Morocco Summer: Crossroads of Cultures and Tradition
- Morocco
About Program
Carefully balanced mounds of spices - red, green, brown and deep ochre - flank narrow paths winding through a living labyrinth. Wandering through a Moroccan “souq” (market place) framed by the ancient walls of city medinas, you are sure to think that you have entered another era.
Hiking along ancient trade routes and current nomadic enclaves, we experience a Morocco that few travelers encounter. Our time in remote villages immerses us in Morocco’s unrivaled hospitality; families welcome us as kin and our tea cups are never left empty. Throughout the country we engage with locals using our budding Arabic language skills. In the imperial cities of Fes and Marrakesh, the sounds of people bargaining in Arabic fill our ears as the smells of exotic spices fill your nose. Yet only a few hours hike takes us out of the cities and to a village of peaceful mud huts in the mountains.
Video and Photos
Diversity & Inclusion
BIPOC Support
LGBTQIA+ Support
In some cases, students may be advised not to speak about their sexual orientations and/or gender identities with local contacts (such as homestay families, ISP mentors, language teachers, and guest speakers) due to safety concerns. Likewise, transgender and non-binary students may have to choose to present outwardly as male or female in certain contexts during the program. In other cases, “coming out” to some or all host community members may be a safe choice.
Neurodivergent Support
Accessibility Support
Impact
Sustainability
Ethical Impact
Learning Service is a holistic experience that combines an intimate and authentic engagement with the local community, the study of effective development, and the contribution to an established community-driven project. It is the process of living, working alongside, and humbly absorbing the culture of those being served while coordinating closely with project managers to understand the trajectory of the project, from inception to completion and beyond. It is an acknowledgment that often it is the volunteer who stands to gain as much or more from the work. And it is a commitment to making contributions that create positive impacts in the communities coupled with the humility to always listen and learn first.
Program Highlights
- Explore the breathtaking Imperial Cities such as Fes and Marrakesh, losing yourself in the sights and smells of these ancient wonders .
- Try your hand at rug weaving, shoemaking and stone or wood carving with the masters and students at the Artisan Centre in Azrou.
- Build fluency in Moroccan Arabic (Darija) with interactive formal and conversational classes 2-3 times per week.
- Trek through the stunning Atlas Mountains, camping out under the stars while learning the importance of expedition behaviour and leave no trace principles.
- Examine the diversity that exists throughout Morocco: urban/rural, Arab /indigenous, mountains/desert, progressive/traditional, and influences of Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East.