Maggie Petersen

This winter I had the amazing opportunity to spend three months living, working and learning in one of the most beautiful environments in the world. My time in Morocco is defined by personal growth, unique experiences and wonderful people. I lived with a kind and generous host family who welcomed be freely, worked with hospitalized children and adults continuing their education and from every experience, I learned more about myself and the world around me.

Living in the capital city of Rabat, I was able to learn a great deal about the political and cultural state of Morocco. It afforded me a centralized location for travel and a quiet city where the life is real, away from the packaged tourist views of some other areas. And, while the city itself was valuable, it was the family who took me in that really elevated the trip and gave it meaning.

From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed and cared for. While dealing with homesickness, the members of my host family did all they could to make me feel as if they were my true family. While learning about the culture that surrounded me, they taught me lessons beyond textbooks and pamphlets and allowed me a glimpse of true Moroccan life. While living with them, I felt safe and comfortable; I gained sisters, brothers, parents and lifelong friends during my stay.

Outside of the house, I also found opportunity. The working situation had its flaws, but every one of my coordinators and other volunteers helped to remedy these and try to make my situation work. After some confusion about my placement, I was able to work in a children’s hospital. I found it challenging, as a lot of freedom was given to me, but I also found the opportunity for self-motivation. After weeks of working with these children, I really found an amazing sense of selflessness in the other volunteers I met and the people running the hospital. Those children are in unfortunate situations, but they are well cared for, both medically and emotionally. It was inspiring to see.

I also taught English during my stay to a small group of dedicated students. This was perhaps the most rewarding part of my program. I developed my own skills in organization and execution of lesson plans, and witnessed passion for learning from my students. They were all respectful and I could tell they truly wanted to learn the subject. I hope that the lessons we had together were beneficial for them, because they certainly were for me.

Throughout all of this, the people I met were open and welcoming. I learned more self-confidence in these three months than I had in many activities I have engaged in for years. The simple act of venturing out on my own forced me to take steps to grow as an individual. I was lucky that I took these steps into a nurturing community, which allowed me to take risks and approach challenges while still having a support system filled with people I felt really cared.

From the moment I stepped off the plane and was greeted by my coordinator and host-brother, through meeting my co-workers and students, to finding other volunteers to share my experience with and living with my wonderful host-family, the people of Morocco defined my program and made it one I will never forget.