Goodbye, Morocco. I will miss you.

I have packed up my worldly possessions, given my flat keys back to my landlord and said goodbye. Getting wrapped up in the process of leaving does not allow time for reflection.

I write this blog post from Terminal 1 at Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport. The last time I was able to reflect on a similar stage in my life was when I was leaving Portugal. I wrote a blog post to mark the occasion and just as it was then, I’m currently sat waiting for a flight to be called.

I’ve had a fantastic two years in this beautiful country. My decision to move to Morocco was swayed somewhat by a last minute weekend city break I booked in March 2018. Having no preconceptions of what I might find, I was more than pleasantly surprised with the little taste of what the country has to offer. I moved here in September of the same year.

If anyone is considering a job in ELT, I would highly recommend Morocco. Marrakesh is great for a visit, Casablanca is all hustle and bustle, but look beyond and you will find smaller, more manageable towns and cities which are less touristed.

The capital, Rabat, is less crowded than Fez and smaller than Casablanca, but big enough to have the trappings you might expect from city life. In the north there is Tangier, a port city overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. An hour down the road there is the magnificent Tetouan. The architecture is beautiful and there’s an old medina which is more manageable than the 9000 streets that make up the medina in Fez.

Beyond all of this, the great weather, the amazing food, the ancient history, there is one thing that stands out, the people. Moroccans are warm people. Friends quickly become extended family and help is always given willingly. To all the friends I have made, thank you for your warmth and kindness. I will miss you all.

For the moment, my attention is being drawn to the time. My gate is about to open and the next leg of my ELT journey awaits.