DAW kicked off in the city of Fez, the religious capital of Morocco. Complete with both the ancient Medina and the Ville Novelle, Fez was living and breathing history. Complete with many of the ancient practices and sites, Fez is unique in many different ways. After spending some time in Fez, I was fully immersed into the culture, enabling me to observe some key elements about the culture. Living in the ancient Medina in itself was drastically different from anyplace I had ever lived. For one, the architecture of the riads and the dars in which we surrounded by were simply amazing. From the tiled walls to the extravagantly hand crafted carved metallic hinges, the city was simply beautiful. The views from the terrace above my home were remarkably overwhelming for my senses. Hearing the call for prayer from the nearby mosque every morning paired with the absence of traffic while viewing the Atlas mountains and the nearby Ville Novelle was something unique that I was able to experience from Fez. 
In addition to the architecture from Fez, living in the religious capital of Morocco was completely different from living in America. It felt as if the city were stuck in the middle between modernity and traditionalism. While having some modern expectations, especially in the Ville, it was clear that the inequality of men and women was present in the city. It was more conservative, meaning that there is a more traditional way of dress and behaving as a female. Showing considerable amounts of skin would result is catcalling from some men and some staring from both men and women which is something that is not, by any means, uniquely Moroccan.
On the other hand, living in the in the religious capital also meant that there was an especial emphasis on the importance of family. I was able to come to this conclusion from my homestay experience. Staying with Habiba, a widower from the mountain, and her nephew Redouane was like being adopted into a Moroccan family. Every night, we ate dinner together, watching tv and practicing Darija after. Every night and morning, we ate together, recapping our days and discussing random things from our lives. Despite the existence of the language barrier, we grew closer to our family until we departed for Fez. It is important to acknowledge that this is based on my personal experiences in Fez, and that it can be completely different for someone else.
On Rabat:
After invading Morocco in the early 20th century, the French originally set its eyes on Fez as the capital of their new regime, but the French soon realized that the Rabat had a much better strategic position in the country, not far away from major cities like Casablanca and the coast, perfect weather, etc. As a result of this, Rabat has been likened to the “Washington, D.C. of Morocco.”
Living in Rabat has been a drastically different experience thus far. Home to most of the Moroccan ministries, it is nothing short of a modern, fast paced metropolitan city, complete with rush hour, nightclubs, and a large population of people. As really impacted by modernity, the feel of the city is much different from Fez. For me, the overwhelming sense of modernity does not give the same historical vibe that radiated from Fez. As I’ve discussed the architecture in Fez, it is important that I discuss the same in Rabat. First, I would like to point out that I have not been in Rabat long, and that I am no longer living in the Ancient Medina but in a suburb on the outskirts of the city. The homes in the neighborhood in which I live are beautiful, complete with a small gardens and colorful flowers. Living near a mosque again is nice, as the calls to prayer are amazing. The resident cats and dogs are also interesting. The large parks and spacious streets are also very much a site to see. In essence, despite the fact that the city is more modern, it is not any less beautiful in its own way.
As far as traditionalism and modernity, it can be argued that this city is much less traditional. The people here dress as they please, bearing in mind that it is colder here than in Fez. Men still stare, but it is not as overwhelming in the Ville. Our host family as well have shown us some differences in the importance on family in regards to some people. For one, technology is readily apparent in the home, from flat screens to the high speed wifi. After arriving home, everyone goes to their room, staying there until dinner, and then returning after. My roommate and I, Grayson, eat alone while the family sits in the front of the TV or on their cell phones. Collectively, the experience feels drastically from our experience in Fez. The family structure seems to be deeply impacted by the outside world, whereas life in the Fez Medina felt like a break from the fast paced lifestyle that we had in America.
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