Morocco Desert Tour Blog

Conquer Your Fear and Find Your Adventure by Amy Wysong

Our world today is much different than it used to be. I constantly hear stories about how times used to be simpler. People weren’t worried about airport bombings or getting mugged while walking through the streets. So naturally when I told my parents I was travelling to Morocco, they freaked out. I calmed their fears a little when I told them I was going with a friend, but I squashed their fears completely when I told them I had booked our trip through So Morocco Ltd.

It’s scary travelling as a female. As an American, I was taught to be cautious of other people and to always have my guard up. This is exactly how I entered Morocco. I stepped down from the stairs of the plane onto the tarmac and immediately tensed up. New country, new people, new culture. I didn’t know how I was going to be treated or whether I was going to gain anything from my exposure to a new place.

The first day of our Moroccan excursion included browsing the medina and bartering with all the shopkeepers. I think it was our stubborn Midwest personalities that helped us to get some really great souvenirs for the peeps back home. Browsing the Marrakech medina was one of the biggest culture shocks I’ve ever had. In the Midwest, street vendors are not out selling fresh fruit juices and henna artists are not ready to paint hands. Seeing so much culture in such a small area was incredible. Everything there was so colorful and everyone was so friendly, ready to share their culture and offer welcome to their country.

Our tour of the rest of the country started the next day. As soon as we left the medina, we began to see all the rest that Morocco had to offer us. There were rock formations, expansive landscapes, and the some of the kindest people I have ever met. There was a man that selflessly let us hold his snake for a picture and the Berber women who dressed us like Berber celebrities.

I think my favourite part of the whole experience was caravanning through the desert with Taylor. There is something about looking at each horizon and seeing only sand. It centered me, refocusing my purpose and reminding me what is important in life. Before camping in the desert, I thought Taylor and I had been exposed to so much culture already, but eating a traditional dinner in the desert followed by guitar playing and story telling made me fall in love with Morocco. The entire time I kept thinking how blessed Taylor and I were to be able to have an experience like this, and none of it would have been possible without So Morocco. Linda took everything we needed and wanted into consideration, crafting us the perfect trip.

It’s hard to travel. It’s hard to creep out of your comfort zone and step into a new place, hoping to learn something new. But you have to do it. You have to conquer your fear of culture, race, religion, or whatever is bothering you, and find your adventure. Get rid of judgement and stereotypes and write something new. Find something to hold onto and find something to help you grow as a person. You won’t regret it, I promise.