Spain and Morocco
It has been five days since we arrived in Morocco. By five days I really mean one day because they all blur together in a fusion of mint-flavored wonder. The days we spent in the capital Rabat were confusing at first; I had a bit of a breakdown the first night, fueled by exhaustion, jet lag and culture shock. The feeling magnified upon my discovery of a goodbye note my mother had written to me and slipped into my brand new journal before I left; the homesickness that ensued crippled my defenses and left me sobbing. After many tears were shed and many texts were sent home, however, I was a little more ready to experience a new culture.
The following days were absolutely packed with activities, from meetings with government officials to tours of the beautiful cities of Rabat and Marrakech. I’d say one of my favorite discoveries in Moroccan culture is the tradition of mint tea; every meeting we attended was conducted with a glass of sweet mint tea in hand, and frequently a delicious French pastry in the other. The tea also plays into the Moroccan concept of time; as long as you have a pot of tea and good conversation, it’s okay to start meetings after their set times. The sense of community and friendship is incredible.
Speaking of community, there is very little that can compare to the experience of wandering through the medina of Jemaa el Fna in Marrakech. I have never seen so many outdoor vendors and souks in my life; the winding alleys are a labyrinth of scarves, lanterns, spices, pastries, souvenirs, tea sets, traditional dress, rugs…you name it, there is a souk that sells it. What makes it so communal is the bartering between vendor and customer; price haggling is expected, and I’ve been told that it’s not unusual for a vendor to invite you in for tea while you discuss the price. This didn’t happen to me, as I was rather inept at the haggling process; I had no clue what the value of the goods I wanted were, and so couldn’t tell what was a good deal and what was a tourist rip-off. I had developed a longing for the rigid American pricing system by the end of our time there (we spent about two days in Marrakech).
My research has begun slowly, with a few questions being asked here and there in the general meetings. The responses I’ve received have fallen in line with the information I found while researching before the trip; I’ll be interested to visit the city of Meknes, Morocco’s agricultural capital, and an organic apple orchard in the coming weeks.