Final Post

I’ve been putting off writing this post for a few days now. Every time I sit down to properly close out the last eight months, I cannot find the words to explain how much the last eight months have meant to me, and how difficult it is to leave this country.

Day one KK

Before I came on exchange, I had a grand list of places I wanted to see, places I wanted to go, things I wanted to discover about the country, and myself, and so many other things. Confidently I can say I did less than half the things on it. I didn’t see every city in the country. I didn’t experience everything I thought I would. I didn’t eat camel meat… I don’t think. I didn’t even get to stay for Mawazine- the big music festival in Rabat.

Medina Mystery Meat sandwiches

Instead, I made a life for myself in Rabat. I made a ton of friends, became a regular at a couple cafes, developed a sense of routine, and really spent time exploring and enjoying this city. Rabat went from a city that I lived in for eight months, to my home- the place that has welcomed me openly and that I will miss dearly. I have no regrets leaving, except that I wish I never had to.

Rabat has been… Home for the last eight months, even though it feels like it’s been forever. I could never have imagined one year ago how much Morocco, Rabat, the people I’ve met, and the memories I so cherish, would mean to me.

This year has taught me a lot. Most importantly, it has taught me how to be patient. In a country where إن شاء الله (God willing) seems to be the pace of things, you learn when and how to push to make things happen. It has also taught me genuine kindness, and how to put others ahead of myself. Everyone says Canadians are incredibly nice, and we really are nice people, Moroccans put us to shame in terms of kindness. It has also taught me tolerance of different values, and how to approach toleration of different values.

Being in Morocco has given me a new sense of personal agency. Having to take control of my life in a foreign country, not only to survive, but to thrive and succeed in a society very different from Canada was a struggle initially, but one which I overcame. Today I feel incredibly at home here, without any worries wandering through the medina, buying my vegetables in the souks, haggling over prices in Moroccan Arabic, etc. Morocco has become a home for me. It has also given me the confidence to put myself out there and challenge myself, knowing the outcome could be negative. It has taught me to take failure and hardship with a grain of salt, and to keep going even when everything is going to shit.

Even in school, I picked up quite a bit. From picking up the basics of Standard Arabic and Moroccan Arabic, I’ve also learned a lot about politics, gender, development, economics, sociology, and history. While it hasn’t been perfect in terms of the university, it was still an academic exchange, and I feel like I’ve taken a lot out of this year in that sense.

a final selfie with the prof and Soha before the Arabic final

My experience this year would not have been nearly as successful were it not for the people around me. From my friends back home who supported me even when I was making crazy choices to my parents, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, godparents, and other family who kept me grounded and focused on why I was here. Huge shoutout to Karim Kurji, Mukhi Adam, and Nahid Bha for coming down to see me, it really meant a lot.

My Moroccan friends that I have met on this year abroad have been incredibly warm, welcoming and wonderful. The internationals have been an absolute blast, and have been super supportive. I am so blessed to have been surrounded by such great people.

I feel as though I appreciate small things more now. Those moments when the internet is fast, as well as how to live without being totally connected to the world. To enjoy the beauty of everything from the call to prayer and to the street art. To see beauty in patterns which exist everywhere. To enjoy the small diversities in a steady schedule, but also to change it up and try new things.

Being here has also given me the opportunity to travel. First, I was was in Portugal, able to meet my godmother and family who I am going to see in the next few days. Following that to Spain, which taught me how to survive alone on the road. More recently, I got the chance to see some of the Former Yugoslavia which was incredibly eye opening, and taught me how to react to changing circumstances. Finally, I was able to go to Tunisia, which released my inner Politics nerd- seeing a country in transition. This year has made me so much more comfortable travelling, and from it I met so many incredible people.

Morocco has, and I think forever will be, another home for me. It is home in the sense that I feel a deep sense of happiness, mixed with a comfort with the ways of life, and with a familiarity with the city, people, and places. I have built a life here over the last eight months, from my friends Said and Khalid who work at the cafes I go to, to my friend Abdur at my favourite chicken place, not to mention all my friends at school and outside whom I see often. Morocco has become a place where I have established strong friendships with so many people that trying to say goodbye is incredibly hard.

the final coffee with Said

It’s an incredibly difficult crossroad at which I stand now. On the one hand, I’m looking with an incredible nostalgia at the memories of this year. Spending weekends in the desert, all the places I’ve been fortunate enough to travel, and celebrating Christmas Moroccan style, these were unforgettable experiences. However, I think the ones that defined my experience here in Rabat were the little moments- life chats in coffee shops, sitting in BDEx meetings- desperately trying to understand what was happening, yelling about politics, feminism and so much more while doing laundry, teaching Hajo Canadian slang (sucks to suck), dancing the night away in a club with the most incredible people, and hearing the call to prayer have all shaped my experience here.

Celebrating Thanksgiving in Rabat with the crew

On the other hand, I have so many great things to look forward to. I cannot wait to see family in Lisbon, London, and apparently Ireland (brown family WINS!). I cannot wait to go to Kyrgyzstan, see a new part of the world, and give something back. Then finally I go back to Canada, to see family and friends, and go back to university again, so many exciting things happening. It’s a strange sense of nostalgia and sadness, coupled with excitement and wanderlust- Leaving one home, out on the road to other people’s homes, then back home to Canada again.

Now that this chapter of my life has come to an end, and it is time for me to close up my life here, I can leave knowing two very important things. First, I know that this experience in Morocco has, undoubtedly, changed my life. I could not imagine a more amazing experience than this. Exchange has been by far the best decision I have ever made, made better by the people I’ve met along the way. Second and more importantly, I know that a piece of my heart will forever be in Morocco, and Morocco will forever be in my heart. In a way, this isn’t really a goodbye, rather more of an ‘until next time’ because I know without a doubt that I will be back… I’ll be coming home again soon.