30 May Round Square conference in Morocco
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Today, we woke up not knowing where we were. That day was the day when we were going to Morocco. We took off the ground at 6 am and so did our expectations. As we finally arrived, the hot climate overcame us; there were palm trees everywhere, and the sky was crystal clear. Africa was breathtaking. We were welcomed by lots of incredibly friendly students from the school that was hosting the conference. We immediately made friends and recognized the beginning of a great trip. It was something we had never experienced before; we were in Africa after all.
There were 23 schools from 10 different countries, so just try and imagine the cultural diversity! There were people from countries like Ghana, Tanzania and even Switzerland and Germany. Immediately after we arrived at the campus we were staying at; we were greeted with water bottles and our badges. We met our group leaders and found our bungalows. The campus had a pool that we could use and the food was excellent. We loved the Morrocan cuisine, especially the tajine plates with cus-cus, vegetables, and meat (usually chicken).
The program was lots of fun. The opening ceremony introduced us to their culture. Morroco was described as a tree, with its roots in Africa, its trunk in the Arab world and the leaves and branches in Europe. We had barrazas so we could know each other better and also do some cultural exchanges. One day, we went on an adventure, we zip lined over a valley and crossed a bridge like in the Indiana Jones movies. On another day, we visited the countryside where the Berber people lived and learned. Our mission was to paint a school for small children, and we can say it was my favourite day. We were greeted by people who didn’t even speak a common language with us. The only means of communicating were our smiles. After an incredibly tasty meal, we went to work, but you couldn’t even call it work. We worked together for a common goal, a better future and although it was supposed to be a serious activity, we soon turned it into a paint fight, that ended with us looking like walking rainbows. We still got things done though, and after we finished, we sang with the small children we worked so hard for.
Finally, the separation was the most difficult part. You make lots of new friends, and the thought of never seeing them again was torturing us silently. An experience like this broadens your thinking and the way you see the world in a way you can’t possibly imagine. To cheer us up, our new friends decided we should have been born in Africa.
With that in my mind and heart, we left our second home and returned here to share this experience.
Radu Gaghi, Evelin Hutton and Denis Dulau, Y 10
More pictures you can find HERE
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