A Maryvillian in Morocco

Visiting a new place is fun.  Traveling around the world is exciting.  Experiencing a new culture is intriguing.  Living in a foreign country with nothing familiar around you…that's terrifying.

Don't get me wrong; I'm so excited to travel abroad and getting an experience that I would never have otherwise gotten had I not signed up for it.  I'm just scared.  I'm scared I won't make friends.  I'm scared that I'll have trouble getting involved on campus.  I'm scared that I'll struggle as an introvert in Morocco more than I struggle with it here.

Now, let's get real.  I'm going to make every effort to get involved on campus.  I know that I can do it, but I'm thinking of the worst case scenario at this point.  I love my friends here, so I'll  have to work really hard not to compare the people I meet in Morocco to the people I know and love here in Maryville.

Since I'll have a roommate from Morocco, I'm hoping my transition will be smoother than if I didn't have  a roommate at all.  I'm excited to get a roommate because while she might not be an automatic friend, she'll at least be someone I can talk to and ask questions.  I also have to go through orientation for a few days before classes start.  I'm sure that during orientation we'll cover things such as how to live in Morocco as a Westerner and how to get involved on campus.  Hopefully, like at Maryville, the international group that goes through orientation together will join together and become friends because we're all in the same boat.

While in Morocco, I plan on taking an Arabic class that will should help me with basic phrases and greetings so that I can get around easier whilst there.  I'm also planning on dressing similarly to the locals especially when I'm traveling around the country.  For one, my dad is making me wear a

headscarf for my entire duration abroad even though headscarves are not required in Morocco.  Additionally, however, the style of clothing is very different in Morocco from Maryville, TN.  For women, all the clothing is very loose and covering most parts of the body.  Because I don't want to stick out as a sore thumb, I plan on adhering to the typical dress code.  I want to be myself, but since I'll be living there for so long, I would rather fit in more than stick out and receive derision when I travel around the country.

If I want, I can get more exposure to the Moroccan culture by volunteering through my host institution. I think that this will be an amazing opportunity while I'm abroad.  It will keep me from being too bored because I plan on having a very light semester whilst there, and it will allow me to gain incredible international experience outside of the classroom.

At this point, my main goal is to gain experience abroad and to learn about another culture.  I feel that if I get involved on campus and if I volunteer and am able to make friends in Morocco, I'll be able to reach my goal.