Derek Bullard
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The purpose of prayer in Christianity from my perspective growing up Christian was to be saved, to reach a higher power for daily life guidance, and to be forgiven/confess your sins. Here in Morocco, it feels that the purpose has a different context. Prayer in Islam or at least Moroccan Islam seems to be motivated…
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Going into this program, I had no idea what to expect when living in a different country for almost a month. It was scary because I am used to a certain routine, meals, and a cold room to sleep in. We lived at the top of the hill right before the Santa Margherita Church at…
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One piece of advice I would give to someone going into this program is to make sure you spend your free time wisely. You will have class Monday-Friday from 8:30 am- 5:30 pm with a three-hour lunch break as lunch is a leisurely activity in Italy. I suggest focusing on your studying during the lunch…
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A very exciting cultural experience I got to enjoy was the snowman burning in Zurich. This festival is called Sechselauten. In this festival, there is a lot of excitement in the city, food stands, parades, and most significantly a giant snowman. This event was a public holiday in Switzerland, so class was canceled and a…
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Both luckily and unluckily a majority of Swiss citizens speak English. In this way I never felt as though there was a struggle due to language barriers, for which I am incredibly thankful. However I fell in love with the country and wanted very badly to learn the language of this beautiful country. I would…
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The Matterhorn is a very well known landmark associated with Switzerland and for good reason. While my entire exchange was filled with beautiful places and memorable experiences, Zermatt was easily my favorite memory and favorite place. Before being able to hike, I had to take a train from Zurich to Zermatt. While on the train,…
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Pre-departure was one of the hardest parts of the study abroad experience for me at least until I realized I was worried about nothing. My biggest concern was flying that far away by myself as I was not on the main flight that most of the UGA students were on. I had only been on…
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In Morocco traditionally we only see men at the face of a business. When at a restaurant, coffee shop, or most businesses you are typically served by men. They are the face of businesses while traditionally women are the back scenes. They are the ones who clean, meal prep, and assemble most of the goods.…
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A welcoming committee in Morocco is truly something quite special. The opening statement is not “Hi, welcome to my home. Nearly everyone welcomes you with a “you are welcome here to my country and home”. For some reason, this stuck with me more than it should. It felt extremely sincere and genuine that we were…
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I have never really been one to enjoy teaching younger kids. I have found that I connect more with older students and am better able to relay content in a way that relates to them. However, I was pleasantly surprised walking into Troqueer Primary School for the first time. The students at this primary school…