November 20
Hello people!
Thank you for being so patient, while I have been getting my story and myself together in these last ten days. I am sure you have all been curious as to what I am currently up to in Morocco! After all, I only have twenty four days left! I am slowly becoming more and more dreadful of leaving Morocco, but family, basketball season and LEHIGH calls!
Happy Lehigh-Laf week to all of my classmates and alumni, by the way. I have yet to acknowledge it on any of my social networks, so I figured this would be a great place to start. Perhaps I am in denial of never having a Lehigh-Laf due to sickness, basketball and now being abroad? Perhaps I am jealous of the fact that our 150th (!!!) meeting of (American) football rivalry is at Yankee Stadium? Who knows?
Enjoy the weekend and be safe, ya crazies!
I can pretty much break down what I have been doing into three categories: project, shopping, and rest. I will start with the most boring and move my way into the exciting, next-generation journalism that you all have heard so much about.
REST:
So from what I have noticed from my work, Journalism has what I consider to be an “off” and “on” switch. When the switch is “on”, I work non-stop interviewing people, doing research, collaborating with my partners, traveling and trying to find the best way to constrict the longest laundry list of issues suffered by sub-Saharan migrant women into just a few pages. It’s IMPOSSIBLE, but you know I’m still going to try.
When the switch is “off”, I crash. There is finally the opportunity for me to physically and mentally recharge, as well as internalize some of the horrible things that I am forced to face. I am grateful that some of these horrors are not my reality, and that I have the opportunity to take a stop back. It is not just about sleep, but the opportunity to BREATHE.
SHOPPING:
It is every girl’s favorite pastime…and I am no exception. Weirdly, though, I enjoy shopping in the pragmatic sense, not the “I get to spend money on things I probably won’t need” sense.
In these past few days, I have been focused on preparing for the absurd shock I will receive from the weather in the United States. Here, I am sleeping every night with a heater because it drops to 54 degrees Fahrenheit; days are still mid to high 70’s. Back home, I think the high is around 30 degrees? With some snow? Feel free to correct me, my New Englanders, but I am crying just thinking about it!
SO, I decided that I will start preparing ASAP. I took a nice little trip to the souk and bought a winter coat, a sweatsuit and leggings. I still have to go pick up a pair of boots, but I am playing NO games with winter. I just cannot do it! Of course, I had to do something fun, so I also bought matching Moroccan slippers for my mom and I and I finally bought myself a djellaba. If you don’t know what that is…
(Yes, it is a hooded robe. Moroccans wear them everywhere! Mine is a different pattern, but the shape is the same. It is probably the best thing I have ever worn. Be prepared, Americans. The next time you see me, there is a high probability that I will be wearing it! Also, let’s make this a thing in the states, okay?
PROJECT:
We have reached the most exciting part of the post, everyone. I obviously cannot give you the full run-down of my story because it has yet to be written and it would also defeat the purpose of my project, but this story is going even better than I could have possibly imagined.
Maya and I, and our photographer Al, have been all over the place in these past few days: Taqqadoum, the Association, Casablanca and next week, Marrakech. We have met so many wonderful people, heard heartbreaking stories, but most importantly, seen the resilience and the effort within the migrant community to make change. I have never been so emotionally vulnerable to a topic before.
We are now part of this migrant community, composed of men, women, and youth from all parts of the continent. We have heard their complaints, their hopes and their appreciation for looking at them as more than just “Ebola”. They are our friends. They found organizations. They hold events and discussions for members of the community. They infiltrate trafficking rings when NO ONE will help. They refuse to be silenced.
Powerful times for this student! I have learned so much from many who are even younger than I am. These individuals may have fewer years than I do, but they have so much more wisdom and experience. Maya and I speak daily on how proud we are that we stuck to this story, and are in the process of creating something beautiful, despite the dangerous situations.
Field reporting is a lot of hard work, but I think it is what I enjoy the most about journalism. The writing comes naturally, but putting myself out there has been a challenge. I love every second of it. It is difficult to hear a story of abuse or sexual assault and not be able to understand what it is like; yet our subjects are so willing for us to tell their stories to the world.
Tomorrow, our first draft is due, but I am not even worried. I have the voices of abused, but undefeated migrant women behind me, statistics and documents from governments and NGO’s, the will to tell the whoever will listen what is really going on. This experience in Morocco will not just be a “semester vacation” for me; I will leave this program accomplishing a great deal.
Well, this is the end for now!
Thank you all for your continued readings of my posts! I really appreciate the support, comments, shares and reposts! Hopefully my story has inspired you to come to Morocco, or even just given you a few laughs!
Feel free to comment – I love hearing feedback and what you all have to say, especially my international folk! My stats tracker tells me that I have readers in the United States, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and even as far as ASIA!!
Another post soon!
Rae
Morocco, Another Study Abroad Adventure 
