over the price of a product, though one didn't like me because I was a tough customer to bargain with. I sorely wish we stayed in Chefchaouen longer, however Tanger was also wonderful. I couldn't wish for better friends to experience this trip with, nor a better professor to guide us through everything. Shoutout to our bus driver as well, who has to listen to bad music and loud laughing haha. This trip has been the most meaningful time of my life... and I don't want it to end.
I've moved up to b2 now so I'm excited to enhance my skills in Arabic. I like how educational class has been.
Chefchauen and it's surrounding mountains is the most beautiful place we've visited in Morocco. The souk was filled with interesting shops and people. Out of all the cities we've seen so far, chefchauen is the one I'd like to live in the most.
This past week has been a lot of fun. I have really enjoyed getting to explore more of Rabat and learn about its history. I can already tell that my Arabic is getting better and I am able to have more detailed conversations with those that I meet on the street. I also enjoy being able to haggle with people at the souk not only do I get a good price for my items but the conversations are typically very funny.
This weekend I enjoyed going to chefchaouen and Tanger. Chefchaouen is beautiful and I really wish we could have stayed longer and explored the city a little more. The souk had a lot of beautiful items and the people were so friendly. I tried chicken pastella for the first time and while I didn't hate it I wouldn't say that it was great either.
Tanger was extremely beautiful and I loved being able to swim in the Mediterranean Sea. I have never seen water so clear before and the water was such a comfortable temperature that I didn't want to leave.
This past weekend was my absolute favorite excursion so far! I loved seeing the city Chefchaouen because of the colors of all the buildings as well as the souks. The people were also very interesting to interact with. I was able to bargain a little bit with the souk owners, which I was proud of myself for.
Tangier was also a beautiful city because it was by the beach, so seeing the Mediterranean Sea was a different experience. Although I did get a little sunburned, I still loved walking along the beach. I was able to people watch a lot this weekend and I enjoyed every second of it.
With better health has come better sights. Climbing the mountains right above Chefchaouen was an experience I will not soon forget. Chatting with our guide, that has been giving these tours in his home town for 44 years, at the top of aforementioned mountain under the shade of the French build mosque was such an eye opening conversation. I had yet to have such an in depth conversion with a native Moroccan regarding Islam and its connection to the country. From the people, to the buildings, to the food, Chefchaouen has been the ultimate event. Even better than the desert.
Paling in comparison, yet still a lovely time, was driving through Tangier. Aside from the amazing modern architecture that I have yet to see else where in Morocco, getting to pass the king's palace and all the Saudi houses was borderline breathtaking. The beach was more fun than I had anticipated. The water, although cold, was clear and refreshing as as the waters of lake Michigan. -Granville Winkjer
My second week in Morocco has ended and this past weekend has been my favorite excursion so far. We traveled to Morocco’s “Blue City” Chefchaouen and the coastal city of Tangier. Both cities had their own different vibes, and I felt as though I was in different countries all together. Chefchaouen was full of unique architecture as well as blue and white colors. The Spanish influence brought about friendly and colorful vibes. The shopkeepers were enthusiastic and had fun showing us their wares. They were also patient and helpful with our Arabic by teaching us new words for the different items they were selling. They even giggled a bit at my bartering skills. The shopping in Chefchaouen was immense. There were shops, restaurants and hotels laced throughout the labyrinth of allies. Everywhere we turned there was a shop selling colorful pottery, paintings of the city, or woven blankets. Needless to say I had no trouble shopping for family and friends (not to mention myself!) while wandering around the souk.
ReplyDeleteThe second city, Tangier, had a more of a relaxed vibe. We spent the day on the beach swimming in the cold but clear Mediterranean Sea. We jumped through waves and laughed when we were knocked over by them. We didn’t do any shopping while in Tangier because we were having too much fun swimming and tossing a soccer ball around while dodging waves. Overall, the day we spent in Tangier has been my favorite thus far. I love being able to swim in clear water and sunbathe.
This upcoming weekend we will be traveling to Fez and Meknes to learn about the culture. I am excited to see what’s in store for the next week!
Angel Perry
ReplyDeleteSo the second week of the program has finished and it was great fun. We took a trip this weekend to Chefchaouen and Tangier and I had a lot of fun shopping and walking around with my best friends and my new friends! I was able to get a lot of nice stuff that I wanted but wasn't able to get last year so I'm pretty excited and happy with my purchases in Chefchaouen.
I didn't swim in Tangier but it was still nice to walk along the shore and hang out with everyone. The water was pretty cold but it was so beautiful!
I also had my final exam and presentation before the weekend and I was really stressing about it. I ended up passing and moving up to Intermediate 1 but I still feel kind of unsure if I'm ready. I'm going to give it a few days though and try my hardest. I really do want to get the most out of my experience because I know it's only going to help me in my future.
This weekend we are going on our third, and final, excursion to Fes! (And Meknes and Walili). I'm honestly so excited for this because Fes is the best in my opinion. I did my presentation last week on Fes. And Walili is really cool. There's so much history there and seeing people this year on the trip experience all these new things and hearing some of their thoughts just reminds me of how I saw everything for the first time and it makes me happy. It truly is a wonderful experience and I'm so grateful to be part of it for the second year. I love Morocco and I love the people, the history, and also I love the culture. Morocco is an amazing country.
Two weeks are already gone and I wish I could hit the slow-mo button. Everyday, even if I just stay in the residence, I learn something new about this beautiful country and I’m reminded how lucky I am to be here. This past week we had several more workshops at the school as well as a trip to Chellah. I was also able to spend some time with my Moroccan friends, all while trying to study for our midterm. I guess we will see how well I juggled all that when I get my grade back. But I think the more I travel the more I appreciate the relationships I make as opposed to the things I see or learn.
ReplyDeleteWe also made it up North to Chefchaouen and Tangier this past weekend. Chefchaouen is easily up there with my favorites cities both in Morocco and everywhere else I’ve been. Everything is so put together and random at the same. And honestly, who doesn’t love a city that is all blue? Tangier was also just as beautiful as I remember, maybe even more so since it wasn’t raining this time around. I’m looking forward to these last two weeks and I hope to make the most of them!
The second week here has been pretty eventful that I can hardly remember it! I've gone for walks around the city and see new things every night. One night a few of us went to Le Dhow to eat, and afterwards, I got to go to a little fair just outside. I got to experience my first fair ride in Morrocco! The highlight of this week was going to Chefchaouen and Tanger. I loved the color and history behind Chefchaouen. The city reminded me of one of my favorite cities in Mexico. The hike was a bit intense, but it was beautiful to see the city from up top the mountain. The vendors sold lovely products, and I was able to buy things for my family. I ooved how a lot of them could speak English and Spanish very well. One of my favorite parts was the river and how the locals use the water so much. Next we went to Tanger. I loved all of the buildings and how many Moroccan flags there were everywhere. Going to the beach was nice, but I was sad that we didn't get to go on the city tour since I was looking forward to that. Overall, I enjoyed the excursion very much can't wait for next weekend.
ReplyDeleteThe second week was almost as amazing as the first (I mean what else could compare to riding a camel through the Sahara?). I got to learn a lot more in my classes and ended the school week with our midterm test (wait, our trip is halfway over?!). I got to experience some more taxi rides which are almost their own adventure. Then we ended the week getting true blue in Chefchaouen and even more blue in the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea. The history in Chefchaouen is amazing. From the poetic mosque that overlooks the city all the way down to painting the medina blue, Chefchaouen had many little jewels within the city and its history. Morocco has become one of my favorite places ever.
ReplyDeleteThe second week of this Moroccan trip was even better than the last. First we went to the city of Chefchaouen the "Blue City". The city was located on the slopes of the Rif mountains, whence it gets its name "two horns", the shape of the peaks behind the city . The buildings were painted a blue in order to help move out mosquitoes and help keep the city cool. And as one can guess help coin the term "Blue City".The city itself had plenty of history and incredible views from the cliffs in the surrounding area. As far as classes go we had our midterm and appear to be staying the course of learning correct grammar. Oh there was also a trip to Chellah, a necropolis within Rabat, that dates to the Phoenician and Roman eras.
ReplyDeleteAnother great week for the books! This past week was my first complete week of classes and culminated on Friday with the Midterm exam.
ReplyDeleteOn Saturday morning, we left for Chefchaouen, the blue city in the mountains. Chefchaouen is my favorite city in Morocco and quite possibly in the world. I wish I could transplant the entire city and its surrounding mountains into my home state of Georgia so that it’s nearer to me. We stayed at a very nice, new hotel there that I would very much like to return to and explore the city even more one day. I enjoyed our hike to the Mosque at the top of the hill overlooking the city and our free time shopping and exploring, but I do wish we had had more time in Chefchaouen to explore further. Our tour guide through the city, Abdul Salam, told us about the 3 hour hike up to the tallest mountain surrounding the city. He said that from its heights we could see the entire city and also the Mediterranean Sea on the horizon. We didn’t have the room in our schedule this time around to do the hike, but if I had a suggestion for next year it is to include time in the schedule for it! I could have spent a couple of days shopping, hiking, and taking pictures in Chefchaouen!
After our time there, we drove to Tangier and went from the mountains to the beach in just a few hours! The beach was warm and the water was cool. I very much enjoyed our time swimming in the clear, blue water and laying in the sun.
Madison Stewart
At long last, I have visited the Blue City. Another item checked off my bucket list. My soul is painted all the blues of the city, and it's people have my heart. I experienced true Moroccan life and learned the importance of taking your time. The view of that city, and the bustling of the people within it is something I hope to remember long after my memories have begun to fade. I made friends with a teacher who live in Chefchaouen as a child, and a cat who I wish I could bring with me. I leave in Chefchaouen a piece of me, and in exchange, it has given me memories and lessons I hope I never forget.
ReplyDeleteWe left Chefchaouen much too soon, but with great excitement to the Mediterranean Sea, in Tangier. There we spent a few hours playing in the water. Here too we made a friend, who played catch with us between the waves. These memories, though few words were spoken, and only some were understood, have shaped me into a new person, with renewed and child-like wonder of the world. There are so many people with good hearts speckled throughout the bad ones. I understand now that it's our job to find them and let them know that we exist too.
I'm grateful for this adventure and the hardships, laughs, pains and joys that accompany it.
Hannah Johnston
wanted to e-mail you my blog because I don't think I have been uploading them right. Here it is:
ReplyDeleteOur second week in a foreign country was surprisingly less settled than before. We took a midterm, visited the many historical sights of Morocco , and spent every single day being immersed in a beautiful culture nothing like our own. After spending the past weekend camping on camelback in the desert (I named my companion RobShanda), we spent much of our time exploring to find our favorite nooks and surviving off of our beginner Arabic skills. My personal favorite experience this week was the time our friends decided to go on a walk at midnight, and we ended up getting lead to the bus station where we ate 3am shawarma, and returned at 5am by foot. Morocco has been filled with many surprises, such as haggling with small business owners and meeting people from completely different backgrounds than mine, and I can't wait to see what the next few weeks have in store for us.
Emily Krout
I've really had a great time in morocco and this past week has been pretty hard for me emotionally. I've tried to keep myself busy to avoid letting it get to me. So far I've really enjoyed our excursions. I loved shopping in chefchaouen mostly because I got a few really cute things for aminah. I've barely bought anything for myself, but I did get a few things for my parents. I love shopping and retail therapy is real. Anyway, seeing chefchaouen and tangier was a lot of fun. I love the ocean but I wish we got to stay a little longer but I guess it was good we didn't since I already started to burn after an hour. Anyway, I'm happy to be spending time with such a great group of people. I've really had a lot of great experiences with locals as well. Usually the people have been really friendly and wanted to speak English. It's not what I was expecting. Every time I leave the residence I experience something that has been a new experience or opened my eyes. The first two weeks have been great and I'm really looking forward to the next two. It will be great to go home and see my family but it will be sad to say goodbye to such a great experience. I can't wait to go to casablanca and fes!
ReplyDeleteKatie Christmas
This past weekend was absolutely wonderful. Chefchaouen was the most beautiful city I had the chance to gaze upon. The view above the city was breathtaking as we all saw the sea of blue buildings hidden in the valley.
ReplyDeleteI will always remember walking through the city and just simply talking to the local shop owners while arguing over the price of a product, though one didn't like me because I was a tough customer to bargain with. I sorely wish we stayed in Chefchaouen longer, however Tanger was also wonderful.
I couldn't wish for better friends to experience this trip with, nor a better professor to guide us through everything. Shoutout to our bus driver as well, who has to listen to bad music and loud laughing haha. This trip has been the most meaningful time of my life... and I don't want it to end.
I've moved up to b2 now so I'm excited to enhance my skills in Arabic. I like how educational class has been.
ReplyDeleteChefchauen and it's surrounding mountains is the most beautiful place we've visited in Morocco. The souk was filled with interesting shops and people. Out of all the cities we've seen so far, chefchauen is the one I'd like to live in the most.
Matthew Wimberly
This past week has been a lot of fun. I have really enjoyed getting to explore more of Rabat and learn about its history. I can already tell that my Arabic is getting better and I am able to have more detailed conversations with those that I meet on the street. I also enjoy being able to haggle with people at the souk not only do I get a good price for my items but the conversations are typically very funny.
ReplyDeleteThis weekend I enjoyed going to chefchaouen and Tanger. Chefchaouen is beautiful and I really wish we could have stayed longer and explored the city a little more. The souk had a lot of beautiful items and the people were so friendly. I tried chicken pastella for the first time and while I didn't hate it I wouldn't say that it was great either.
Tanger was extremely beautiful and I loved being able to swim in the Mediterranean Sea. I have never seen water so clear before and the water was such a comfortable temperature that I didn't want to leave.
This past weekend was my absolute favorite excursion so far! I loved seeing the city Chefchaouen because of the colors of all the buildings as well as the souks. The people were also very interesting to interact with. I was able to bargain a little bit with the souk owners, which I was proud of myself for.
ReplyDeleteTangier was also a beautiful city because it was by the beach, so seeing the Mediterranean Sea was a different experience. Although I did get a little sunburned, I still loved walking along the beach. I was able to people watch a lot this weekend and I enjoyed every second of it.
With better health has come better sights. Climbing the mountains right above Chefchaouen was an experience I will not soon forget. Chatting with our guide, that has been giving these tours in his home town for 44 years, at the top of aforementioned mountain under the shade of the French build mosque was such an eye opening conversation. I had yet to have such an in depth conversion with a native Moroccan regarding Islam and its connection to the country. From the people, to the buildings, to the food, Chefchaouen has been the ultimate event. Even better than the desert.
ReplyDeletePaling in comparison, yet still a lovely time, was driving through Tangier. Aside from the amazing modern architecture that I have yet to see else where in Morocco, getting to pass the king's palace and all the Saudi houses was borderline breathtaking. The beach was more fun than I had anticipated. The water, although cold, was clear and refreshing as as the waters of lake Michigan.
-Granville Winkjer