Live and Let Live

The first year I traveled with Children’s Global Alliance, I was asked on many occasions what inspired me to volunteer. I would tell people I had a strong desire to help others, and along the way, I was trying to find myself. In the two years since my initial trip, I have learned I was never really “finding myself”. Instead, I have been working to create myself.

Growing up in the Vail Valley, I was seldomly exposed to poverty. Reading about poor countries in textbooks, and seeing them in the news, could not come close to the understanding I received staring into the eyes of a starving boy. Similarly, the situations I put myself in at home have not pushed me to shape my personality as quickly or as deeply as experiencing how people live in other countries.

The families I have had the opportunity to visit in Morocco have taught me about acceptance. A young student, Fatima, kindly welcomed us into her home. After hearing countless stereotypes about Muslims in the United States, I was curious about how people in Morocco would feel about Americans. Fatima’s mother told me she thought Americans were no different from her. She told us, it does not matter what language you speak, what color your skin is, or which people you love. Fatima’s mother accepted others without judging them. She focused only on being a good person herself and allowed others to do what made them happy without any discrimination.

Of course, I have met others who have told me they do not discriminate, but Fatima’s mother was different. Listening to the powerful tone she used to speak and watching her dark eyes become so focused and set in their place helped me understand, this woman truly believed each word she was saying. This impacted me in a way I could not even comprehend at the time. After reflecting upon her wise words, I realized a level of acceptance exists here that does not exist at home.

At the school we teach, the children not only accept foreigners, they accept each other and themselves. In the United States, we would not readily accept anyone into our classroom, especially not anyone from a Muslim country. Alternatively, here the children welcomed every new teacher with open arms and open minds. Watching the children play helped me realize each individual is valued. The kids have friends that they spend time with often. Although, they have their own group of friends, no group acts superior to another. When playing games, every person is invited. Even though the kids are different, they all have the same mindset. To me, it seems this mindset is based on the idea that before we judge others, we must judge ourselves. In the Moroccan culture, people have grown accustom to focusing on improving themselves, not changing others.

As I am working to continue becoming the person I want to be, I am going to integrate the acceptance I have experienced in Morocco. I plan on getting to know each person I meet before assuming who they are. When I meet people who are different from me, I will remember those I have met in the past two weeks and attempt to embrace the differences, as my Moroccan friends have taught me.