Studying Abroad in Morocco
This summer I spent two months in Morocco learning Arabic for Project Global Officer (Project GO), a program designed for ROTC students to develop critical language skills. My program was intended for students with no Arabic experience, so the first few weeks were definitely a challenge. I stayed with an amazing host family who cooked the best meals, and I had a great roommate from Cornell University. The course load was intensive, but I got so many new experiences between food, language, and travel.
My classes were at the Arab American Language Institute in Morocco (AALIM) located in Meknes, a city in northern Morocco. This location was very unique because it was near a lot of great cities such as Casablanca, Fes, Tangier, Marrakech, and Merzouga. The center was located in the old city where we got to explore the souq with our language partners. Most of the students in my program lived in the new city and traveled by foot or taxi to class.
Our classes were very intensive from 9 in the morning to 1 in the afternoon, learning standard Arabic and the Moroccan dialect, Darija. Following class was cultural activities, tutoring, group meetings, homework, and office hours. I had a class size of six students to one teacher, so I received a lot of individualized instruction. Going into the summer, my previous language experience was two years in French, so picking up Arabic was a hard and fast turnaround. Learning a language abroad was a game-changing experience because outside of the classroom, you are entirely immersed in the language. Going grocery shopping, to the gym, through the souq, or on my taxi ride home, there was always an opportunity to practice the language.
I spent my summer with an amazing family where I had a host mom, dad, and sister. My roommate and I immediately felt at home with them despite the initial language barrier. We celebrated holidays with them, traveled through the city, and tried plenty of new foods. They were always incredibly patient and willing to work with us to practice the language. Thankfully, I’m still in contact with them and I have hopes to return in the future to visit.
When we were not in class, we spent our weekends traveling. My roommate and I traveled independently to Casablanca where we got to visit the Hassan II Mosque. We also traveled with our group frequently and rode camels in the desert, tried new foods in Erfoud, walked through the souq in Fes, and saw Roman ruins in Volubilis.
While it was challenging, this summer abroad was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I made friends that I will stay in contact with for years to come and developed my language skills in a manner unlike any other I had experienced domestically.
My one piece of advice for anyone wishing to study abroad is to bring board games! I personally did not have a consistent internet connection and spent a lot of down time playing cards. I had lots of fun learning new card games with my Moroccan friends and teaching them games I play with my family.
