We finally have begun to dive deeper into Moroccan culture by exploring their religion, politics, and women’s roles. After listening to the lecture about religion, it became clear to me that religion, including prayer, mosques, and other important aspects of Islamic values were extremely significant to the people of Morocco. I became the most curious about the major pilgrimage to Mecca that is one of five pillars in Islamic religion, specifically because I have a direct connection to this experience. Within my first few hours living with my host family, I noticed there were numerous family, friends, and neighbors who visited the home, chatting with the family with tea and snacks for several hours. I quickly learned from my host mother that this was because her husband was headed to Mecca for his “Hajj”, or annual pilgrimage required by Islam. Family continued to visit the house until the very last second before the father left for his trip, and the entire family accompanied him to the airport as he began his journey dressed in a gold robe and a red fez. This religious observation was quite interesting to witness happening right in front of me, and I hope to hear some stories from the family about his ongoing experiences in Mecca.
In terms of politics, I have noticed a lot about my host family’s structure that ties into what we learned during today’s lecture. The mother plays a traditional family role, tending to the kitchen and other household activities. However, my host family also has two daughters, who illustrate the evolving political climate in Morocco today. My family’s younger sister is currently pursuing a higher level degree in economics, and the older sister is studying for her law exam, aiming to find a job within the upcoming few months. Their academic and career focused goals don’t align with the traditional familial structure, and with the father off on his pilgrimage, my host family is successfully being managed and run by three strong women.
Beyond religion and politics, I have been most strongly impacted by the role of women in Morocco. As I mentioned before, my host household is run completely by women right now, and my days here have been extremely comfortable and fun. My host sisters are even pursuing their degrees and looking for powerful, high-level jobs that historically women have not been able to get. I have also noticed that despite the emphasis on being conservative, my sisters are more adapted to current times. While still showing respect to their religion and conservatism, they also enjoy wearing their own styles of clothing and outfits that may not be as conservative as historical times. These were all unexpected to me when I first met them, as I thought women in Morocco still had a diminished role in society. I’m happy to see that times have changed and even here things are evolving.
My host sisters have taught me a lot about religion, politics, and the role of women in Morocco, so it was only fitting that I spend the day with them after such an impactful set of lessons in the earlier half of the day. We spent a few hours at the beach, talking while we walked in the ocean and later laid on a towel in the sand. And to the end the day, we spent hours talking at the dinner table about my study abroad experience so far and my life back at home. I love observing their country’s culture and their family’s lifestyle, and I enjoy getting to share some of my life with them too. I look forward to spending many more days with them on this trip!