Ifrane

Ifrane is a small town where Al-Akhawayn University is located. While the university looks like it is in the middle of nowhere, my friend Badr proved to me that the town had some special qualities to it. On a total three hour walking tour, I discovered that the centre town was actually not too far from campus. We walked through the centre where there were bustling little shops surrounded by local people. We shoot some pool at a kid’s park, took photos with the famous lion statue which apparently brought the release of the artist who was in formerly in jail, and ate chicken hotdogs at a local café under the becoming sunset whilst feeding chips to a stray cat.

During my tour, I noticed how the women in Ifrane dressed. On first impressions, I was extremely surprised with how super liberal women at the university dressed; skimpy shorts and tank top. However, outside the campus, women dress conservatively for the most part not only because it is a Muslim country but to avoid sexual harassment, which is a common problem. Accompanied by my Moroccan friend Badr and my American friend Geoff, I was in good company away from local men.

The next day, Badr kindly drove me around Ifrane in a very unsteady car. In fact, he warned me not to wear the seat belt but in fear, I did, and the seat belt became stuck in its holster - so I had to climb my way out of it. On Saturday morning, Badr took me to a marketplace known as suk, which is where locals sell second-hand goods in vast quantities. Such an experience made me laugh. In London, I donate many clothes, household goods and unwanted shoes. Now I know that our unwanted goods get sent to poorer countries such as this to be sold to poor people. I was taken to the suk as I was on the hunt for cheap trainers/sneakers for this trip. Sub-consciously, I was looking for clothes that could possibly belong to me from London – you never know!

From the suk, Badr drove me to Ifrane’s forest area where we sat near a lake accompanied by at least 50 goats. At one point, we were ambushed by local men and their horses who insisted that we take a ride. I didn’t feel too comfortable riding a horse that was drooling, and knowing my luck with animals, the horse would probably kick me off. Nevertheless, it was a lovely spent afternoon, and now I shall return to my Arabic alphabets and phrase book.