Marrakech is known for its souks, Casablanca is known for its mosques, Chefchaouen is known for its vibrant blue walls, Fes is known for it’s tanneries and Rabat is known for being the capital and business center of Morocco. Behind the walls of the Rabat medina however, there is a world teeming with life, color and smells that rival the other well known sites of Morocco’s major cities. The morning walk to school is a quiet one. There is no hustle and bustle to start off the day, and when we are headed to work, most locals are still waking. Shop doors are shut and the streets seem larger without all the people and things. Street cleaners sweep up the debris while cats lounge after a long night of activities. There is a spike of energy, however, when we cross the threshold of the school. Our eager students greet us at the gate, ready to learn. In the sports complex next door, a small group of boys practice their penalty shots, while some men have a friendly game of football. The school day begins immediately, these students have been chosen specifically due to their good grades and are coming to learn English on their summer break.
Touria, the director of the school is as impressive to me today as she was a year ago. She introduces herself to our students and lights up when she sees Lisa Marie and I. She leads us all to the library, which has been organized and redone since our last visit. As we sit together to receive a Touria sermon, the security guard (who wears a smart grey suit) serves us mint tea and a plethora of cookies. Touria is a force. Raised in a middle class family, she was always an exceptional student, so much so that along with a few others, she was invited to the Royal Palace and honored by the King for her brilliance. She has taught History and Geography, and enjoys learning about the world. Throughout Touria’s stories, one theme rings true; Humanity. The idea that we are all ultimately the same, and we have the responsibility to love, help and respect each other; regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or beliefs. Touria explains to our group that we are ambassadors of both American and American culture, and now of Morocco and Muslim culture. In an age of media speculation and assumption of all encompassing extremism, we hold the responsibility of bringing the truth and bridging the gap between two cultures. We all sit silently, listening to her blend her French & Darija, as Ali, our program director, translates her words between breaths. The notion of suppressed Muslim women is not an accurate representation of Moroccan dynamics, and Touria is this in the flesh. She is respected by both men and women as she confidently and proudly leads her students to greatness.
If only people spread word of the beauty that exists in the world more often than the suffering, what a different outlook we would have.
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