Without a doubt, one of my favorite trips abroad has been to Morocco. While I had been anticipating it for a while, as it was a trip I wanted to take since before coming to Europe, my expectations were completely blown away upon landing in Africa. The 10-hour bus ride to the Sahara Desert seemed daunting at first; however, traveling with friends and bonding with the other girls on our bus made the trip fly by. We shared stories, slept, took in the scenery, and sang songs until arriving at our camp. Although we were slightly unlucky with the partially cloudy weather, I still got to see a gorgeous sunset while riding a camel through the dunes. 

One meaningful moment during this excursion was dancing with the other travelers and program leaders at night. After a large group dinner of traditional Moroccan food – tagine, Moroccan salad, khobz – the program leaders brought out their drums. They played songs ranging from ‘Waka Waka’ by Shakira to ‘We Will Rock You’ by Queen. My group and I danced together with the leaders and the other travelers, strutting around the room in a conga line and letting the leaders teach us African moves. We danced until our feet were sore and it was time to head back to our tents to ‘sleep’ (or rather stay up talking until we eventually passed out). This night holds a really special place in my heart. I felt as if I was really able to connect with the culture while also having a great time with new and old friends. 

In the morning, we woke up for a breathtaking sunrise and explored the desert. We ended up sandboarding on the dunes, and I was able to fully take in our surroundings. Spending a weekend in the desert was unlike any experience I’ve ever had, and it is one that I am excited to share stories of for the rest of my life. On the 10-hour drive back, we once again enjoyed the scenery of mountains and sandstone villages scattered across the mesa terrain. We laughed together about our time and shared our stories with our wonderful driver Said. This trip gave me a greater appreciation for the different cultures around the world. Instead of the usual hustle and bustle of my other trips, I was able to truly be immersed in the culture of Marrakech and Morocco and gain a new perspective on others’ way of life. Bonding with the other travelers also taught me to not stay within a ‘bubble’ as you never know who you will meet and get to know after just one conversation.