Round 2: What's Changed is Me.

Coming back to Morocco, I didn't know what to expect. I already have my friends and family here, and didn't know if it would be different or the same. It's different but not in the sense that Tangier has changed. The people are the same, the city is the same, and campus is the same (well except there are quite a few updates). Tangerinn was re-done and is now beautiful on the inside, and a few places have changed slightly, but it's a year later, so of course I could've expected updates.

However, I did notice that there is one thing that is very different this time around. I noticed this when I first heard the call to prayer go off during my first day back in Tangier. The loud echoes of the poems and prayers in strange syncopated beats was not an unfamiliar sound this time. What to me last year was so incredibly eerie and foreign, was instead comforting and soothing. It brought me back to the mindset of being Moroccan. It reminded me that here time is not important, that a day goes by as it likes and there's no proper schedule of events. It reminded me that people here are relaxed- I no longer have to stress day-to-day about finishing things on time, cramming a million meetings into one day, or scheduling time to hang out with friends. It reminded me what it's like to live for the sake of living, not living for the sake of someday having a career to make money to support a family and spiral into the traps of capitalism. With all these thoughts buzzing through my head, I realized what different this year is ME.

Coming back here I have noticed that I have changed. I know what to expect living here, but I also know that there is so much more to this culture that I haven't experienced. Being back in Morocco has allowed me to open my eyes up and embrace the culture even more than last year. I am more independent. I care about the experience of the students who are on this journey with me and would do anything to help them fall in love with Tangier like I did. I realized that, because of the roller coaster of an adventure I had last year, I matured. I can now observe, and understand how people are thinking. I can read people's body language and social cues like a book, and I understand who people are. I think that because of this change I am going to take so much more from this experience. I am going to continue to grow and reach for success. This success is going to start with my internship and the work i'm doing with doctors over here, and I couldn't be more excited. I'll have more updates later this week and hopefully even a picture of me in my white coat and scrubs :)

I look forward to sharing more stories about my travels to Rabat and this weekend Fez and Meknes!

xo, M