And we’re off!
After two flights, multiple delays, and around 12 hours of travel, we made it to Morocco!
We landed in Casablanca pretty early in the morning, but that gave us the opportunity to explore. Morocco immediately felt different from what I expected in the best way possible. Before arriving, I imagined a very traditional and slower-paced environment, but I was surprised by how modern and lively Casablanca felt. The city was filled with energy, busy streets, stylish buildings, and a mix of old and new cultures everywhere you looked. At the same time, Morocco still maintained a strong sense of tradition and history, which made the experience even more interesting. One thing that stood out to me was immediately the architecture and the very rustic feeling as you’re walking out, even from an airport.
Our first stop- straight from the airport, might I add- was to the Hassan ll Mosque. We were given the time to walk around the scenic area and explore for ourselves, where we were able to take some really cool photos, before being taken on a guided tour of the gorgeous mosque. Not to mention, a fiasco with a security guard who was convinced that we snuck onto the site. One of the most interesting facts I learned during our tour of the Hassan II Mosque was that it is one of the largest mosques in the world, and I was amazed to learn that part of the mosque was built over the Atlantic Ocean, symbolizing the importance of water in Islamic culture. The intricate details throughout the mosque- from the hand-carved wood to the mosaic tile work- showed the incredible craftsmanship and dedication that went into creating it. It consisted of 10,000 artists over the span of six years to create the incredible carvings and architecture we got to see. Seeing it in person was unforgettable and made a strong first impression of Morocco’s beauty and culture.
From the mosque, we headed to the mall nearby for lunch as we couldn’t check into our hotel for the night just yet. I desperately needed a coffee at this point, so I found myself a nice cafe in the food court. What’s interesting is that a majority of this country relies on cash transactions, and I have yet to find an ATM, so with my cappuccino, I added sweet and savory pastries to hit the minimum transaction. After lunch, we checked into our hotel, Ibis Casa City Center, and got some much needed rest after a long day’s worth of traveling.
For the remainder of the day, we relaxed and explored the neighboring areas of Casablanca before dinner! It was exciting being able to walk around and see how the city life operates, as well as, being able to roam on our own. Tomorrow, we meet our host families and I’m so excited to see what awaits!
