Comfort Zones and a Week in Morocco

Travel requires you to step out of your comfort zone. I know that, you know that, probably everyone on Earth who's watched any travel show or had any friend who's studied abroad knows that.

Travel is also a privilege. No other time was I more reminded of that than during Independent Week! The group of us that went to Morocco chose to visit five cities: Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fez, Marrakech, and Casablanca. Morocco was beautiful, noisy, dirty, loud, crazy, and wonderful! Although it was definitely a challenging trip (for some reason I didn't expect a culture shock and was oh so very surprised because guess what, Morocco is nothing like the typical western city AT ALL!) it was one that I was glad we did.

the tannery in fes

That being said, at the end of the 9 days or so that we spent there, I had never felt more uncomfortable and more privileged in my entire life.

Some things I would have prepared myself for had I known what we were in for:

• Be ready to be called out to on the street. A lot. The street merchants in Morocco use this as a tactic to get your attention and draw you to their shops. If you look foreign, they will most likely use the most unique characteristic about you (for me, this was the fact that I looked Chinese) and shout random words at you as you walk by. The easiest way to deal with this is to pretend you are deaf.
• Be ready to question your own identity. I am blessed to have grown up and lived most of my life in an area where I look very normal. I fit in, and no one really questions what I am (obviously Asian, but specifically Cambodian). In Morocco, this was turned completely upside down, and I was constantly addressed with "China? Japon? Korea?" It did get under my skin at first, partly because I am none of those things and every attempt to explain to a Moroccan where Cambodia is was met with confusion. It was also partly because I wanted nothing more than to be anonymous and to enjoy the city on my own terms, which wasn't really possible with someone constantly calling out their (INCORRECT) guesses on my ethnicity. But after some much-needed heart-to-hearts with my companions (thank you Kathy!) I realized that the easiest way to deal with this is to just not care!
• Be ready to have your heart broken by every stray cat you see. One of my favorite parts about Morocco was the variety of cats that seem to be hanging out and napping at every corner! The locals treat them kindly, and you'll see kids giving a tired cat some water, or families leaving their day's scraps on the sidewalk for a hungry kitten to eat. 



baby painter kitty





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  kathy and katti
  

  
  

  

  katti had a bit of a eye thing goin on

• Be ready to haggle. The first price should NEVER!!! I REPEAT, NEVER!!! (unless you are lazy and like throwing away money) be the actual price you pay! Kathy aka Jiaxin was the absolute most successful bargainer in our group, and she usually got the shopkeepers to discount the goods she wanted by 50% of the first price. After 9 days of arguing over the price of every little souvenir I wanted to buy, I was really tired of bargaining and really happy to come back to good old Europe, where you can know what something'll cost by looking at it. It is quite exhilarating to get a good deal through bargaining though, and the adrenaline rushes were fun while we did it!
• Be ready to be on your guard. Morocco gets a bad rap for being a dangerous country. I wouldn't say that it is dangerous, but I would say that as a small female--especially an obviously touristy one--I felt like I had to be especially on my guard in public. As with all cities, there is a fair share of creepy men who will leer and make comments as you walk by. I would recommend being wary of people that seem too nice. It's very common for a local to offer to show you the way to a location, "Come with me sister, I will take you," and then expect you to pay them for their services once you arrive. If you protest, they will badger you and possibly insult you and get other people on the street to do the same. 
• No such thing as free henna. If an old woman in the main plaza in Marrakech grabs your arm and offers to give you free henna, "for good luck gift," do not trust her. Yank your arm back and walk away before she can start doing henna against your will and demand money from you. Learned the hard way!!!
• Try tagine. Trust me. You're welcome.

tagine is so delicious and cheap!

By the day we were coming back, I started feeling homesickness, but not even for the places I know and love in the States. I felt homesick for Guardamar, and for Spain. So much so that when we stepped onto our return flight and I heard the flight attendants greeting everyone with a cheery "Hola, buenas!" it felt like a huge sigh of relief. 

Vale, back to the beach! (my real comfort zone)

- cynthia

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