Tag: Marrakech

My Program is Not Like Other Girls

Published on by Mattie EmbreyLeave a comment

When I tell people that I’m studying abroad, one of the first questions I get is about which university I attend. My answer usually requires a long and awkward explanation, so I hope writing it down will not only share helpful information with prospective students but also help me practice giving a clearer explanation. While it may seem unconventional, the Meknes, Morocco program through International Studies Abroad (ISA) has been an incredible experience. I knew it would be different from my friends’ programs, but I didn’t quite know how. So, I’d like to provide the description I wish I had before I came.

The biggest difference is that we don’t study at a university, but rather a private study center that offers transferable college credits. The curriculum focuses on Moroccan culture and Islamic studies, with the most intensive component being the Arabic course. This course crams a year’s worth of material into one semester. There’s also an optional crash course in Darija, the Moroccan Arabic dialect, which I found extremely helpful for navigating day-to-day life. Darija is known for being the dialect with the least in common with Modern Standard Arabic, so learning it is a huge advantage here. Since it’s only us Americans in class with Moroccan professors, we get a lot of individualized attention, and the atmosphere is more relaxed. Especially with our tiny class sizes, which brings me to my next point.

There are just eleven of us in the entire program. Yes—only myself and ten other people! Numbers vary from year to year, but the staff has confirmed that the size usually stays around that range. When I found this out, I felt both excited and nervous. Excited because I’d automatically have a small group of friends, but nervous for the same reason—what if I didn’t click with them? Thankfully, after just the first week, we’d already built a close-knit community. Moving in and starting classes together only strengthened that bond. Now, we live, hang out, travel, and study as a unit. It might have felt like a “forced group of friends” at first, but now I’m grateful to say that I’ve met some of my favorite people ever. My time in Morocco wouldn’t be the same without them, and every day I’m thankful for this group I “got stuck with.”

Traveling has been another incredible part of the experience. I’ve only spent one weekend in Meknes since arriving nearly two months ago. Most of my time has been spent exploring other cities in Morocco, helped in large part by the number of excursions included in the ISA program. Compared to other programs I looked at on DU Passport, ISA Meknes includes excursions to Casablanca, Marrakech, Ouzoud Waterfalls, Beni Mellal, Ifrane, Azrou, Volubilis, Fes, Rabat, and Tanger. Outside of the program, I’ve also traveled independently with my friends to places like Chefchaouen, Lisbon, Madrid, and camping in the Atlas Mountains. And there are more trips to come!

Now, for my absolute favorite part: the housing situation. The program offers two options: a homestay or living in an apartment. I live in an apartment with the other three girls in the program, and it has been a blast. Initially, apartment living seemed less appealing because we’d have to cook for ourselves while the students in the homestay enjoyed homemade Moroccan meals every day. But then we met Mona, our housekeeper. Mona cooks us delicious Moroccan lunches and dinners Monday through Saturday and keeps our apartment clean and tidy. She’s incredibly sweet, pays close attention to what we like and don’t like to eat. She knows that I like coffee while my roommates don’t, so she makes me a cup everyday with lunch. I asked her for coffee only once, which adds greatly to the sentiment. No matter what, she goes above and beyond what’s asked of her.

For example, when my roommates and I were leaving for a trip to Portugal, Mona had the day off because we’d be gone by lunchtime. But that morning, I woke up to hear her in the kitchen. My stomach dropped—I thought I’d have to tell her, in my broken Darija, that we wouldn’t be eating and she’d have to throw the food away. But when I walked in, I found her making wraps for us to take on the train. I genuinely almost cried at the thoughtfulness of that gesture. Our home isn’t home without her.

The apartments themselves are also incredible. There are two double bedrooms, three bathrooms, two showers, a kitchen, and one massive dining/living room. It’s this huge living room that allows us to spend so much time together, lounging on the couches while tackling homework or just hanging out. Plus, the guys’ apartment is right above ours, making it easy to host Arabic study parties. We often gather in one apartment or the other for fun activities like karaoke, movie nights, playing Just Dance, or carving pumpkins on Halloween.

Although unconventional, I’m very pleased with my decision to come here. Studying in Meknes has turned out to be an experience beyond my expectations. From the small, close-knit group of students to the incredible friendships we’ve forged, I’ve found a sense of community that has made this journey truly special. The travel opportunities have been amazing, allowing us to explore the rich culture and beauty of Morocco together. Living in our apartment has been a blast, especially with Mona’s delicious meals and her thoughtfulness that makes us feel at home. Every day brings new adventures, and I wouldn’t trade my time here for anything.

The Reality of Being a Female Student in Morocco

Published on by Mattie EmbreyLeave a comment

As a disclaimer: in this post, I talk about gender in Moroccan society. I’m a short-term resident who is also a very visibly American woman. My experience will differ greatly from those of locals. What I write is entirely based on personal experience and observation through an American lens. This is not meant for informative or academic purposes. Specific Moroccan history, culture, and socio-political structures are too complex for me to wholly understand through observation alone. Keep in mind, also, that I’ve only been observing from the city I live in. This is a personal reflection, not a factual analysis of my host country.

Some pictures from a weekend getaway to Chefchaouen, also known as the “Blue City.” It’s a little difficult to access from Meknes, but it was well worth all our taxi struggles.

I made the choice to study abroad in Morocco completely on my own. It wasn’t part of any plan either. I simply found a program that seemed interesting and fit my academic needs. I’d been wanting to learn another language, so why not Arabic? It was the obvious choice, simple as that. I didn’t feel the need to share the process with friends and family until after I’d solidified my decision, so that choice was completely untouched by others’ opinions, which ended up being for the best. As it turns out, those opinions were very different from the ones I held. I received various reactions when revealing my plans, most of which expressed some form of concern for my safety or appearance. I had, of course, already considered my role as a woman when applying, but it wasn’t at the forefront of my mind until it was the subject of nearly every single reaction. “You know you can’t dress like that, right?”; “Don’t go anywhere without a man.”; “What’re you going to do about all that metal in your face?”; “Why would you choose somewhere like that?”; “You need to buy an entirely new wardrobe.”; “Do you need to wear a hijab?”; “How are you going to cover your tattoos?”

They all meant well, but now I was anxious and confused.

I was highly aware that these ideas are a little bizarre. I knew that I couldn’t wear crop tops or, and that there were no religious garments necessary. Still, the repeated comments seemed to suggest that I needed to entirely reinvent myself. Advisors and program staffed assured that, with precautions and common sense, I’d be safe. I also met with female ISA Meknes alumni who said the same. Still, facts and personal experiences were drowned in groundless worries and criticisms. I spent my summer obsessing over what I should look like, act like, and wear. I searched online for contemporary Moroccan fashion, but the results only presented various travel blogs and aesthetic Pinterest boards for tourist cities like Casablanca, Marrakech, or Fes. I think my frustration with a lack of answers added more fuel to those irrational fears.

Now, having been here for a month, I wish I’d spent my summer relaxing or studying French and Arabic. That would’ve been way more productive. People here have been friendly, and there’s less scrutiny of my behavior or appearance than I expected. The most judgmental looks I get from locals are when I describe the strict social rules we have in the United States. Acting or looking a certain way might get you some brief looks, but it’s no big deal. Conservative clothing is extremely important for cultural respect, but there’s far more flexibility depending on where you are. You could probably get away with wearing shorts or a tank top in tourist-heavy cities like Marrakech or Chefchaouen (although this is slightly disrespectful), but it’s very rare here in Meknes. Then there’s the subject of catcalling and street harassment. It happens, but for my friends and I, it’s been mostly stares or short remarks rather than anything aggressive or confrontational. Bad things happen, but those situations can be avoided. The need for caution, especially in unfamiliar surroundings, is like the caution needed in any major city back home. Add some intensity points for the language barrier, though.

This thought has me reflecting on other narratives I was fed prior to arrival, and so much of them can be applied to the U.S. as well. Aren’t we, as women, taught from a young age to be cautious? To dress “safely”? Not to walk alone at night? Don’t wear that, and don’t go there. Even if it’s wrong, it’s the norm that shapes our everyday decisions. Safety concerns for women lie everywhere, and neither the U.S. nor Morocco are the exception. Concerns for women vary from place to place, and the way they show themselves depends heavily on historical, cultural, and social context. Morocco has its form of gender disparities, and the United States has its own catalog of issues. So, who’s to say which is inherently better or worse? I think they’re too different to accurately compare. There are precautions that I take here, but none of them limit my experiences or make me feel restricted. That whole obsession with trying to reinvent myself? Total waste of time and money. Seriously. I could’ve invested those in planning a fun weekend trip or something.

I acknowledge that I fell into some prejudiced, Eurocentric views prior to departure. I’m a little ashamed, but I hope this message somehow reaches someone like me, whose genuine excitement got warped by other people’s negative stereotypes. If that other girl was in front of me right now as I’m writing this, I would grab her by the shoulders, shake her back to reality, then tell her to chill out. Then maybe we’d grab coffee or watch a movie or something. She seems cool and I think we’d be friends.

Long story short, if you’re a woman wanting to study abroad in Morocco, do it. While there are always precautions to take, it’s really no big deal, despite what others may tell you. I’ve really grown to adore this country, and I can’t imagine myself studying abroad anywhere else.