Exploring Morocco on Fall Break at CIEE Prague

By: Kendall Stevens

My time abroad has been full of fun! One of the nicest things about CIEE Prague is that you are given a week-long fall break which gives you the opportunity to explore places that are farther away. I and six other friends that I met through the CIEE Praugue program decided to make the trip to Marrakesh, Morocco. This was quite a journey to get there from Prague, seeing as it is in Africa, but that made fall break the best time to do it. We all rented and shared a beautiful Airbnb located in the center of the Old City and had an awesome four-day trip there.

We started the trip by going into the markets in the center of town. The market, described as the beating heart of the city, was full of unique items. There were stalls selling juice, jewelry, clothes, scarves, and more everywhere you looked. My friends and I spent hours wandering through the winding markets together. I bought unique earrings and delicious juices. When you weave far enough along the markets you can come across Le Jardin Secret (or the secret gardens). These gardens are a beautiful serene break from the hectic and bustling Souk markets. We sat in the gardens and drank a glass of iced mint tea to beat the heat.

The other highlight of our trip was the only portion that we booked in advance which was the camel rides through the desserts. We were taken about an hour and a half to the desert areas outside the city in the afternoon. We were all put in traditional Moroccan attire by the guides who then took us down and gave us the opportunity to ride camels through the sunset. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life. Afterward, we were served tagine and soup for a beautiful dinner. A starry night campfire with singing and dancing followed this. This made the trip even better as it brought a beautiful sense of community and culture to our day. 

Overall, I loved my time in Morocco! It was one of the coolest experiences ever and without CIEE study abroad I never would have got to do it with such ease!

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