Andrea Kaluma, now a senior at Guilford High School, wrote passionately about her summer adventure in Morocco, which ended shortly before the devastating earthquake in Marrakesh. The CIEE organization sponsored the trip.
Andrea recalls her hike up the mountain of Akshour. “I really pushed myself because I am not a hiker. On a previous hike, I only got halfway up the mountain, and almost slipped a couple of times. But when I got to God’s Bridge at the top, there was a beautiful waterfall. I realized it was “the beauty you achieve after reaching that peak.” Andrea is also studying Arabic at Guilford High School.
She reported her interaction with the Moroccans, “…some of the kindest people you will ever meet! I was met with many smiles and kind eyes throughout the trip. This experience has changed my life for the better – and because I went, I believe that I can go anywhere…The language and cultural abroad program that I was a part of taught me the importance of community; a collectivistic culture that emphasizes the importance of taking care of one another.”
