Getting out of the Bubble
“The hardest part of any workout is getting out of the house.”
This is one of my dad’s favorites quotes, and I’ve found that this philosophy applies to traveling as well. The hardest part is always getting out of your bubble, your safety net, your comfort zone. I’ve been struggling with this the past couple weeks as I anxiously await my departure for Rabat, and am starting to find it terrifying that I’ll soon have to be out of my bubble. The preparation phase is starting to come to an end as the list of things I need to do before I leave is rapidly getting smaller, and instead I’m receiving itineraries and requests for housing deposits from my placement. It’s starting to get really real, really fast. I leave in 7 days …and 24 hours after my final exam.
The hardest part of this experience has been not knowing what to expect. No matter how many times I research the country or talk to the past fellows, there are still so many factors that are unknown. I have my loosely fitting pants, my maxi dresses, & my scarves to cover my shoulders, but other than the humid Moroccan weather, I am wildly unsure of what to expect.
I’m most nervous about safety, since I’ll be female in a male-dominated culture. I consider myself a pretty independent and outgoing person, so toning myself down to blend in is going to be hard for me. Not being able to travel anywhere alone is also going to be an adjustment, as I value alone time and like to get this alone time by going out into nature and wandering, but in Morocco that won’t be an option, as a woman walking alone is not a cultural norm.
The biggest change emphasized by past fellows has been the “travel mentality”, meaning expecting the unexpected, the lost luggage, the food sicknesses, and all the other obstacles that come with being in a foreign country for a month. I’m someone who likes to know what I’ll be doing and when I’ll be doing it, and that simply won’t be the case for the next 6 weeks. LuzBella and I have already had to overcome some hurdles (including applying for an emergency passport less than 2 weeks before my departure date), and we’ve been good about reminding ourselves and each other of how vital this easy-going mentality is to our experience.
I’m stuck in the waiting season, where I’m anxious to be there already, but also not ready to leave school and board that flight. I’ll be studying abroad right after I get back to the states, so I’m also trying to savor my last few days in Santa Clara since I won’t be back on campus until January of next year.
While I’m sure going to miss my SCU community, the weather, and all the beautiful sunsets this place holds, I’m ready for the sun to set on this chapter and to begin the next one that awaits. See you soon, Morocco.
