For someone who started the semester leaving the United States for the first time, it truly amazes me that I have now been to both Europe and Africa. CEA organized an incredible weekend to Morocco that allowed me to experience a part of the world I never thought I would make it to. In a whirlwind of three days and four cities I saw things and met people that I will always remember. Here's the recap:
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| Welcome to beautiful Morocco |
Day 1: Tétouan
After a long journey involving buses, a ferry, and border control, we arrived with sleepy eyes to the city of Tétouan and met our tour guide who would take us around the city. We went into a trade school where students can study the art of making tiles, intricate wooden carvings, and a variety of other artisan goods. Afterwards, we had our first Moroccan meal. Luckily, we had arrived on a Friday afternoon which is the only time that restaurants serve couscous as it is reserved for the Muslim day of prayer. The meals in Morocco are artistic 4-course affairs with soup or salad, main course, fruit, and pastries with delicious mint tea. My favorite part of the day though was our exchange with Moroccan students. I met an amazing girl with big dreams and a hospitable heart.
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Pastries, bread, and mint tea in a traditional
Moroccan glass at our exchange activity |
Day 2: Tangier & Assilah
On our second day, we crossed off two more cities - Tangier and Assilah. In Tangier we saw the Cave of Hercules. This cave is also known as the Map of Africa because the Phoenicians carved symbols and openings into the cave to resemble different landmarks of the continent. The adventure continued as we mounted camels and went for a ride along the coast. We traveled then to Assilah, a city bursting with creativity at every corner. Murals covered the walls and art galleries lined the streets. I couldn’t help but buy my own little piece of the city painted on a plank of wood – my first step into the bargaining culture!
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| Some of the artwork that was on display in Assilah |
Day 3: Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen stole our hearts, and our dirhams, on our last day of Morocco. It was a surreal experience to be up in the mountains in the midst of a blue city. We arrived in the early morning as the people were waking up and the shopkeepers were just beginning to put out their products. We wandered the streets for hours in search of the perfect souvenirs and talked the prices down. Chefchaouen was full of kind hearted people and I as I took my very last sip of mint tea I was sad to be leaving Morocco.
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| Enjoying my last day in Morocco! |
Three days could never be enough to experience the true beauty of this country but I am immensely grateful to have gotten a peek. Shukran (thank you) to CEA for a wonderful weekend!
Nicole F. is a Fall 2017 MOJO Blogger in Seville, Spain. She is currently a Junior studying Mass Communication and Spanish at Towson University.
