Week 2 in Granada, Spain (+ Morocco)

 Hello everyone. This was a busy yet fulfilling week. This week marked our first major excursion, specifically to Morocco. Before we get to that part, I do want to talk about the flamenco show that we were lucky enough to attend. The dance and music were passionate, and with the tight corridor, we were all encased in the emotion of their performance. From the look on the performers’ faces, to the breeze caused by the swish of their skirts, to the labored breaths at the end of each dance, and then the look on everyone’s face as we watched the performance, it was just spectacular. Although so foreign in practice, the emotions portrayed were familiar, so I felt I understood it more than I expected. 

Now, for Morocco. I did go into this trip with high expectations built up by my childhood friend from there, and I still had a better time than expected. The food was delicious, the people we encountered were personable, and I was able to leave my comfort zone and talk to a lot more people. On our first day there, we went to DARNA, which is an association housing immigrant women in Tangier. Here we were able to listen to their stories and how they continue to struggle as immigrants due to low job opportunities and barriers to life stability as it relates to housing, work, sense of belonging, and further opportunity. The next day, we went to Chefchaouen, and here we had a university student talk with us in small groups. We went to her house to eat and talk about our aspirations and our culture. We also met her sister, who studied abroad in Spain and it was so much fun to see her experience in Spain compared to ours. By the end of our time together, I did feel close to them. After that, she took us out to the market and we were able to purchase some items. I regret not purchasing more now that we’re back but I am happy with what I got. It was genuinely one of the best days of my life and I’m grateful to have experienced it.