Day one in Morocco was an absolute whirlwind of faces, places, smells, and sights. After getting off the ship, I boarded a shuttle bus with some of my classmates for one of our required field programs to the Hassan II Mosque. The Mosque was situated right on the ocean, overlooking the water and providing a backdrop to the hustle and bustle of Casablanca, which is definitely a port city. Casablanca is a mix of tourist hotels, beautiful beaches, garbage, and shanty towns. There were neighborhoods of make-shift shelters, and the only thing that was holding the cardboard roof on the buildings were pounds and pounds of garbage. It was strange to see so much desolation and trash on one side of the ocean, while on the exact opposite side catered to tourists and provided four star hotels and restaurants. Tourism is one of Morocco's main economic means, and you can decipher it by all the "touristy" areas. I was astounded by how deserted the mosque was; it was such a solemn and beautiful place. We were taken on a tour by a very friendly Moroccan, who described its history, traditions, and general details. The mosque's roof actually opens up, and allows sunlight and fresh air in. We didn't get to see this actually happen, but it is unfathomable to believe it. The mosque is massive; the third largest in the world, and it only takes four minutes to open the roof. Mosaics were scattered on all the columns and walls throughout the mosque. We toured the basement as well, which is where the hammam is, where Muslims go to clean and wash themselves before partaking in prayer. It is extremely sad to reflect upon the fact that many Americans think that the Islamic religion is something to be hated. I think it is truly a beautiful thing, and a faith the seems unwavering despite all of its ridicule from the west.

 

After the mosque, the tour bus brought us back to the ship and I took a quick nap before meeting people at 2pm to head to Rabat, the country's capital. I met up with people in Tymitz Square, which is one of the main stations of the ship to do things such as sign up for programs, take care of finances, etc. When I got down there, something seemed amiss, and I noticed there was a lot of commotion. I discovered that one of my friends, Andrew, had actually been mugged on a main road. Four or five men grabbed him, and stole his necklace, camera, and phone. It was a shock; we had only been in port for not even a few hours. I know that it can happen in the United States, but it was still astounding to know that it had already happened so soon.. After hearing this, my roommate and I were a little frightened to even go back off the ship. However, we decided that since we were with a bigger group of people, we would be a little more protected. Especially since we are women, we were discouraged to walk around without men. We headed to the ATM, and I got out 1,000 dirham, which was a disturbing amount of money to take out of my bank account, even if it only amounted to around $130 or so. After the ATM, we were trying to find the train station. No one in my group spoke French or Arabic except me, so I was frequently asking Moroccans directions, suggestions, etc. It was a great feeling knowing that I can navigate without depending on English. We made it to the train station, and the ticket was only about $4 American. Transporation is so much cheaper here than in the US, it was amazing. We made it to Rabat after an hour or so, and it was the loveliest city. It was so clean, the people were so friendly, and the architecture was amazing. I stopped and asked a man how to get to the King's Mausoleum, and he gave me directions in broken French, and a little Arabic. We walked around, and on our way to the mausoleum, a janitor in a local cathedral told us to come into the back door. We thought it was a little sketchy at first, but we did so anyway. I am so glad we didn't turn away, because he led us in a back door through the Cathedral, and we sat in on a choir practice for a little bit. The sun was shining in at a perfect angle through the stained glass, and provided a mystical atmosphere while we listened to French and Arabic gospel songs. We left the Cathedral, and found the mausoleum, which provided a great view of the entire city and the ocean. We saw the King's tomb, and many people asked to take  pictures with us. After the mausoleum, we walked out and a few of us got henna tattoos. Then, we walked and grabbed some dinner in a local cafe called Cafe Hiddal. I ordered the a menthe, and Jena and I shared a margarita pizza. After dinner, we grabbed the train home, and met some Moroccans our age who talked to about music and school. We exchanged Facebook names, and headed back to the ship. Overall, it was a good first day in Morocco. Tomorrow, I have to be up at 5am to head to Marrakech, and then hop on camels and head into the Erg Chegaga desert, and sleep under the stars. Until next time; Salam wa ma'saa al-khayr! :D