lessons learned

So like every great adventure, I came to Morocco in hopes of finding answers. As my trip comes to an end, and I have a looming train waiting for me tonight at 2 in the AM, I'm pretty sad to be leaving Rabat...but on the bright side, I still have two weeks of solo traveling, then a much anticipated 12 days with Caroline in Italy. While I'm still trying to figure out what this trip means to me, and look back on all the experiences I've had, I do know one thing for certain. I wrote a blog at the beginning of the trip, talking about Zen, and if I would rather go through life feeling only content, or if I would rather feel magnificent highs met by pain-staking lows, and all the feelings in between. I know full well now that I would prefer the latter. Though sometimes its hard, I'd rather feel the lows of missing a place, or saying good bye, because I know i've felt the highs of the days spent there. I would rather feel lost without someone, then never have felt whole. I would rather feel the pain of scrapping my knees as I fall, then never having felt the exhilaration of the jump. I would rather feel the entire spectrum of emotions, then feel nothing at all. Thats one lesson I'll take to the grave.

But until I figure out the other lessons, here is a list of things I'll miss in Morocco as well as what I've really come to appreciate about America.

Morocco

• haggling prices
• having no rules
• being able to plead ignorance because i don't speak the language
• living by the ocean
• Kasbah's, Medinas, fancy tiles and doors
• relying on a foreign language
• traveling every weekend
• using "Enshallah" like its my job
• my host family
• stray cats 
• Marrakech night clubs
• Broing Out
• Walking forty-five minutes to school
• Hearing the call to prayer five times a day
• long lunches
• Ramadan (well the nights during Ramadan)
• the desert
• Islam
• Islamic Holidays
• Essaouira 
• Western Sahara
• Bocce ball
• silly nick names
• Bab al-heb after the sun set
• sun sets in general
• train rides
• under $100 flights to Europe
• having a new roommate every weekend in my host house
• packages from loved ones
• watching nuggs highlights instead of paying attention in class
• Bramadan, Broctobro, Brovember
• cous-cous
• dirham prices
• cheap wine
• sweets
• bread and cheese
• best chwarma
• wearing the same clothes over and over
• checking the exchange rate at the bank
• not relying on the internet, but appreciating it
• to be continued...

America

• toilet paper and soap in every bathroom
• being able to communicate what I'm thinking
• public transportation thats reliable (Morocco makes the 204 look good)
• Broing out with my ex-roomies
• a plethora of choices to eat at
• having a campus
• the mountains
• a fixed schedule
• insulated buildings
• Qdoba
• trivia night
• CEB
• Exercising
• Colorado
• Wifi everywhere
• mustang sally the red rocket
• my takamine
• an extensive network of people
• illegal petes
• CHIPS AND SALSA
• quesadillas
• warm showers
• my aging bed
• my parents paying for my cell phone (thanks mom and dad!)
• having a job
• being in (or near) the same time zone as people I care about
• above all else, Friends, families, and loved ones

Though it had its highs and lows, and there were times were I couldn't wait for it to end, I'll never regret my semester abroad, or my choice to come to Morocco.