It has been exactly two months away from home!
I know this might seem perfectly normal for most of you reading this. Maybe not. It is a totally different story for everyone. If you are wondering why that is such a big deal for me and some others, let me break the whole thing down for you. For my likes, this is the first time in our entire lives that we left our country for more than a week. That too to a whole different setting with totally different cultures. If not for the fact that it is still the same continent, one could also add ‘a whole different people’. But even that could be said, and you shall learn more about that in subsequent paragraphs of this writeup.
For a start, let me talk about life in Morocco so far. Or should I say foreign student life in Morocco? Well, you will be surprised at the difference between these two. But that is not my point. I am talking about everyday school where the language is French and “Darija”. Yes. Pause right there. You have probably seen a new word. “Darija” is a language that is apparently a mixture of Arabic and French. This is the most widely spoken language in Morocco. In fact, I am tempted to say it is the only language, since that is all I have heard since I got here. Apart from French, of course, which they hardly speak. For people like me who have spent their entire lives learning, speaking, and writing English, you could sense the language barrier here. Imagine going to class expecting to be taught in French (which you are not even very comfortable with) only to hear the lecturers speak a mixture of Arabic and French. So much for a francophone country, don’t you think? I do not need to go any further on that. If the school is like that, what do you think other places you will interact with during your stay be like? You can already figure out the trauma. Now that is one thing that has changed: Language. Language barrier is one thing we’ve had to deal with during these two months that seem to have taken years to end.
Now let us move away from school. Say home for instance. Bear in mind that we live alone. By alone I mean two Gambians in a whole apartment, for some of us. When you close from school on the first day thinking that you have gone through the worst of it, bam! You realize that was just a tip of the iceberg. Household chores that you used to share with your siblings back then all became solely yours to take care of. You talk about cooking, laundry, and house maintenance all by yourselves. As hard as it is to accept, you become your own “Mom”, “Dad”, “Sibling”, you name them. You get so overwhelmed you do not know where to start and with what. Every little thing seemed like a marathon and before you know it, the sun has set and the next day is another episode of its own.
I should not forget to mention being away from home. Far from the people you have spent your entire life with. I honestly cannot tell how exactly I managed to say strong these past two months. Sometimes, I become so homesick that I cry silently. And while I do, it all makes sense just why they are called family. And why home is called home. You have probably heard of the saying “Home is where the heart is”. This statement did not make more sense to me than it does now. To make things worse, “Ramadan” came and that hit hard. For most of us, we’d spend this holy month with our family and we’d pray, eat, observe every act of this month together. At some point, I thought I could not handle it. Daily routines got tougher and it was even harder than it was in the first week. Occasionally, I’d think of the memories I could collect from past “Ramadans” just so I could feel better, but the more those thoughts occupy my mind, the more unbearable the loneliness becomes. I think of “Eid” and how I am going to spend that too away. It sounded like fiction. Sadly, it is reality I would have to accept sooner than later.
The things that changed within the two months spent here in Morocco will render this writeup unnecessarily long. I hope to share more in subsequent writeups “Inn Shaa Allaah”. But for now, what lies ahead? Alongside these rather down sides or even within them, are hopeful events which are worth mentioning. For example, the language barrier earlier mentioned is actually an opportunity for us to be able to learn two more languages. Aside from the French, after three years or so, we should be able to speak “Darija”. The importance of being able to speak as much languages as possible cannot be overemphasized. Hence, I’d say we are lucky in a way. The bottom line is for us to see the good in every situation we find ourselves in. While something can seem uncomfortable, it can also be a blessing depending on one’s attitude towards it. Additionally, it is true that real bonds should be able to stand the test of time and distance. You tend to appreciate and reflect on how you are with people around you when these things find their way between you and them. At the very least, the time spent away will give one space to evaluate oneself with regards to interpersonal relationships one has shared not only with family, but friends, and colleagues. Sometimes, we need to actually be away from people close to us in order to value and appreciate their existence in our lives. So, another thing that lies ahead is to be better people both within ourselves and in our relationships with people. This brings me to how I sometimes feel at home, thanks to our seniors and GASAM (Gambian Students Association in Morocco). Since our arrival, they have done nothing but support and make us feel at home to the best of their ability. It is befitting to say that had they not been here, you would probably be reading about how I almost lost my mind. Another thing worth mentioning is how strong and resilient this exposure is supposed to make us.
To conclude, at this point, we are far from our comfort zones and that should only bring out the best in us and make us thick-skinned enough to face everything that comes along with being a foreign student. The things aforementioned are just “ice breakers” for us, if you ask me. Nonetheless, they are supposed to mold and not break us. There are definitely more to expect, but just as those are there, I am positive we will enjoy our stay here. It is said that every situation becomes what you make it. Personally, I look forward to a very fruitful stay here. I dare not say it will be easy. Nothing in the world is. I am saying that with what I have seen so far, I am more determined to build mansions with the stones thrown at me by my entire stay here. I am also positive that I speak for every new student when I say that. With two months down and the lion’s ahead, we are more determined to do this.
Author: Awa Conteh
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