El Kelaa des Sraghna

I arrived in Marrakech on a Tuesday evening. After an hour waiting at the passport control line, I headed outside and was greeted by my ride, who had been patiently waiting that whole time. He is the brains behind the school I will be volunteering at. Our hour and a half drive to El Kelaa des Sraghna was the perfect time for us to learn about each other. He shared how he grew up in a small town called Laattaouia on an olive farm and had the idea to create a language school there. His vision was not just any language school but one where students could interact and be exposed to other cultures. He strongly believed that enabling students to engage with foreigners would help expand their horizons and experiences. This belief led to the hybrid model the school thrives on today. It combines paid local teachers and volunteers from around the world. The volunteers stay at a nearby apartment and lead a few sessions each day with individuals or small groups of students. During these sessions, volunteers share and teach about their home countries, having conversations on a wide range of topics chosen by both the volunteers and the students. I found this model to be mutually beneficial. The school can offer sessions with international speakers, and the volunteers get to experience local life without the cost of housing. 

During my first few days, I was able to experience things that, although new, somehow had an instinctive feel. I started my first day meeting up with the co-founder of the second school in Kelaa. We walked a short distance to his favorite cafe, where he ordered the essential breakfast: bread, eggs, a dish of olive oil unlike any I’ve ever tasted, and a second dish with a hefty handful of olives. I was aware that utensils weren’t typically used, but experiencing it firsthand was quite unique. Once I started eating the bread with my fingers, though, it felt surprisingly natural. We talked more about the school, including how he first came as a volunteer years ago and later helped build the second school in Kelaa. After breakfast, we headed to the school across the street. He gave me a detailed tour and introduced me to some of the teachers and the office manager.

The next day began with another first: an early bath at the local hammam with a group from the school. The co-founder, having been there many times, organized it and guided us through the whole process. Having grown up with the concept of personal hygiene being a private activity, washing myself in a group setting was a new feeling. The large rooms where everyone scrubbing or being scrubbed made the bathing process a communal activity, something I wouldn’t have associated with bathing before this.The whole process began by purchasing our entry, a scrubbing glove (essentially a bag with what felt like light sandpaper), and a unique olive oil-based soap. We entered the first room, where a couple of men stood at the counter. Behind them were shelves split into compartments containing various buckets. We took off all our clothes except our underwear, placed them in our bags, and handed them over to be stored in the shelves. Each of us was given two buckets before moving to one of three tiled bathing rooms. The first two were empty except for a few water faucets. The last one had a tiled bench along one of the walls. We learned that the room farthest in the back was the warmest because the floor was actually heated. We filled our buckets, poured water over ourselves, and began washing. The men from the counter entered the rooms shortly after. One of them motioned me over, had me lie down, and lathered me with soap. He did the same for the others in our group. Having someone who had done this many times before with us was great. For example, he was able to tell us to leave the soap on for about five minutes before rinsing it off. After rinsing, I returned to the man who had lathered the soap, handed him my scrubber, and lay down again. He scrubbed my entire body, removing layers of dead skin. Throughout the process, we were laughing and joking. Afterward, we spent more time in the hot room, scrubbing, stretching, and relaxing. At the end, some in the group wanted a cold bucket of water poured over them, so we took turns helping each other. Once finished, we returned to the original room to collect our belongings, get dressed, and head out for breakfast.

Since arriving, I have had quite a few sessions with students and enjoyed every one. They have ranged both in level and age, from elementary students to adults. From advanced students, where we had full conversations, to beginners, where we reviewed and repeated numbers. I’ve enjoyed each session immensely, and every one has been unique. Drawing inspiration from activities my parents used when they taught classes, I’ve started putting some of their techniques into practice. After a few days, I was introduced to a student of the school who is also a teacher at a local elementary school. We met up for coffee that Friday, shared some stories, and agreed to exchange lessons. He would teach me Darija, and I would help him with his English. One of the ideas I had to increase his vocabulary was to use the list of needs from the non-violent communication book. It turned out to be a great activity to partake in with an advanced speaker. Not only did it introduce new words, but it also enabled thinking about one’s needs.