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Educator Tour to Morocco: Six Cities, Myriad Experiences
Zeina Azzam Seikaly
Published in 2009
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From July 27 to August 11, 2008, the CCAS outreach program facilitated a trip for educators to Morocco. The 15-member group included pre-college teachers from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, as well as one from Utah, who heard about the study-tour and signed on. I had the pleasure of participating in this experience and working with Alex Safos (MAAS ’90) of Global Learning Across Borders (Global LAB) to organize the trip. As Director of Middle East and North Africa Programs at Global LAB, Mr. Safos planned the entire study tour and worked with me to develop an itinerary rich in academic, cultural, and touristic experiences. Below is a description of the highlights of our itinerary, which included visits to Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fes, Chefchaouen, Asilah, and Tangier.
Our first stop was Casablanca, where we had guided tours of the Hassan II Mosque and Jewish Museum. Our introduction to the fabulous Moroccan cuisine began immediately, and we enjoyed the tasty tagines and ubiquitous couscous throughout our stay. After Casablanca we drove to Marrakesh and stayed at a colorful riad (a renovated historic home with an interior garden, akin to a bed-and-breakfast) in the medina (old city). During our medina tours we visited the varioussouks and quarters as well as the Dar Si Said Museum, Medresa Ben Youssef, and the exciting Djemaa el-Fna, where storytellers, acrobats, snake charmers, and dancers share the space with food vendors and tourists. We attended a lecture on Sufism followed by a Sufidhikr (remembrance ceremony), and another lecture on Berber-Sahara Culture. A stroll through the lovely Jardin Majorelle offered a cool and calm contrast to the bustling streets of the city.
We mingled with families, businesspersons, and tourists on the train from Marrakesh to Fes, the ancient city that was celebrating its 1,200-year birthday. In the Fes medina we visited the fabled tanneries and various souks and the Medresa Bou Inania, with a stop at the historic Karaouine Mosque. We were hosted by SACAL (Subul Assalam Centre for the Arabic Language) for two roundtable discussions—one with high school students and one with teachers—and a lecture on gender issues by Professor Fatima Amrani of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah Fes University. A visit to a zilij (tilework and pottery) factory gave us an appreciation of this centuries-old art that incorporates mathematics and Islamic art designs. Also in Fes we broke up into pairs and stayed at the homes of various Fassi families for two nights. The group faced two challenges here: unusually high summer temperatures combined with homes that were not air conditioned; and difficulty in communicating with some host families that did not speak English. Nevertheless, this was a valuable first-hand learning experience about everyday life in the Fes medina. On the last day we attended a performance of the Andalusian Musical Ensemble, and the women in the group had lovely henna designs done on our hands and arms.
Our eyes feasted on landscapes of olive tree groves on the trip from Fes to Chefchaouen, in addition to the plentiful figs and cactus fruit that were in season (and sold by street vendors in every city we visited). We noticed more Spanish than French, spoken and on signs, in Chefchaouen, nestled in the Rif Mountains and founded over 500 years ago by Muslims and Jews who had fled Spain's Reconquista. We explored this charming mountain village known for its striking blue hues on homes and buildings, and took a memorable trip to Aghram, a remote mountain village, to have a meal with a local family and attend an herbal-medicinal workshop.
We had purposely chosen the dates of our trip to include a visit to the Asilah Arts Festival, an annual international cultural celebration in the picturesque city of Asilah on the Atlantic Ocean. There, we attended an evening ofoud music by an Iraqi musician and a performance by a band from Cape Verde. The country theme of the festival this year was Mexico, and we found ourselves consuming tacos and chimichangas at a restaurant facing the main gate of the historic Asilah medina! It was an extraordinary moment of cultural convergence. The pristine Paradise Beach, a short distance from the city, provided another memorable experience for the group.
Our last stop was Tangier, from which we could actually see Gibraltar on a clear day. This gave us a palpable view of the organic relationship between Morocco and Europe over the centuries. In Tangier we visited the American Legation Museum and learned about Morocco's historical ties with the United States. We sipped mint tea at the legendary beat retreat, Café Hafa, overlooking the Atlantic. In addition to walking around the Tangier medina, we had our farewell dinner at the stunning restaurant/resort hotel, Le Mirage, where we enjoyed spectacular sunset views over the Atlantic horizon.
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