Location: Rabat, Morocco

Now that we’d settled into normal life in Rabat, explored some of the country, and now were used to local practices and the changes that come with Ramadan, it was now time to make Rabat a little more like a home, to feel more connected to it. This was helped primarily by finally becoming comfortable with knowing our way around and confidently not looking like a tourist lost in the maze of streets in the medina. It gave me a huge sense of pride one morning when I was able to walk through the middle of the market and not get any strange glances or curious stares; I knew I was walking comfortably and casually enough to look like someone who lived there and not a visitor gawking at everything. It’s also really nice to be able to greet people and make small talk in darija. It really makes a difference, especially when shopping because it means that vendors realise that you’re not just a tourist, but actually know some of the language and are therefore less easily sold things at more expensive prices. We aren’t just passing through and therefore only have a small chance to find what we want at a good price but instead can afford to walk away and spend the time looking for other options if the price offered is too high (which it always is, I can’t do anything to change my skin colour, which is the first giveaway allowing people to hike up the price). I had a really good time one afternoon after school this week just walking through the medina window-shopping and enquiring prices and bartering in a mixture of french and darija just to see how low I could get the prices, but often not buying anything, confident that I can find a better deal sometime later. When the shopkeepers insist that this is the best price I’m going to find, I tell that I’m in Rabat for a few more weeks so have plenty of time to search harder. They usually have no response. (thinking inside my head: yeah you’re not going to pressure me into buying anything hastily, nice try)

cooling off in the anteroom of a mosque in Meknes

Balglas (Moroccan slippers)

Another thing that really connected us to Rabat a bit more was doing some local volunteer work. First we took plastic bags down to the beach to pick up trash. It was so nice to get calls from males that weren’t cat-calls, but calls of thanks. Multiple people came up to us and thanked us directly, and one bloke even asked if he could help as well. A few people outrightly asked why we were doing this, confused as to why American students would be cleaning up a tiny beach in Morocco. My favourite though was the entire class of schoolboys who swarmed around us and each picked up a few bits of trash to put in our bag on their way leaving the beach.

Then a few days later we went to the Moroccans equivalent of a soup kitchen that makes and serves an iftar meal for those who are homeless or who cannot afford a large iftar. We helped prepare food and set the tables for 144 people. Each table had to be set with dishes, glasses, milk, yogurt, orange juice, a hunk of bread, and napkins, and then we prepared all the plates (with a wedge of cheese, egg, dates, shebeka, those bread cake things, and meat pitas) and bowls of harira soup and set them at each spot in time for everyone to come rushing in. We helped everyone cram into a seat, made sure everyone was taking their fair share, and then went around with tea and coffee at the end. Everyone was very appreciative and thanked up in a variety of languages. However I think that this association has lots of groups come and volunteer for them so the recipients were more used to foreigners helping here. I was in my element because it was essentially a more chaotic and less structured version of the restaurants I work in at home, so it was a brief gap of familiarity for me.

I really enjoyed the fact that we had the opportunity to give back to Rabat a little. People appreciate benevolence anywhere you are, and it was refreshing to be the ones giving; when you’re away from home in a strange place the hospitality  of where you’re staying gives so much to you. And it just reminded me that there is need everywhere in the world. While volun-tourism isn’t exactly the most helpful thing for a place sometimes, there is never a time when you shouldn’t be looking to help people. However, it was mostly just nice to be showing people a good and giving image of Americans. I study diplomacy, but I’m convinced that no matter what relations are like between governments and heads of state, the real international relations is between the everyday citizens.

Sunset over Meknes

Location: Rabat, Morocco