Casablanca, Morocco
الدار البيضاء، المغرب
The beginning and end portion of the IFE* was spent in the bustling, frenetic, and historical metropolitan city on the ocean, Casablanca.
These posts document the learning, experiences and wonderings I had with my Morocco TGC** cohort. They also explore one of my topics of inquiry for the trip, which sought to answer the question:
What is the relationship between location (urban/rural) and the daily (educational) life experiences of the youth?
The blog captures details, memories and insights I recall from my time in this beautiful place, with wonderful people. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy!
*International Field Experience** Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms (TGC)
After a long travel day from 9 states and 5 time zones 11 American TGC** participants from the Morocco cohort met up in Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris. Although extremely tired, we oriented ourselves once again, asking where we were flying from, remind me again, what do you teach? We made it through a short (2.5 hr) delay and a gate change and boarded our flight as a group. Not very long after, we landed in Mohammed V International airport, disembarked, and navigated through customs. After collecting our (many) bags, we were greeted by the lovely Ikram, a guide and support for us throughout the IFE*.
We checked in to our rooms, and found our way to the hotel restaurant for our first meal, eager to share food and bits of knowledge! We had no idea how much more food we would bond over in the coming days. Once the plates were cleared, we all knew it was time to go rest.
The following morning we marveled and devoured our buffet options (an array of yogurts, potatoes, salads, meats, fruits, pastries, breads, teas, etc....) Afterwards we were escorted to a meeting area, where we were welcomed by the MACECE (Moroccan American Commission for Education and Cultural Exchange) team. They had prepared us a morning of introductory lessons to get us prepared for our host visits and educational exchanges.
First was our necessary and important security briefing, followed by two lectures, about the Moroccan History of Islamic Architecture and the general features of the Moroccan education system. After the security briefing we had an open discussion about safety, historical security issues, and threats of racism and sexism. After some tea and light snacks, we all quickly dispersed to catch trains or hire rides to our host cities.My partner teacher and I arrived to Casa Voyagers just in time to catch the 13:30 afternoon train to our Host city of El Jadida.
Cities with frenetic energy, mixing old and new, evolving, adapting alongside its citizens, are the ones that usually call me back to visit again and again.
I am grateful that the international field experiences opening and closing days were in Casablanca. It allowed me to experience the location from the perspective of an educator, curious about the experiences of the young people who lived there. As a teacher and resident of a metropolis (NYC), I often wonder how those living in rural or suburban areas have very different daily life experiences. As a visitor, we only catch a glimpse into the daily life of the location, and often (maybe it's just me) imagine what life would be like if you were a resident. Casablancas' urban landscape defines its experiences for its residents. Casablanca is lively, containing a few welcoming communal spaces for the youth to connect with one another.
We returned to Casablanca by bus early in the morning. Our final three days of the IFE* were spent in Casablanca. We arrived for a tour of Hassan II Mosque, the cultural landmark on the Atlantic coast. From the tour, I learned some important details regarding the significance and impact of the structure. For example, the location is considered the largest functioning mosque in Africa, and has the ability to host 105,000 worshippers. In many ways, this feature is what makes Casablanca such an epicenter for the country of Morocco. Although not the capital, it is a significant cultural location, open to travelers and readily responding to urbanization. After the tour we walked through an area that was selling art, furniture, and other various goods from local artisans. A few from our group brought original pieces as souvenirs to bring home.
In the afternoon we visited DAR America, a cultural center associated with the US consulate in the Gauthier neighborhood of Casablanca. The space has a large library, computers, tablets, printers, 3-D printers, film equipment and other resources for student use. The events coordinator also shared with us a growing calendar of events, and their intention to support students wishing to expand their English as a new language studies. Many students in Morocco speak three languages, two academically (French and Arabic), and one colloquially (Darija). In recent years, English has become a popular choice as a foreign language of study. DAR America is another welcoming, safe, and enriching space for Moroccan youth. Speaking with the local organizers of DAR America, it seems that english as the fourth language studied by young people of Morocco is growing in popularity. DAR America is a local space for the students of Casablanca to practice english and engage with resources that allow them to be more connected globally.
The following day we took an architectural walking tour with a local expert. We meandered through the old city (kasbah) to learn some more history, and experience the quieter parts of Casablanca. Casablanca is a prominent economic center of Morocco, due to it's artificial port , the second largest of Africa. The city attracts travelers, migrants and global citizens whom are drawn to the cities energy, accessibility and connections to the larger world. Much like other parts of Morocco, Casablanca maintains its ancient charms while progressing with modernity. The young people of Casablanca are enriched by their exposure to cultural spaces and access to a cosmopolitan metropolis.
Compared to the daily life experiences of the young people in Casablanca, who have access to community spaces and resources that expand their global network, students living in more rural areas, such as El Jadida, are somewhat disadvantaged. This is not to say that students in those areas are unwilling or uninterested in expanding their global network, they simply just have less opportunities to do so. One of the main barriers to education in rural areas is transportation and access to internet tools.
When visiting schools in El Jadida, my partner teacher and I had prepared a google slides presentation, which required wifi and projection to share with students. Foolishly, we had not considered that public schools do not have wifi, or projectors, and quickly pivoted to a discussion routine that required no materials. The private schools we visited did have wifi and the ability to project our slides, which exemplifies the circumstances that privilege plays a factor in access to technology in more rural areas, compared to Casablanca.
In El Jadida, the majority of students walk to and from school, returning home for their two hour mid-day break which is a time for eating with family and transitioning between morning and afternoon classes. There are some students who live on the outskirts of the city, taking public transportation (buses or trains) to get to school each day. Most students traveling from outside of town do not have the ability to return home for the mid-day 2-hr break. During a drive to Oujda one afternoon, my host teachers pointed out the young boys (no older than 12) on the side of the road hitchhiking, requesting a ride to get closer to their school. We learned that the highest dropout rate is young girls living in rural areas, due to issues of safety when considering traveling far distances to get to school. This disparity in daily experiences and accessibility to resources is very similar to that which we experience in America.
There is no question that the young people of Morocco desire to be globally competent and connected with the larger world. The IFE* was only a snapshot into the daily life experiences of the youth in both rural and urban areas, but it revealed to me that teenagers across the globe are adaptable, resilient and determined. The exposure to a different set of educational circumstances and limitations had me consider how I can better support my own students. My new goal as an educator is to set aside sacred time to explicitly teach students about resources (technological, community spaces, etc..) that are available to them.
