"Morocco: A Reflection" by Sejal Reshamwala

Banner image: Erg Ghebbi, Merzouga, Sahara Desert. Photo Credit: Reshamwala, 2025.

Al-Maghreb: Ou le soleil coucher: Where the sun sets.

The last 15 weeks living in Rabat, Morocco has truly been the most incredible experience I’ve had. It seems like yesterday that I was exiting the airport with two suitcases and a backpack, breathing in the humidity and staring up at the French and Arabic signs around me. I remember exploring Agdal for the first time and the welcome tea that my roommate and I shared with our host family. I recall my first few days at Amideast where the only people more enthusiastic than us students were the staff members who would be guiding us along the way. The first week included trips to the beach, the old medina, the kasbah, and the ruins of a city frozen in time. The thought of going home in just 12 days seems ridiculous. I never imagined that this place would feel this much like home.

I spent the last 15 weeks practicing my French. I discovered that dwelling on correct grammar and proper eloquence isn’t all that necessary when all people here use an amalgamation of languages. I quickly learned phrases in Darija that helped me to connect with my host family, my teachers, the lovely cleaning ladies at Amideast, and our Hanout guy next door. I started the semester off ignoring the Arabic signs, instead, looking to the French or English. Now, I can read (mostly) and even understand little bits and pieces.

From Tangier to Zaouiat Ahansal in the High Atlas Mountains, Essaouira, Marrakech, to Casablanca, Chefchaouen, Fes, Khemisset, and Merzouga and the dunes of Erg Chebbi in the Sahara Desert; I discovered the true beauty of this incredible country and its cultures. I discovered just how much the Amazigh, Spanish, French, and Arab histories contribute to Moroccan life. I see the many histories reflected in the tapestries, the clothing, the food, the language, the stories, and the people themselves. I am beyond grateful for this experience.

To anyone questioning whether to study abroad, just do it. You never know what will happen tomorrow, or next week, or next year. If you have the opportunity to explore something as beautiful as a new country and culture, take it. Learn something new about the world and about yourself. Thank you Amideast for this incredible opportunity!

To see more from my journey, visit my travel Instagram: @sejal.au.maroc

Sejal Reshamwala is an American University studying abroad in the Fall 2025 on Amideast’s Regional Studies in French program in Rabat, Morocco.