Marhaba!

Marhaba! Welcome to Rabat! We have had a great first few days of our Arabic language & culture program! We arrived in Casablanca on Sunday morning and students met their host family for the first time! There were lots of hugs and smiles as students and family members greeted one another and set off towards home to get some rest and settle in.

On Monday, we had orientation. Students did some ice breakers to get to know each other and start learning about Moroccan culture. In the afternoon, students met with some language and culture peers, local Moroccan students, who will be engaging in various activities with us throughout the program. They showed the students around the neighborhood of Agdal, where the CIEE study center is located and taught them some new words in Arabic.

Today was the first day of class! All of the students were so eager to start learning some Classical Arabic and Darija. Students learned new phrases such as how to greet someone, say their name, ask how someone is doing, and counting. After lunch, we went on a city tour of Rabat and discovered the Hassan Tower (an unfinished mosque from the 12th century), the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Kasbah des Oudayas.  Everyone is starting to feel comfortable with their family in their home stay, navigating around the city, and practicing what they have learned in Darija and Arabic! We’re just getting started!