Farewell CIEE Mohammedia

They say time does not change us, it unfolds us. These past three weeks have been incredible for our CIEE Mohammedia students. Not only did they deepen their bonds with one another and with the Mohammedia community, but they also got to unravel more about themselves; their weaknesses, their strengths, their hidden talents, their skills and boundaries. While it's true that the program is coming to an end, the memories will prevail, remaining vivid, inspiring and rewarding. 

We locked in week 2 with a three days trip to the 'Red City', Marrakech. Our group had a wonderful time riding camels and visiting the Bahia Palace, a grand 19th century palace in the city. They went on a shopping spree in Jamaa El Fna, weaving their way from store to store. They got to practice the bargaining skills that they have learnt during their Darija classes. Afterwards, they visited Ourika and discovered an Amazigh village where they learnt more about the indigineous communities of Morocco. 

On Tuesday 27th, the group visited Casablanca, more specifically the Hassan II Mosque which is the second largest menarat in Africa. They were joined by the CIEE Rabat groups and together they explored the mosque and found out more about its history and architecture. Surprise surprise: American principals, counselors and teachers joined the sighting, reconnecting with fellow students. Our group had so much fun retelling the stories of their journey thus far. They displayed great leadership skills as they took initiative to be tour guides, organizing CIEE teams into groups and engaging everyone in conversations. A day to be remembered! 

The following two days were filled with emotions as our students bid goodbye to the Youth Center community and to the Moroccan peers they've been working with. The program ended with prodigious presentations of the final projects that each CIEE student worked on. We can't be prouder! We had so much fun partying to celebrate the amazing progress and growth that the students showed during the program. Ain't no better way to end  a wonderful journey than Henna tattoos, music, food and volleyball games. 

We wish all the very best to our dear students. May this journey lead to a path of more opportunities and greater success!

Bslama