WorldTeach: Morocco Volunteer Teaching (Summer)

The overall experience of this program was an incredible learning experience for me. I learned about living in the old media of Fes, and how different cultures can be. The first week of the experience was orientation in Casablanca, where we learned about the language, customs and some basic teaching skills. I then went four hours by train to Fes to meet with my host family. It unfortunately did not work out with my host family because it was only a couple with no children, and who fought constantly with one another. There were many, many issues with finding another suitable host family that I had to get an apartment and did not have the true experience of being with a host family. My teaching experience was interesting because the program had nothing set up for over a week once I got to Fes. During this time I explored Fes. I then taught children in a juvenile detention center for about three weeks, but then the students went home to be with their families for Ramadan and did not come back to the classroom. I had to wait another week to be set up in a cultural center where I was able to speak with older students and teach them more advanced English. This experience showed me that there are always going to be issues in managing a program like this, but that there is always something to look forward to like teaching various students and exploring the culture.

I absolutely LOVED my teaching experience in Morocco. I had a wonderful host family, amazing students, and there was never a dull moment. To begin, my first week in Morocco was considered the orientation/training week, which was helpful. During orientation we learned about Moroccan culture, values, things to expect, how to bargain, some language skills and towards the end a little teaching skills. The following week we were sent off on our "missions" to teach, and I can confidently say that I was lucky! My host family placement was wonderful; I had host grandparents, parents, siblings my age, an aunt, nephews and even a little brother. My host family was so welcoming, loving, willing to teach me different things and also willing to learn. We shared many laughters over meals and I was able to master many Darija words quickly. My students, like I said, were amazing. Some were difficult to teach, but others were eager to learn.
I had great support from three young men of the community and because of them I learned so much about Morocco. We took weekly adventures like dinner on the beach, exploring the Medina, or having family dinners during Ramadan. Although I had a great experience in Morocco, there is no denying that this trip was extremely challenging. Volunteers will have the best time if they are resilient, self-motivated and open-minded. My school did not have a strict curriculum, so everyday I taught based on the needs and skills of my students and my creativity. Adjusting to the Turkish toilet, a different culture and the blazing hot sun during Ramadan isn't easy, but it is worth it because you get to spend that time with people who truly appreciate your work and presence. If you are looking for a demanding, but rewarding summer, Morocco is definitely your place. Enjoy!

Perhaps the singular moment that best embodied my Moroccan experience was the commute to school on my very first day as a teacher: my host brother accompanied me out of his flat to the nearby street, where a horse-drawn carriage was waiting for us! As I sat in the carriage, I smiled to myself at how utterly insane my life had become, at how odd it was that commuting by horse-drawn carriage was normal (as it is in that neighborhood of Casablanca; a single ride cost only 25 US cents), at how strangely charming the whole thing was. This is, in fact, how I would describe my whole experience in Morocco: surreal, insane, bizarre, almost unbelievable, but beautiful too, and something that I will take with me for the rest of my life.

No, the program is not comfortable by any means. The "toilets" were holes in the ground. I got bit rather frequently by mosquitoes and sandflies. I felt somewhat anxious every time I got into a car, because traffic in a developing country is rather ridiculous. Privacy is not a thing. But that experience taught me that the Western comforts to which I had grown accustomed do not actually matter. What mattered was knowing that in some small way, my presence in Morocco enabled my students to further themselves. The satisfaction of seeing students progress was immense.

The WorldTeach program in Morocco is not for everyone. You need to be headstrong, self-motivated and very willing to adapt. You really need to know going into it that there will be moments (likely quite a few) in which you will feel pretty isolated and lonely. But if you're willing to take the leap, it's an experience that will not only help the local communities in Morocco but will also, hopefully, make you a better person.

Through WorldTeach, I taught life skills and English classes in a community center in Sidi Moumen, Casablanca. I lived with a host family, which was ideal. The family and community members were extremely supportive and welcoming. I had 4 classes of about 20-30 students. My students were primarily older, and their prior language exposure varied greatly from one class to another. I would highly recommend the program for those looking to teach older students in a community setting. Because it is the summer, you are not typically placed in a school or teaching content outside of English.