"Skyler's Amideast Resume" by Skyler Korkowski
Skyler’s Amideast Resume
Rabat, Morocco | Summer 2024
Education
ماكدو فأكدال (Magdoe f’Agdal)
Amideast امديست
June 29th - July 27th, 2024
Arabic 301
Achievements: Attended class Monday through Friday from 8:30 am - 2:50 pm (excluding special events/circumstances). Completed two quizzes, two exams, three presentations, four blog posts, and numerous homework assignments.
Experience
L’Ocean, Rabat
House Guest
Stayed with my two incredible host parents in their beautiful apartment building with a view of the ocean.
Went on various outings with my host mom including a visit to the beach, photography museum, and swim club!
Watched countless YouTube travel videos, news programs, and TV shows in Arabic and French.
Ate delicious homemade breakfasts and dinners each day and drank many glasses of Moroccan tea.
Rabat, Sale, Tangier
Language Partner & Friend
Made three amazing friends (my roommate and our two language partners) that I hope to keep for years to come!
Went on plenty of adventures together through the old medina and the Kasbah of Rabat.
Toured Sale, rode the tiny kiddy cars near the river, roamed around Tangier after taking the high speed train, and went kayaking in the river between Sale and Rabat.
Tried all types of Moroccan sweets and drank more Moroccan tea.
Around Morocco
Traveler
Learned how to take taxis and ride the tram in Rabat and how to navigate Morocco’s train system.
Traveled to Sale, Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains, the Agafay Desert, Tangier, Bouznika, and Khemisset! Will travel to Fez and Chefchaouen before I leave إن شاء الله
Bouznika
English Tutor
Taught English to eight and thirteen year old boys and a fifteen year old girl in Bouznika a couple times a week.
Played games, completed worksheets, corrected short essays and sentences, watched videos, and listened to and sang songs together in English.
Ate Couscous, Rfissa, and Moroccan/French sweets and drank some more Moroccan tea with the family.
Skills
Languages: Arabic (Improved), French (Intermediate?), Darija (Learning)
Eating more than I think possible at every breakfast and dinner with my host family (how could I not with food this good?!)
Novice bargaining in the souks of Marrakech and Rabat
Can successfully call most taxis and end up around the place I want to go
Rode a camel one time (and would highly recommend for anyone interested)
Able to write the Arabic alphabet and a few Arabic words in calligraphy (thanks to the best calligraphy teacher ever!)
Made Moroccan tea once (truthfully, however, I am more skilled at drinking it than making and/or pouring it)
Recommendations
Ask your teacher to learn useful vocabulary outside of الكتاب (i.e.: words that you will need around your house)
Talk with your host family as much as possible even if it’s through hand signals on google translate
Bring a gift from home for your host family and language partner
If you go swimming at popular beaches, try to go in a big group so you can avoid any unwanted attention
Try as many traditional Moroccan dishes as you can because they are all incredible :)
Listen to music or wear headphones if you go running to avoid hearing catcalls
Drink a lot of Moroccan tea and water throughout the day
Go to the cafes and garden in the Kasbah - the views there are amazing!
Skyler Korkowski is a student at the University of Southern California and is studying abroad on the Amideast Intensive Arabic Program in Morocco this Summer, 2024.
