Revealing Morocco’s Mosaic: A Cultural Study Tour
Casablanca * Marrakesh * Fes * Chefchaouen * Asilah * Tangier
Each time I go to a place I have not seen before, I hope it will be as different as possible from the places I already know.
–Paul Bowles, author of The Sheltering Sky, composer, traveler, Morocco expatriate
A mere 17 miles south of Europe, across the Strait of Gibraltar, a very different experience awaits—an intriguing place of great contrast, color, culture, history, and hospitality. The late King Hassan II described Morocco’s complexity and essence best—“Rooted in Africa, watered by Islam and rustled by the winds of Europe”—and during our fortnight here, we will encounter this country’s intriguing mélange. Through various guest lectures and roundtables, guided tours, cultural and spiritual performances, and intimate home-stay settings, we will uncover a layer of Morocco and Moroccans unrevealed to most visitors.
Our diverse journey will take us from the commercial pole of Casablanca with its striking modern-traditional contrasts…to the Arab-African pulse of Marrakesh, “The Rose City”, and its rediscovered hipness…from the soul of Fes and its inimitable medieval medina…to the Rif mountain hamlet of Chefchaouen with its Berber and Andalusian imprint…from the elegant Atlantic coast city of Asilah and its renowned international cultural festival which we’ll experience…and to legendary Tangier, in the midst of a 21st century makeover after its 20th century excess. Since we’ll be covering much ground in such a short period and since, as educators, we’ll be striving hard to research, engage, decipher, and document, there is a Moroccan proverb to keep in mind: “Little by Little, the Camel goes into the Couscous.” By travel’s end, we’ll only have tasted our first few grains. Spicy, sophisticated, and no doubt delicious, but much more will remain to savor in the future.