“Life in Rabat moves at a calmer, more organized pace than many people expect from a capital city. In the mornings, cafés fill with people drinking mint tea or coffee before work, while students and professionals move through the city using trams, taxis, and crowded sidewalks near government offices and universities. The city blends modern life with traditional Moroccan culture: you can walk past sleek business districts and, only minutes later, find yourself in the old medina with street vendors, fresh bread, spices, and the sound of merchants calling out to customers. Along the Atlantic coast, locals gather near the Corniche or beaches in the evening to relax, exercise, or watch the sunset. Daily life is heavily social and family-oriented, with meals often shared late into the evening. Compared to cities like Casablanca or Marrakesh, Rabat feels cleaner, quieter, and more residential, while still carrying the energy and rhythm of a major Moroccan city.”
Day 2
Before I get into daily life, a little about my day. In the morning, waking up and getting a quick breakfast, I got my first taste of tea in Morocco, and it was delicious, a wonderful herbal blend. The pastries here are also amazing, with everything tasting great, and I think it’s a testament to the love and care put into the food. After an hour ride from Casablanca to Rabat, we went on a wonderful tour of the fort and Medina before getting our first bit of Moroccan food. We then went and met our hosts. At first, I have to admit I was nervous about the language barrier looming over me. I got to meet the host family’s mother and daughter first. They both ended up speaking good English, and I got to know them. Auntie is really funny, and I Im glad I Im staying with them. Today was her son’s birthday, so after we had more tea and a nap in the afternoon, we went out into the Medina. She took me, and we ended up in a small pastry shop a little bit behind the main square where the Medina ends, and the new city begins. We got a little cake, and when dinner time came, we sang happy birthday in Arabic, or at least I tried to with them, and blew out the candles. Afterward we all had dinner and auntie made this delicious dish with potatoes, carrots, and peas. I thoroughly enjoyed as all the flavors of the spices and taste of the bread came together. As this all went on, I got to meet the family cat and have been loving her. Her name is Vika, and she’s very well socialized and energetic. After my afternoon nap from the travels, she seemed to find her place on my Lowe’s plastic bag and joined me. The city is beautiful and the people wonderful, and I can’t wait to explore it!
The paragraph at the top is a quickly generated paragraph on life in Rabat. It has some merit in that it covers the entire, but fails to actually give what daily life looks like. After living with my hosts and asking a few questions, here is what I found out. In the morning, Auntie usually prepares a simple breakfast for the family after the call to prayer. During the day, uncle will go to work as the kids go to school. She will run a few errands throughout the day, like getting groceries for lunch and dinner. She will then prepare and have lunch. After a short rest, she usually prepares fresh tea with leaves she just bought at the market. Then dinner prep and socializing happen, going around the Medina meeting friends and finishing up any work left. Finally, around 9-11 pm, the family eats dinner and goes to bed. Dinner is always a family event, as they will usually eat from the same plate or gather around the table as food is brought out and served. They live a very communal way of life, and just walking around, you could feel that. It’s something we seem to have lost, or maybe just never had in our communities. This experience has been amazing so far, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!