Hey Jaspers,
Finn here. I have some exciting stories to tell you from the last several weeks of my study abroad journey. I am currently writing to you from my dorm in Madrid, which I touched slightly on in my last post. This is home base, but I have been traveling around Europe this month and had a quick trip to Africa at the end of February.
On a trip to Rome at the beginning of February where I was visiting some old friends from high school, we started planning a trip to Morocco. Using a student travel company we booked our plane flights and they did the rest for us.
Two weeks later, I was getting up at 3am for an early plane flight to Marrakech! The first thing that you notice when you are descending into Morocco is the vast expanse of desert land that surrounds the city, then, slowly, you start to see Marrakech pop into view. The presence of Arabic architecture paints the city in a sea of warm sandstone buildings and hundreds of dust and sun covers. After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we set out to the old city- surrounded by ancient walls and containing the markets that Marrakech is renowned for. It is one of the most vibrant and alive cities I have very been to. The hustle and bustle reminds me of New York- except instead of financial centers you find jewelers, carpenters, and tailors. Negotiating is the name of the game in Marrakech, so it is a great practice field for business majors who want to sharpen their skills. After a day of shopping and eating, we were up early the next morning to drive 10 hours into the Sahara desert-where we would be camping for the next two nights.
Another early wake-up and a quick breakfast, we got on the bus that would be our home for the next 10 hours. We were paired with students from Mexico, which was absolutely fascinating. Neighbors from the same continent- meeting in the heart of the world. As we shared stories, had a few quick pitstops, and got some sleep in, we slowly descended into the Sahara. We got to what would be base camp for the next two nights at around 10pm- so it was completely pitch black. Our hosts put on a drum party as we had dinner together. Moroccan food is as vibrant as the country it originated from, fresh vegetables served with meat that is served steaming hot off the cast iron it is cooked on. After a filling dinner, we joined our new friends for a drum party.
My friend shook me awake at around 8:30 in the morning "dude,
you have to go outside- it looks like an iPhone wallpaper". Walking outside of that tent was maybe one of the most breathtaking moments of my entire life- and he was completely right. The vast dunes eclipsed our tent and made me feel like I was in a novel. I will, of course, attach pictures but there is really no way to describe or show how this vast and incredible landscape made me feel. The true beauty in the Sahara is its emptiness- it looks smooth and untouched like a sea of warm gold. We went ATVing later that morning- again, an unforgettable experience, and then rode camels to a specific dune where we went sandboarding (like snowboarding but on- well, you get it). Later that night about a hundered more students joined us at the campsite and we danced the night away in a huge drum party. It started with pints of Moroccan mint tea- a delicacy rich with the taste of mint and honey- and ended with me and my friend lying in the dunes, stargazing.
I am not over exaggerating when I say this was probably the most incredible trip I have taken in my entire life, to get to see a new continent and culture with six of my best friends in the entire world was something I will always cherish. These memories will linger, not just in my mind, but etched deep within the very fabric of my heart, for the rest of my life.
Until next time Jaspers,
Finn Malone
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