Jun 24

Jun 24 ra ra rabat

I got in trouble by my dad for not posting more about morocco yesterday over FaceTime. All is fair in travel, I suppose, even when you’re half of a globe away.

You know, the funny thing is, I didn’t realize i hadn’t been posting as much. I feel like my entire soul has been captivated by this magical country, so much so that I’ve been unintentionally stingy with sharing my incredible time here. You see, these beautiful experiences I’ve had live in my head rather than here on this blog in words. But fear not, dad, rabat has been more than a glorious dream. Where do I even begin?

How could Rabat- honestly, morocco in general- not be a dream? I live in a fortress. A medina full of the most interesting smells and sights and people. I have explored parts of this country that would have been so far beyond my realm of awareness had I not immersed myself like a local.

traditional moroccan slippers on the street

Part of the charm of morocco is this feeling of being in two places at once. There’s so much robust and rich culture to be found here. So much of it- and every ounce uniquely moroccan. But there’s also a touch of something borrowed. For example, I’ve discovered little hints of hawaii’s landscape along the ocean’s edge. There’s a duplicate los angeles aesthetic in casablanca that gives me the same jittery excitement I get in the pit of my stomach when I fly into LAX.

I suppose maybe that’s not morocco at all, though. Maybe that’s just traveling in general; finding pieces of places you love as you go along. Maybe that’s part of this whole “well traveled” thing. If it is, I can’t wait to discover my past in my future adventures.

Here, I have expanded my knowledge of culture; of the world. Morocco has helped me widen my mind and my perception of myself. But that’s travel, you know? You see bits of yourself reflected in people and find pieces of the person you want to be in others. Experiencing one culture makes you more aware of your own- about the good and bad, the touching and heartbreaking. When I go home, I will return not only with version of myself that I am more proud of than ever, but with so much of the world to share.

People have asked me how Morocco compares to my time in India, and to be honest, I don’t think a fair comparison can be made.

India broke me down. It tore my heart out and left me to pick up the shattered pieces. I saw things in India that will forever live in the dark corners of my mind. Yet India was also where experienced some of the best emotional highs in all of my 20 years. It’s where I learned some of the most valuable truths of life and matured in three weeks faster than people do in 3 years. I don’t think i’ll ever adequately convey my strange humble adoration for this country. I think the closest I’ve ever gotten is what I told my dad over the phone a few days ago- India was the best experience that I’m not ready to do again for a long time.

Rabat, on the other hand, has been the embodiment of my dreams. I’ve lived my fairytale for three weeks amidst a castle overlooking the pacific ocean. Here, I’ve ventured to the most rugged edges of the earth to sleep under the brightest blanket of stars. I’ve been thrown completely unassisted into an unfamiliar culture only to find myself emerging with a deeper respect for the religion and lifestyle. All the similarities of home contrast against the painfully stark differences, and I’m oftentimes left to grapple with things I have yet to make sense of. Just when Morocco starts to feel like a vacation, I’m continually and rightfully knocked me back down to my humble roots and reminded why I’m here in the first place- to serve. It’s incredible, I love it.

I think to put it concisely, Rabat has invigorated my mind and rejuvenated my soul with the ultimate romance: adventure. I can’t stop thinking of what comes after this- what to see, where to go, who to serve- the gears in my mind just won’t slow down.

I think I have one more post to do on Morocco before it's off to Paris. Be on the look out..