We spent two weeks at the worldschool hub, Madrasa Dunya, located in the valley of the Atlas Mountains.  This was our first experience with a worldschool hub, and it reminded us very much of being in a homeschool community.  The compound was brought to life with children laughing and running around, with periods of silence as they concentrated on projects and learned about the culture that we were guests in.  What set this experience apart, was the local community that continually embraces these groups of strangers, making everyone feel at home.  The staff were always available for a smile, a teaching moment, a small chat, or helping us find that special piece of Morocco that we wanted to have for our future house.

They encouraged us to use local phrases like, “sbah l-kheir” which means Good Morning, and invited us into the kitchen to learn Moroccan cuisine.  The girls’ favorite dish to make is msemman. We learned some of the history of the Amizigh people, and the kids practiced writing their names in Amizigh.

The group took field trips to a pottery studio, an Amizigh drum-maker’s house, and into the high Atlas Mountains.  We were free on the weekend and we used our time to do a quad-biking tour in the Agafay Desert, which included lunch and a swim in an infinity pool, and then we hiked to the waterfalls at Setti Fadma.

We really enjoyed getting to meet other families that are traveling and listening to their stories and how they are making it happen.  What put the experience over the top, for us, was having it with friends that we’ve known since the children were young.  It’s exciting to think that in 20 years, our kids will be able to look back and say “remember that time we were in Morocco…” We look forward to having more adventures together now that they have the taste of travel!