A Final Farewell

Our last day in Morocco was spent in Rabat back together with the 14 teachers in our cohort.  After traveling by pairs to our host school and being separated for a week, it was great to see everyone again.  We spent the morning "debriefing" in meetings and sharing our stories.  Everyone had very diverse experiences and we all had amazingly different perspectives.  However, one thing we all agreed on was that the hospitality shown by Moroccans was amazing.

View of the medina walls from our hotel

View of the river meeting the Atlantic from our hotel

After our meeting ended, we walked about 2 miles to Chellah.  Chellah is a World Heritage Site that is the most ancient human settlement in the area.  It dates back to pre-Islamic times, but the Romans took it over about 2,000 years ago.  After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was abandoned, then parts were rebuilt in the 1300's.  Although it is crumbling ruins, it is truly quite beautiful.  

ChellahChellah entrance

Inside the Chellah

After our visit to the Chellah endeed, we entered through the walls of the medina one final time to shop in the colorful and lively souk.  I spent the last of my remaining Moroccan money (dirhams) on a few small gifts.  We then had a farewell dinner at a spectacular place.  We went up a dark alley and hit a brass knocker on a huge door.  I thought it was closed, but the door was opened.  We walked into the most beautiful restaurant I have ever seen.  We were the only ones there and we were escorted up three flights of winding stairs and came out on a rooftop terrace that overlooked Rabat, the river, the Atlantic Ocean and the Kasbah that we visited last week.  As we were served ginger drinks, the stars came out overhead and that perfect image will be in my mind forever.  The food was fantastic and so was the company. It was a great way to end an amazing experience here in Morocco.  

Farewell dinner 

Amazing door in the medina

 Colorful shoes on the souk...

and beautiful pottery as well

A Moroccan guard watches over the cultural and historic treasures of Rabat

Tomorrow I will have a long journey home.  I look forward to seeing my family and returning to my classroom, but I will always feel gratitude to everyone who was involved in this journey with me.  Thank you to the U.S Department of State's Teachers for Global Classrooms program, IREX, and Robin Lathrop.  Thanks to my husband for holding down the fort for two weeks and my TGC Morocco cohort for the great times we shared.  But most of all, thank you to the people of Morocco for helping to open my mind.  I have traveled much in my lifetime, but never have I met such friendly, kind, warm and loving people.  I have learned many life lessons from you.  "Shukran" from the bottom of my heart!