Casually Conquering the Sahara

So ya know how I said I was going to be more regular with this and not let such a gap go without a new post? LOL, that clearly didnt happen. It has been almost two weeks to the day since I posted, and I hope you understand the sincerity in my apology. Its difficult to find enough time to sit down and do a post justice, and the last three times i've tried I have been called away to watch movies or eat. I am working on my discipline though, so allah willing next time will be a closer post. Of course there is still a chance that every update will start with an apology, so maybe we should just skip all this and go into story time.

So, the Sahara. The most famous desert around the world, and a source of fascination for a variety of reasons. Stretching over 9,400,000 kilometers (or 3,600,000 miles) the Sahara reaches from the Red Sea all the way over to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean, making it roughly the size of China or the United States. Its huge, hot, and sparsely inhabited. In Morocco, camping in the Sahara is one of the most popular attractions and brings people from all across the globe. Roughly a week and a half ago, The Breakfast Club (to recap, thats myself, Chase, Melanie, Matt, Meridith, and Sydney) decided we wanted to go camping there before the weather started getting cold. We also decided to see if a few other people wanted to go, because camping is always fun with a few more people and we knew how high the demand was for such a trip. 

Now, a lot of what we do here in Morocco is last-minute and hardly planned, just kind of hopping into a grand-taxi or on a bus and going until we stop. But for this trip, a certain degree of co-ordination and planning was required. So Melanie and I sat down to discover. After lots of google searches and trip advisor comparisons, we selected a company with which to tour and emailed the guide for more information. The package we selected was a full day and night deal- starting with breakfast on the saturday and going through breakfast the next morning. We finally heard back from him on Tuesday and plans were set in to motion. In a group that started with 6, we soon found ourselves with 19 people. So until Thursday afternoon our plan was to take taxis from Ifrane (our town) to Fez (a bigger city roughly an hour away) and then an overnight bus down to Merzouga (the village on the edge of the Sahara) and do the same thing coming back. The problem with that ended up being the overnight bus would put us home around 8am Monday, and several of our group members had 8am classes. Then from there we discovered there was no official bus station, bus schedule, or way to purchase ticket in advance. That set off alarm bells all over the place, so once again Mel and I sat down to figure out an alternative plan. We ended up finding a private bus company, and with her mad French skills Mel managed to negotiate a bus to pick us up at school, drive us the 7 or so hours down to Merzouga, wait there, and then bring us home Sunday. It was a miraculous discovery that saved our sanity, time, and wallets. So everything was hunky dory and arranged. We ended up with 17 people, and finalized our plans less than 24 hours before our departure.

So Friday afternoon around 4:00pm we all assembled. Everyone had their backpacks, passports and a water bottle, and we piled on the bus to go. The ride down to Merzouga was relatively uneventful- I ended up watching World War Z with Chase (which is actually a terrific movie), and we had a half an hour gas station stop somewhere in the middle of nowhere. We finally reached our hotel at around 12:20am, and they had dinner ready for us when we pulled in. Guys, you haven't lived until you have consumed home-made Moroccan food. The flavors, colors and spices they blend are both a work of art and delicious on so many levels. I wish I could explain what they made for us, but its too difficult. A sum would be eggs, lamb meat, bread, and lentils. So good. So after we were all stuffed we went to our rooms and slept.

Saturday morning dawned cloudy and cool, with enough of a breeze to be comfortable. We got up and had breakfast, then piled into four 4x4 offroading vans to set out for our daytime romp round the Sahara. Our first stop was a little village maybe two miles away, where we spent a while listening to and dancing with Sudanese musicians. They fed us tea and nuts, chanted and we had a grand old time. After that we drove across a volcanic rock field and looking for desert foxes. They are cute little white animals, with huge ears and gangly legs. The reason this is significant is because for the past two weeks or so our group has been in love with the new Ylvis song called "The Fox". We were hoping these desert foxes would give us a hint a to what the fox does in fact say, but they merely sat silently staring at us as we ooooohed and aaaaahed over them.

After we had our fill of fox, we hopped back into the jeeps and set off to find the fossil mines. These mines were basically holes where they dig for quartz, fossil rock and other cool stuff that they then use to carve pretty statues, jewelry, etc. From there we traveled north to look at some abandoned fortresses, and to see the Algerian border. We unfortunately couldn't get close to the border, but it was neat looking out across the dunes and knowing that just beyond these three hills was the country of Algeria. So back to the awesome rocks, we kept running in to nomads selling their carved wares.  I ended up purchasing two of this little figurines, an elephant for myself and a camel for my Chase. It's always fun to buy trinkets out in the middle of nowhere, because you get to bargain and know that you are directly contributing to someone's livelihood. This is where I am a bad Arab- I like to get the price down, but still allow myself to be overcharged because I know every bit help. In a place where haggling is a way of life, I probably fail pretty spectacularly more often than not.

So post haggling and climbing and watching the guys strike gladiator poses, back in the vans to go find the lunching pad. I'd like to pause here and bunny trail for a second. Mel, Chase, Matt and I were in the "lead van"- the one with our main guide that was always in the lead. Mel decided that we needed code names for each van, so we could better keep track of who was where and so that each group would have a name. She ended up dubbing the vans Squad Alpha, Beta, Charlie and Delta. Of course we were traveling with several military kids, and it was hilarious listening to Chase explain to her why her reasoning was flawed and then letting her have her way in the end. Yet another bunny trail involves explaining the "family" dynamic that I have yet to mention: we are all very close anyways, and have reached that family attitude. Within that, the breakfast club and company have adopted specific roles. It's kind of hard to explain, but just know that if you hear me causally say daughter or husband, it is within that realm. ANYWAYS! Lunch time. Our guide took us to a little cropping of buildings on the edge of some huge dunes. We were given roughly an hour to just relax, take pictures and enjoy the fact that we were IN the Sahara. Lots of due rolling, running, laying in the sand and pictures ensured. Lunch was delicious, they cooked what is called "Berber pizza" for us- think a huge pita pocket that is buried in the sand and cooked thoroughly. We had a great time sitting on the ground around the low tables, eating as much as they offered and laughing.

After lunch we did some more hardcore desert driving, stopping at an outcrop of rocks to take more pictures and look at the vast difference between the desert to our left and the volcanic rock land to our right. We headed back to the hotel after that to clean up, change into warm clothes, grab our backpacks and head out into the heart of our Sahara for the epic camping trip.

We reconvened around 18:00 (that's another thing, time here is all military) and set out to the camel parking lot to choose our rides and head to camp. I was in the lead string with Chase and Landon, and  we had a grand time choosing names for our camels and watching the sand go by. I named my camel Philipe, Chase named his Ben and Landon's ended up being Walter. They were all lovely creatures, plodding along steadily ad trying not to throw us off. Side note: camels in Morocco are VERY different from camels in Jordan. They are smaller, single humped and the saddles are much less secure (at least in my opinion- I prefer having a front and back horn on my saddle, and lacking that was difficult) their pace was interesting; the Saharan sand is soft and deep, so half the time when they step they sink in. It isn't so bad until they start going downhill and you suddenly see yourself falling head first off the camel and being trampled. Luckily that didn't happen to anyone, and we arrived at the camp eagerly awaiting what was coming.

The first thing we did after arriving was put down our luggage and check out the camp. I removed my shoes (I know, barefoot for two days in a desert that is supposedly full of scorpions, beetles and other yucky things. All I can say is I took my BFF Joy's challenge of YOLO to heart, and didn't concern myself with what ifs. I would have been miserable in shoes) and headed out to check out the dunes. Our guide provided us with sandboards (like snowboards, but for the sand) and we spent the next few hours watching people sandsurf, sandsled, roll down the dunes, and other fun frolicky type stuff. It was a really good time, and an excellent workout climbing the dunes up and down. Although the whole day had been cloudy, a section of those clouds broke just long enough for us to watch the sunset. Honestly, I was born and will forever be a desert child. I love the sites, smells and feels of the desert more than anything, and one of the most beautiful parts of all that is a desert sunset. There are no words in any language I know that can adequately describe the feeling you get as those colors change, the quiet looms and you really feel like there is so much out there to discover. It is a sensation that cannot be compared, and something I hope everyone gets to experience once in their lifetime. But I digress. So after watching the beautiful sun set over the dunes, we trekked back to camp and sat around conversing. There were tea and biscuits, and delightful company. After that they started bringing out dinner, and as always it was completely delicious. For this meal the appetizer was rice, and it made me so very happy.

So after dinner noms, people kind of split off in to smaller groups to walk around, relax or sleep. I ended up laying out in the sand (on a blanket) with Mel, Meridith, Tyler and Chase, and we spent time just watching the tiny patch of stars peeking through the clouds and talking. Mel informed us that "THIS IS AFRICA" and we watched the earth rotate. We all fell asleep after that, and stayed out there until roughly 3am when we realized how cold it was. So we migrated to the tents and finished the night inside, dreaming of camels and s'mores. We woke up the next morning (didnt get to see the sunset, the clouds came back) hopped on our camels and headed back to the hotel. Everyone cleaned up a bit, we grabbed breakfast and hit the road.

We all assumed that was the end of the adventure, and settled in for the long ride back to school. About an hour away from campus our bus ended up getting pulled over, and we found out it was for speeding. It was an adventure dealing with that whole fiasco (the bus driver was trying to tell us we had to pay the ticket, which wasnt true because it wasnt our responsibility) but with some intimidation from our Westpoint men and some Arabic, we got back on the road and made it home in time for dinner.

3 days, 17 kids, and exploring THE Sahara. It is so much fun experiencing such a beautiful place with so many people that I adore, and getting to know my "family" better ever time we travel. I have been continuously blessed so far beyond anything I could have imagined, and am so grateful for just the opportunity to get to do half of what I am.

So that was the Sahara! There was a lot more detail, but much of it revolves around inside jokes that would merely bore you or other such things. For anyone curious I am absolutely having the time of my life, and waking up each morning knowing I am living in Africa is dream I have yet to tire of. I bid you all adieu, and Inshallah you will be hearing from me sooner!

Peace, love, and lots of shawerma!

Snapshots of Ifrane

The Restaurant: Central meeting point for every single group every single time

The Front of campus

Building 39: Home Sweet Dorm

[L-R] Chase, Crystal, Sydney, Meridith, Matt, Melanie, and Me

Still me!

A Week in Review

So this whole taking the time to sit down and blog is a lot more challenging than I originally thought it would be, at least for the first week or so. I figured we would be kept hopping between orientation stuff and classes, but what I didnt count on was making so many amazing friends right off the bat and spending so much time with them. It has been wonderful and magical and perfect in every sense of the word, and I am willing to forgo a regular time for writing this than to miss out on a trip to the Marche or a pickup game of frisbee on the green.

That being said, Happy September everyone! August is over and the days of school are finally almost in full swing. I say almost because for most exchange students our schedules are still mildly up in the air, and I am no exception. We still do not have an advanced Arabic professor, although as of this morning we do have a day and time! So definitely making progress. Its been rough because all of the advanced students are at various levels of advanced, and especially in my case they just dont know how to integrate us. So hopefully that will all be sorted out by tomorrow. My other classes have ended up being US/ME Relations, Intro to African Politics, Political Islam, and American Government. It almost seems like im cheating taking a government class, but since I switched my majors its required, and I figured what better way to understand our system than learn about it with people who dont know anything. Thus far it seems to be a wise decision. Political Islam is a course that focuses on Muslim countries, and how religion came into politics, where lines can and should be redrawn, and a variety of other issues relating to Muslim countries. African Politics and US/ME Relations are pretty straightforward, and I love the professors for both which is good. So thats all for school!

We did go on our first Moroccan excursion last week. Myself and six others (a group which we have adorably dubbed ourselves The Breakfast Club, because we are all craving milk and cereal) took a day trip to the city of Meknes, which is roughly an hour away from Ifrane. We ate, we danced, we walked a million miles, and we narrated the conversation of ducks. It was a lot of fun, and definitely bonding time.

So much has happened in the past week, but to attempt to get it all down would be a nearly impossible feat. As it is this is the third time I've sat down to write this post, and I am only on the 4th paragraph! So we may just have to do a general overview and skip forward to now. Here are some of the finer points and answers to questions you might not even know you had:

-I am not homesick by any stretch of the imagination, but for the last 3 days I have had a mad urge for some pancakes. I'm hoping to fix that craving over the weekend when we go to Fez, another big city.

-Yes, the food is absolutely wonderful. I've had shawerma at least 5 times, and I drink juice more than anything else. Pineapple and orange juice in particular.

-I didnt have too much jetlag, but like any college kid anywhere my sleep schedule is still a mess. Stay up all night, work all day, rinse and repeat. Its slowed down a little in the past three days, but not by much. We will see how it goes over the next few weeks.

-I havent met the king yet, but not from lack of trying. He wasnt home when we were in Meknes, but I havent given up home that Ill run into him at some point. Keep your fingers crossed.

-No, I do not wish I were in Cairo. Not a day goes by where I am not a thousand times thankful that I am here instead of there. This place, these people, the classes- they were tailor made for me. Before I left I was trying to remember why I was studying what I am, and I was discouraged. Just a week here has reminded me, and opened my eyes to so much that I needed to see. God is far too good to me, and I recognize that more and more every day.

A lot of people have been asking about the language, and what kind of barrier I've encountered. Here is the best explination I have, a snippet from an email to my parents-
It's so weird for me to live in a place where communication isn't easy for me. I get by because almost everyone here understands my Arabic, but I have to decipher their half French-half Arabic answers. I'm getting better, and my friend Melanie (who is fluent in French) and I are working on improving the others language. It's a good setup. All of my friends here are so impressed with my ability, but I am continuously humbled with how little I know and I am so beyond impressed with all of their dedication and sheer will power to learn Arabic. It's incredible to meet kids my age who appreciate the language that I am so passionate about. 

Well, thats all folks! I promise this will be the last long stretch of emptyness, and next time ill be more organized both with my thoughts and presentation. Salam!

A Moroccan Minute

Salam everyone! This is my first post from the other side of the Atlantic and it still hasnt fully sunk in that I am currently living in North Africa. Although its only been 4 days since I left the States (I think its Sunday, but I really couldnt tell you for sure) it feels like i've been in Morocco a lifetime. This country is SO beautiful; and it has every kind of terrain imaginable. From the coastal cities to the mountains of Ifrane -where my school is located- all of it chock full of breathtaking scenery, cool breezes, and the scent of the desert (which is my absolute favorite). Since this my first post since the trip started, I have a lot of ground to cover. I wanted to do this in two parts but I am realizing that time to sit down and write is much harder to come by than I imagined (this is the first time I've been home before 12!) so I'm going to condense a little and just wrap it up here. I'll do my best to keep this lively, so dont't let the length bore you right away! Okay here we go.

Getting there... 42 hours Later

From the moment I left my house in the US to the time we drove on to campus in Ifrane, the total travel time was 42 hours with only 35 minutes of sleep. The trip in and of itself was a series of crazy events, both stressful and wonderful. I had trouble checking in at the Pensacola airport which was stressful, but two of my four flights were mostly empty so I ended up with window seats and room to stretch out. I wont go over every detail (mostly because I have too much else to talk about) but suffice to say it was long. When I got to Fez I met up with 9 other students headed for Al-Akhawayn, and got to know them pretty well as we sat on a bus together for 4 hours. We finally got to the school around 6am, and checked into our rooms (mine was a temporary one and I moved again, but am settled now). So that was getting there.

Foreigners

When we checked into our rooms our hosts informed us we had roughly four hours to sleep, and to be ready by noon the next day to go into the city. So my 9 pals and I rested up, then met up with another group of international students who had arrived before we did. We all walked into the city together, and spent the afternoon/evening hanging out and just getting to know each other. We were the only students on campus, so we stuck together in a group and stayed out late to try and offset the impending jetlag. I want to pause and say our first meal in Ifrane was shawerma and hot tea, two of my favorite things in the world. The tea here is some of the best i've ever had (although many of my friends think its too sweet) and I am in love with the spices and sauces they use. So if anyone was worried about my eating habits- dont.

Even More Foreigners

Saturday was our first day of orientation. Similar to pretty much every orientation around the world, we pretty much just sat through lectures and watched slideshows about school rules and other fun stuff. We had the chance to interact with the rest of the foreign exchange kids, and get to know each other a little better. We went into town twice, changing groups around each time, and spent the evening once again just getting to know one another and exploring what will be our home for the next few months. There are a ton of funny stories and fascinating conversations that have taken place, but since I havent had much sleep and I dont want to risk telling them out of order or anything, we will just say that everyone gets along super well and we pretty much moved from the awkward  whats-your-major phase to the familial everyone-try-my-avocado-shake phase (basically, we are all super comfortable with each other) in just a few hours. The exchange kids have bonded both over our fear of being the foreigners and our love for a good joke, and its really cool to think how those friendships are going to take root and evolve over the next few months. And for those of you who are wondering, avocado shakes are actually very delicious, and common here. Sunday was more orientation seminars, more going into the city, and trying to choose classes and so forth. Tomorrow is our last orientation day, and will be focused on filling out paperwork and finalizing course choices.

Schedules and Arabic and Pineapples, Oh My!

I have spent weeks freaking out about the Arabic placement test. I wasnt worried when I thought I would be going to Egypt- Egyptian Arabic is very similar to Jordanian Arabic, and I knew I would do well. But Moroccan Arabic is vastly different, and to get in to the courses here you have to speak in Fus'ha, the formal dialect (which I was raised to read and write, NOT speak). I figured I may be able to get by, and manage an intermediate class or something of the sort. Well I did much better than I expected, and I am soooooo excited to say that they placed me at the highest non-native/intermediate native level, meaning there is a chance I will be in class with Moroccan students, studying Arabic literature and formal writing for politics. 

My other classes are Modern Algeria (a history class) Middle East-United States Politics (focusing on our relationship with the Middle East, an International Relations class) Intro to African Politics (pretty obvious, a Political science class that focuses on MALI!!) and Special Topics in the Middle East/North Africa. The last one is particularly interesting, because it has a field component where we study a city/country for the entire semester and then travel there to experience and explore. This semesters topic was supposed to be Cairo, with a trip to Egypt in December. With the recent unrest the school is unsure if that will be an option, and they are considering switching the topic to Amman, with a trip to Jordan (which I SUPPOSE would be an acceptable alternative ;) ). We will find out more about that in the next few days, and In'shaallah everything will work out. As for the pineapples, the best fruit juice in the world is found in the Middle East/North Africa and I am severely addicted to the pineapple juice.  

This whole experience has been so completely surreal. I still havent grasped that I really am here, and I really am going to be taking all these classes and experiencing all kinds of new and crazy stuff. The school encourages students to travel as much as possible, and already plans have been set in motion for camping, weekend trips to Europe, and trips to major Moroccan cities. Its fascinating to be around so many people who have the same passions I do, and want to experience as much of an unfamiliar culture as they can. I love it.Its going to be a very challenging semester, but so worth it on every level possible.

Just as a parting thought, I want to share a specific moment that really touched me over the past few days. Last night we were walking into the city, and I was walking with three other international kids and one Moroccan student. We were all discussing our majors, why we chose them, and what we wanted to do. When it was my turn, I told them I was an IS/PoliSci major focusing on the ME/NA and IR, and that I was passionate about Middle Eastern culture and the Arabic language. The Moroccan student stopped me, looked me dead in the eye, and said "What right do you have to be passionate about Arabic culture?"

I have never been asked a question like that in my entire life. I didnt know what to say for a second, then was finally able to get out my background and explain the sense of home I have from the Arab people and culture. He listened intently, asking pointed questions and making me go into further detail. Finally, he smiled at me. And he said something I will never forget. "So many people claim to have a passion for the ME without understanding enough about the culture or knowing the people. It isnt enough to be interested in the issues or captured by the history- you have to know the flaws and the successes, the ugly and the beautiful, and the desire to fight for and with them before you can have a real passion. You are a fully American, but your heart is Arab. You are a child of the desert and of the sea, of two worlds, and you are a very rare gem for each side that can be used to build the bridge that is needed between two so very different worlds."

I have always been accepted by Arabs, but never before have they told me I am fully a child of both worlds. Most prefer to draw me over to the Arab side, not encourage me to stay rooted in both. It is humbling, encouraging and awesome to know that there are people who can see both sides of me working in harmony and like to think that my background will eventually help me bring those two sides together. I feel like this semester is going to rock my world in many different ways, and I am only hoping that it wrecks my heart in the process and gives me a clearer look at where I want to go next. I know I am where I'm supposed to be, and its awesome.

So yeah. and just to explain the title, a "Morocco Minute" is the time everyone is on here- late by at least half an hour. 

Bon Nuit!

Its the Final Countdown

Well everyone, the single-digit countdown is on! Six days from right now, I will be on a plane flying over the Atlantic. Its crazy to think that departure day is so close, and terrifying to think of how much I need to get done before then. Like any smart and well prepared student, I have not yet begun packing or attempting to figure out what I will need for my semester in Morocco. I am living in blissful denial that I have to fit 4 months of everything in to two suitcases, a carry-on and a backpack (although the upside is my new backpack is as legit as they come, its a Swiss Gear mountain pack and I am pumped about carrying it around) and instead spending my days amusing myself with books i've read a thousand times and playing  with my dogs. Its a weird feeling- I know I'm going and I'm certainly read for it, but it hasnt really hit me that in six days I will be living in North Africa.

In the interest of having another post (so I keep in the habit of writing) I am going to toss out some details of how the trip there and first few days are going to go. Starting with the epic process that is getting there, welcome to the First Few Days!

Step one: Loading the bags. (August 21, 6:30pm)
       We are going to fit my luggage and my entire family (because my siblings are FINALLY HOME!! and on Sunday dad will be too, so for 3 days we get to be a complete family again) into Mom's SUV then cruise over to the airport. Dad is going to check my bags, then I will bid adieu to my family, get through security, grab the best bagels you can buy in the US from the coffee shop, and sit down to wait.

Step two: Hotlanta!!
       Of course, my flight connects in the (to use my best friend's words) Bermuda Triangle of domestic flights airport. So I'll get to Atlanta, hop on over to terminal F and get through customs (possibly making a final Chick-Fil-A run if I have time) and board the plane to Paris. Its roughly an 8 hour overnight flight and Dad managed to snag me a window seat, so I will be making use of some delightful sleeping meds and passing out for hopefully most of the flight.

Step three: Get to ORLY.
       In Paris, I have to switch airports (Charles De Gaulle to ORLY) and have been given 7 hours to do so. So I'll disembark from the plane (hopefully not too groggy from my sleepy meds), collect my luggage, catch the bus that connects the two airports, go back through security, eat a delicious french croissant, and sit down to wait for the next flight.

Step four: Casablanca <3
       I fly from ORLY, Paris into Casablanca, which will take about 3 hours. Its going to be murder for me to be in the city and not be able to run to Rick's, but that airport is where I will be meeting several other International Students headed for AUI, so their company will keep me from ditching the airport.

Step five: The last flight.
       From Casablanca I (along with my newfound classmates) will be taking a 50 minute flight over to Fez. Fez is a decent sized city, and the only one in Morocco where the school will send a representative to pick you up. There is a group of roughly 12 of us on that last flight, and we will all be taken to the school together.

Step six: The drive. (August 23rd, 2:00am)
       AUI is actually located in Ifrane, which is an hour drive from Fez. So the last leg of the journey is getting to the city, and trying to stay awake long enough to check into the rooms, meet my roommate (if she is already there) and get my PJs on before giving in to delirium and passing out.

Its going to be a crazy 28 hours, but full of adventure and completely worth it in the end. Who I will be living with is a mystery, but I'm really excited about the opportunity to go in blind and spend the semester getting to know whoever she is.

August 23rd is a day off, and will be spent looking around campus/getting to know my roommate/sampling local cuisine/and trying to get on a normal sleep schedule.

International Student orientation begins on August 24th, and is a three day process of paperwork, choosing classes, and all the other stuff associated with being at a new school. I'll get to meet all the other Study abroad students, and hopefully some of the full-time students and faculty. I cant wait to see how the school is organized, and start taking classes again. Once I have an idea of what my schedule will be i'll put it on here, as well as a more detailed description of orientation.

I'm not sure if i'll post again this side of the Atlantic, so just in case, Ma'alsalameh! See y'all from the cross roads of European, Arab and African cultures and my newest place to call "home."

Whats in a Name?

Today was my last full day in Jacksonville until next year.

Now when you look at that, it looks so dramatic and far away. The reality is, of course, its just four months, and then I will be back to swooping around the nest. But right now as I lay here on the couch that has become my second home, listening to the rain and the sound of my host-moms keyboard, 4 months seems like such a long time. I wonder how much will change in those months? On one hand its hardly enough time to be missed, and on the other its far too long to keep things the same. Time ticks along, and when the clock hits New Years nothing will be "the same." Which isnt a bad thing, just how it is.

So the past few days when I have been saying my see-you-laters, my constant reassurance to my loved ones in Jax has been "I'll be home before you know it!" And more often than not the response I get is "Home here or home Pensacola?" and then I turn around and check Facebook and my friends in Jordan are asking "Are you coming home while you're abroad??" and of course there is the text I sent my mom, "I'll be home tomorrow! Love you!" Home. A word that I use to describe more than one area, in more than one way, at any given moment. Home. And it really got me thinking- what is home? Why is it that I use the word so loosely and what does it really mean to me? Well i've been mulling it over for a few days, and I think I have finally come up with an answer. Bear in mind this is my own personal opinion, although some of you out there may identify with my reasoning. So lets take a dive in to the way my life works and figure out how I can come home.

There are a million and ten perfectly acceptable definitions for the word "home". Its your permanent place of residence, where your family is, where you were born. Well none of those work for me, because I dont reside permanently anywhere, my family is spread out all across the US (although family is another matter entirely, because I have my blood relatives, the people who helped raise and influence me, and friends that have transcended the regular bond and are now a part of what I would definitely call family. But thats another story for another day.) and I only lived in my country of birth for about a month. So while those may work for some people, they just dont cut it in my mind. Another common definition is home is where you're heart is. Well if thats the case, I am in serious trouble. My poor heart has been spread out in so many directions- obviously huge chunks of it belong in Pensacola, Amman, and Jacksonville. But there are also pieces in Washington D.C, Alabama, Palestine, and other places that captured my attention and stole a piece of my affection. Places I love, full of people I love, and would return to in a heartbeat. I'm fairly certain Morocco is going to end up on that list as well, so theres another piece to consider. Growing up my parents have always said "home is where your toothbrush is" and while in the past that has been the most accurate, more and more it just doesnt quite fit. Sure my toothbrush goes pretty much everywhere with me, but I have no personal attachment to it. I throw them away without a second thought, and what would that say about "home?" No no, still not really it. There are many more definitions and ideas out there but as i'm sure you're getting bored with reading this (its late and I'm probably rambling) i'll cut to the chase.

To me, home is wherever you are. And I dont  mean you my reader (although your presence, physically and otherwise, is important to me) I mean that wherever in the world you may be, that is home. Because the sense of happiness, security, peace, anxiety, fear or hope you go to sleep with is what wakes you up the next day, and what constantly reminds you of what you're working for. From the hills of Amman to the sandy beaches of Pensacola, to me home is where I am at any given moment. Walking around Disney world with my best friend. Star gazing with an astronomy class. Running across campus in the rain, barefoot and cold. Home is more than just a building or location, or tie to your birthplace (Even though I totally love claiming my African roots). To me, its a very real and very personal feeling. Home is where I am happy, and where I am happy is wherever life has me.

So when I say I will be home, I mean that I will be back. Its one semester (which does seem like a lifetime) and even though I will find home in Ifrane, I do plan on returning to the nest that encouraged me to spread my wings and fly. So its bittersweet that wrap this up, and fly out tomorrow towards a new and strange destination. To all my loves in the States (especially my UNFers) I will be home soon. To all my loves outside the States, I'm coming home!

If you get lost, you can always be found. Just know you're not alone,

Cause I'm gonna make this place your home.

Hurry Up and Wait

So this is kind of a timeline of how I went from planning to study in Cairo to studying in Ifrane.

August 2011. I have known since I first started University that I was going to study abroad at some point in my collegiate career. I grew up overseas and my passion is for people, so the challenge of spending a semester in some remote corner of the world with new people was something I accepted as inevitable. Its also required for my major, so that doesn’t hurt. I talked to my parents about it, and after showing them my course progress and outlining my reasons, we agreed that the Fall of 2013 would be the ideal time for the study abroad. 

November 2012. When I sat down to figure out where in the world I wanted to go, I had two requirements for a country: it had to be Arabic-speaking, and it had to have a significant amount of history that I could immerse myself in while there. Naturally, I went straight to the Middle Eastern countries and parked myself in front of the map. While doing research and trying to figure out what kind of classes I wanted to take and how finances would work, every answer kept bringing me back to Jordan. I had mixed emotions about that- on one hand, the chance to experience the country where I grew up as an adult would be amazing and enlightening. On the other hand, I already had a thorough knowledge of the language, history and culture, so it wouldn't present any kind of new challenge. But since my options were limited (the Middle East isn't exactly the most stable area in the world, and SA programs are not cheap in most of the countries) I came up with a plan and went to see the International adviser at UNF.

I met with him on January 15^th of this year; I remember the date because it was my birthday. I had the day off of work and nothing to do until my night class, so I spent the morning looking at pictures of Jordan and daydreaming about what it would be like to study there. When the meeting time rolled around, I waltzed into my advisors office and laid out my plan. Every detail was provided, every question answered. I was READY. And then he came at me out of left field: “Jordan is a great choice, but have you looked anywhere else? I’ve been in contact with one of your professors, and she thinks you should look at going to Egypt.”

…..

Excuse me?

Of course, Egypt had been on my list, for about thirty seconds. Not only did I not think the university was sending people there, but it was right after a major revolution and I didn’t know anything about the stability or safety issues. I had no friends there, no knowledge of what it would take to get there, nothing. And yet… I did grow up watching Egyptian television, so I knew the language. Like any good history buff I have studied Egyptology, and am fascinated with the extensive history and beautiful architecture. And it was right across the sea form Jordan. So, being the Barlow that I am, I nodded my head and said “Sure.” We talked a little bit more about it and he gave me answers and options. I left the meeting feeling confused- what just happened to my master plan? So I did the only sensible thing I could do: called my parents. And they (of course) said go for it. And just like that the track was set for Egypt. I applied to the American University of Cairo, and was accepted on May 3^rd. Dad bought the ticket, I registered for housing and chose my classes, and started buying lightweight clothes to prepare for the weather. Everything was moving along swimmingly, and I was getting more and more excited about leaving. As a child who dreams of working for the government someday the chance to study a revolution up close and to build a network in a nation that increasingly proves important to ours was mind boggling. My heart began to fall in love with the Egyptian people, and every day was just one step closer to seeing those historic pyramids.

June 30^th, 2013. The second Egyptian revolution. Millions of people took to the streets, calling for the same change they had asked for a short year before. The world held its breath, and I continued to consume my Chick Fil A chicken nuggets. I wasn’t worried- the plan was in motion, and I knew in my heart that I was called to go this fall. So I spent my week lollygagging and eating apple pie

July 8^th.. I went home to spend the week of the 8^th-12^th with my Mom, and on that Monday I got an email from UNF. I was informed that the State Department had moved Egypt from the travel warning to the travel ban list, effectively forbidding me from going anywhere near there. Of course, the split second it took me to read that email was one of the darkest I’ve had. I was confused, upset, and totally freaked out because I had absolutely no Plan B. Yes I had embraced from the beginning that it could happen, but I never gave any serious thought to what I would do if it did. So the world was ending, hell had frozen over and I was going absolutely nowhere in life. Again, I did the only sensible thing I could do. I called my mom. I was in tears, reading her the email and trying to accept that everything was over. But my mom is so much smarter than that. She listened to me go on for about five minutes then said “Anna, honey, have you looked at going anywhere else?”

Again, What?? Had I stopped to consider that there was still time to apply to another school? No. Had I even explored what schools UNF had partnerships with and what it might take to get to one of those? Of course not. I was too busy bemoaning the end of the world. And my mom, ever patient with my dramatics, encouraged me to just look. The worst that could happen was I may have to delay a semester, but she never believed that would happen for a second because she also felt that I was called to go this fall. She calmed me down quickly, and left me to figure out if there was time for a Plan B. When checking out other partner schools, I ended up with three country possibilities: The UK, Denmark, and Morocco. All exciting, all new, and all suitable backup plan. So I emailed the schools, praying that it would be clear which door I could walk through and that the clarity would come quickly. I received an answer from Al-Akhawayn University the very same day, encouraging me to apply and outlining the steps for doing so. Then I heard from the schools in Denmark and the UK- it was too late for fall, but I was welcome to apply for spring. So that settled that! I filled out the application for AUI, crossed my fingers and sat back to wait.

July 24^th. Fast forward two weeks. I received my official acceptance letter from AUI on July 23^rd, along with the housing request, travel info and course options. My dad shopped around and managed to book my flight, and mom bought me some heavy-duty clothes to prepare for the bitter winter that awaits me. In the span of two weeks the last six months of planning, waiting and preparing have come undone and I am now anxiously awaiting my departure for Ifrane, Morocco on August 21^st.

Anyone who has spoken to me in the last few months knows how excited I was about Egypt. I mean, who wouldn’t be? Mystique, history, delicious food, a sense of danger, and the chance to watch political change firsthand. That’s awesome, and the dream of any 20-year-old who is out to change the world. But what would I really have been facing? 4 months of my friends and family worrying constantly. Having to live pretty confined to the campus, because waltzing around Cairo as a young, white female just isn’t a smart decision. Living with 3 people I’ve never met, taking generalized classes, and basically just returning to a culture that has been a part of me my entire life. It would have been amazing no doubt, but almost more of a “look what I get to do!” trip rather than a real life-changing semester that impacts my future by way of my goals and career. In Morocco, I am entering an entirely unknown culture and area of the world. I have little to no exposure to the history of North Africa, and the dialect of Arabic spoken there is very different from the one I grew up with. I will get to practice my French as well, and take very specific classes that fit perfectly into my degree needs. Morocco is one of the oldest nations in Africa with one of the most diverse histories, and the culture shock idea is both daunting and exciting. So this semester is no longer getting back to what I know, but stepping outside of my comfort zone and really embracing a new challenge.

Long story short, July 28^th 2013. In four days I am heading home for a few weeks, then packing my bags and leaving on a jet plane. I’m not going where I was expecting to, but I am going where I need to be. The whole process of getting here has been crazy, but very rewarding. I’m learning to trust, relax, and realize that my plans pale in comparison to what God has designed. 

And that is the story of the climb to studying abroad. The next three weeks will be preparation for the journey, and from there, the real journey begins.