Hello Meltingpot Community,
Do you ever stop to think why you are the way you are? I don’t mean a deep dive into your DNA or blaming your mother for the reason you scream at your kids too much. I’m talking about pinpointing those defining moments in your life that somehow altered your understanding of the world and your place in it. For me, that “moment” was the summer of 1989 when I was an exchange student in Casablanca. My experience living in Morocco completely inspired my multicultural lifestyle and my insatiable curiosity about race, culture and identity.
But it’s not exactly what you think.
Morocco is Multicultural but…
Yes, Morocco is itself a very diverse and multicultural country, sitting on the northwestern coast of Africa. Yes, they officially speak two languages, French and Arabic, and their culture is a reflection of the Berber, African, Arabic and European peoples who have called the nation their home. But that’s not why Morocco inspired my multicultural lifestyle and outlook on the world. The story goes deeper than that.
You see, before I travelled to Morocco as a high school exchange student, I had never left the United States. Neither my body nor my mind.
American Exceptionalism is a Real Thing
By that I mean, for 17 years, I pretty much believed that the American way was the only way. I believed in American exceptionalism. I believed that we, in the United States, were pretty much the center of the universe. Of course, I didn’t realize that I thought that way. I thought I was a pretty worldly teenager. After all, I had decided to spend a summer in Morocco and we had hosted a couple of exchange students in our own home over the years.
But, when I arrived in Morocco, I realized just how insular my thinking and experiences really had been. And what I learned in Morocco, that blew my little midwestern mind right open, was that not everyone has the same racial baggage as we do in America. Not everyone valued the same things. Not everyone saw the world through the same stars and stripes as I’d been taught my whole life. Being in Morocco essentially opened the door to an entirely different perspective of reality for me.
Hear My Story on the Globetrotter Lounge Podcast
I was just reminded of the importance of my Morocco trip because I was the guest on my friend Lisette’s podcast, The Globetrotter Lounge (Yes, the same Lisette who shared her unique multicultural identity story on my podcast just last month) . The podcast is all about women and travel, and Lisette’s line of questioning had me recalling that monumental trip and my subsequent love of travel and why it’s been so important for me as a diversity diva. Rather than continuing on with my fond memories, I’d rather send you over to The Globetrotter Lounge to listen to the episode and hear more about how Morocco really started my travel journey and my subsequent multicultural lifestyle. (P.S. You’ll also find some other really great episodes on the show so check them out.)
Share Your Moroccan Memories
Now, I’m craving a chicken and green olive tagine and some mint tea! Since I have more time to cook, maybe I’ll make that for dinner tonight.
Have you ever traveled to Morocco? What did you think? I haven’t been back since 1993 when I visited Tangier while living in Spain. Please share some of your favorite Moroccan memories in the comments below! And just for kicks, here’s a post I wrote in 2012 about how I met my BFF Lucy while in Morocco. And for the record, yes, she’s still my BFF.
Peace!
(Featured Photo by Taryn Elliott from Pexels)
