Kyla Wolffe- How do I feel so far?

So far, we have been experiencing new things since the day we got to Morocco! The first day I arrived I felt a sense of adventure (a bit giddy.) We went on an hour long tour and I learned some things about the Medina, which is the older part of Rabat. The Medina is a huge network of cobblestone streets and tall buildings. When you walk into the medina, you feel as if you have just gone back in time. We went to a Museum and I was able to see older artifacts that showed how they would record real estate. Another interesting thing was how the housing was situated without stair on a multi-level building. They also used to have really small doorways that where dangerous to get up to.  I felt a sense of wonder as I started to realize the crazy differences between my home and the lives of locals in Rabat. We were greeted by our translators along with Ali, our main program director.

                Lisa Marie tells us our plans when the day begins, so it’s always a surprise for what we are doing that day. For example, on Sunday I was surprised to go to a pottery shop and learn all about how Moroccans make kitchen items. They make a type of pottery called tajines. Tajines are beautiful bottom heavy pots and are usually used in cooking. The men that are making them have been doing so for a long time. They have been working on the same technique for years which is the constant pounding of the clay and spinning of the pottery wheel and intricate painting. I was in awe when I realized how they keep doing it over and over again without messing up and feeling empowered to improve.  I was also pretty impressed at how professional they were! I had the opportunity to “walk in their shoes” in a sense and make our own pottery. We got to get dirty by pounding out our own clay with our feet. We also got to spin a wooden disk with our feet, which spun the pottery wheel. I got to make my own plate which I have to say I’m very proud of…. 

                Once we got back, we got a Dareeja lesson from the translators which were very helpful. Dareeja is a form of Arabic used in Morocco that is combined with a tiny bit of French! I have to say it’s definitely very hard to pronounce, but I still loved learning about it!

                Monday was our first day of teaching which I was very nervous for. I think my partner and I had a hard time the first day, but we made adjustments to our plans to improve for the next day. Today so far, I am starting to feel more confident and not as nervous! As I walked through the Medina, the nerves began to kick in because I didn’t want to mess up. The lesson went very well in my opinion and I tried my hardest to show confidence even when I was scared. By the end of the school day, I started to let loose a bit and teach passionately. On the walk back, I knew that I really loved teaching these kids and they are such and understanding group. I loved everything, from teaching the class a new topic to correcting kids from their mistakes.

                So far, I have been on one home visit and it was a really cool experience. We were welcomed into the house by one of my students named Hiba. We got to meet Hiba’s Mother, Sedia and her adorable little brother Amine. We learned a lot about Sedia and how she grew up in a small town outside of Casablanca, met her Husband, and moved to Rabat. She has lived here for 26 years and raised her kids here. She has plenty of hopes and dreams for her children and is very supportive of them. I feel proud to help her daughter because it makes Sedia very happy to see her child learning English. Hiba’s older sisters have gotten a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree and Hiba wants to follow in their footsteps and her mother is very proud of that. Unfortunately, in Morocco, a Master’s degree doesn’t get you very far. Usually, people who have a Master’s degree earn ten dollars a day. It makes me realize how much harder you have to work to be successful. Most of the time mothers stop caring about improving themselves, and put all of their effort into making their children’s lives better than theirs will ever be.  What I love the most is how grateful the mothers we have met are for the littlest things. It’s as simple as being grateful for having a roof over their head, eating food, and having a loving family.

                Morocco is like nothing I have experienced before. The way people do things here; greetings, their gratefulness, and how they adapt to their way of life, is really humbling for me!