Moroccan Human Rights placement

After studying Arabic and human rights in college, I wanted to take an international trip to really immerse myself in a different culture. I had spent the previous summer in Egypt and was looking to head back to north Africa and had heard many wonderful things about Morocco. And they all lived up to my expectations.

My time at a Human Rights NGO was incredibly enlightening: I was able to look at human rights from such a different perspective, both culturally and religiously. I did some really informative (and interesting) research on the death penalty, a topic that is both quite controversial, and quite important on an international scale. I had incredible co-workers who were both warm and welcoming. My only advice here would be to go during the year if possible - I worked during the summer, which was a slower time at my office, and you would gain a lot more from working during the year, when there's more going on.

I chose Projects Abroad because I knew roughly what I wanted to do (stay with a host family and work in human rights), but had no idea how to begin to find the right contacts. A friend had traveled with Projects Abroad in Nepal and had a wonderful experience, so I contacted them about their Morocco program, and had nothing but support and encouragement from day 1. They coordinated everything, from a great home-stay family, to an NGO that fitted my individual needs. Staff picked me up from the airport, showed me around town, made sure I was settled, and continued to support me throughout my journey. As an added bonus, they were incredibly fun and friendly, and our whole group loved getting to know them. I really couldn't have had a better experience with Projects Abroad and hope others will take the leap of a great adventure overseas.