Whether you like it or not, globally your utility can be determined by what language (or languages) you speak. There is a silent hierarchy, and one that is not altogether fair. In a previous post, I discuss the language schizophrenia I have observed in Morocco. In short, Moroccans face a mild day-to-day identity crisis in … Continue reading Language Heirarchy: Another Lazy American Move
Category: Abroad Life
Having been in Morocco for over two months now, I've been able to do some reflecting about my experience so far. These past weeks have been both a challenge and a true reaffirmation of who I am and what I can take. I, along with my peers, have formed a love-hate (although majority love) relationship … Continue reading Do Morocco, Do Anything
Ready to drop all shame? No point in being modest at the hammam, or Turkish-style public bath house, where all from young to old, rich to poor, bathe together, and let it all hang lose. In public. Thats right, all. While Western-style showers are becoming more common and available in Moroccan homes, the traditional way … Continue reading My First Trip to the Public Bath House
Eid Al Adha, something like the equivalent of Muslim Christmas in Morocco, is a major holiday celebrated at the end of the lunar year. Filled with feasting, and a little gore, it is a celebration of the story of Ibrahim (or Abraham, if you are Christian) who sacrificed a sheep for his son. In honor … Continue reading How You Know It’s Eid Al Adha in Morocco…
Don’t: Eat too fast. You might stuff yourself with the first course. You finally stop eating, and your host mom removes the dish… Only to bring in the second course. Uh-oh. You’ve pulled an American, and now you’ll have to just keep eating. Which is not such a bad thing, really.
Morocco, as you may have guessed it, hosts quite a different culture than that of the US, or any other place I have been. While I've only been here just over a week, I thought I'd share some of the immediate (and more laughable) culture shocks. The Call To Prayer. Also known as Adhan, the … Continue reading An American In Morocco: Funny Cultural Adjustments
In just four days, I will be leaving the US en route to spend a semester in Rabat, Morocco!Marhaban, Maroc.This will be the beginning of my biggest journey yet. Morocco is an uncharted territory in my mind, full of mysterious traditions and culture. I am open-minded and ready to experience the culture shock that I … Continue reading An American in Morocco: Pre-Departure to Rabat…
Hello, readers. So, on my journey homeward from a lovely semester in Sydney, I decided to make a little detour to (sort of) nearby Malaysia, to stay with my sorority sister and her family in Kuala Lumpur (aka KL)! I went into this trip completely in the dark about Malaysia and will share with you … Continue reading A Few Things You Didn’t Know About Malaysia
So, obviously there will be a more deep, reflective post about interning abroad later. But in the mean time, I just don't feel that deep and reflective. I'm about one week deep into the interning process in Sydney, at Australia for UNHCR, or the UN Refugee Agency. So, here's why its weird: I still find … Continue reading It’s Funny Interning Abroad
In the time I have been in Australia (approx 7 weeks) there have been: two nationally-newsworthy shootings the Syria debate a government shutdown From within the Sydney program, news spreads rumor-like by word-of-mouth. There's a different kind of need to talk about it, a responsibility to share information with your peers when you're together in … Continue reading It’s Weird Watching US Crises From Overseas
