My Time in Morocco

The first country to recognize the independence of the United States was Morocco.  Something most Americans don’t know, and yet it is something most Moroccans are proud of to this day.

I am leaving Casablanca now and it has been a very different experience than Spain and in such a short amount of time.  I didn’t really know what to expect in Morocco but I wanted to come with an open mind.  Walking the streets and small corridors of the old Medina market the first day was almost overwhelming.  Traffic going every which way with no discernible pattern, horns going off everywhere, people walking through the streets, and people sitting outside of their shops trying to sell you almost anything.  It felt like the true definition of controlled chaos.  Nonetheless I found myself more comfortable as the days went on.  I have learned to adjust very quickly on this trip which is something I thought I had before but I was wrong.

Unfortunately I became sick with a cold on the way from Spain so my days in Morocco were not as adventurous as I was hoping but they were still amazing.  My time was mostly spent in Casablanca which is quite an industrial city and is in fact the largest in population as well as the economic capitol of Morocco.  It is not the most beautiful city but it is bustling with activity.  The most amazing landmark is the Hassan II Mosque which is the third largest mosque in the world with space for over 100,000 followers inside and outside.  It is an awe inspiring structure when seen close up.  The most amazing part of it is that over half of the mosque is built over the Atlantic Ocean and it has the most amazing glass floor and sliding roof.  This was inspired by a verse in the Qur’an that states, "the throne of God was built on water.”  A gift from the late King Hassan II after an earthquake struck the area, the mosque is a big part of the city and a true place of community.  People were sitting all around the mosque while many were going in and out.  Children and youth were playing in the water nearby while some people had set up small food stands.  You could tell how proud everyone was of this place and what it meant to their community.  I have never seen anything like that in the United States or Europe.  While we might meet up with our friends at the shopping mall they do it at this beautiful mosque.  I just felt lucky to be an observer of this culture that I think has been very distorted in America.  And although Islam may be the main faith of Morocco it is also a country of tolerance for other faiths which is great progression for being an Islamic country, but on the other side peoples of other faiths seemed to be very segregated from the main population.  This is just my observation at least.

Despite being sick I was lucky enough to go on a trip to Rabat in the company of Archbishop Desmond Tutu who as many of you know is accompanying us on this voyage.  What a joyous spirit he has, always happy and laughing about something.  Although I did not have much in the way of in-depth conversation with him all it took was a hello and a fist bump to make my day that much better.  Oh ya he likes to fist bump it is great.  I have also been laughing with my friends because while we were visiting a mausoleum for Hassan II in Rabat, Desmond pinched me in the side as he passed by so my friend told me I got “tickled by Tutu.”  I can only hope that I will be able to speak with him more in depth one of these days and I will of course keep you all updated.  I have started to read his book “Made for Goodness” and I would highly recommend it to everyone.

All in all my adventures in Morocco were not vast and wide but the experiences that I had were meaningful and they have left me with a desire to return one day.  Now we have a 7 day voyage to Ghana for which in my opinion cannot go fast enough.  I have heard so many wonderful things about this country and I can’t wait to discover them for myself.  For now life on the ship is as usual and I will be focused on classes at least for a little while.  I hope everyone is enjoying my posts and I enjoy hearing your comments and questions.  Unfortunately I could not get any photos uploaded for Morocco so look for those photos in about a week when I get to Ghana.

Thanks for reading!