During the best and worsts of times, support was always there!

IES Abroad Rabat, Morocco provided one of the best semesters of my college experience. One of the great things about this program was the placement with two host families – one during orientation and one for the rest of the semester. The organization chose great families and homes for us to live with. My first family had the smallest home I’d ever seen, but they were kind and so very loving; my second family had the most beautiful home I’d ever seen but the family was less talkative. It was nice to have the chance to experience two different local families. IES Rabat places you about a 30-minute walk from their school. This walk to/from school was always very exciting, as you get to experience the old medina streets and the busy Rabat streets full of taxis and buses. IES also provided amazing organized excursions and field trips. I was able to camp in the Sahara Desert, spent a night with an Amazigh family in the Middle Atlas Mountains, and explore southern Spain. I was a French major seeking to fulfill my degree requirements, and with this organization, I was able to take three classes that were French-taught. Learning Arabic was then a huge plus! However, one downfall while abroad was then I became very ill from severe food poisoning. IES Rabat directors were very helpful in getting me the help I needed (from doctors and pharmacists) but also providing comfort and support during my recovery. It was one of the scariest moments of my life, but with their help, my study abroad semester was still incredibly amazing. I never learned so much, and I wish I could do it again.