It was just yesterday...

**Note: Post Date is August 11, 2009**

Our early wake up call this morning was a mixture of rooster and camel calls. After an exhausting day yesterday I immediately fell asleep. I was in a such deep sleep that I missed all the commotion that happened throughout the night.

I’m not going to deface the Semester at Sea name, nor minimize the time I’ve had with the program but a select group of students have been less than respectful when entering these nations. In fact considering the size of their group they inflict destruction on these poor countries with no regard to their property or feelings. And supposedly they struck again. Erika being a light sleeper heard it all.

With alcohol from outside and inside the camp these students became unbearably intoxicated. Being unable to control their actions and overall behavior they soon became out of control as the roamed the camp site. Fights broke out, tents were collapsed and faculty became involved. The screaming escalated and threats flew as these students have already been under the radar for alcohol abuse and poor judgment throughout the trip. As Erika relayed the happenings, I was in complete shock. One student even fell on our tent waking Kate up from her sleep. It seemed like it was a circus out there and I’m ashamed. I’m appalled that I must be associated with such people and quite honestly I wasn’t expecting this. From my impression the student body of Semester at Sea was intelligent, mature and respectful. Instead we still encounter idiots and it’s no different than high school. I am infinitely appreciative to have found such a kind and solid group of people that I respect and enjoy and am able to call my true friends. Without their imprint this trip would have a completely different vibe and consequently tainted my trip more than it already has been by these unfortunate souls. It is unanimous that Semester at Sea needs to raise their admission requirements to result in higher standards for the community they wish to create.

With the desert being extremely dry Erika had a couple of nosebleeds through the night. She’s never had one before so you could imagine her franticness, but actually she handled it quite well.

After the commotion died down, we gathered around for a delicious and fruity breakfast with some mint tea (which is delicious by the way). As the sun was rising we made our way back through the desert on Camels so that we could then drive yet again another eight hours back to Marrakech. Erika and I were dreading the deadly trip over the mountain side so we decided to preoccupy ourselves with each other’s company. I’ve known Erika for almost 10 years now and yet we still find fascination with one another. We still find things about each other we never knew and find more things to laugh hysterically about. A topic that surfaces frequently however is our futures. Being a senior in college, the word future is ultimately ingrained in your mind. It takes the form of dreams, nightmares and logical thinking. Being immersed in acting for more than half my life I have become fascinated with other career paths. I’m completely satisfied with the challenge that lays before me in acting but for some reason I’m in awe and impressed by some of the interests people have. Nicole has a double major in Psychology and Sign Language and with that degree hopes to form a practice of Psychology for the deaf which surprisingly doesn’t exist. A student named Grace is currently a Hospitality major but eventually hopes to go to culinary school and become a chef of her own bakery. And Erika with a degree in Psychology and a minor in theatre still hopes to pursue her dreams of becoming a dolphin trainer. They all sound so exciting. The work varies but becoming anything, even an actor take an immense amount of dedication and perseverance. A work ethic that Erika and I think is missing from the generations that come after us. A generation in which our siblings are a part of and it worries us.

But at the fore front of our worrying was still the mountain. As I write this we’ve obviously survived but it was a risky drive once more as Omar drove at top speeds around these bends, while passing cars at any opportunity he sought fit. Erika and I had to try yet another tool of soothing as we listened to my I-pod. It was still interrupted by our constant fear of death. I can’t express to you how happy and appreciative I am that that ride is finished. And let me tell you…I’m done with mountains for a while.  It’s hard to think that Kevin is up in those mountain as I write this.

We stopped along the way, once for lunch and once to see the largest palmary in North Africa. For lunch we had the norm along with watermelon again! But I pigged out, totaling in ten pieces of watermelon. I was full. Once we returned to the hotel we were given free time for the rest of the night. And it was our last night of being in a foreign country. We began the evening by returning to the plaza called Djemma el-Fna Square. This Bazaar was as crowded and pushy as the one in Turkey but it had more variety and spunk so I was entertained. All the vendors kept telling me that I looked Moroccan and that I had a Moroccan face. I wonder. I’m not sure of my father’s background, it’s possible. I was using my French skills once again. Erika is a little rusty as I communicated for her plenty of times. I miss French and wish I had room in my hectic schedule to still study it.

 Anyways I did much shopping and accomplished a great deal souvenir wise. Yet it must be forewarned that souvenir shopping is a stressful and difficult thing that should be practiced before doing. I tried my best and the outcome might not be the most abundant but at least there is one. Seeing as it was the last country it was the last opportunity for souvenir shopping.

As leaving the square a young kid tugged on my shirt and looked up at me with his big eyes and sad face. He was holding a package of tissues for sale and pleaded with me to by them from him. He was all of seven or eight begging in the streets of Marrakech. I told him to go please and that I was sorry in French several times. Eventually had to use force and so I raised my voice. Once he realized I wasn’t going to give in, he took down the charade and screamed, “Fuck You,”. For a split second I was furious that he would pull such a stunt but then I simply realized it was a means of survival. Being in that situation you probably lose all sense of social norms and resort to anything to get what you need. Many kids were surrounding us as we stopped to by ice cream, asking us to buy them some. Regardless that we would be bombarded if we bought one child a cone, ice cream isn’t of nutritional value. They need real food and it broke my heart to have to rush away from these potentially starving children. The worst incident was during our drive back when we stopped to look at the palm trees. There was a small house by the road. These two kids approached us with open hands in expectation for some coins. One of the students naively threw one coin to the two children and they literally fought for it. We bended at will as we threw more. They were so adorable, yet so underprivileged as they walked around bare foot with ripped clothing. I wanted to take a picture but knew that it would be exploiting them and they deserve so much more than that. I wish them the world if not just food for the night.

Tonight was the last. The last night that A.B.A would go out for the evening. As Erika and I were heading of the hotel for a quick stop at the grocery store we bumped into some familiar faces. Rachel, Lauren, Erik and Lindsay were in Marrakech. Don’t let this surprise you. We had all intentions of meeting them and It was great to get the gang together as much as possible. Kevin and Bo were some of the main people missing. It wasn’t a big night out. It was sweet and simple as we went to a near by restaurant for banana splits. We talked, we took pictures and we calmly accepted the closure of this amazing and unforgettable expedition.

It all seems like yesterday. Actually the entire trip just seems like one long day. I can still remember saying goodbye to my mom and brother at the train station, and catching the van to go to the airport to fly to Halifax. It is all so fresh in my mind. And now, two months later we are celebrating its conclusion. We are well aware that we have a long ride home, but the explore part of my motto has now come to fruition. And in the next week or so we will have to come to terms with Semester at Sea in the past and the dispersions of A.B.A. through the U.S. It was a relaxing night, but a long one as we stayed up till about 4:00 am just talking and reminiscing  the entirety of the trip. Rachel, Lauren, Erik and Lindsay took a 5:00 am train back to Casablanca, while the rest of us remained at the hotel. It doesn’t feel like the end.

Today’s Expense’s

………………………....Durham………Dollars
Taxi……………………..27.00.………..3.38
Shopping………………250.00.………31.25
Ice Cream……………20.00.………..2.50
Total Water…………8.00.………….1.00

Total……………………305.00.……….38.13

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. It looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.