General Impression
Overall Rating: / 10
I signed up for the Disabilities & Special Needs program in Rabat, Morocco location as it was a new country and also my first time volunteering. The program was one of its kind and I left with great memories, new friends, and memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Karen was so easy to work with and kept in touch from the moment I signed up for the program up until I arrived back from the program. She answered my emails promptly and connected me to the local program coordinator, Ali, with program-specific questions.After arriving in Rabat, Morocco, my cousins and I (since we all signed up for the program together), spent time at the Civil Hospital spending time with cancer kids who were going through treatment at the pediatric oncology unit. Kids and families would travel from all over Morocco, mostly coming from rural areas, just to get treated at the Civil Hospital in Rabat. The kids, despite going through treatment and unbearable pain, all had a smile on their faces and interacted with us the whole time we were at the hospital. Even though majority of the kids didn't speak English, they understood, what Ali called, "the language of love." We used Google translate on our phone, as well as Leila, Ali's program partner, to help us communicate with the kids and their families. We played cards, UNO, built card forts, colored, drew, painted, and played in the playing area of the hospital! After seeing the kids, interacting with them, and not knowing anything about them, I felt this connection with them as they were so warm and full of energy and love! The kids didn't care how we looked, dressed, talked or carried ourselves. All they wanted was for us to treat them normally and spend our time with them. The kids were way smarter and sharper than one would expect them to be at that age, and even taught me some slangs and words in their language! They would all give a hug and a kiss when they would first come to the center and then hug you again when they would leave. After spending this week in Rabat, Morocco with all the kids at the Civil Hospital, the hospital staff, program coordinators, Ali and Leila, it gave me a sense of hope, perseverance, love and compassion, and restored my faith in humanity! It makes you reflect on your own life and really puts things into perspective. I wish all the kids at the Civil Hospital a speedy recovery, more power to their families, and wish Ali and Leila all the success this universe has to offer!
I highly recommend this program to everyone considering it!!
Country
Morocco is a beautiful country and the people are so welcoming and warm! Make sure you do some research on the country and their customs before you arrive as it will make your stay better. Its also a very conservative country with ~98% of the population being Muslim. If you know French, it will help you tremendously as everyone in Morocco speaks Moroccan Arabic and/or French.
I arrived in Rabat on a Friday and after settling in, my friends and I took a day trip to Casablanca. We just took the train on Sunday morning and spent the entire day hangin out in Casablanca. Casablanca was definitely more commercialized and a bit more westernized than Rabat, which was a bit more laid back and conservative. If you visit Casablanca, make sure you visit and take a tour of the Hassan Mosque! Its a must see and absolutely beautiful!
After our week of volunteering, we spent a weekend in Marrakesh. Its apparently one of the best places to visit in Morocco and most likely everyone has either heard of Marrakesh or will ask you if you have visited Marrakesh once you come back from Morocco. For me personally, Marrakesh was just a melting pot. Its an extreme touristy place with all the locals just looking for ways to make a bit more money from you. When you are out shopping at the Medina or even grabbing a taxi to visit some museums, make sure you bargain!
Overall, I am sure that I will visit the country again for volunteering and vacation. The food, the people, and the culture is one of its kind!
I arrived in Rabat on a Friday and after settling in, my friends and I took a day trip to Casablanca. We just took the train on Sunday morning and spent the entire day hangin out in Casablanca. Casablanca was definitely more commercialized and a bit more westernized than Rabat, which was a bit more laid back and conservative. If you visit Casablanca, make sure you visit and take a tour of the Hassan Mosque! Its a must see and absolutely beautiful!
After our week of volunteering, we spent a weekend in Marrakesh. Its apparently one of the best places to visit in Morocco and most likely everyone has either heard of Marrakesh or will ask you if you have visited Marrakesh once you come back from Morocco. For me personally, Marrakesh was just a melting pot. Its an extreme touristy place with all the locals just looking for ways to make a bit more money from you. When you are out shopping at the Medina or even grabbing a taxi to visit some museums, make sure you bargain!
Overall, I am sure that I will visit the country again for volunteering and vacation. The food, the people, and the culture is one of its kind!
Project & Staff
Ali and Leila were our main project coordinators, while Amina took care of everything at the house, including delicious breakfast and dinner every day at the house (Riad). Ali and Leila were fantastic! They arranged for my ride to the Riad from the airport and we picked them up on the way. Ali is super charismatic and a fun guy to be around. Leila worked with Ali and whenever Ali couldn't make it to pick us up for the volunteering activities, Leila would take us and spend the whole day with us. Ali and Leila didn't make me feel like a stranger in a foreign land, and matter of fact helped me understand the Moroccan culture, the people, and their customs. Ali and Leila also spoke perfect English and helped translate to the kids at the hospital and the nursery whenever language became an issue. There are very few people that I have come across in my life that are working on a noble cause and seeking to raise awareness about their country and bring people in from around the world, take care of them, and raise awareness about the challenges the community faces on a local, regional, and a national level. I wish Ali and Leila, all the very best on their mission and wish them all the success! Last but not least, Amina, an amazing soul and even a better cook! She was so punctual and made sure that we had the freshest breakfast and dinner every night. She made local delicacies, but with a western touch so that everyone on the table, no matter what part of the world they were in, had something to eat. One night, we had a cooking class where Amina taught all of us how to prepare and cook chicken in a tagine. The whole experience was amazing as all of us at the Riad got to make something together and eat it together.
Tips
Be open to change, get out of your comfort zone, and embrace the beauty of Morocco and its people! You will most likely stay with random people at the Riad from around the world who are all there to volunteer. By the end of your volunteering time, you will become good friends and realize that you share a lot in common despite of having so many differences. Whenever you feel like you aren't getting the most out of your volunteering experience or feel like its not what you signed up for, take a step back and just think that this whole thing is an experience and its all part and parcel of the entire experience. My volunteering week in Rabat, Morocco did not disappoint and though I am writing this review two months later, I still remember this whole experience as if it was yesterday, and I will always cherish and reflect on my time there!