Spain and Morocco-bound
I am sitting on a plane destined for Madrid. I’ll be gone for 40 days: Morocco, Spain and leisure travel to Portugal and Ireland. Packing the past few days has stressed me out. I need clothes that are culturally sensitive to Morocco, yet are cool for summertime temperatures. However, the High Atlas Mountains will be chilly, Portugal’s highs will be in the low 70s, and Ireland will be rainy and in the 60s.
I’m faced with the dilemma of how to pack. I do not want to over-pack, nor do I want to under-pack. Also I will use RyanAir to go between travel destinations and they are sticklers on carry-on baggage standards and checked luggage weight. I don’t want to lug around any extra weight. I need to be lean and mobile. So, I ended up with six pairs of lightweight pants, three shorts, two rompers, 12 shirts, four pairs of shoes, five pairs of socks, 14 pairs of undergarments, travel-size toiletries, normal toiletries and snacks. I fit it all into two carry-on sized bags; one to be my travel bag and the other to store until the study abroad begins…I will need to do laundry.
Even though I have traveled solo, it still makes me anxious. I’m going to Portugal first, flying into Rabat instead of Casablanca and arriving a full day early. I will have to make my way to join the rest of the group on my own. It’s nothing a couple taxi rides cannot handle, but I’m not comforted about being a solo female in Morocco, even for just a day. I don’t want to bring any extra unnecessary attention to myself.
I am excited for this journey though! I have been to Morocco and Spain, but this trip will not be strictly a leisure trip. We will go deep into communities and talk to local residents. I am not just going to witness another culture, snap some pictures of architecture or taste new foods (which by the way, I am excited to do). While I travel, my primary focus will be on water. I will see how communities develop around it. I will watch to see how communities use the valuable resource. I will ask about policies or practices used to conserve water. I will ask if people are concerned about water scarcity. I will gather an overall sense of awareness on water perception.
I’m looking forward to this trip, the new experiences I will have and new sites I will see. I think this is an amazing opportunity to better understand a culture and expand my knowledge base. I can’t wait for the journey to begin and the culture shock to ensue.