"Adjusting to Life in Rabat, 10 Highlights from My First Two Weeks" by Verena Im
Banner photo credit: Church, 2026.
Number One:
Watching Morocco play in the AFCON Finals at Fan Zone Souissi. Even though we lost, it was still so much fun and the energy was insane.
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
Number Two:
Taking my first taxi to school with my roommate (make sure you check the taxi meter so you don’t get scammed).
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
Number Three:
My first stroll through the Medina– I guess you could say it was love at first sight! I have been back about 100 times since.
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
Number Four:
My first Friday couscous experience. So delicious. (Featuring the education abroad onsite program manager - Colleen!)
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
Number Five:
Meeting my language partner, Fadoua! She’s the best and I can’t wait to hang out with her more this semester.
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
Number Six:
On non-rainy days, I usually walk to and from school. The walk is about 40 minutes, and it’s easily my favorite part of the day. The views are just gorgeous.
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
Number Seven:
Finding a yummy coffee shop that’s only a four minute walk away from Amideast. Bonus because they have cute mugs and friendly cats!
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
Number Eight:
The official Rabat tour given by our Professor Ahmadi. This photo was taken at Chellah/Shalla, a historic walled complex in Rabat that layers Roman ruins with a medieval Islamic necropolis.
Photo Credit: Bardon, 2026.
Number Nine:
Taking a one-hour train from Rabat to Casablanca for a day trip with my friend Maddie.
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
Number Ten:
Watching the sunset by the ocean while reading my book. The waves were huge, and I’ll definitely be coming back to this spot multiple times a week.
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
Number Eleven:
Trying Seffa with chicken for the first time—a Moroccan dish that truly changed my life. I could not stop eating it.
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
Verena is a student at University of Southern California, and studying abroad in Spring 2026 on Amideast’s Area and Arabic Language Study Program in Rabat, Morocco.
