Learning and Loving

 “ You’ve got to take the good with the bad, smile with the sad, love what you got and remember what you had, always forgive and never forget, learn from mistakes and never regret”- Unknown

 Being submerged into a whole new culture has brought me an understanding and acceptance that I have never had before. I came from a very closed off perspective of the religion, culture, and education of Morocco. I now understand to never judge something until you have fully experienced it.

From the first day at AbdaSalam Sayah, when Sarah and I walked in to the classroom knowing very little about the student’s level and being nervous, we just went for it. The only thing that gave us the confidence that first day was the fact the Touria, the director of the school, told us that the kids selected to learn from us were some of the hardest working kids in the school. Now it is that last day of our trip and I have never seen an eagerness to improve like our kids showed. At the end of the day when we were reviewing, I couldn’t stop smiling because the amount of time, effort, and work these kids have put in to improving their English is unbelievable. Even on the last day the kids still wanted to fit as much learning into the schedule as they could, unlike my last day at school where everyone starts to slack off and not care. It is almost like the urgency of the last day made the kids wants to work even harder. Through this eagerness for education, the kids taught me to never take one minute of learning for granted and to always dream big. It was astounding to me that most of the students wanted to grow up to be a doctor, pliot, engineer, or an astronaut, even if their situation at home didn’t allow it. We all have these grand dreams at this age. I have seen that throughout life, we slowly start to lose these dreams and doubt ourselves, but that drive and high expectation for our selves is something we should never forget in life. Another thing that made these dreams so beautiful is the fact that every parent we talked to supported their kids and were willing to do what ever it took to help them succeed.

In the aspects of religion I have learned so much about the core beliefs of Islam and what holds the religion together. Before I came on this trip, everyone told me, “Be careful, it’s an all Muslim country”. However, the fact that Morocco is an all Muslim country is one of the things that make Morocco so beautiful. For example, one night my group and I were all sitting around the table listening to Ali talk about the core beliefs of Islam. Which includes not judging people, loving everyone, and always forgiving others. To me these core beliefs put a whole new understanding in my mind of Islam and how the people live here in Morocco. We have seen these principal beliefs stand out mostly in our home visits. For instance, at my home visit three days ago, the dad had no idea we were coming. When four Americans walked into his home, you could imagine his curiosity as to why we were there. Once we sat down and stated talking, he told us that we were the first people in his home that weren’t close family members or friends. In spite of this, 20 minutes later he was talking about how he would welcome us into his home as his own daughters. This statement summed up what the Islam religion is all about. He wasn’t judging us because we were Americans and kept the most open mind anyone could have asked for. This religion has taught me to never jump to conclusion about people and the always accept things with an open mind and open heart.

One last core belief of Islam is to love everyone. After two weeks of teaching our students and growing closer with them and their families, I never felt more loved and accepted in any other culture; from the welcoming atmosphere during the home visits, to the endless kisses on the checks that came at the end of everyday. These kids have taught me to be grateful for every new person that comes into my life, to always accept other, and to never leave any one behind. I will never forget the unconditional love I have for their amazing laughs, similes, and their enthusiastic yells in the class room.

This experience has taught me things that I never would have expected. It has taught me how to always have an open mind and to constantly accept others. I have learned to love every moment of life and never take one second in the classroom for granted. I am so extremely thankful for having this opportunity to go on this amazing trip. I wish I could play it all over again. Besalam Morocco.