Making connections in Fez

Discussing Moroccan culture and education over coffees. From left: Ms. Cassidy, Ms. Pollock, Jessica, Khadija and Youseff.

In the planning stages of our trip, we were put in contact with many people in Morocco who could add to our experience in learning about Morocco's diverse culture. Rachid Moukhabir, a community organizer in Revere, introduced us to Youseff and Khadija, who each work in a different aspect of education in Morocco. Youseff is a college professor in Fez studying cultural perspectives, specifically the differing views of Western culture in Morocco. Khadija is an English teacher for middle and high school students.

We were lucky enough to meet with Youseff and Khadija in person in Fez to discuss cultural perspectives and education norms of public and private schools in Morocco. Youseff and Khadija also brought along Jessica, a Peace Corps member from Massachusetts! Jessica lives and works in Tahala, a small city about one hour outside Fez. Jessica's work in youth development focuses on helping young Moroccan girls develop skills for a healthy lifestyle and success in the world of work. It was such a pleasure to hear about the important work being done by these three remarkable people!

Youseff, Khadija and Jessica: Thank you for taking the time to drive and meet us and help us learn more about the schools and culture of Morocco!