Written by AI:
Life in the Medina of Rabat moves at a rhythm that feels both historic and alive. Narrow alleyways wind between whitewashed buildings and colorful market stalls, where the scent of fresh bread, mint tea, spices, and leather drifts through the air. Shopkeepers greet neighbors by name while artisans carefully handcraft jewelry, rugs, and ceramics much like generations before them. Despite the bustle of daily commerce, there is a strong sense of community woven into everyday life — children play soccer in small courtyards, families gather on rooftops in the evening, and the call to prayer echoes through the streets several times a day. The medina balances tradition with modern life, offering a glimpse into the cultural heart of Morocco while still existing alongside the contemporary capital city surrounding it.
Written by me:
Today we travelled to Rabat and learned about life in the Medina. We first visited the Center for Cross Cultural Learning and met up with our guide to the Kasbah. I loved our quick witted tour guide, Pedro, because of his passion for Rabat, his emotional connecting to the culture, and his expressive story-telling of its history. My favorite part of the tour was when we stopped to talk to the man selling water, or Garrabs, and he showed us the process of this form of charity. I thought it was such a unique tradition, specific to Moroccan culture. It warmed my heart to see our tour guide talk about his days as a kid, running down the streets and drinking water gifted by the Garrabs. Another part of the tour that I found interesting was the tradition of knocking on the doors in the Kasbah of Rabat. The doors of these historical homes had two doorknobs on them; a low one for the family and a higher doorknob for guests and strangers. It was fascinating to hear how families would house guests in need of help for 4 days just by the strangers stating that they were followers of God. By the end of the tour I felt as if I’d known the city of Rabat forever. I was enamored by the smells and sights of the markets, especially the smell of mint tea and honey cookies.
By the afternoon I was completely exhausted; all the walking made me tired and hungry. As we walked out of the room and gathered to wait for our host families, I found myself worrying about the next two weeks. I was worried that my host family might not like me, or that we would have nothing to talk about. When my family finally came to pick me up I was thrilled by the outcome. Rajae and Rim were so sweet and welcoming, as they walked me to their home in the Medina. Their home is filled with vibrance and activity. I was immediately fed mint tea with sugar cookies and spicy corn chips. I then got to introduce myself to Rabab and Manal, Rims older sisters. Although they don’t speak very much English, we all still made the effort to ask each other questions and get to know our lives. Rim then took me for a walk with her friend around the Kasbah and Medina. I had so much fun answering their questions and them pointing out their favorite parts of Rabat. Rim and her friend giggled the entire way home, which made me realize how teenage girls around the world are more similar than we’d anticipated. They laughed so much at one point I couldn’t tell if they were laughing with me or at me. We went to buy bread, sugar, olives, potatoes and cucumbers for our dinner. It was fun getting the inside scoop while Rim was guiding me around, as she knew all the shop owners personally and managed to get me free taste tests of all the food. We went home and played a trivia card game, which I translated in English for Rim and her friend. I took a quick break and rested, but shortly after was woken up by cheering and clapping. Said, my other host parent, had his friends over to watch the Barcelona vs. Real Madrid “football” game. I sat and watched while they tried convincing me Barcelona was the winning team to root for (they were right!). After much celebrating over football, we all joined together for dinner, which was much later than when I would traditionally have dinner. I felt very at home with my host family, and am so excited to spend the rest of my time in Morocco with them.
TTYL!
– Charlotte