Lines Composed from Royal Air Maroc Flight 201
Its 12:22 AM in New York, 4:22 AM in Morocco, and I don’t even know if there is technically a time zone for the patch of Atlantic Ocean I am flying over right now. I’m on my way to Morocco. It’s official- I no longer live in the US.
Next Thursday, after my orientation in Rabat, I will move to my new apartment in Fes. For the first time in my life, I have no permanent residence in the US. For the first time in my life, I will have a residency card, a driver’s license, and health insurance in another country. I’m not a typical American- I have visited 48 countries and I have spent “summers” and “semesters” abroad. But this move involved leaving a lot more behind than any other time in the past.
After 7 years, I’m no longer a New Yorker. I’m now Fassi. And pretty soon I’ll be Rabati. By the time I come back to the US next fall I will be some strange Moroccan version of myself, complete with a full command of Moroccan Arabic, the ability to make incredible cous-cous, and a full wardrobe of djellabas and kaftans. Pretty exciting thought, huh?
11 Comments:
Waiting for those pictures of morrocco's beauties!
Wishing you the best of luck on this trip. I'm currently still in Dubai, so if you decide to come visit that would be great, or maybe i can come and visit you in your new home.
2:03 PM
As I told you, it is all my fault for buying that Dr. Seuss book (OH, The Places You'll Go)..little did I know the extreme to which you would take that message to heart. Luv ya bunches and I am so proud of you.
MOM
7:42 PM
I will come see you in Morocco insha'allah! I am looking for any excuse to come.
It'll be exciting to have a suzanne in the neighborhood!
hope you have a blast
3:51 AM
Fes and Rabat were respectively my two favorite cities in Morocco... have an amazing time.
5:46 AM
don't forget that you can fly to london with easyjet ;o)
hopefully see you in morocco in december or january! lots of love,nicole
8:52 AM
Sorry we were not able to talk again before you left. I am sure you will have a wonderful time in Morocco. As we last discussed, my own foray into the Moroccan culture is progressing and I am even considering a consulting project in Jordan in January. Perhaps I'll see you sooner than I realize?
Be safe
-Mike
5:42 AM
I hope you have a fantastic time in Morocco! all the best for this new beginning!
5:08 PM
See you in March. Miss you already.
5:44 PM
Everyone who has posted here so far is expected in Morocco at some point in the next year!! I have an extra room in my place here in Fes so if anyone wants to come before I move to Rabat in December let me know!!
9:07 PM
hi suzanne, you don't know me but i'm a peripheral nomadlifer (simran.nomadlife.org) and an acquaintance of some past AIESECers (melt and surya, and through them the original nomad devrim).
i just spent the last hour or so reading through your blog (from day 1, although not from the aiesec.ws days!) what a fascinating life in words -- 48 countries, NYer for 7 years, fulbright scholar, go-getter, positive thinker -- it made for great reading, and man am i a big fan now -- and very jealous too :)
wish i had known you while i was in the states; we did come "relatively close", though: we were both somewhere in the maze that is JFK departures on september 4... (i was en route from boston to bombay that day, but having been a regular weekend NYer for a couple of years before that i chose to leave the US through my fave metropolis :)).
i hope to keep up to date with your adventures in morocco through your blog, so keep writing... inshallah it will be the best time of your life, yet!
cheers :)
sim
5:27 AM
I'm looking forward to reading your blogs and seeing pics...
BTW you are invited to my wedding in Turkey next summer. It will be a wonderful experience in southern Turkey.
3:04 PM
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