As my fellow Gamecocks only begin to think of finals, I’ve
already landed back at home ready for the summer. Preparing to leave Casablanca was like
snapping back into reality and realizing I didn’t actually live and study full
time in Morocco. Study abroad is full of
new places, learning experiences, and many mishaps, but once you’ve settled in
everything gains a sense of normality again.
Almost like a nerve ending that stops sending signals once it gets used
to touching something, your brain eventually stops getting excited over every
new thing around you.
This “new normal” as some other study abroaders have called
it is almost harder to snap out of going back home than when you arrive in your
host country. Before going abroad you
prepare for all of the differences you might encounter and plan out how you’ll
adapt when you arrive. However when going
home you give less thought to the reverse culture shock you’ll encounter in the
U.S. besides counting down the days to having Chipotle or Chick-Fil-A again.
There are a lot of things that will be hard to leave behind
in Morocco besides friends, the weather, and home for the last three
months. My wallet will miss Moroccan
prices and how cheap it is to go out and travel. If you’re looking to save while studying
abroad, Morocco is one of the best places to go, plus you can see Europe
without breaking the bank. I’ll miss the
accessibility of Morocco’s landscape and being able to go from the beach to
snow-capped mountains to the Sahara all in a day’s journey. Morocco’s cities also offer a clash of
scenery that will be hard to leave behind.
Their modern areas mixed with old medinas provided endless entertainment
and adventure.
After arriving in the U.S., I had to keep reminding myself
that English was the default language and to stop trying to translate what
people were saying. While many people in
Morocco speak English, it was nice to travel in a place where French was the
second language and easier to practice as a tourist than in some western
countries. Speaking was also less
intimidating thanks to how welcoming and forgiving Moroccans were even if you
didn’t speak Arabic or French, which can also be hard to find in other
countries.
I have to say that there some things I won't be sad to leave behind as well. Sexism was more prevalent and open in Morocco
than what I've experienced in the U.S. I
would find myself bracing for comments from men passing by in the streets or
try not to smile because more often than not a stranger would comment on it as
he walked by. Experiencing this heightened marginalization made me realize how
dehumanizing sexism and other attacks on minorities really are. Sometimes we
don't recognize the harm of everyday discrimination in our own country,
especially if we are privileged enough not to experience it, but it’s
difficult to criticize another place for its faults without also looking in the
mirror.
Another
example of this was LGBT issues. Just after leaving, I read a report that a gay
couple was beaten in their home and arrested for their sexual orientation in a
town in central Morocco. Morocco has far to go in creating legal and social
freedoms for LGBT individuals, women, and weeding out corruption, among other
issues, but it was important to see that the general causes of discrimination
and daily micro aggressions were the same as what I’ve seen in the U.S. and
other developed countries.
With the good and the bad, going to Morocco was the best
international experience and immersion that I’ve ever had. Meeting students from all over the world and
living in North Africa taught me lots and was just plain fun. I’d like to thank the ESCA Ecole of
Management for hosting me and making my time in Morocco so easy and enjoyable,
as well as all of the students and friends who welcomed us and made us feel at
home. I would recommend Morocco to any
student or traveler, and hope to be back soon.
And last but not least, many thanks to you for following the
saga of Couscous, Camels, Casablanca, or at least skipping to the end to
witness the final dramatic conclusion. I
hope you enjoyed it and learned from it, and if you are a book publisher I am
certainly willing to talk about book deals or future movie signings.
Here's to S'Moroccan stories in the future.
بسلامة,
À bientôt,
Until next time,
Stefanie
