Off on the Road to Morocco

Finally...I'm off! I am currently sitting in Terminal 8 of JFK waiting to board my flight to Madrid where I will catch a connecting flight to Casablanca. I still can't believe all of my things fit in one duffel bag, a carry on and my backpack, but I managed it! 

I happily am leaving snowy NY for sunny Rabat!

The truth is, I am not nervous for my semester abroad in Rabat. I am ready for an adventure, to finally be on my own in a foreign and incredibly unique country. I am ready to learn about cultural traditions, historical practices, and aspects Islamic lifestyle. I am eager to try new food and learn darija, a colloquial form of Arabic that is totally foreign to me. I am excited to meet new people and experience native hospitality at its finest! 

I am studying abroad through a program called SIT. I am on the Migration & Transnational Identity program which highlights these incredibly prescient anthropological and political themes within Moroccan society. During the program, we will travel to many different regions of Morocco to explore different native lifestyles, from the Spanish enclaves in the north to rural village life in the southern mountains. 

Upon arrival in Rabat, Morocco's capital, I will begin with a group orientation. I will then begin classes and get placed in a two month long homestay program with a Moroccan family living in the old city or madina. In April, I begin writing and doing independent research for my ISP or independent study project.  I will develop a guiding question, perform independent research and field-based interviews, and live on my own in a city of my choosing for 4 weeks. I'm really excited for this...

Throughout my trip, I hope to update you all with travel plans and experiences, journal entries about daily life, food and culture, and of course, funny and embarrassing stories. 

Lastly, I have promised many friends and family to update this blog with pictures of my beard, which I am not shaving for the entire trip, from January 26 to May 11. See Day 1 of the Beard Bonanza for yourself...

Check back soon for my first post from مغرب!!!

سلام (salaam)

Alex