Amid the uncertainty and nervousness of the US presidential election information cycle, Leah discovered her method again to a spot of hope amongst a gaggle of strangers in Morocco.
The passenger on my left opens her window shade and the morning mild floods into our row. The flight attendant publicizes we’ll be touchdown quickly. I’ve been out and in of sleep for seven hours, however it solely appears like a couple of minutes. I swipe open my cellphone and proceed to hit refresh on my mobile connection as we get nearer and nearer. The airplane touches down.
‘Welcome to Morocco,’ our captain says. Refresh. Refresh. Related. I open the New York Occasions app and skim the phrases: Donald Trump has Gained Pennsylvania, Democrats’ Path to Victory is Slim.
I attempt to preserve studying however my consideration is rapidly taken by the motion round me. I seize my baggage, deboard and make my method by means of customs and the crowded airport. I’m bodily and mentally exhausted from every week of volunteering to get out the vote adopted by 14 straight hours of working on the election polling location in my city instantly earlier than this flight.
As I stand outdoors Marrakech Worldwide Airport surrounded by individuals talking 100 totally different languages, my cellphone buzzes. The Related Press has known as it. Donald Trump would be the subsequent president of the USA. Once more. All of the sudden the chatter round me is silent and I really feel fully alone.
I used to be in Morocco to affix a gaggle of six strangers of their 20s and 30s on a week-long journey by means of the nation. I’d been dreaming of this journey for therefore lengthy – to flee the hustle of New York Metropolis in November, go to the enduring Sahara and possibly even make a number of pals alongside the way in which.
I spent my first 24 hours in Morocco in my lodge mattress, in full darkness with nothing however costly calls again dwelling, sweet bars from the airport and a complete lot of tears. I felt extremely fortunate to be right here, however all of the sudden all I wished was to be with my family and friends at dwelling. The uncertainty was overwhelming, and so many ideas have been working by means of my head: What does this imply for reproductive rights? What does this imply for gun legal guidelines? What does this imply for our local weather? What does this imply for the way forward for democracy?
I wasn’t positive how I used to be supposed to drag it collectively to satisfy my fellow travellers for the beginning of our journey the subsequent day. When the time got here, I deleted my social media apps, washed my face and did my perfect to go away the state of affairs in my lodge room.
I met my group of 5 younger solo travellers from the UK, Ukraine, Canada and Australia. Being the one American within the group meant our conversations didn’t veer into election speak – the one factor I had been listening to for the previous few months. That night time, we strolled by means of the medina, tasting Moroccan meals and attending to know one another. When it ended, my spirits have been a lot greater, and I had hope that possibly this journey may a minimum of be a superb distraction.
I used to be thus far off. It was a lot extra. Over these eight days, I constructed friendships deeper than I may have ever imagined with individuals I might have by no means met if it weren’t for this journey.
Once we arrived within the Sahara, it was every part I had all the time dreamed of: rolling hills, camels within the distance and heat orange sand so far as the attention may see. We dropped our baggage in our glamping tents earlier than eagerly venturing into the desert. We have been like youngsters once more, enjoying with sand and rolling down dunes at full pace. Once we returned to our camp, I used to be exhausted and coated in sand. I couldn’t think about a greater day, and but the perfect of it was nonetheless to come back.
After becoming new garments and having fun with a meal, we met up with one other group of travellers and locals across the hearth pit. Native males performed drums and sang songs. The beat rapidly picked up, and earlier than we knew it, we have been all dancing across the hearth to songs we’d by no means heard, working in circles and holding arms with individuals we’d by no means met – each one in every of us smiling from ear to ear. Because the music and laughter died down, the group dwindled as individuals wandered off to their tents to sleep. It was simply me and one in every of my fellow travellers left, Matt, a 29-year-old British man, by the fireplace. We started chit-chatting and sharing tales of our lives again at dwelling.
Earlier than we knew it, we have been all dancing across the hearth to songs we’d by no means heard, working in circles and holding arms with individuals we’d by no means met.
As we spoke, the sky dimmed, the celebs erupted and the voices of our fellow travellers drifted into silence, however we didn’t thoughts. I opened as much as Matt about my household, my profession, my hopes and my fears across the election, and in return, he did the identical. Finally, he advised me that simply two years prior, precisely to the month, he had misplaced his mum. I used to be bowled over. After a day of performing like kids, I couldn’t fathom the considered shedding my mum. He shared stunning tales that gave me a glimpse into the great particular person she was. I may see Matt had been on a protracted journey by means of grief, and opening up about her was a part of his therapeutic course of.
His willingness to share her with me jogged my memory that we’re not alone on this life, and the way extremely significant it’s to share our vulnerabilities with others.
One night, my groupmate Jackson from Australia talked about he’d be occurring a run the subsequent morning. I love a morning run again dwelling by means of acquainted streets, however I hadn’t actually thought of it out within the Todra Gorge at a small lodge on a cliff inside the canyons. With out considering, I volunteered to affix him. I rapidly got here to remorse this determination when my alarm sounded and the sky was nonetheless darkish, however I heard him knock on my door and determined to go anyway. Out we went into the huge and open Moroccan wilderness. As a girl in an unfamiliar nation, working in full darkness was daunting, however one way or the other, I knew with Jackson beside me that I’d be protected.
We ran down the highway with stars as our solely seen mild supply. We made dialog underneath our breath and eventually slowed on the wall of a canyon. Jackson started climbing the rocky wall and I nervously laughed, however subsequent factor , he was reaching out his hand to assist me up. Right here I used to be, somebody who had been overwhelmed with nervousness simply two days prior, taking a danger and placing my weight within the arms of an entire stranger. I climbed a number of rocks and finally discovered a cushty place to take a seat and search for on the stars. Now that we had our footing, my heartbeat slowed to a traditional tempo.
Out of nowhere, Jackson requested me, ‘What would you do if you happen to weren’t afraid?’
I’d by no means been requested that query earlier than, and to be sincere, I couldn’t discover the proper reply. I rambled off some boring response about travelling the world that appeared to fulfill the query however left me occupied with what I actually may’ve mentioned. Because the solar began to rise, we climbed down the rocks and started our run again to the lodge. With one mile left, I closed my eyes and remembered the query he requested me… then ran full pace forward, freely and blindly underneath the breaking daybreak.
In direction of the tip of the journey, I stayed up late with Lisa, a younger Ukranian girl who lives in Canada. Lisa is the type of traveller you hope you’ll discover in your journey. She was type, humorous, radiant and lit up each room. She spoke to me softly about how watching younger kids run round in Imlil, a village we visited earlier that day, made her miss her little sister.
Lisa’s household lived in Ukraine, and he or she hadn’t seen her sister because the begin of the battle. Listening to Lisa discuss her younger sister jogged my memory of my very own little sister and the way actually fortunate I’m to expertise sisterhood. Lisa advised me she hadn’t made many deep friendships since shifting away from dwelling a number of years in the past, till this journey. Because the night wore on, we shared tales, heat hugs and a bottle of wine – key substances to a lifelong friendship.
On one in every of our final nights, our Intrepid chief Ahmed launched us to his household. His nieces, nephews, sisters, brothers, mom and grandmothers showered us with love and welcomed us into their dwelling. We have been in the midst of the Atlas Mountains with nothing round us however nature and a small neighborhood of people that embraced each other absolutely. These moments jogged my memory of how fortunate I’m to have travelled and the way assembly individuals from totally different cultures has actually helped widen my perspective and lifestyle again dwelling.
It additionally jogged my memory of what issues most to me on this life: human connection. At a time of uncertainty and excessive dividedness, I bonded with a gaggle of strangers from all totally different backgrounds.
After I landed again dwelling, my mum picked me up. It was her sixtieth birthday, so my household was getting collectively for the weekend to have fun. Her heat hug and delightful smile jogged my memory of Matt’s mum.
As we drove to her home, I advised her about Jackson’s query – what would I do if I wasn’t afraid – and I excitedly reeled off profession plans I’d dreamed up on the airplane.
We pulled into the driveway, and I noticed my sisters and their husbands and children. I remembered Lisa and her sister, Ahmed and his household, and all the opposite individuals I met alongside the way in which.
We didn’t speak concerning the election, a minimum of not instantly. Nonetheless, it was there someplace underneath the floor. I don’t know what the subsequent 4 years will deliver. With info at our fingertips and a information cycle that prioritises the unfathomable, I do know the nervousness I felt initially of my journey will certainly creep up once more in time.
However when it does, I can remind myself that taking the time to attach with each other is what will get us by means of the uncertainty, the headlines and the darkest days.
And after one magical week in Morocco doing simply that, I felt like there was hope.
Leah travelled on One Week in Morocco: Sahara and Todra Gorge, an eight-day journey for travellers aged 18 to 35. End up on one in every of Intrepid’s 30 journeys in Morocco.