Spontaneity, and the flexibility that comes with spontaneous moments, is really what allows someone to immerse themselves in a new culture. For me, I did not fully know what eating with my host family, bargaining in the Medina, or going to the Moroccan bathhouse, hammam, would be like. I had an idea thanks to cultural…

ANDD, an NGO focused on supporting women and young people’s entrepreneurship, is similar to other organizations we have seen so far because they too provide mentoring, training, and networking opportunities for their participants. What sets them apart, however, is their strong focus on digital inclusion. They do this by offering programs that teach people how…

Our discussion on AI today really helped me reflect on how the way we work is changing. While businesses used to have to focus on the planning stage of a business project, AI capabilities are taking control of this step. With planning being done by AI, business personnel now have to focus more on initiating…

The first sign of being an entrepreneur is wanting to fix something. This is the idea that stood out to me most from our session today with Farah, founder of the Center for Cross Cultural Learning, and one that impacted how my group navigated the entrepreneurship exercise.  Today, our group in collaboration with Moroccan university…

Both The Anou Cooperative and the women’s cooperative are focused on female empowerment. They do this by giving women an opportunity to produce and sell their own products while being a part of the business or fully taking control of their business. Both organizations also offer a social network for the women. In addition, their…

My featured image showcases my purchase of Amlou, “Moroccan Nutella,” from a Moroccan cooperative called Issafarnbio. I shared this picture because the purchase was not just a purchase, rather a process of learning about the cooperative and conversing with the person working in the shop.  I like this picture of assorted desserts/pastries from lunch because…

Our group’s site visit to UM6P today really brought to light the importance of first-hand research and connections. Without visiting the university, my project group had a basis of information, but the site visit provided us with new insights we would not have gained otherwise.  Prior to the site visit, I knew OCP Group plays…

While many businesses focus on making profit, some put their people first. Even though our group only spent a short time learning about The Anou Cooperative, it is clear they are a people-first business. Because many rural women in Morocco do not have direct market access or necessary business skills, they rely on middle men…

Religion, politics, and the role of women all play a part in Moroccan life, some more explicitly than others. Our group had the opportunity to hear about all of these topics today, and for some, I was able to make connections to what I have observed. In terms of religion, most people in Morocco are…

For me, I prefer learning a language over bargaining because language learning gives me a way to connect more deeply with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Although I can connect through universal languages, such as food, music, and art, knowing another language gives me the opportunity to ask questions and converse about the topic,…

Today was the first day of Plus3 Morocco starting in Casablanca. While driving from the airport to the main city area, I was surprised by the wide variety of buildings I saw. Some were more modern, while others had an older look in terms of structure and materials. During the ride, I realized that I…

Hello! My name is Chaya Thomas, I am from Souderton, Pennsylvania, and I am a rising sophomore in the School of Business. I am planning to major in finance and global management and minor in Hispanic language and culture, with hopes to enter the financial planning field serving the Hispanic and English-language-learning community. At Pitt,…