All our days (and nights) of preparation, both in terms of research and logistics, brought us to this very day. We were finally leaving for Morocco, to learn more about the country through our rich and diverse research topics.
All of us assembled at the Upper Patio of the Commons Center and left for Boston Logan Airport, curious and excited. The first leg of the flight was to Madrid. NIMEP members were either sleeping (assignments due just before spring break had been quite tasking for most), chatting or watching movies on the on-flight television. Personally, I played “Who wants to be a Millionaire”, but did not go past $250,000. The Madrid layover was exciting. Some of us got to learn the rules to “Monopoly Deal”, a seemingly addictive game; Arjun swears by it.
The flight from Madrid to Casablanca was short, but all the same a lot of fun. We obsessed over the pristine views of the Mediterranean from above and took copious pictures. Upon disembarking, we took a train to Rabat. We interacted with locals and foreigners on the train and engaged in interesting discussions centered around language and culture.
We have now settled at our hotel in Rabat. The architecture here, and in Rabat in general, is mind-blowing. A few minutes walk away is the beautiful beach with an absolutely smashing view. We walked there this evening and took in the sights.
For dinner we went to the Dar Naji, a restaurant offering Moroccan dishes. Absolutely delicious.
We have now settled in Rabat and are excited to begin our research journey.
(It is important to acknowledge our NIMEP trip coordinators, Kai and Sara. Huge shout-out to them!)