Life in Morocco: A Glimpse / الحياة في المغرب

‫احلياة في املغرب‬ Life in Morocco: A Glimpse

By Michaela Reilly

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‫احلياة في املغرب‬ Life in Morocco: A Glimpse

By Michaela Reilly

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Title Goes Concept & Reason Here The main concept and reasoning for this book is simple: I want to document and share my experience from studying abroad in Morocco. The main focus of the book will be Morocco’s culture, architecture, landscapes, and wildlife, all shown through my personal photography taken throughout the three-week trip. I will also sprinkle in some Arabic (and sometimes even French) where it is appropriate, given that these are the country’s official languages.

The passages within this book will predominantly be personal anecdotes, written and delivered in a journalistic manner. However, that isn’t to say that this book won’t be informative or educational in any way. Through my personal experiences, I hope to engage and inform readers about the country and its beauty.

‫ أريد أن أشارك اآلخرين جتربتي‬.‫املغرب هو بيتي الثاني‬ .‫حتى يتمكنوا من رؤية كم هو جميل املغرب ح ًقا‬

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Dedication & Thanks Before getting started, I would like to dedicate this book to my parents, who made this trip possible. If it weren’t for their unending love and continuous support, this book (and overall trip) would not have been possible. Thank you Mom and Dad for always encouraging me and never giving up on me.

And to those that offered emotional support along the way; thank you.

Thank you to my Uncle Andre and Aunt Joyce for offering me your wisdom.

Thank you to Grace who encouraged me to study abroad and offered me advice on how to do so. Thank you Cameron, Nikole, Reona, Gerry, Gus, Zeryab, Connor C., Jenn and all the other friends I made along the way in Morocco. Thank you to the staff at Salam wa Lawh for teaching me your beautiful language and culture. A huge thank you to my host family Fatima and Grandma for letting me stay in your cozy little apartment, your cooking was amazing and I truly felt at home with you two. Thank you to the Rabat kitty cats that greeted me every morning and evening, I always looked forward to seeing you guys. Thank you to the smelly camels that made me laugh so hard, I appreciate each and every one of you stinkers. And finally, thank you to my partner, David, who called me every night and morning and supported me throughout my journey. I can’t wait to return to Morocco again, but next time with you.

.‫شكرا لكم جميعا‬

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First Impressions: Title Goes Here Rabat My journey started out on December 31st, 2018. As I boarded my flight at the Dulles International Airport, I was greeted with a “Happy New Year”, as it was officially January 1st in France, where my layover took place… When I finally landed in Morocco about 14 hours or so later, I remember a few things being pertinent in my mind; for one, the air felt thin and arid in my lungs, unlike the full rich air in America. I also noticed the vegetation, it seemed almost tropical, although sparse. The trees lining the way from the Moroccan airport all the way to Rabat mainly resembled the type of palm trees seen near beaches or in hotter places like Florida. I took note of the colors seen within the first hour of arrival; they were more muted and natural when compared to the more commercialized bright colors seen posted all over the east coast back in the United States.

As we entered the heart of Rabat, rough and battered building exteriors could be seen all around, much like the older rugged and run down urban areas in the US, although the architecture was notably very different. The area looked very weathered, most buildings surfaces’ showing their age through rough patches of worn paint and cement. Despite the tattered looks of the city, Rabat still felt extremely inviting and almost mystical, I yearned to explore more and soak up as much as I could from the experience.

(Pictured to the right are a group of housing complexes that sit on Rabat’s oceanfront, in walking distance from the beach on the Atlantic.)

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Call to Prayer Another one of the first, and possibly the most significant, things I noticed when I arrived in Morocco on the first of January was this song called “Call to Prayer” that would play five times a day on speakers all around the city. The prayer times were as follows: Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr (after midday), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (after sunset), and Isha (nighttime).

The call is very beautiful and I encourage everyone who is unfamiliar with the call to search for it and listen to it on YouTube. The call is usually delivered by the muezzin (or muadhin), an important position in a mosque. Each call lasts several minutes. I would often find myself waking to the call, as the first call began at dawn, right before I would have to wake up for school at Qalam wa Lawh.

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(Pictured below is Rabat’s oceanfront, overlooking the Atlantic that separates Morocco from my homeland, the United States of America.)

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Title Goes Here Arabic / English Lyrics: ]‫[األذان بالعربية‬

،‫ الله أكبر‬،‫الله أكبر‬ ‫ الله أكبر‬،‫الله أكبر‬ ‫أشهد أن ال إله إال الله‬ ‫أشهد أن ال إله إال الله‬ ‫أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله‬ ‫أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله‬ ‫تعال إلى الصالة‬ ‫تعال إلى الصالة‬ ‫تعال للربح‬ ‫تعال للربح‬ ‫الله أكبر الله أكبر‬ ‫ال اله اال الله‬

The Arabic transliteration (Arabic written in the latin alphabet):

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!

Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah.

Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah.

Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah.

Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah.

Hayya ‘ala-s-Salah. Hayya ‘ala-s-Salah.

Hayya ‘ala-l-Falah. Hayya ‘ala-l-Falah.

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!

La ilaha illa Allah.

The lyrics translated from Arabic into English: God is Great! (x4) I bear witness that there is no god except the One God. (x2) I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God. (x2) Hurry to the prayer. (x2) Hurry to salvation. (x2) God is Great! (x2) There is no god except the One God.

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Urban Cityscapes Although Rabat is a foreign city, certain parts didn’t feel all that different from Washington D.C. or New York City. The strip malls in particular felt on par with American strip malls I’d been to, with their fluorescent lights and leisurely clothes on display. In fact, despite the majority of products being cheaper on average when compared to their American counterparts, most of the clothes and other items featured in these strip malls were equivalent to those sold in America with virtually the same prices- with the sole exception of being in dirhams and not US dollars.

(Pictured below is a pharmacy near Rabat’s medina. The majority of buildings in Morocco look like this when they differ from American styled buildings. Pictured to the left is the sun setting on the streets of Rabat. At night, Rabat looks far less foreign.)

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Mausoleum of Mohammed V One of the first places I visited was the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, former Sultan and later King of Morocco.

This very detailed mausoleum was built to honor him, and is very successful in doing so. The gorgeous architecture that Morocco is known for is apparent within this mausoleum, designed with elegance down to every inch (or centimeter if you are going by Morocco’s standards). The interiors of the mausoleum are even more breathtaking than the outside, with even the ceiling being decorated to a T. If ever in Rabat, I highly recommend stopping by to see this Mausoleum, even if just for the amazing architecture. It is especially beautiful during the sunset.

(Pictured to the right is a tower built as part of the mausoleum, overlooking a group of pillars that spans the mausoleum’s court, all located in Rabat.)

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(Pictured to the left are the pillars outside the mausoleum, lit by the setting sun. Pictured to the right is a large flock of birds passing over the mausoleum’s tower.)

(Pictured to the right are three fountains located outside of the Mausoleum of Mohammed V.)

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Cats of Morocco In Morocco, cats are a common occurrence. Whether pets or strays, cats can be found in every neighborhood, in every alleyway, and in every city. When given the opportunity, I would often feed the stray cats in my neighborhood, in the mornings before walking to school, or in the evening, around dinner time. Below my host family’s apartmentstyle home was a small produce store where I would often buy a chocolate bar for myself, as well as cream cheese for the cats. It wasn’t quite cat food, but it at least gave them some sustenance. Occasionally, if I was lucky, the one neighborhood mom would bring her kitten, who was especially small and hungry. I would make sure to give the kitten a little extra because she was still growing.

The cats were such a small, yet positive, constant in my life that I could look forward to daily while living in Morocco.

It goes without saying that I hold the cats of Morocco (and particularly Rabat) especially close to my heart.

(Pictured on the left hand page are two cats found in Kasbah of the Udayas. On the right hand page is a cat found enjoying the pottery garden in Rabat.)

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Medina Within every major city we visited in Morocco, whether that be Rabat, Casablanca, or Marrakesh, there was always sure to be a medina. The word medina means “town,” but is often referred to when speaking about the downtown open-market area where products such as clothing, rugs, pottery, and adornments are usually found. These medinas would always take place in an outdoor setting, with most stores laying out their products for display on the ground in front of their shop. Sometimes they would even hang products such as clothing or rugs from the walls around their shop, taking up all available surface area in order to show as much material as possible. This would often result in a very photogenic, mystical appearance for the shop- the products acting as adornments for the building and surrounding area.

(Pictured on the left hand page is a shop that sells traditional Moroccan lamps. On the right hand page is a shop’s display presenting various souvenirs and trinkets.)

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The Marketplace Similar to medinas, people would often shop for foods and supplies at their local marketplace. These had structures similar to medinas, but usually held different products, usually perishable goods like meats, produce, spices, household appliances, kitchenware, and sometimes even medicine or prescription items like eyeglasses.

Walking through these marketplaces was a big hit-or-miss experience for me. I either found myself enamored by the amazing smells of produce and spices or found myself holding my breath as we passed through the butcher section where various raw animal carcasses hung from the ceiling in open air with nothing to shield the smell.

(Pictured to the right is a seller of oranges, a staple in any Moroccan’s diet.

They are in season during the winter, which was when I had visited.)

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Moroccan Traditions While in Morocco for my all-too-short but overall amazing study abroad trip, I was lucky enough to learn about a few traditions. For one, mint tea was a definite daily “must”. It was often brewed and served in traditional tea sets made of either metal or glass. The tea sets would always be engraved with traditional artisanal designs, sometimes even with a touch of color.

The tea would be served hot, often with tea leaves and bits settled at the bottom, unlike American tea where the tea is brewed using tea bags.

Instead, traditional Moroccan mint tea is usually brewed via the “loose leaf” method, hence the settled bits at the bottom. The tea would be sweetened to one’s liking, I always took mine very sweet. Another tradition was the traditional dish of “couscous” which was served every Friday, along with vegetables. Lastly, food was very often served in a pot called a “tagine”. This kind of pot resembled a tent or teepee with the tagine’s lid circular at the bottom and tapering to a smaller handle in the center at the very top. These pots were made of clay and usually were painted and decorated by hand.

(Pictured to the left is a Moroccan native in traditional garb in Marrakesh, singing and playing an indigenous Moroccan stringed instrument, known as a sintir, guembri, gimbri or hajhouj.)

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Casablanca’s Hassan II Mosque Though I wasn’t able to spend more than a few hours in Casablanca, I was fortunate enough to visit what may be its biggest attraction: Hassan II Mosque. This towering mosque is rated as the fifth biggest mosque in the world, and it goes to show. The mosque overlooks the Atlantic ocean, a beauty both in landscape and architecture. At the time of my visit, I was told that it held the record for the second largest functioning mosque in Africa, as well as fifth largest mosque on earth. It also has the second tallest minaret in the world, which is the tall tower that protrudes upward from the mosque.

It is said that the interior decorations were crafted by “six thousand master artisans of Morocco”.

I highly encourage anyone who is curious about visiting Morocco to make this destination a priority. It is overwhelmingly beautiful, otherworldly, and grandiose. I was astonished with how impressive the details put into the mosque were, not to mention how massive the overall structures were.

(Pictured on the left hand page is the Hassan II Mosque’s exterior.

On the right hand page is the first and main room within the interior.)

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Marrakesh After our morning in Casablanca, we travelled to Marrakesh, where we ate dinner, perused the market, and later spent the night. The next morning, we explored the city some more, travelling through various alleys and passageways. We visited Palais Bahia (Bahia Palace, “Bahia” meaning “brilliant”), where we marvelled at the handcrafted fixtures and intricate architectural designs of the buildings.

The palace was gorgeous and beaming with life, in both the metaphorical and literal sense, as it was home to a family of orange trees. The various rooms and halls throughout the palace were decorated with wooden carvings, stained glass windows, traditional Moroccan lamps, and tile mosaics of various patterns. When we had finished browsing, we were brought to Herboristerie Bab Agnaou, a herb shop that sold various Moroccan medicinal and self-care products.

Among their products were the famous argan oil, several multi use spices, and amber perfume bars (also called musk).

(Pictured to the right are is an alleyway that we took to get to Palais Bahia.)

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(Pictured on the right hand page is a mosaic fountain outside the Hassan II Mosque.)

(Pictured on the left hand page are some of the mosaics I came across while in Morocco. The mosaic above decorates the Hassan II Mosque’s exteriors. The mosaic to the right decorates Palais Bahia.)

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The Artisnal Mark I would say that one of the things Morocco is most notable for is its art. Anywhere you go, you can find patterns, whether it be in mosaics, architecture, fabrics, or pottery.

Its culture is rich with visual detail, always breathtaking and charming in every aspect. From the language, to the food, to the buildings built for shelter, Moroccans always make sure to incorporate visual beauty in every and any way possible.

Notice the color palettes too, Morocco has a love for more rustic, natural colors, as can be seen in the patterns here.

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Street Art & Murals When I first arrived in Rabat, I was surprised to find that I would often pass by incredibly large murals, sometimes several stories high. They would usually be pretty vibrant in color with all shades of the rainbow making an appearance.

The murals were part of a yearly initiative, the Jidar-Rabat Street Art Festival, that would take place in order to beautify the city and help improve its tourism. These murals were produced by professional artists, some of which would fly out to Rabat just to take part of the festival.

Along with the murals was a noticeable amount of graffiti; although, it was usually well done and more artistic rather than destructive. Occasionally, I would come across some wall art that did strike me as more driven by vandalism than creativity, but I would definitely say that the overwhelming majority of these works would be from an artistic standpoint.

The graffiti, like the murals, were usually highly impressive and incredibly well done; it was apparent that the artists had really mastered their craft.

(Pictured to the right is artwork done on a wall in Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat, likely painted by a native in an informal, more casual manner.

The next two pages include two murals done during the Jidar Festival.)

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The Sunset In Arabic, Morocco is called “Al Maghrib” with the word “maghrib” translating to “sunset”. There is not a doubt in my mind that this country wasn’t intentionally labelled “the sunset” due to its miraculous skies. The sunsets in Morocco never ceased to amaze me. The brilliant colors were always so intense and stunning, photography does not do them justice.

The same can be said about the sunrises. I know that, throughout this book, I keep repeating the word “breathtaking,” but only because I truly, wholeheartedly mean it. The sunrises were equally as gorgeous as the sunsets, often accompanied by fog in a mystical and mysterious way.

I did my best to capture these fleeting moments, but Morocco’s skies are something that, truly, are better experienced first hand.

(Pictured to the left is the sunset over Rabat. Pictured below is the sun setting on the Moroccan countryside in Zemmour while on our drive southwest towards the Sahara Desert.)

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Paysage Itto, Ifrane On the way to the Sahara, we passed through the Middle Atlas of the Atlas Mountains. The roads were particularly windy, I sometimes feared we were too close to the edge, though I knew we would be fine. Eventually we stopped at an overview, where there were mountains that could be seen for hundreds of miles. This overview was known as “Paysage panoramique d’Itto,” or the “panoramic landscape of Itto”.

This area is located in Ifrane, Tadla-Azilal, a former region of Morocco.

This landscape is unlike anything I have ever seen before.

Vast and seemingly endless, the mountains stretched on for what felt like forever. I would write more but words do not suffice in giving an accurate description. For obvious reasons, I decided to make this location the book cover.

Perhaps it was to remind myself that, despite this being a photography journal to document my trip, photos will never do this magnificent country justice.

(Pictured to the right are the divine Middle Atlas of the Atlas Mountains.

Pictured on the next two pages is a long winding river that flows through the Atlas Mountains in Meknès-Tafilalet.)

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(Pictured on the right hand page is a sand dune lit by the setting sun.)

(Pictured above is the small area where we ate dinner before heading into the desert. Pictured to the immediate right is our campsite, complete with tents and a bonfire.)

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(Pictured on the right hand page are the camels, all lined up and ready to ride back into town.)

(Pictured above are the shadows cast by the camels, reminding me of the elephants in the Salvador Dalí paintings with the long, thin legs.)

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Camels The camels we rode into the sahara were very endearing, although they came with their downsides. Camels do not smell the best- this I did not expect. They are very cute and generous in allowing humans to ride them, but geez do they stink. The camel that I rode, in particular, had digestive issues at the time of our journey, so he was making curious noises the entire time. Though gross, I did enjoy the laugh as it was quite funny.

Also, side note: the camels were all named after famous people, such as mine being named Bob Marley.

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The Potter’s Place The day after we returned to Rabat, we went to visit a pottery maker, called a “potter”. The potters’ shop was a part of an artisanal area shared by a few artists. The area was a relatively large one, considering it consisted of a collection of (albeit small) buildings, as well as surrounding gardens.

There was a plethora of pots, vases, tables, baskets, sculptures, and other various crafted items. Our group of students were led on a small tour to see where and how the pottery was made, where it was fired, and where it was sold. The pottery was especially gorgeous, with each piece unique and unlike the next. I purchased a few items from the shop, both for keepsake and as gifts. I thought this shop in particular was especially quaint; it was quite apparent how much care was put into each and every pottery piece.

Oh, and the cats enjoyed the pots and garden areas as well, as seen earlier.

(Pictured on the left hand page are some dishes drying in the sun.

Pictured on the right hand page is the entrance to the pottery shop.)

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The Food At the time of my trip, I was an omnivore, but with a few dietary restrictions: I could not have certain grains.

Because of this, I was unable to eat the couscous that was often served. I did, however, eat plenty of meat, fruits, and vegetables. In fact, I think my diet during my time living in Morocco was the healthiest it had ever been. There was no limit to meat or produce; it was overabundant and available everywhere. I never ate processed or genetically modified foods, and only really drank water, juice, or tea. Almost every food or meal I ate was healthier and more filling than American food. Occasionally, I would have candy or chocolate, but even these were minimal.

(Pictured on the left hand page is a fruit seller with fresh produce for sale in Marrakesh. Pictured on the right hand page are some mounds of spices for sale in the Rabat Marketplace.)

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Title Day: Last Goes Here Saying Goodbye My final day in Morocco was an odd one. For one, it rained. It was the only day out of the entire trip where it continuously stormed. It was almost as if I had manifested the storm that I felt within- I didn’t want to leave. I felt so liberated, so free in Morocco. I was finally starting to feel comfortable with my Arabic; I felt in tune with the culture and its ways. I had gotten so used to waking up to the Call to Prayer, having my bi-daily cup of traditional mint tea, feeding the stray cats, taking taxis to Qalam wa Lawh, marveling at the murals and architecture all around the city, shopping in the medina, and so much more. I really did feel like I had a place there. Everywhere I turned there was inspiration.

On the last night, I dressed up and took my host family out to eat. We went to a small food joint that was reminiscent of American food. They served french fries and ketchup along with some mixed vegetables and beef skewers.

We had a good time, although it was sad knowing I was leaving in less than ten hours.

(Pictured on right is a building in Rabat, obstructed by raindrops on a glass taxicab window.)

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Borrorion ressitis ius, offic to entotat. Lentempel et quod es exero beaquidus et litius est, suntet accum quate et estios id maiorae ptatur, corerferiant dis maio volores quossum reicimus, tem adit harum et quatum hici solupta vollectur, quo qui aut maiorro inia voluptis eossunt omnia esto earios cori cuptatur magnati isciendit qui blani oditatur, ima quamet, et lat. Gitiassi cus seque volendae sam, aut aut untet volorem.

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Title Goes When I Return Here When I do Busam aliqui return cores to Morocco, nullaboreni inoptatibeat. the future, I have a few places that I would Nusto like experum, visit thatqui I was bearchi unable lignimi to get nvelluptiore to see the aliquid first time et around. aut et labo.

FirstCon of all re ditat is thevoloreprendi city of Chefchaouen, dit pre con also re netur knownant asdolorum the “bluevene city”.poribus This city, aruptas as you suntprobably can hic to eum guess, niendanihil is known ipitibusae for its appearance di blatis quaspienim due to thecum overwhelming alique acil magnis aut amount of blue aspis buildings restiumthroughout harum, sitiae theplitatur town. The reped city quihas dolorest, a notable sinctem Jewish quo earciaedue population lab to ium, thesundam SpanishinReconquista plitio. Anturitatur and isaut particularly et vit quunt unique harchitium due to quoresources its omnihicae and nisproducts et vitaturis that inulpa are unlike consect elsewhere ustiorporem. in Morocco.

Neque es sequat a secae.

As a photographer Facerrunt, and con overall comnima artist, ionsequis I am enamored diae res with re aditas the idea ipicto intiam nonsedis of Chefchaouen atia praand volor hope sitathat et explit I will one il min day resbe ipis fortunate et autest, enough quat evendi to return nonsequatur to Morocco so rethat dolupta I canaut finally qui sollitat see theoptiis iconicplandest blue city.quiatestio Two othereum notable sim et as et, vides places I would eoslike etur? to visit include Fes and Tangier, as they are both larger Aped eum cities with notable eictur? histories in Morocco.

The thing ressitis Borrorion I think I ius, lookoffic forward to entotat. to most, Lentempel however, et is quod bringing es exero a newcomer beaquidus et litius to Morocco est, suntet and being accum ablequate to witness et estios them id experience maiorae ptatur, it all corerferiant for the first time, dis maio just like I volores had years quossum ago. reicimus, tem adit harum et quatum hici solupta vollectur, quo qui aut maiorro inia voluptis eossunt omnia esto earios cori cuptaturonmagnati (Pictured the left are isciendit palm trees quibathing blani inoditatur, the golden ima light quamet, of the setting et lat. sun Gitiassi in Rabat.) cus seque volendae sam, aut aut untet volorem.

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(Pictured to the left is an official government building in Rabat.

Pictured to the right, a sequestered path in Kasbah of the Udayas.)

(Pictured to the immediate right is the Kasbah of the Udayas, as seen from the outside.)

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.‫شكرا لقرائتك‬ (Thanks for reading.)

About This Book

This book serves as a way for me to document and share my experience from studying abroad in Morocco. The study abroad was a three week trip focusing on Arabic language and culture. Throughout this book, I illustrate my experience with Morocco’s culture, architecture, landscapes, and wildlife through my own personal photography from the three-week trip.

I hope that this book will prompt others to learn more about Morocco and its culture, as well as the gorgeous script that is the Arabic language. I want to use this book to encourage others to travel and visit the beautiful country that I now consider my second home.

‫ أريد أن أشارك اآلخرين جتربتي‬.‫املغرب هو بيتي الثاني‬ .‫حتى يتمكنوا من رؤية كم هو جميل املغرب ح ًقا‬