400 Years of Anticipation

by Arlette Hawkins (United States of America)

A leap into the unknown Morocco

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I could’ve cried when I stepped foot on African soil. I did not expect to even breathe the air of this continent by 20 years old, let alone ever. Members of my family have not been to Africa since being kidnapped and enslaved 400 years ago. This trip was more than a weekend excursion, it was processing the strides my family has made for this moment to occur. I was one of two students of color in our study abroad group. This trip occurred in a timely manner after Black Panther debuted. Our eyes were the size of the ferry we arrived on the entire time we explored Morocco. Moroccan culture did not seem as close to the African culture our families had discussed. I enjoyed learning about this country to breach my expectations. Before this, I had only seen pictures of the Blue City in Morocco. Its formal name is Chefchaouen (Shef-shouw-en). We were welcomed by a box of sweet, flaky, delicious baklava. To further immerse ourselves in the city of Chefchaouen, we were assigned host families. I was convinced my host mother was a chef. Her cooking was incredible. Imagine fruit cocktail drowned in freshly squeezed orange juice, not high fructose corn syrup. The dining table was a kaleidoscope of colorful food. At five-foot-seven, 140-something pounds, I was the biggest female in our house. That did not stop me from trying on the Moroccan clothing our mother laid out for us. Before our trip ended, we were entertained with live Moroccan music. Of all weekends, I wished this one lasted seven days. Had I not tasted this little sample of Africa, I would not be so adamant to return. Without this experience, it would have seemed impossible. Prior to this trip, what was Morocco to me? That really blue city at the tip of Africa. Thank you Morocco for being my door to the motherland. Thank you for exceeding my imagination of how different countries in Africa are. Less than 10% of African American students study abroad, I can imagine less than that are able to visit Mother Africa within their semester. Morocco, you allowed me to feel the continent I had only seen on a globe. You made an inaccessible goal, attainable. Africa, it is not goodbye this time, it is see you later.