My time in Marrakech has come to an end. I can't say I was terribly sad to say goodbye. I even sang and skipped around leaving. The hardest part was probably leaving our language center because we all felt close connections to our moroccan arabic teachers. I was overjoyed to leave the city knowing that the future would be a clean slate for me.
On the 18th, we had our last cous cous dinners with our Marrakechi families and got on a bus to catch an overnight plane to Dakar, Senegal!
Over a year ago when I was working on the Morocco application, I never dreamed that I would somehow end up in Senegal. Everything about my time there was incredible. From the chebbu jan, the national dish of senegal made up of delicious rice, veggies, and fish, to the hospitable language center, and of course an amazing hotel with hot water and a comfortable bed.
Our first excursion in Dakar was to the island of Goree which is known now for its history of colonial control and an important point in the Atlantic trade (including slaves). We had a great time walking around the small island and soaking up the sun on the beach.
The rest of the days we had lectures by mostly senegalese professors, music and dance lessons, and one class in Wolof, the language of Senegal. My favorite was the drumming, singing, and dancing class. It felt so great to express myself musically after my sedentary lifestyle in Marrakech.
One night, my friends and I went out to this restaurant with a terrace on the water. We danced to music until 3 in the morning. The best part is that they played songs that were popular in middle or high school so each tune was a time warp. We had so much fun!
The last day there, I soaked up some tropical rays on the beach and waded in the surprisingly frigid water letting the sand and kelp run through my toes. After I had my fill of sunshine, I went to Dakar's largest market to look for something to bring home. I found some senegalese fabric at a small shop filled with senegalese women. The people there never hassled me and were happy to cut the fabric to the amount I wanted. They gave me a great price compared to the more central and touristy fabric markets.
I came home to my comfortable and clean hotel room and heard loud music coming from outside. I went out on the balcony to search for the noise and right below me I saw dozens of men sitting in a large circle singing at the top of their lungs. It appeared to be a mosque. The structure was modest, the walls made of cinderblocks and the roof made of sheet metal and tires. Despite this, the mosque was absolutely beautiful. The entire neighborhood filled with the voices of these men, singing the same verse over and over again. I invited some friends over to enjoy the experience, especially since non-muslim women rarely get an opportunity to see muslim men in their prayer space. We all sat in silence in my room, just listening. Photos, recordings, and videos would not have done this experience justice. Out of nothing, a place of worship was created. No minaret, no steeple, no rugs, pews, or alters. Just shoeless men sitting on straw mats in the sand, singing their hearts out. Truly inspiring.
I could not sleep until the men stopped singing, which was around 11pm. Then, I got about 4 hours of sleep before getting up at 3:45 to get going to the airport. Our plane left Dakar at 6 am. I was so sad to say goodbye. I really fell in love with the country.
We arrived in Casablanca this morning and drove 4 hours to Fes where we were introduced to the neighborhood and ate dinner at our new language center.
Tomorrow we meet our host families!!! Wish me luck!
Love,
Michelle
On the 18th, we had our last cous cous dinners with our Marrakechi families and got on a bus to catch an overnight plane to Dakar, Senegal!
Over a year ago when I was working on the Morocco application, I never dreamed that I would somehow end up in Senegal. Everything about my time there was incredible. From the chebbu jan, the national dish of senegal made up of delicious rice, veggies, and fish, to the hospitable language center, and of course an amazing hotel with hot water and a comfortable bed.
Our first excursion in Dakar was to the island of Goree which is known now for its history of colonial control and an important point in the Atlantic trade (including slaves). We had a great time walking around the small island and soaking up the sun on the beach.
The rest of the days we had lectures by mostly senegalese professors, music and dance lessons, and one class in Wolof, the language of Senegal. My favorite was the drumming, singing, and dancing class. It felt so great to express myself musically after my sedentary lifestyle in Marrakech.
One night, my friends and I went out to this restaurant with a terrace on the water. We danced to music until 3 in the morning. The best part is that they played songs that were popular in middle or high school so each tune was a time warp. We had so much fun!
The last day there, I soaked up some tropical rays on the beach and waded in the surprisingly frigid water letting the sand and kelp run through my toes. After I had my fill of sunshine, I went to Dakar's largest market to look for something to bring home. I found some senegalese fabric at a small shop filled with senegalese women. The people there never hassled me and were happy to cut the fabric to the amount I wanted. They gave me a great price compared to the more central and touristy fabric markets.
I came home to my comfortable and clean hotel room and heard loud music coming from outside. I went out on the balcony to search for the noise and right below me I saw dozens of men sitting in a large circle singing at the top of their lungs. It appeared to be a mosque. The structure was modest, the walls made of cinderblocks and the roof made of sheet metal and tires. Despite this, the mosque was absolutely beautiful. The entire neighborhood filled with the voices of these men, singing the same verse over and over again. I invited some friends over to enjoy the experience, especially since non-muslim women rarely get an opportunity to see muslim men in their prayer space. We all sat in silence in my room, just listening. Photos, recordings, and videos would not have done this experience justice. Out of nothing, a place of worship was created. No minaret, no steeple, no rugs, pews, or alters. Just shoeless men sitting on straw mats in the sand, singing their hearts out. Truly inspiring.
I could not sleep until the men stopped singing, which was around 11pm. Then, I got about 4 hours of sleep before getting up at 3:45 to get going to the airport. Our plane left Dakar at 6 am. I was so sad to say goodbye. I really fell in love with the country.
We arrived in Casablanca this morning and drove 4 hours to Fes where we were introduced to the neighborhood and ate dinner at our new language center.
Tomorrow we meet our host families!!! Wish me luck!
My host mother Fatima and my host sister Hafsa with my roommate Hanna and I.
Love,
Michelle
