Was I really in Africa?

Yes, I really was in Africa. This past weekend I went to Morocco with the program “Morocco Exchange” (http://www.moroccoexchange.org/) The experience was amazing! I was immersed in the real Arabic/Islamic culture of the country, and was able to interact with real Moroccans. This was not a tourist trip.

I am having a difficult time putting the experience into words, so I’m going to cop out on this post and just share the itinerary with you all.

Day One ALGECIRAS - TANGIER - RABAT

Morning:

- Meeting at 8am in Algeciras

- Boat journey across the Mediterranean Sea from Algeciras, Spain to Tangier, Morocco

- Drive to Asilah and walk through the Medina (old town) to the Atlantic Ocean

- Lunch in a restaurant outside the old city wall

Afternoon:

- Conversation “Cultural diversity in Morocco” about Arab, Berber and Jewish coexistence

in Morocco, with Prof. Ali Azeriah and Moroccan students from L’Ecole Superior du

Traduction in Tangier (one of the best schools for translators in the Arabic speaking world)

- Drive along the Atlantic Ocean to Rabat (3 hours)

Evening:

- Meeting of the home stay families (Two or three students will stay with one family.)

- Dinner with home stay families

- Walk through the Medina of Rabat in small groups with Moroccan students

Day Two RABAT

Morning:

- Breakfast

- Facilitated discussion “West and Arab worlds - images about each other” with Moroccan

students from Rabat University

- Visit of the Roman ruins Chellah, the Mausoleum Hassan II and the Main mosque.

Afternoon:

- Lunch with home stay families

- Exploration of Rabat’s Andalusian houses in the Kashba and the street life in the medina

market. Shopping in the market with a Moroccan student guide.

Evening:

- Social time: Conversation in the patio of a family with a Peace Corps

volunteer about living in Morocco as a foreigner

- Dinner with home stay families in the Medina

Day Three RABAT - RIF MOUNTAINS - CHEFCHAOUEN

Morning:

- Drive to Akchour, Rif Mountains through rural areas of Morocco (3,5 hours)

- Break on the way

- Short walk through a valley in the Rif mountains

Afternoon:

- Picnic and time to relax in the mountains

- Drive to Chefchaouen (30 minutes)

- Guided walk through the medina of Chefchaouen with background information about it’s

Moorish and Jewish inhabitants and its historic link to Al Andaluz

- Settle in Hotel Andaluz

Evening:

- Time to explore the medina individually (good place to buy some souvenirs)

- Special celebration dinner in the Medina of Chefchaouen

- Social time on the roof terrace: to share images and thoughts from our journey.

Day Four CHEFCHAOUEN - CEUTA - ALGECIRAS

Morning:

- Morning walk through the awaking town to a hill outside the city gate

- Drive through mountains, fields and cities to Ceuta (2 hours)

- Breakfast on the way

- Crossing the Moroccan - Spanish border

Afternoon:

- Boat journey across the Strait of Gibraltar

- Good bye in Algeciras, Spain around 3:30pm

The four days were packed with amazing moments that I hope I never forget. I visited a new country, learned about a different culture, and had my eyes opened to the lives of other people. I wish I could better explain the experience, but it was just too amazing to be put into words.