Spring break isn’t just exciting for kids in school — teachers feel the euphoria that comes with a week or two of no class, too! But…what do teachers do when they aren’t teaching? Do they have fun, too? You betcha! Lead Teacher Carol gave us a little peek at her spring break and the amazing trip she went on, proving once and for all that yes, teachers do indeed leave the school building every once in a while.
I had no idea what adventures were in store for me when I received Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go! as a high-school graduation present, but I was immediately inspired to travel. And travel I have! I spent this past spring break backpacking across Morocco, Africa, with Joyce’s Executive Director, Sarah Clyne.
The first thing I did before I left the United States was purchase a backpack and relearn how to fill it — I needed two weeks’ worth of clothing and essentials to fit. Then Sarah and I were off! After a solid twenty-four hours of nothing but travel, we arrived in Casablanca and met our host family, who we had arranged to stay with during our travels thanks to the World Wide Web. The family greeted us warmly and made me feel right at home in Morocco.
The host family gave Sarah and I a quick tour of the city before heading home to make dinner. The food was delicious! We learned that evening that in Morocco, it’s common to be served mint tea when arriving at someone’s home and that fresh bread and olives would be served with every meal. Throughout our trip, we enjoyed a lot of seafood and tagine (which is a stew of sorts). We noticed that spices (like cinnamon and cumin) are used quite a bit in Moroccan food dishes, and we ate a lot of oranges and lemons figs. For dessert, I enjoyed fresh fruit with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top.
We traveled by car, train, bus, and of course, by camel! Sarah and I spent a lot of time on the coast driving through the countryside on winding roads up that lead up to mountains and eventually we made it to the desert, where we camped out for a night!
I found the people of Morocco to be very friendly and welcoming during our travels. They went out of their way to welcome us all the time. I enjoyed seeing parents walking their children to school hand-in-hand, and seeing the kids leave school at the end of the day, laughing and full of joy. I saw many people greeting each other on the street with warm handshakes and loving kisses, showing genuine delight in seeing each other.
Sarah and I visited many medinas (“city” in modern-day Arabic), which are an old part of a town or city that are typically walled with narrow streets and many palaces. Generally, medinas are car-free and most items are transported within the medina by foot or by donkeys. You usually see people out walking or on a bike, wearing the traditional dress for men and women called djellabas. Djellabas are long, loose, hooded garment with full sleeves. There are also kaftans worn, which are like djellabas but with no hood.
We quickly learned that there are no set prices in Morocco, other than for items bought in places like a restaurant. Otherwise, bargaining in Arabic and French was necessary to purchase cab fare and buy items.
We were lucky to visit a town named Chefchaouen where we got to put our Spanish skills to good use for a little bit! The town was beautiful-and quite blue!
Most of our lodging arrangements were made in riads, which are traditional Moroccan houses. Named after the Arabian term for garden (“ryad”), these houses are closed from the outside world and contain an interior garden or courtyard to ensure a quiet and comforting area to relax after a busy day. Entering the house encouraged me to take a moment to reflect as I transitioned from the busy day into the open atrium space. Usually these areas have an orange or a lemon tree, or sometimes a fountain, to help provide a calming atmosphere.
I had a wonderful time in Morocco! In my mind, I can still hear the daily call to prayer and the busy noises from the hustle and bustle of the medina. I wish I had more time to spend reflecting in the peaceful riad, and to appreciate the amazing architecture, from the stained-glass windows to the detailed crown moldings. I hope to visit again someday and explore even more of what Morocco has to offer!