Morocco 2018

Day 12 – Madrid

On our last day, we took a morning flight back to Madrid, Spain, all of us fatigued but still infused with the excitement of our learning and cultural experience from the last couple weeks. We checked back into to same familiar hotel we first stayed at when we arrived almost two weeks ago. It felt funny to me because it seems like we have been traveling much longer than that because of all the non-stop activities we have been doing. We unloaded our much heavier bags, full of Moroccan memories, and gave our feet a rest before heading out to enjoy our evening.

For our final night, we didn’t have anything planned or scheduled.  This evening we all had the opportunity to visit areas in Madrid that were of interest to us.  We ended up splitting into two groups and headed out to enjoy some of the cities key points of interest.  All of us utilized the Metro tram and subway system which quickly and efficiently delivered us to our desired destinations.  One group enjoyed visiting the Real Madrid soccer stadium, where they were able to enjoy panoramic views, create photomontages, and pretend to be sports announcers. Afterwards they headed to Plaza de Toro, one of the largest bullrings in the world. The second group enjoyed the warm city breezes on top of the double decker hop on hop off bus tour, taking in the cities incredible architecture, museums and gardens. At the end of the night, we all met back at a quaint restaurant near our hotel to enjoy our last dinner together and reflect on our adventures.

We started our journey in Madrid, the capital of Spain, as we had an overnight stay before we continued to Morocco.  It is a lively city which boasts many museums, art galleries, grand architecture and delicious tapas on every corner.  Even though Madrid is a large metropolis, it has a warm friendly feel and seems to come to life at night.  Our visit to the Moorish Gardens and Al-Mounia, a Moroccan restaurant was a great prelude to what was to come.

Our first stop in Morocco was the city of Marrakech. To me, it was a city of contrast.  The sun’s heat would beat down you, but in the distance, you could see the cool peaks of the Atlas Mountains. The markets where loud and bustling with chaos, but you could slip into the sanctuary of a rooftop restaurant for a quiet view of the animated crowd below.  The heavily spiced food would dance on the tip of your tongue, only to be soothed with the tranquility of fresh mint tea. Marrakech pulls your senses in every direction.

Casablanca had a more cosmopolitan feel.  Sitting on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, the city has its older areas, but new economic development is readily seen.  There were many trendy restaurants including the two we visited Rick’s Café and Blend, a gourmet burger restaurant. Unfortunately for us, they had run out of the burger that many of us were seeking, the camel burger. While in Casablanca we learned quite a lot from our tour of the Mosque Hassan II and the quick trip up to the Capital of Morocco, Rabat.

Our last and most important city of our trip was Oujda, were we stayed and relished in the generosity our host families and visited and worked with the students at the Ecole Superieure de Technologie – Oujda. We were able to tour the campus, meet with instructors, and assist in trouble shooting some technological projects the students were working on. We also were able to visit with some of the local businesses in Oujda and meet with the governor of the Oriental Region of Morocco.

I am confident that the other students that traveled to Morocco through the Gateway International Studies program will agree with me in giving thanks not only to Gateway Technical College, but also to the leaders of the program, Chinedu Obowu and Wendy Revolinski.  They put a lot of time and effort into making this a great educational experience for us all and it is greatly appreciated.  Because of this, they gave us an unforgettable opportunity to learn by immersing ourselves in a foreign educational system with unique styles of learning not exposed to here at home.  Studying in this way broadens your world view and helps to shape you as a person to be more independent and to have a greater perspective on life. I particularly thought that overseeing the details, history and navigation of our assigned cities prior to our arrival helped us appreciate the experience in greater depth. It created a better awareness and recognition of the culture.  Not only did we make new friends here at home, we created new and lasting relationships in Morocco.  Our study abroad trip will never be forgotten.  Thank you! Gracias! Merci! Shukran!

~Tracy Bell

Day 11 – Oujda

Today is the day of goodbyes- the hardest part of every adventure but every story has an end. The feeling in the air was solemn but almost reassuring. Although we all know we had to leave our new families, we didn’t leave empty handed. The memories and friends we’ve made will last us forever.

Each gateway student had a special day with their Moroccan families. Some visited the beach, others visited the market, and we all definitely ate way too much food! The last time we saw the Moroccans, the sun was setting and a subtle breeze conditioned the air. The train station was becoming very lively with many different people. We reflected with our families and made our final remarks. For some of us, there were tears. For others, deep down in our hearts, we know this wasn’t goodbye- it was see you next time.  We have made a bond with each and every single person we’ve met- our hearts are a part of Morocco now.

After our goodbyes we boarded the train. Many of us finally got some well deserved sleep. Next stop- Casablanca.

-Natasha Dunn

Day 10 – Oujda

-Sheri Talaga

Day 9 – Oujda

After our Moroccan style breakfast, we all headed to the Ecole Superieure de Technologie, to visit some companies around Oujda. The first business we visited was SQLI. SQLI is an international services and consulting group which is dedicated to the world of digital. They specialize in digital and social marketing, ecommerce, data marketing, UX, consulting, Big Data solutions, and mobile solutions. They assist various companies and brands in defining, implementing, and managing digital solutions for a brand new customer experience. Their mission is to develop sales and reputation, boost their productivity and the efficiency of their organization. They call this the Connected Experience. Some of their main customers are Chanel, Nestle Waters, ATR, Navimo, GoSport and many more. After we were done visiting, they ended the business tour with some sweets, pastries, juice, and mint tea.

The second company we visited was the Colaimo. It is a dairy producing company that has existed since 1953 in Morocco. They have range of products such as pasteurized milk, flavored fermented milk, Leben, farm yogurt, Raibi, yogurt breaststroke fruit, drinkable fruity yogurt, and pasteurized butter. They have about 73 centers in the region and more than 5000 milk producers. During our tour, we were strictly asked not to capture any photos for confidential and privacy reasons. They showed us how they pack their dairy products and how they make it. One thing we noticed was that there were no women working in the factory, due to the reason of heavy labor. Women are respected and only allowed to work in the administration department. In the end, they let us try some of their yogurt products.

It was about 12 in the afternoon, when we headed to have lunch at one of the student’s house who studied in the same university, the twins house (as the students are twins). As it was Friday, it’s a tradition to eat Couscous after the Friday prayers. They served us with Leben first to drink, and brought a huge Couscous plate, where you traditionally eat it in the same plate. After we were done with Couscous, they brought a tray filled with fruits and we ended our lunch with mint tea, like always

As soon as we were done eating, we headed to visit Conseil De la Region De L’Oriental. Some of the biggest decisions of that region were made in that council. Students asked some informational questions to the lady who was giving us the tour of the council.

Our last business that we visited that day was Midi Peinture, the paint company. They are the first paint company to be established in the Oriental region. They took us around the company and showed us how they make paint and who are their exporters and importers. They have about 120 employees working currently.

After all the tours to various companies, we were dropped home to get ready for the event that was going to be held at the Ecole Superieure de Technologie at 8pm. We were all asked to wear traditional Moroccan clothes to the event which were kindly provided by our host families. The event started by students giving a small presentation about Moroccan culture and how much they have enjoyed their time with us. They played videos of us from when they were hanging out with us. Finally, they gave each of us a present. After the presentation, we took pictures and socialized with our new friends. They played old school traditional music while we enjoyed our dinner at 11pm. They began the meal with a big tray of salad, and then huge tray of chicken, and later fruits and ended the meal with the famous mint tea.

-Manal Nabeel

Day 8 – Oujda/Berkane /Saidia

Early this morning when I gathered with my fellow student travelers-American and Moroccan alike-I stated, “In case I forget to tell you later, this was my favorite day so far.”  I had no idea what the day held for us however, or how true my prophetic words actually were at the time–all I knew is that my toes would be in the sea before nightfall.  This is always some of the best “medicine” for my spirit and I was overjoyed at the opportunity.

We started by traveling by shuttle bus to a mountain goat sanctuary with breathtaking views of the Angora Mountains.

From there we toured the Camel Cave in the Berkane Province.

Early in the day, team leader Wendy Revolinski was surprised to learn that she had a meeting with the Governor of the province and I was selected to represent the horticulture department in this meeting.  We weren’t dressed for such an auspicious occasion as we’d prepared for a casual day, but no one seemed to mind and we were very welcomed.

Our liaison Hassan Bensaid started the meeting by explaining that he has a desire to start a partnership between Gateway Technical College, ESTO in Oujda and the city of Saidia to develop an exchange program in that area and increase the economic footprint in the region during the off-season.  He shared that during the tourist season their numbers increase to 300,000 but in the winter only 3000 people reside there. He has a vision to change this and improve the city in many ways. He explained that a city so beautiful should be utilized all year long-not just the summer months. This was the reason he arranged the meeting with Mohamed Ali Habouha, the Governor of Berkane to discuss the possibilities of such an endeavor.

I was so inspired and touched by the Governor’s vision for any such partnership-specifically with a partner from the United States.  He spoke with us for quite some time trying to impart a sincere and impassioned message.  He explained that until we come together and learn that we are all part of the same human race and work collaboratively as members of the same team, we will never solve the world’s problems and fully celebrate our diversity-and all that diversity has to offer if we only take advantage of it instead of fearing it.  He believes any kind of partnership would work towards this “unification of humanity”.

I feel so fortunate to be a member of this program and Gateway Technical College; my worldview has expanded exponentially on each study abroad experience.  This specific program has been even more significant because staying with a host family, working so hard to communicate despite the language barrier, experiencing their generosity and kindness firsthand and having conversations that explain that their goals and motivations for participating in such a program were so selfless and “big picture” have been priceless.  When I asked what would motivate them to invite a stranger into their home (and treat them like royalty) they explained that first and foremost it is because that is how they put their faith in action.  In Islam, the Quran commands them to welcome the stranger as a member of their own family.  Also, on a very personal level, they have a strong desire to change non-Muslim hearts toward the people of Islam…even if that is just one person at a time.  Islam is a faith of love, kindness and peace, but it is the “radical extremists” that the media portray as the norm.  This is simply and completely false-just as so many of the things we read and hear are; I must be very diligent to remember not to believe most of the things that I hear but to instead seek out the truth.  Just as there are bad “eggs” in every faith, nation, organization and family–the few do not represent the beliefs and principles of the many.

I was also surprised to learn how much the Moroccan people love Americans; Morocco was the first country to acknowledge America’s independence in 1777!  They obviously do not accept the stereotypes portrayed by Hollywood and the news media about us, and trust us to do the same for them.  I am determined to do my part to share my love of this land and its people for the rest of my life.

It was additionally enlightening to experience the Moroccan culture and experience a “day in the life”.  We arrived in Oujda very late (or early, as the case may be!) and to my great surprise discovered that all our host families were wide awake and ready to welcome us – with a very large meal at 3AM!  I asked my new friend Khaoula if Moroccans ever sleep – because the city was so alive in the wee hours of the morning in the middle of the week.  She laughed and said “not much”!  Her words could not have been truer, as every night after a very full, very long day, we all had meals with our host families into the wee hours of the morning with meaningful conversation and COFFEE to follow.  While I can only speak for myself, I think we were all impressed with the stamina and energy of our hosts.  I had trouble keeping up with them and keeping my eyes open!  On the other hand, I can honestly say that I have never slept so hard and so well as I have after these 20-hour days on the run!  Perhaps if I adopted such a schedule back home, all of my American sleep disorders would disappear! “Go until I drop” may be my new life philosophy!!

We spent the rest of our evening in the “Blue Pearl” called Saidia on the Mediterranean Sea.  The beauty of this place cannot be described in the most eloquent of words or even by the most professional of photographs.  Suffice to say, my prophetic words that began our day rang true as I pondered all that occurred this day, and I found myself beyond grateful to see the breathtaking sunset and float on the waves of the salty sea.

-Rae Punzel

Day 7 – Oujda

Today we went to visit Ecole Superieure de Technologie, Oujda. Our host families dropped us off bright and early. We all gathered in the conference room for introductions and an informational meeting.

We were delighted with the warm reception we received. They catered in an extraordinary lunch with big platters of traditional foods and Moroccan tea.

Professor Rahhal from EST, Oujda gave us a tour of the higher school of technology and the national school of engineering. He showed us projects the students were working on such as solar panels and piping projects. The students had engineering capability studies in text that they were submitting to major large companies. This is part of their program to encourage future employment. The engineering and mechanical rooms were complete with CNCs, Rockwell testers, lathes, and troubleshooting equipment.

  

Day 6 – Fez/Oujda

Today we left Casablanca It was a late night and an early morning but luckily most of us were able to sleep on the four hour train ride to Fez. Upon arrival to Fez we were greeted By Mr. Rahhal and 7 students, each one of them was extremely kind and helpful, they immediately helped us with our bags and lead us to the bus they had brought for us.

The first place they took us was restaurant Aladino. I had a nugget taco (more like a burrito/panini) but it was great. We shared a meal with the students and got to know each other a bit better.

After lunch we headed to BORJ FES, this is a shopping mall much like the ones in America. We were there for a short time as we had to get to Ruelle Fez (The Old Medina). Here is where the city really started to show its beauty. The colors, the smells, and the thousands of locals in such a small area. There were all kinds of things for sale from sweets to spices to shoes and drums, one of our students took full advantage of the situation and had a small jam session with some of the locals, it really is an indescribable experience.

After we were all done it was time to head to the tannery. Here they showed us the process of making leather. They showed us the finished products and of course let us do some shopping!

From the tannery it was finally time to head to our final destination the city of Oujda. We were so blessed that we had our driver Younes. He drove all of us overnight from Fez to Oujda. He patiently dropped each one of us at our host family’s home. I was the last to arrive at my host family but in speaking with the other students it appears that we all had similar experiences. I was dropped off at about 3AM; I was expecting to come in put my bags down and go to sleep. But that’s not how things work in Morocco. I was greeted by my host family and sat down at the dinner table, and when I say that there was a feast waiting I mean a literal feast.  There were main dishes like pigeon, chicken, and beef and side dishes of rice, vegetables, fruit and even a cake. This country really knows how to treat people. I’m so excited to see what tomorrow brings.

-Cristofer Palacios

Day 5 – Team Casablanca

Today was our “project day”.  We’ve been preparing for our interview with a local business since the class began, and today all our research and preparation came to fruition.  Because of the festival of Eid, we had many challenges finding a business that was open and willing to meet with us on their day of celebration after Ramadan.  However, our tour guide seemed more than willing and happy to tell us all about his business.

Each of us prepared questions well ahead of time.  I wanted to know about the person; I believe that people are more willing to share with you if you intentionally build relationship first.  If you show you care about the individual, it makes everything else easier.

We interviewed Abdel Hafid and he was so kind and open to sharing his passion for his work.  I started the interview by asking how long he’d been part of this business, what he did before, what he enjoyed most and his educational background.  Like many of his American counterparts, Abdel had a wide variety of life experiences. He joined the travel/tourism industry about a year and a half ago because his former work in e-marketing was unsatisfying.  He loves people, and rarely had an opportunity to work with them while drop-shipping products. He went to university for linguistics and loves languages; he taught grammar at the middle and high school levels after he finished his degree.  He speaks five languages fluently and is learning Chinese currently! Tourism and his love for people, languages and his country seemed to be a perfect fit.

His mission as a tour guide is to teach the visitors to his country that the old stereotypes are just that: old.  Morocco is the land of tolerance, freedom and peace. Islam is a relationship between an individual and his god, not people to people.  A true believer in Islam is not into telling other people what THEY should do. He also wants to impress upon his clients that Morocco is a rich and diverse country full of optimism, generosity and kindness.  

Abhed was born in the “Hollywood of Morocco” in the city of Ouarzazate.  He currently lives in Casablanca and has absolutely no desire to ever relocate; he loves this city.  He would most like to travel to the United States and Canada as well as China and Australia, but at this time has never been outside of Morocco.  He shared that the majority of his clients are from North America, and he is very fond of them. He told us multiple times that Morocco was the first country to recognize the United States independence in 1777 to reinforce his belief that Moroccans as a whole love the American people.  

He closed my portion of the interview by saying, “If you think of bad people, those are the people you will attract.”  He chooses to think about the good people–and his life is absolutely filled with them.

-Rae Punzel

Our tour guide Abdel was a very charming man who had a pure passion for Casablanca. I asked him how has tourism changed in the past 5 years and he said that, its changed a lot because the country had changed a lot. After the passing of Hassan II, the country began to take a gradual turn in a big way. He said that it was important that Morocco not only embraces the European history, but also how it has become a land of freedom. The country is working on becoming accepting of all people, and a place where different religions can live in harmony. This same discussion lead into the next question of where will the future of tourism be going? In fairness, it’s a puzzling question. With the changes that have been made already and the changes that will come, there will only be greater things.

Something that Abdel said that really stuck with me was a quote from Hassan II, saying “Morocco is a tree that has deep roots in Africa, but its large branches extend all over Europe.” I think it personified the situation very well in how the country is making an effort to improve. I had also asked what was a goal that he had when it comes to informing tourist. He said that he wanted not only help people learn about Morocco, but break them from the harsh stereotypes that have given it a bad name. It was important to him that we see how diverse and how history this country really is.

~Natasha Dunn

As we made our way to the capital city Rabat, we had plenty of  time to speak directly to Abdel. The information I was looking to gain from him was his personal viewpoint of both Casablanca and Morocco. Being that he was raised in Casablanca, he was a wealth of first hand information. When I asked him how the old Morocco and the new were blending together, he did not seem very happy or hopeful. They way he explained it to me was that culture of the old Medina’s was one of a social connection, a place where you would go to see friends and a place where you could go to ask for help. In direct conflict with that is how the new Medina’s are developing. He described them as independent of each other, and very money motivated. He referred to Casablanca as a “dead city” – a city void of social connections and whose first priority is money. I could tell that this bothered him very deeply.

Another example of this feeling in Casablanca was when we were discussing the Hassan ii Mosque. I was quite surprised when he stated that the reason that the mosque was built was not to give all of the people in the area a beautiful place to worship, but as a way to boost the local economy through tourism. Granted this may have only been his opinion as I was unable to uncover any information to support his theory, however, it made me realize just how much the locals fear losing the precious culture that makes them who they are.

If found this to be very eye opening as I realized just how different Morocco is from region to region.

~Sheri Talaga

Day 4 – Casablanca

As we are led through the maze of small streets off of the main square of the medina by Youseff, the guest manager of the Riad Bensaid, to the awaiting taxis to depart Marrakech, it is with many mixed feelings. I think we all fell a little in love with the underlying charm of the city, despite the cultural differences we experienced. I am seeing Morocco through innocent eyes, an open mind, and with no expectations. It is a country filled with old customs, fragrant local foods, a hopeful people, and beauty around every corner.

As the train travels along the rails, the scenery is ever changing as we go through the Atlas Mountains – home to the native people known as Berbers – and descend into the desert, we pass small villages, farm fields of hay and cactus, until the cities become more frequent. Our destination of Casablanca lies ahead.

The first impression of Casablanca is that it is a modern city, making it a completely different world from Marrakech. The pace is slower, the air smells of the sea and the language of choice seems to lean more towards French. We arrive at the hotel to quickly drop our bags in our rooms so that we can begin exploring and learning about this new side of Morocco.

We walk the few blocks to the medina and the feeling is nothing like Marrakech. Here the new medina is taking over the old and what has been a cultural social connection is now becoming individual minded, concerned only for money, not each other. The shops full of crafted Moroccan items are replaced with neon lights and brand named clothes and shoes. We are seeing a different side of Morocco.

-Sheri Talaga

On Day 3, “Team Casablanca” took a taxi to the train station with team leader Chinedu Obowu to acquire all of the tickets for our journey to Casablanca.  After a conversation with a station representative, we learned that our train would leave a little later than anticipated, and that it would be wise for us to purchase a different type of ticket; we were glad we took the time to investigate the day before so that Day 4 would go smoothly.  Planning ahead while studying abroad is always a good idea!

We arrived early and the train left late and we were surprised to learn there was no air conditioning during the long wait for departure.  Several of the passengers tried to open doors to provide relief from the stifling heat inside the car, without success.  One gentleman even asked a conductor to open the doors and was firmly denied.  When we finally were underway, something like air conditioning tried to cool the car but it stayed pretty warm for the majority of the journey.  Sheri Talaga and I decided to walk the length of the train and discovered that we were fortunate to be near the front of the train.  As we walked back, there was no air conditioning whatsoever, the doors were wide open and smoking was permitted.  We were grateful to be in the car with the weak air conditioning system!

When we arrived in Casablanca, our first responsibility was to navigate to our hotel.  We had decided days before to lead the group by foot—since it was only about a five minute walk!  Once we settled in and changed our clothes, it was time to explore -and eat dinner!  We also spent time preparing for our team project after dinner-a local business interview scheduled for Day 5.

-Rae Punzel

Out of all the cafes in all the world, we had to walk into this one. The sun began to set but the evening was still very much alive at Rick’s Cafe. The team was graciously welcomed by our charming host, opening a door to a room filled with energy. We were escorted to the upstairs dining and sat surrounded by vibrant green walls as well as a view peering over the harbor.

Team Morocco 2018 @ Rick’s Café – Photo credit: Really nice guy at Rick’s Cafe

The sound of live entertainment filled the halls, singing classical jazz tunes with a slight Moroccan twist. As delicious as the food is, the reason that makes Rick’s Cafe worth a visit is the pure atmosphere. Although the decorations were Moroccan, it had a very Western feel. Perhaps it was the cuisine, but regardless, absolutely amazing. There could not be a better place when it came to bringing a group together to share memories. This is an iconic part of the trip that will not be forgotten.

-Natasha Dunn

Our first adventure of the day was a visit to the famous Jardin Majorelle. It took French painter Jacques Majorelle about four years of passion and dedication to create this enchanting garden in the heart of the “ Ochre City”. Yes Saint Kaurent and his friend Pierre Berge discovered the gardens in 1966, during their first visit to Marrakech. The garden at that time was in declining state and the designer decided to buy it  to avoid its sale to real estate project to become a hotel complex. The sale was legalized in 1980 and restoration of the gardens began.

Today it is a picturesque part of Marrakech that is visited  by hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world each year. We were among those lucky ones who has had that privilege to touch the art of legendary artists. 

Next was the much anticipated camel ride in Marrakech which turned out to be an amazing activity that not only gave most of us a once in a lifetime experience, but connected us to a local family as well. When we arrived at the palms for our ride, the guides gave us Kaftan and Chafiya garments to wear and then helped us each get on the Camel. We went on the camel ride for about 30 minutes, and then the guide took us to his house which was in the middle of the palms in a hut and his wife and mother-in-law served us with the traditional flatbread along with honey. They also served us

the traditional mint tea. The guide had 4 daughters who were so adorable and we took pictures of them. After we were done with the snacks, we sat on camels and they took us back to where we came from. After the camel ride, we were dropped off to our Riad and we decided to eat at Taj’in Darna and enjoyed the Moroccan cuisine for about an hour.

This being our last evening in the Medina, we headed back to the heart of Marrakech, the thriving and buzzing market of Jemaa El-Fna. We all had an agenda, our mission was to find those perfect gifts, and something special for ourselves as well. The center of the market was packed with food vendors filling the air with fragrant aromas of Moroccan spices. We passed by snake charmers, Berber musicians, henna artists and incessant pleas for our attention. We entered the souks that radiated off the central square where we found wandering dark and mysterious alleyways  that were like a labyrinth designed to bewilder its visitors. Every once in a while, a few of the late evening sun rays would seep through the slats in the roof, illuminating the dust particles softly drifting in the uncomfortably hot air. We found our treasures as we worked our way through the thick maze of people. We bought jewelry, dresses, pottery and souvenirs and headed back to our riad, quite happy with our purchases. The experience in the market created quite the sensory overload for all of us and we were all happy to relax with the soothing Moroccan mint tea we have all been accustomed to drinking.

-Irina, Tracy, Manal