Dear Readers,
So apparently it's Easter Sunday. Who knew? In my current environment it doesn't even register that it's Easter and that Lent has just finished and all that jazz. I joke to my family that I "gave up Lent for Lent" because it's such a foreign concept here.
So much has happened since we last had contact, it's going to be a difficult letter to write and cut it down. I have been continually postponing writing this for the past two weeks as I have not known how to convey the intense and conflicting emotions I have been feeling as I approach my leaving date.
It's my last full day in Rabat and instead of enjoying the sunshine I'm chilling in my (very) messy room trying to bring myself to get motivated to pack. It's bittersweet and as such difficult to bring myself to face the end of this amazing journey. I have had the most amazing time over the past few days and it is a fitting end to my two and a half months here. I am taking the next two weeks as my entitled holidays from Projects Abroad and travelling around Spain with my good friend from my Adelaide home, Eliza. I say "Adelaide home" because I now feel that I have two homes, Rabat and Adelaide.
The past 4 days have bought my time here to a fitting closure. On Thursday we had sushi and rum at Louis-Phillipe and Merriam's apartment, which bought a lot of laughs and jokes and memories (can someone please tell me, for the record, what is in a "Hawaii" cocktail? I have a feeling not the mashed up banana and orangina that we used *shakes head and laughs*) as well as some yummy concoctions of veggies and cream cheese, and fruit and nutella. Or just rice and nutella and peanut butter, vegetables were always optional.
My Friday was incredibly special. I had my last couscous lunch, after which I ran out of the door to meet my close friend Sofia (who is like a sister-I will miss you so much!). When I got to Akari tram station she told me she had bought her mother and on of her sisters, Iman, and I spent the next while walking the markets with them before being taken to their grandmother's home and being invited in, given tea and pancakes and peanuts, meeting other members of her family and being genuinely made to feel welcome and part of the family. I felt incredibly blessed and lucky to meet them before I left and experience such amazing hospitality. After tea I headed home to have a 5 minute shower (yes parents, it's possible for me to have a quick shower!) and then it was off to the "Orchestre Symphonique Royal" courtesy of my friend Jamal, who is the Tuba player. Myself, Andi, Clare and Catherine felt that it was a very classy way to spend our Friday night.
Saturday morning was spent shopping for souvenirs and presents for the family. Boring.
HOWEVER! Saturday afternoon bought more memories and fun times with close friends that I have made in my time here. I had afternoon tea with Fatima Zahra (who I also see as a sister and who I will miss so much!) and she gave me the most beautiful silver earrings. I was so surprised and it almost bought me to tears. A recurring theme of my time in Morocco has been the amazing way in which people have opened their hearts to me and taken me into their lives and invited me into their families. I have had some incredibly special and touching experiences which I will hold close to my heart forever and it is due to the amazing, kind and beautiful people I have been blessed enough to meet.
After afternoon tea, I went to a juice bar with Jamal and had a Mango and Almond smoothie. It was so thick it came with a spoon. Never again will I drink Mango juice on it's own.
My weekend came to something of a close last night (Saturday). I met Soufiane and Jalal (some more friends) randomly near the Kasbah, and they asked how I was spending my last Saturday night. I said "well, we will do something, but I'm not sure what yet". Lexy was back in town from Spain and wanted to catch up, so we decided to dance the night away for the final time, at our local, Yakouts. After getting in for free (I love how my friends know everyone important including club bouncers *giggles*) we settled in at a table, had a drink and then got up and danced without a break until 2 am in the morning.
The live band were playing all sorts of Latin and reggae inspired music, and the DJ in between was taking the mixes straight from the American Top 40 and placing Latin beats underneath; as you can imagine, I, as a Western tourist who has somewhat assimilated into Moroccan life, was in my element. We danced non stop until 2 am in the morning, when we went back to a house in the Kasbah that the boys were house-sitting. Lexy was going to get a hotel but after meeting Soufiane an Jalal earlier they told me to tell her no, we could stay there.
It proved to be a wonderful decision, as we got home and made omelets which we ate by torchlight on the terrace with the sound of the rolling waves in the background, and being somewhat illuminated by the full moon. When we awoke this morning after sleeping/camping on said terrace, Lexy and I decided to buy breakfast as a thank you gift to the guys for having us stay at the house.
We had a breakfast of champions (Moroccan pancakes, oranges, a different sort of bread/pancake, and bread all topped with nutella and strong, sugary black coffee) and spoke about life and happiness whilst listening to Johnny Cash covers of Redemption Song. I'll admit I was sad. It was such a beautiful time with beautiful people and I have to leave it. However, after a bit of a pep talk from Asdin (Soufiane's friend) I picked up and was ready to come home and face the music that was packing and cleaning and planning exactly how I'm going too get to Spain, none of which I have actually done yet. I am still master procrastinator.
After a quick and long overdue skype chat with my family, I settled in to writing this, my final letter from Morocco. It is certainly not the last letter I will post however (don't stop reading! Prepare yourselves-Europe is coming up as is my 20th Birthday on Thursday-stay tuned for the stories of our shenanigans!)
You will have hopefully noticed that I haven't actually used the word goodbye at all until now. It is because I don't see this as my goodbye. I have given and received so many hugs, and attempted to answer the question as to when I will return so many times in the last few days, that I have become almost certain that this will not be my last visit to Morocco. I have made so many amazing friends and become so close to people that I consider them like my family. I want everyone to know how incredibly grateful I am that you have been a part of my journey and have welcomed me into your lives so openly. It truly has been an enriching and blessed experience; one which I will treasure forever. Morocco has claimed not only two pairs of jeans, 3 pairs of socks and one pair of shoes (bloody Medina floor), but my heart. I think this is aptly shown in my Itunes shuffling randomly to "You'll be in my heart" (classic Phil Collins) which is now playing as I start folding clothes and tell myself over and over "Don't cry, Clem! Don't cry!"
After all, in the words of Asmaa, this isn't goodbye, this is "see you soon".
Until next time.
Love, Love,
Clem xx
So apparently it's Easter Sunday. Who knew? In my current environment it doesn't even register that it's Easter and that Lent has just finished and all that jazz. I joke to my family that I "gave up Lent for Lent" because it's such a foreign concept here.
 |
| Last day at work. Two of my favourites. |
So much has happened since we last had contact, it's going to be a difficult letter to write and cut it down. I have been continually postponing writing this for the past two weeks as I have not known how to convey the intense and conflicting emotions I have been feeling as I approach my leaving date.
It's my last full day in Rabat and instead of enjoying the sunshine I'm chilling in my (very) messy room trying to bring myself to get motivated to pack. It's bittersweet and as such difficult to bring myself to face the end of this amazing journey. I have had the most amazing time over the past few days and it is a fitting end to my two and a half months here. I am taking the next two weeks as my entitled holidays from Projects Abroad and travelling around Spain with my good friend from my Adelaide home, Eliza. I say "Adelaide home" because I now feel that I have two homes, Rabat and Adelaide.
 |
| This was supposed to be "Hawaii".Then Cameron got to it.Didn't go so well... |
The past 4 days have bought my time here to a fitting closure. On Thursday we had sushi and rum at Louis-Phillipe and Merriam's apartment, which bought a lot of laughs and jokes and memories (can someone please tell me, for the record, what is in a "Hawaii" cocktail? I have a feeling not the mashed up banana and orangina that we used *shakes head and laughs*) as well as some yummy concoctions of veggies and cream cheese, and fruit and nutella. Or just rice and nutella and peanut butter, vegetables were always optional.
My Friday was incredibly special. I had my last couscous lunch, after which I ran out of the door to meet my close friend Sofia (who is like a sister-I will miss you so much!). When I got to Akari tram station she told me she had bought her mother and on of her sisters, Iman, and I spent the next while walking the markets with them before being taken to their grandmother's home and being invited in, given tea and pancakes and peanuts, meeting other members of her family and being genuinely made to feel welcome and part of the family. I felt incredibly blessed and lucky to meet them before I left and experience such amazing hospitality. After tea I headed home to have a 5 minute shower (yes parents, it's possible for me to have a quick shower!) and then it was off to the "Orchestre Symphonique Royal" courtesy of my friend Jamal, who is the Tuba player. Myself, Andi, Clare and Catherine felt that it was a very classy way to spend our Friday night.
Saturday morning was spent shopping for souvenirs and presents for the family. Boring.
 |
| Myself and Fatima Zahra |
HOWEVER! Saturday afternoon bought more memories and fun times with close friends that I have made in my time here. I had afternoon tea with Fatima Zahra (who I also see as a sister and who I will miss so much!) and she gave me the most beautiful silver earrings. I was so surprised and it almost bought me to tears. A recurring theme of my time in Morocco has been the amazing way in which people have opened their hearts to me and taken me into their lives and invited me into their families. I have had some incredibly special and touching experiences which I will hold close to my heart forever and it is due to the amazing, kind and beautiful people I have been blessed enough to meet.
After afternoon tea, I went to a juice bar with Jamal and had a Mango and Almond smoothie. It was so thick it came with a spoon. Never again will I drink Mango juice on it's own.
 |
| Soufiane and Jalal |
My weekend came to something of a close last night (Saturday). I met Soufiane and Jalal (some more friends) randomly near the Kasbah, and they asked how I was spending my last Saturday night. I said "well, we will do something, but I'm not sure what yet". Lexy was back in town from Spain and wanted to catch up, so we decided to dance the night away for the final time, at our local, Yakouts. After getting in for free (I love how my friends know everyone important including club bouncers *giggles*) we settled in at a table, had a drink and then got up and danced without a break until 2 am in the morning.
 |
| We finally slept on the roof. |
The live band were playing all sorts of Latin and reggae inspired music, and the DJ in between was taking the mixes straight from the American Top 40 and placing Latin beats underneath; as you can imagine, I, as a Western tourist who has somewhat assimilated into Moroccan life, was in my element. We danced non stop until 2 am in the morning, when we went back to a house in the Kasbah that the boys were house-sitting. Lexy was going to get a hotel but after meeting Soufiane an Jalal earlier they told me to tell her no, we could stay there.
 |
| Just the view from where I ate breakfast.No biggie. |
It proved to be a wonderful decision, as we got home and made omelets which we ate by torchlight on the terrace with the sound of the rolling waves in the background, and being somewhat illuminated by the full moon. When we awoke this morning after sleeping/camping on said terrace, Lexy and I decided to buy breakfast as a thank you gift to the guys for having us stay at the house.
We had a breakfast of champions (Moroccan pancakes, oranges, a different sort of bread/pancake, and bread all topped with nutella and strong, sugary black coffee) and spoke about life and happiness whilst listening to Johnny Cash covers of Redemption Song. I'll admit I was sad. It was such a beautiful time with beautiful people and I have to leave it. However, after a bit of a pep talk from Asdin (Soufiane's friend) I picked up and was ready to come home and face the music that was packing and cleaning and planning exactly how I'm going too get to Spain, none of which I have actually done yet. I am still master procrastinator.
 |
| Breakfast of Champions |
After a quick and long overdue skype chat with my family, I settled in to writing this, my final letter from Morocco. It is certainly not the last letter I will post however (don't stop reading! Prepare yourselves-Europe is coming up as is my 20th Birthday on Thursday-stay tuned for the stories of our shenanigans!)
You will have hopefully noticed that I haven't actually used the word goodbye at all until now. It is because I don't see this as my goodbye. I have given and received so many hugs, and attempted to answer the question as to when I will return so many times in the last few days, that I have become almost certain that this will not be my last visit to Morocco. I have made so many amazing friends and become so close to people that I consider them like my family. I want everyone to know how incredibly grateful I am that you have been a part of my journey and have welcomed me into your lives so openly. It truly has been an enriching and blessed experience; one which I will treasure forever. Morocco has claimed not only two pairs of jeans, 3 pairs of socks and one pair of shoes (bloody Medina floor), but my heart. I think this is aptly shown in my Itunes shuffling randomly to "You'll be in my heart" (classic Phil Collins) which is now playing as I start folding clothes and tell myself over and over "Don't cry, Clem! Don't cry!"
After all, in the words of Asmaa, this isn't goodbye, this is "see you soon".
Until next time.
Love, Love,
Clem xx
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