Casey's Semester Abroad in Europe: I went to Africa!

Riding Camels!

Out of all the places I have been while being abroad, Morocco Africa was definitely the most different. It still amazes me that I went to a different continent! Surprisingly enough Morocco was a popular trip this year for many St John’s Study Abroad students. I knew quite a few people that went weeks prior to our group. Being that a lot of people had gone before us, they gave us great advice so we could get the most out of our Moroccan adventure. One thing many people said was to go with guys because it was a lot safer that way. We ended up going in a group of 14- 5 girls and 9 guys. At first I was hesitant about going with so many people but it ended up being the best decision. We took a bus from Seville to Tarifa, a southern city in Spain and then took a ferry over to Tangier, Morocco. It was a lot of travel time but we all got there ok.

Upon arrival we were asked for our passports, which I figured. Apparently arriving in a group of 14 and being American is very suspicious to Moroccans so we had a little trouble getting through customs. As we left the ferry we were immediately bombarded with “tour guides” who wanted to show us around Tangier. Luckily we had made arrangements for one already. Aziz, our tour guide, met us at the ferry port and took us to our hostel. We stayed in the Ancient Medina part of Tangier, which is the oldest part. There are no roads for cars in the Medina so we parked down below and walked up into the city. Our hostel was pretty nice. The people were very friendly and helped us get acquainted. We once again had to fill out government forms at the hostel asking for our passport info, place of residence, time of stay etc. It was really weird but the guy at the hostel said it’s for our safety. We explored the hostel and cooled down from our travels by relaxing on the rooftop terrace. We thought our hostel was special but apparently every building in tangier has one.

We were eager to get out in town and eat so we hit the streets. We weren’t really sure where to eat so we roamed the streets looking for anything appetizing. Roaming the streets like newcomers into the city wasn’t the best idea. People could smell our insecurities from a mile away. As we walked through the markets people were trying to sell us things right on the spot. They put bags and bracelets on us telling us to buy them. We stood our own ground and walked away. It was unlike anything I had ever imagined. We managed to finally find a place to eat….well I guess I should say that the owner of the restaurant found us to eat there. He literally pulled the chair out and sat us down before we could make a group decision as to eat there or not. The people there prey upon our business. We ordered traditional Moroccan food- Cous Cous, Shish Kebab, and Rice. We got a lot more than we ordered. We were all starving so we didn’t mind.

After eating we met up with Aziz for our Day 1 tour around the Medina. He took us into little shops, big shops, bakeries, cafes, and other places. He knows a lot of storeowners so it was nice to be treated like a local. One of my favorite places he took us to was a little music hall up on the top of the medina. It was basically a little room where old men played traditional Moroccan instruments. They played us two songs as we clapped and danced along. It was such an authentic experience! That night Aziz took us to a Moroccan dinner, which was very similar to what we had for lunch.

The next day was our Day 2 tour. This time we were going on the outskirts of Tangier. We went to an area that they refer to as the San Francisco Area. Basically there were tall trees, a view of the ocean, and houses in very close proximity. Next we drove through the rich part of Tangier where the king, important people and rich people live. Their houses were spectacular. Next we went to a great look out point. We saw where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. After that we headed over to ride camels! That was probably the highlight of Morocco for many of us. We rode camels on the side of the road on the coast. It was only a 10 minute ride but still pretty awesome! Emily and I had the best camel obviously J We then headed to the Hercules Cave which basically is a cave that has a cutout of Africa made naturally by the waves. We enjoyed our adventure but couldn’t wait to get back for a power nap!

We parted ways from Aziz for a nap break and some time to do some more shopping in the Medina. Our group found some pretty cool things. They bought small Moroccan rugs, tea glasses, camel figurines, purses and more. I didn’t get a good enough deal haggling so I left morocco empty handed. I wasn’t too disappointed though. That night we met up with Aziz who took us to one of his favorite restaurants. After dinner the girls all got henna tattoos (not permanent!) They look really cool and last about 2 weeks. Mine is about gone now though. The next morning we headed out back on the ferry to Tarifa, Spain. We just missed the bus so we had to wait 2 hours. We walked around town but since it was Sunday most shops were closed. We soon got on the bus and enjoyed the rainy drive back to Seville. Our Moroccan experience was amazing. Luckily no problems arose and all 14 of us got back in one piece. Africa was definitely a memorable experience!