Morocco and onto Cairo

Well, my first stop Morocco is almost complete. I am at the Casablanca airport waiting for my flight to stop 2, Cairo! What and adventure it has been and the year has barely begun. I think for the first time I’m actually starting to feel like this is for real.

I met up with Sara, my new and first Moroccan friend, in Ifrane. I spent the past day and a half hanging out chatting, meeting her college friends, and of course a tour of the campus. What a wonderful experience it has been.

Ifrane is significantly different than the rest of Morocco. It’s a very modern clean town in the middle of what the local tourist office claims is the largest cedar forest in the world. Seems like everything I’m doing is the biggest, smallest, or mostest of some sort. This town reminds me more of a ski resort in the Rockies than it does Morocco. It’s a place more Moroccan tourist visit than foreigners. Activities are more nature oriented in the surrounding towns and forest.

Sara gave me a tour of Alakhawayn University where she is a computer science major. Just like Ifrane it’s an incredibly modern establishment and I find an environment not really any different than I would expect to find on any campus in the US. Similar social structures and pressures are apparent as we chat away. It reinforces my belief that people are people even though we come from different backgrounds. Not knowing any Muslims I spent a fair amount of time asking Sara about her faith and while there are many differences between her faith and others, there are a tremendous amount of similarities to others as well.

I am grateful and thankful she invited me and spent the time hanging out with me. Her open friendliness is what I have found in general amongst Moroccans and I am proud to consider her a new friend. I look forward to hearing from her and following her aspirations as she sets out on a journey of discovering how to have a positive impact on her country. Sara, if you are reading this, Thank you again for your kind hospitality.

As I put Morocco behind me for the next adventure, I can only say, WOW. This has been a wonderful start and I can only hope I have as good a time everywhere I go. While some things are a hassle as I’ve lead to in my previous writings, this place and the people are so inviting. It is on the list of top places I’ve been and wish to one day return. The rewards far outway the hassles one encounters in the larger tourist hubs. I could easily spend a year or more here exploring the many other diverse locations I didn’t’ get to see. If you’re considering a trip and would like to see a different way of life, and be exposed to wonderful people, in a safe environment, put Morocco on your list. While I have many friends at home which have a stereotype that for some reason Morocco might not be safe, not once did I get the sense it was not a safe place. Albiet women would be encouraged not to travel alone as they might get hassled due to the culture, however I meet a few single women solo traveling and they were doing just fine. Morocco has a good public transportation system and it’s realtivley easy to get around as well.

I should note, in my travels everyplace I went I spent the fast majority of my time in the Medina (old town/historic districts) sections of town, which are all very touristy. Each place I went had newer modern areas that I got a glimpse of through a taxi window. If I had more time or maybe on a return trip I would spend some time checking out those areas as well, and I have no doubt I would find a different experience. However I think the people would be just as incredible.

See you in Cairo…..