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Walking the streets of Marrakech is what I would expect Aladdin feels like walking through Agrabah - it’s magical! It was a treat to get lost in the labyrinth of the souks - with all the beautifully hand-crafted leather, patterned carpets, brightly painted ceramics, decorated tin lamps, and spices galore! What’s not to love?! In the more quiet part of the market, I stumbled upon a beautifully crafted leather briefcase and was also lucky enough to meet the creator who was sitting inside his souk, working diligently on his next leather creation. Immediately I knew he was different from the other salesmen - he had a stand-off approach that allowed me to look at his bags without being so persistent for me to make a purchase. It was a breath of fresh air. His name is Arib. Arib is a shop owner, leather worker, husband and father. He takes quiet pride in the work he creates and puts all of his energy and love into his craft. I was moved not only by his obvious talents but also his gentle demeanor. I found myself captivated by him - I was lucky enough that he felt the same! We shared a conversation over the custom mint tea that was filled with small talk and easy conversation. As the days moved forward, I stopped by each day and had a kettle of mint tea with him. I met his son, Jubair, who taught me how to make a leather bracelet out of the scraps of leather his father discarded. Bracelets aside, Arib and I were able to ask each other questions of religion and beliefs. We both found a trust and bond between us that was forged by openness and curiosity. He has a wife that has birthed six of his children, but in all honesty, he had no idea how many children he actually has. He spoke of his wife lovingly though not having to be faithful to her was natural. A connection formed between us within those days. The openness to sharing stories and way of life was a gift. Arib and I come from two very different worlds, with a different set of beliefs, which could very well be a recipe for disaster. Curiosity, respect and understanding allowed us both to step into a space together and truly get to know each other. We got to ask the “whys” and “hows” of our cultures and lifestyles. We gave ourselves the opportunity to really learn and understand the differences between us and in turn, led us to valuable similarities. The love of the earth, craft and family are all the same.