One of the things I learnt about gap years, from being on one, is that they are absolutely misunderstood by the general public. Halfway through the program, people back home expect that I’m having the time of my life, and that I have everything figured out. That four months in a foreign country have allowed … Continue reading At Last, my “Gap Year Epiphany”
I interrupt my regular blog posts about life and learning in Morocco for a special announcement: I drank chai in Rabat! Not the appropriated “chai tea” found at cafes, but real Desi chai with real Desi people, both of which are not commonly found in Rabat. I don’t even drink chai much back in the … Continue reading Chai, and a few thoughts
As I write this, I’ve realized that it’s been over a month since I last made a post. The past few weeks have been filled with positives, negatives, and stressful times, and there are many new experiences that I have been wanting to reflect on, but have not had sufficient time or motivation to sit … Continue reading Finding Balance, Finding Home
“American… hmmm, but where are you really from?” It’s a question I hear multiple times each day, and at this point, I’ve made it into a game, because as a brown girl, saying "American" is never a satisfactory response. “Guess,” I respond, “What do you think?”. Occasionally, people are spot on, greeting me with “Namaste” … Continue reading Identity, Nationality, and Community, Here in Morocco
Sometimes, when I sit in Arabic class, I feel like an imposter. I’m the literal definition of “fake it till you make it,” or so it seems. Those are the rough times. The days when my teacher expresses her surprise because there’s a basic grammar concept that I don’t know, or I mess up for … Continue reading My Relationship with Arabic: It’s Complicated…
I stare at the homework assignment. Only 50% of the questions make some sense. I attempt the ones that I understand, and circle the rest, because there’s not much I can do just by looking at the sheet of paper. The feeling is so familiar, yet so unfamiliar at the same time. I’m used to … Continue reading Struggling, Learning: A reflection on the past month of Arabic classes
As I write this, I’m sipping mint tea at a cafe in my beautiful neighborhood, L’Ocean. They call it L’Ocean for a reason, because the Atlantic Ocean is a short walk away. I’ve been in Morocco for just over a week now, and I’m still in the “honeymoon phase” of the culture shock curve. Despite … Continue reading Highlights from a Week Well Spent!
As I write this, I’m three days into my year in Morocco. I’ve gotten past my jet lag, but it’s only the first of many hurdles and adventures along the way. My tap water consumption is still limited to cautious “shots,” and when it comes to getting around in my new neighborhood, L’Ocean, I’m at … Continue reading Spilling Tea about my First Days in Morocco
As I sit at my desk and type up this blog post, I'm starting to realize that this is it. Tomorrow morning, I will be stepping on a plane to DC and leaving my life as I know it for nine months. Nine months isn't a long time in the grand scheme of things, but … Continue reading Goodbye to Summer, and Hello to New Adventures
[VIDEO BELOW] Before I begin, I must say that filming this video took some courage because, in case you haven't heard this from me at at least 100 times before, Arabic is hard! And as I've realized, learning three dialects/registers of Arabic is even harder. For a quick timeline of my Arabic studies, I focused … Continue reading Video: Attempting to Speak in Three “Arabics”
Connecting the Dots 