Wants and Needs

Today was our second day in Fez. We walked around and learned about the local artisans ranging from carpentry to leathered goods and even naturopathic remedies. 

As a big group navigating through Fez, we struggled with pacing of our tour around the city, making most of us tired as we enter our last day in Morocco.

One of the most interesting aspects of this trip has been the conversation around what we need vs. want. We have walked many streets of Morocco noticing people’s health care and what is evident in their ailments. For instance, dental care: it is one of the most important aspects of healthcare in America and as children grow up, we were told to brush our teeth twice a day, floss, and–around our struggling teen years–we were faced with the challenge of braces (whether we followed those rules or not is a different conversation). In Morocco, crooked teeth is a commonality rather than a difference. The pearly white tint is nonexistent, and the likely hood of a dead tooth is more often than not. Furthermore, cross eyes and blindness have also been more apparent in this country than the United States. I don’t necessarily know why or how this occurs more often seen here than at home, but it is something I have noticed throughout our time here. But, again, being cross eyed is not necessary to live a productive life, just like having nice teeth and going to the dentist is not, for the most part, “necessary” for our overall health. 

We also have been noticing the lack of allergies here and food restrictions. In the U.S., allergies are completely normalized. In Morocco, however, allergies are hard to navigate because most people in Morocco are not sensitive to gluten, dairy, or any type of nut. In the U.S., being gluten-free, lactose intolerant, and allergic to nuts is commonplace, and even trendy. But, the downside to the U.S. is that menus do not have any other languages to help those who need translation. Morocco caters to it’s audience, where as the United States says, “This is who we are.” 

In recent news, we had a cooking class and watched and heard the beheading of two chickens.... as one might have guessed, I am now a recent convert to complete vegetarianism. 

One more day in Rabat and then we will be able to hug our families and tell them about our adventures. It’s been an exciting trip to say the least.

- Charlotte