Living La Vida Local

       I plan to live in Morocco by mimicking the locals' behaviors. If there is a hot new coffee joint down the road is checking out, I will hop on the bandwagon! I will follow those around me to see how to make the best of every day. I want to get involved on campus by participating in as many clubs and organizations that I can. I have found out that AUI has a choir I could join. I plan on getting involved in the community by wandering off campus every once in a while to experience the city. Living like a local is so important to me because I want to experience what it is like to live in a completely different culture than my own. I am studying abroad for many reasons, but the main one is to experience something that isn't East Tennessee. I have never truly left the area and cannot wait to see what people are like in a different place in the world.
       I am very excited to study abroad in Morocco because I will have a friend there already before even arriving int he country, This friend has told me that they will show me around different cities and help me get around the country and Ifrane in an efficient matter. They've also said that if i would like, they could go to Europe with me if it is feasible. This friend will help me become friends with many of the locals there, so I will get to have a very unique experience. i have a feeling that i will be spending more time with Moroccans than the international students at AUI. This will be a great experience for me because i will get to see the culture in a different light.
       I imagine my everyday life still being similar just for the matter of fact that I am still going to be a college student studying full time. I'd imagine that my evenings during the week may have one or two exciting activities planned and perhaps my weekends would hopefully be spent visiting other cities and possible other countries.

       I hope to really submerse myself in the culture in Morocco. I have no idea what to expect, so I am very excited for it. Trying to live like a local will help me to really understand the country and its people. This will impact my experience because i believe that living in a place to be a tourist is a completely different experience than living in a place to be a local. I hope that i will have both sides of this spectrum. I cannot wait to live like a Moroccan.