After the Sunset: Reflections on a Journey Through Morocco
Many of us revel in the anticipation of a trip, even while we recognize some unexpected bumps in the road are likely to be part of the package. We dream of the possibilities, imagine ourselves in brochure-like settings, even play with the packing.
For me though, the post-trip reflection that follows a journey is what I most relish.
I’m still processing and digesting all we experienced during an exploration of Morocco with Honest Heart Journeys (HHJ) in October 2025…
Allowing distance and perspective to add layers of meaning to the memories.
Re-living encounters and scenes through photos that captured the magic of a moment, and even reveal details that I didn’t notice earlier.
What sometimes felt like a tumble of sights, sounds, and sensations in the midst of trip activities is now a more settled multi-dimensional take on the adventure. I can better appreciate, with the awe of a bird’s eye view, the breadth, beauty, and impact of what I experienced and learned.
Memories that come most naturally to the surface are the meaningful exchanges with Moroccan women that our hosts arranged throughout the trip. These authentic connections paved the way for an “inner journey” that stripped away assumptions and inhibitions and made room for curiosity and sweet surprises.
In a sparse rural village, Moroccan girls raised their arms to the ceiling as they confidently proclaimed (in Arabic and then in English): “I am strong. I am smart. I am capable. I am a leader. I am a feminist. Girl power!”
Earlier we sat in the shade of olive trees, asking each other questions, sharing ideas and hopes, even swaying together with hands aloft as we learned some new dancingforbirth moves from an HHJ sister.
We heard uplifting stories of these girls and their teachers in this non-profit program, where Project Soar has invited the girls to dream big. Trained mentors offer a life-impacting curriculum that also boosts their home community, turning the tide away from curtailed schooling, low aspirations, and early marriage and towards solid careers and promising futures.
Dressed in colorful field gowns, typical for women in this ancient date palm oasis, we wove single-file behind Kheira. We followed trails that traced her family’s land and an agricultural village that uses a unique irrigation system harking back 3,000 years.
I felt like I was stepping gently into a thriving Bible scene.
We stopped to pick corn and nibble a savory stuffed bread that a woman passing by was delivering to men in the fields. She generously insisted that we sample.
Kheira was the first woman elected to the tribal council in her region, and she – along with many other women we met – offered a fresh view of Muslim womanhood.
These women embrace the strength of community and family, and they can persuasively articulate what they honor in their tradition and faith. At the same time, they are bold in sharing their concerns and questions, sometimes breaking out of expected cultural molds and using their voices and leadership to tackle 21st century challenges in their country.
We felt the genuine hospitality of Kheira’s family of weavers, who welcomed us into their lovely guest house that blended into a desert canyon and provided sunrise/sunset views over the lush palms below.
We savored tasty home-cooked meals, admired the passion and skill behind “Mama’s” storied rugs that decorated the lodge and hung on the loom, learned to bake Berber pizza by wood fire, joined the sisters to dance with abandon in traditional ahwach party clothes, and basked in the warmth of family.
Sitting with Fatimah, I sipped mint tea as she patiently tried to teach me how to create intricate woven buttons that adorn Moroccan clothing. I finally realized I was never going to quite master her practiced craft.
But she gave me a richer gift: the reminder that connecting meaningfully with another doesn’t always require a common language, but happens naturally when we communicate by heart. Laughter, gestures, facial expressions, and hugs were elements of the heart-talk that bonded us within moments.
I watched other HHJ sisters, needles in hand, making similar connections as they tried to mimic the fine thread designs of our new friends in the Cherry Buttons Cooperative.
We later heard Amina’s inspiring story of founding this artisan cooperative that began by empowering women to take charge of both the production and profit of their craft, while maintaining their households and raising children.
Her efforts have allowed thousands of women to supplement their family income, become literate in standard Arabic, and keep alive a centuries-old cottage industry begun by Jewish residents and passed along to Moroccan Muslims.
The co-op group prepared a delicious Friday cous-cous meal that we shared together – with more laughter – as we experimented in each other’s languages. Another reminder: even humble attempts to use foreign greetings when we travel can reap respect and break out the smiles.
I soon realized that these cross-cultural exchanges were my most valuable souvenirs: memories and discoveries that I can continue to ponder and allow to direct me here at home.
And what about the community within our travel group?
We HHJ sisters became “desert roses” (as our trip hosts called us), and we found ways to blossom and bond through the ups and downs of exploring a new culture together.
Engaging each other in both light-hearted fun and deep conversation during van rides, and tending to one another through challenges.
Joyfully reveling in shared experiences …
A dream-like camel ride on the dunes under a full moon, dancing with Berber drummers around a campfire, and waking to the peace and expansive reach of a desert sunrise.
Sampling street food amid the lively musicians of the Marrakech medina and then settling into the calm of greenery and ponds in the Majorelle Garden, where Islamic design meets desert flora from around the world.
Winding our way to the top of a grand preserved kasbah (fortified village) past artisans who’ve carved their stalls into the earthen clay walls, and then listening to the call for prayer echoing across the former trans-Saharan caravan route.
Bargaining for distinctive souvenirs and marveling at the craftsmanship and organized chaos in the souks of sensory-stimulating Fez.
Spontaneously throwing a laundry party on the terrace of our lodge and delighting our oasis hosts with our willingness to playfully wash our clothes by hand.
Watching the sunset over the cherry orchards from our villa in the Middle Atlas Mountains.
Letting the growing confidence in our voices travel to the riad courtyard below us, as Ghizlane (a classical Arabic singer) led us in a workshop through the mysterious tones and lyrics of her intricate song.
Reflecting back, I can see that my desires on this trip were to feel intentionally engaged in whatever experiences came my way -- whether smooth or difficult, pleasant or provocative; to be more fully present with what was happening within me and without; and to take note of my tendencies in unfamiliar or unsettling situations and then realize I have choices about how I can show up. Note to self: Make these daily practices!
Have you ever watched the sun sink into the horizon, thinking the display was finished, only to find the sky light up again with new vibrancy – the clouds and pre-dusk heavens taking on hues that are sometimes even more impressive than the original sunset?
I liken my post-trip reflection of Morocco to a post-sunset experience. I can review my experiences from a place of gratitude and wonder, expect colorful memories and fresh insights to appear on the horizon, and discover ways to integrate my takeaways into the here-and-now of home.
After a career mentoring graduate students at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO, Diane is thankful for the space to explore new trails, treasure rich relationships, and find fresh purpose and balance in her life.
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