These were the words that one of my friends told me just before I left to come to Morocco, and oh, how true they have been already. Not only has God kept me safe, but He has blessed me with His angels along the way. It is now 2:30 on Sunday afternoon and I feel like yesterday and today have been one long day full of naps and a bit of traveling in between.
Saturday morning, I woke up and my gracious father and sister drove me to the airport at 4AM. These were the first angels on my journey. I flew from Chicago and arrived at the New York airport at about 9:30 and some people directed me to where I needed to go and then I was told that I could not check in until 4:00. So, I read a book and waited for 4:00 to come.
Finally, I could check-in, and as I went to go buy something to eat, a lady came up to me and asked me if I was going to Morocco. When I told her I was, she began talking to me in Arabic and I found out later that she thought I was Moroccan, based on my looks. I’m glad, because that means I kind of fit in, but at the same time many people have tried talking to me in Arabic and I have to awkwardly express the fact that I don’t understand. The lady found out I was from Colombia and we began chatting in Spanish. This lady’s warm friendship was another of God’s blessed angels he sent my way.
The next one came on the flight from New York to Morocco. I sat next to a man who told me a lot about Morocco and helped me understand the country a little better. He also helped me so graciously when I was having trouble with things (like losing the immigration form someone had left for me to fill out).
When we got to Casablanca, I met up with the lady I had met in New York. She pointed out a man to me who was going to Fez and told him to take care of me. The three of us, as well as another man whom this lady had met on the trip sat and talked while we waited for our flights. Okay… so they did most of the talking and I just sat there trying to see if I could understand even slightly what they were talking about. I really had no clue… except when they started speaking French, and even then, it was a very limited understanding. One thing I do know, is that Arabic is an absolutely beautiful language. I really didn’t mind sitting for a couple hours just listening to them talk. The lady would translate for me every so often and they would ask me some questions sometimes… so I wasn’t completely isolated from the conversation. All these people were so friendly and welcoming.
Soon it came time to get on the flight to Fez. The man whom the lady had told to take care of me really did. Not only did he stay with me the whole time (except on the plane), but he carried my bag and made sure I had someone waiting for me at the airport.
The final angels on this journey so far were the principal of the school and the lady I’m staying with here in Fez, who both went and picked me up from the airport. The principal (Ginger), helped me put together a wardrobe where I can hang up my clothes and Louisa, who I’m staying with, has made a Moroccan dish and invited several of the teachers from the school to eat dinner here.
Here in Fez, things seem so different from anything I’ve seen. There are parts of it, that remind me of my hometown in Colombia, but at the same time in is completely different.
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