Dear Voyaj Ambassadors (and future Voyaj Travelers),
Wow! Not only has life been busy since we arrived home, but it has also taken some time to really process the experience that we had while in Morocco. Now that I have had some time to think about it, I wanted to share with you my thoughts and feelings. Much of this you already know from our conversations, but I wanted to give you my perspective in the context of the timeline of the trip, to help you understand the process of change that happened along the way.
We arrived in Tangier after traveling for nearly 24 hours straight from the US. Needless to say, we were already exhausted. However, we were greeted at the airport by three smiling faces, Houda, Mohamed, and Said (the driver). Yasmine had already introduced us to each other by email, and that first step made it much less stressful to arrive in a foreign country about which we knew nothing!
We immediately got in the car and were off to see some sights and eat a little lunch. After a bit of trouble finding the restaurant, we were dropped off at a fountain in the center part of town with our guides. I was a bit confused, because we were clearly not at our designated location. Houda then explained that someone from the restaurant was going to come meet up with us and walk us in to the restaurant, since we couldn’t find it. My thought was, “What?? Who does that?” I had never experienced that kind of personal service from a restaurant, ever. So, a man arrived in his apron, and with an amazing sense of hospitality, escorted us to the location. And so began our incredible experience in Morocco!
After that, we travelled on the Chefchaouen, arriving at night. We could hardly keep our eyes open at that point, but it was beautiful! During the drive, our guides and driver made us feel very comfortable and at ease. We discussed things we had in common, which were more than I could have imagined. Said spoke no English, but he spoke fluent Spanish, so we were able to practice our Spanish skills with him as well.
Our accommodations in Chefchaouen were amazing. We checked in and grabbed some dinner at a local restaurant. When we walked in, the song playing on the speakers was, “Jolene” by Dolly Parton haha. This surprised us, but also made me smile because of a memory I had about hearing Dolly Parton music in a restaurant in Brussels, Belgium years ago. Who knew that Dolly was so popular internationally lol??
It is important to make a note here about the food… I had expressed to Yasmine my concerns about food before we arrived. I am a picky eater, and I was worried that I might have some trouble finding food that would agree with me. I was so so wrong. From the very first meal, all the way through the trip, I never had trouble with any of the food, and it was all so delicious!
So the next day we continued to Fes, and sadly had to say goodbye to Houda. She had other plans and could not continue with us. But Yasmine had us covered! In Fes we met Ali. He showed us around town, and made special arrangements for a couple of locations to stay open a little late for us, since we arrived later than expected and the work day for those people was almost over. Again, it was another example of the willingness of the lovely people of this country to show hospitality to two random tourists from the US. Fes was very cool, and walking the medina was quite the experience with Ali. The Madrid vs. Barcelona soccer game was that night, and the buzz about this was everywhere. People filled the coffee shops to watch the game, and cheers would suddenly rise out of everywhere when someone scored!
As we settled in that night, we began to realize that some of our preconceived ideas about what a Muslim country would be like might be wrong. In addition, we were realizing what a gift Mohamed was to us, as he helped us get checked in and out of the hotels, helped arrange the meals, travel times, etc. He was the ultimate organizer, and always so kind!
On day three, we were off to the desert. Little did we know that it would take us 10 hours to get there! Part of this, of course, was our fault, because we wanted to stop and see some sights along the way. Mohamed and Said were always accommodating to our requests, and the conversation we all shared made the time pass more quickly. I also shared some snacks that I had brought from the US, and I think Said really liked the chocolate!
At this point, I really started to appreciate Said more and more. He was so much more than a driver. He was full of valuable info on the places we were traveling, and he knew the best places to stop for a bite to eat or just a bathroom. Everywhere we went, Said knew people and they all greeted us with kindness and grace.
When we arrived in the desert, we were shocked by the fact that Said just veered off the road at one point and kept driving. I was wondering how he could possible know where he was going, since there weren’t really any trees, or landmarks—just dirt and sand for MILES haha! But somehow, he found our spot. We all had a good laugh about the fact that Said couldn’t get the SUV up the last sand dune or two, so we had to get out and hike them to find our meeting point for the camel ride.
We had brought some rain with us to the desert, but that didn’t matter. The ride on the camels was interesting, and ever so windy! But although we didn’t get to see too much of the sunset due to the storm coming in, it was actually pretty cool to watch that front coming in over the Sahara. It was a very surreal moment, and we simultaneously felt very, very far from home, but totally cared for by the people around us.
We spent the evening in a tent in the desert, sharing dinner, music, and the company of great people. Said even got up and played the drums with our hosts, and he taught me a couple of beats! We were taking pics during this time and laughing about the silly faces we had and such, and for me this was a significant moment. We were all just people hanging out in the desert, being entertained and having a good time. The differences didn’t matter.
After a peaceful night in another beautiful hotel, we were off again to Marrakesh. This was our longest day on the car, mostly because we got caught in the Atlas Mountains by a snowstorm. I think it delayed us by about two to three hours.
Still, it was cool to go from the Sahara desert to the snowy Atlas Mountains all in one day. We stopped at a female coop selling Argan products. I bought some amazing oils and lotions, and wish now that I had gotten more. Not only did I love the products, but also I loved the idea that we were helping women of Morocco to build their business and make a living.
By the time we arrived in Marrakesh, it was pretty late, and we decided to call it a night and eat with room service in the room. It was raining, and we were so tired. The food was once again very good, and we got a good night’s sleep.
On the last day, we spent some time in Marrakesh, which was Said’s hometown. Sadly, it was raining, so we didn’t get to see it in it’s full glory, but we were able to go to the market area and buy some souvenirs before we left for good.
It was hard to say goodbye to Mohamed and Said. They stayed with us all the way until we went through security at the airport. Mohamed helped us get our luggage checked in and we were off to our next destination in Madrid. But before we left the country, we had one last experience that left an impression.
The young man who had helped us check in at the luggage counter turned out to be the same one who then checked everyone in at the gate (it was a very small airport). He offered to put us in the priority line, even though we didn’t have priority tickets. All he asked is that we promise to visit his country again. It was a promise that was easy to make!
After I arrived home, I continued to think about the different people we met, and the various experiences we had. I noticed that even here at home, it has changed me. When I see people here who appear to be Muslim or are from that part of the world, I don’t lead with fear anymore. I think of Said’s smile and fondness for chocolate, of Mohamed’s love for his family, of Houda’s laugh. I think of Ali’s congeniality, and of the father who showed us his tile factory, even though he had promised his son that they’d go watch the Soccer game on TV. And I am changed.
I can only hope that when and if I am given the opportunity to return the favor, whether it be with any of these people or someone different, that I can leave them with the same feeling of hospitality and kindness that these people offered to us.
I have one thing to say in closing… shukran!
Peace always,
Julie Tait