One of the most memorable moments from my time abroad happened during my trip to the Sahara dunes in Morocco—but it didn’t exactly start off in a great way.
The trip there from Marrakech took about 11 and a half hours in a tiny, cramped van with practically zero space to move, and to top it off, it was hot the entire time. By the end of it, everyone was tired, uncomfortable, and honestly just ready to be done. I remember thinking it had better be worth it after a day like that.
Later that evening, after arriving at the camp and getting settled in, we climbed up one of the dunes to watch the sunset. Even that part wasn’t easy because the sand was making it slow and somewhat frustrating to get to the top. But once I got up there, everything felt completely different.
The view was really open—just sand going on for miles. As the sun went down, the colors changed, and everything got quieter. What stood out the most was how silent it was. After being stuck in a loud van all day, it felt strange but very grounding and calming.
I didn’t have some huge realization in that moment, but I do remember sitting there and thinking that the long trip didn’t matter as much anymore. It was just one part of the experience. That moment made me realize I can handle being uncomfortable a lot better than I thought, and that not everything has to go smoothly to still be worth it.
Since then, I think I’ve been a little more patient and less focused on things being perfect. The trip to the desert wasn’t easy, but it ended up being one of the moments I remember the most.
