Studying abroad is familiar to me as I have attended a university in Saudi Arabia prior to partaking in the UW study abroad program in Morocco. I have had several years of experience being abroad so being in another country while being a student is familiar to me. Therefore, I found immediate interest in the UW study abroad program learning the Arabic language. Although the program was quite expensive, I thought that it would be an experience to have, being that Morocco was a place I heard much about from family and close friends. Although I had some expectations with the program as well as the country, in hindsight, both exceeded my expectations by a high margin.
The UW study abroad program partnered with a local institution called IES study abroad Rabat, Morocco where they held weekly scheduled Arabic classes as well as tours and trips to multiple cities in the country. In each city, we had comfortable hotel stays and daily activities and tours allowing us to explore the lifestyle, culture, and history of Morocco. We also had the honor and comfort to have our UW Arabic professor from Seattle accompany us throughout the trip. She was incredibly helpful and at times of difficulty, she was always there to help each student and their needs. Each student had a host family in Rabat, about 23-30 minutes walking distance from the IES facility where the Arabic classes were held. Each host family provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner during our entire stay in Rabat. Although there were some hiccups with agreements and the addendum between students’ tuition and IES Morocco, majority of the trip was one for the memory books.
The country of Morocco really holds a place in my “countries to return” list. From the people, to places, it had such a rich culture being influenced by Spain, France, Andalusian cultures, Arab and Berber influences. You will meet and see people who are well versed in different languages and are familiar with many backgrounds of races and faiths. So much so, I was surprised by the presences of many Vietnamese people and their own town located about an hour in the outskirts of Rabat. The host families as well as the Moroccan people in general are hospitable. The Arab/African culture in general are people of hospitality and respectful of guests. You’ll definitely find this to be true during your time in Morocco.
I have really connected with peers and IES teachers and representatives during this trip since we spent much time on the trips together driving all around Morocco and it was a transformative experience. Connecting with people from diverse backgrounds, with different experiences and personalities widens my perspective of myself and life. I have developed this new lens to see things in a different light and it helps me understand things differently. I honestly would say that the best aspect of this trip would be this. Had I had more time, I would have loved to have more conversations and connections with other people and just listen and learn from what they have to say.
If such an opportunity were to present itself to me to have the chance to study abroad. I would not only accept it, but I would encourage a close friend to join me so I could experience the journey with someone close. Being in another country might be intimidating for some, however, UW study abroad and the UW Arabic professor made sure everything went smoothly and comfortably for all the students.
