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Rabat: Kinder But Cooler

As Fez was my first exposure to any form of Moroccan city, it was certainly a lot to take in. A culture and way of living very different from any I had experienced while in the States, Fez was an intimidating place, especially in the first week. It’s population was largely a poor one, one that felt looked down upon by most Americans and thus returned the gesture. As such, it took a while for me to feel welcome in the place I called home yet felt so unwelcome. However, such a situation was not one I planned on remaining in. So, I made a very conscious effort to interact with as many people as I could, forming positive relationships by demonstrating how much I value their city and way of life. This effort culminated one night while outside Batha in front of the taxi station. What my friends and I witnessed appeared to be a congregation of every kid in the neighborhood under eight years old, playing in the piazza. Within a half and hour, we joined in the games they were playing, and eventually became the fascination and source of delight of every kid there. It was in that moment that the harsh city that had publicly seemed so unwelcoming appeared to officially welcome us into the community, with both children and their parents feeling completely safe and open to us. In the days that followed, I had the beautiful experience of feeling completely at home in a place that had been a strange, impoverished, and subliminally hostile environment only three weeks before. Just as I would run into acquaintances and friends around town, so too did I run into these kids and their parents in and around the alleys and streets of the Madina. Such an experience was absolutely worth the time and effort necessary to get to that point, and is not an experience I feel I will have in Rabat.

A much more conducive city in terms of the lifestyle Westerners are used to, Rabat is without doubt a more feasible option in terms of assimilation. With it’s much more developed new city, tram system and greater fluency in Western culture, Rabat would without doubt have been an easier start to my time in Morocco. However, an easier experience is neither something I wish I had or I think I should have. For while Rabat is without doubt a more accessible city, it does not have the same feeling of community, extremes in all aspects of life, and beautiful chaos I felt while in Fez. That being said, I have only spent a single week here, and I am sure that this city will open just as Fez did. My only fear is that it will be both easier and less rewarding, for while it is nice to not have to fight to feel at home, it is also not nearly as satisfying an accomplishment.

 

John Argentino


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