Just be

Category: Tangier

  • A Moment to be Thankful

    A Moment to be Thankful

    I am currently sitting in one of my favorite places in the world-feeling the goodness of life.

    A few things I am extremely grateful for…

    • Being alive-how often do we actually take a moment and appreciate being ALIVE.

    I am so lucky that I get to live this life, my life.

    • Living somewhere that no matter where I travel to and what I see, I am always excited to come home.

    المغرب

    • The PEOPLE-the people in my life-worldwide. It is hard to believe that this little Spokane girl went international.
    • The familyships, my sisters-the women I have met along the way who have become family.
    May everyone meet people along their journey who become literally-family.

    شكراً بزاف، أخواتي

    The people that aren’t just passing through…

    the ones that have left a permanent imprint on my heart.

    The people that make my life happier.

    شكراً على كلشي، الله يخليك ليا

    • My teaching partners

    Teaching is HARD. These people make it possible.

    In the USA, Japan and Morocco-coworkers that have become my people…I was placed with random people to be partners with in the adventure of teaching. A teaching partner is defined as individuals that work alongside each other in the classroom…These people have become some of my dearest friends…People that I live alongside.

    • Adventures-airplanes, trains, boats, taxis…
    Especially…my own two feet.
    • My family
    Where life began

    The most wondrous thing about family is that there are some things only we can understand. Our experiences together, the jokes and the storms we have weathered.

    Sometimes I feel guilty for leaving home. I’m sad about missing out on being an auntie, a sister, a friend and a daughter…while it’s heart breaking, it’s also heart building. I bring along everything I know and love, wherever I go. I’m building the life my parents raised me to build. I’m becoming who I’m meant to be, because of who I came from. So when sadness knocks on my door-I allow her in and I cry. I cry for all that I miss and those that I love…and I thank sadness for reminding me that big love exists & knows no distance.

    • Moroccan celebrations
    May everyone experience a Moroccan wedding at least once in their life.
    • Sunsets-I’ve also fallen in love with moonrises and moonsets.

    What I love about the sun and the moon is the connection it gives us. When I am saying goodbye to the sun others are just saying hello to it. We are wishing on the same stars, gazing at the same moon.

    While the sun is setting for me, it is rising for my family. I find comfort in this. It reminds me that we are one.

    • The ocean&sea-The Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Mediterranean&Tyrrhenian Sea…and the rest I have yet to see. Yet another way we are all connected.
    • Animals-they make the world a better place. Pure and limitless love.
    • Growing up in the 90’s & 2000’s.

    We were LUCKY to live in a generation where technology was gearing up but not taking over. Having to record songs on the radio, watch commercials, take your change to the Coinstar. Lemonade stands and rollerblading. Tree houses and neighborhood hide and seek.

    • The love of my life

    شكراً بزاف، يا حياتي

    I traveled the world to discover the love of a lifetime. Never did I dream that I’d meet someone that I share such a mutual love for life, the world, people, and the magic of being.

    I knew I would never settle & now I know why.

    I’ve learned that while looking out at the view- sometimes the view is right here-We are the view.

    I haven’t shared as much of my life or my people with you since I moved to Morocco. I’ve been grappling with the mystery of…when you have a treasure-should you share it with the world or keep it private?

    So, I’m living Ma’Roccan (my-rocking, get it??) life and I hope you are too.

    While I am often in awe of my own life, don’t forget that your life is magical too. I have a superpower of finding the happy in every crack in the sidewalk. Become an expert in identifying magic (rainbows, butterflies, the moon, stars, sun, airplanes, hugs, new socks, a new song, AN old song, birds chirping, a hot shower, a COLD shower, sun dried laundry or machine dried, a good sleep, waking up, the feeling of laying in bed with nowhere to go but to sleep..). Pretend it is your first time driving or brushing your teeth. How silly would it feel to be brushing your teeth for the first time?! See and feel things for the first time again and you will be surprised how quick excitement and joy floods your life.

    Once you become an expert in noticing everyday magic, magic in the mundane, living happier becomes the baseline.

    To living happier

    illies

  • Morocco

    Morocco

    August 1st, 2022 

    I departed Japan 24 hours ago. 

    The place my life really began. Hard to believe that 4 years ago I had never left America and now I am 2 hours out from landing in Casablanca, Morocco. 

    2 hours out from my new home.

    2 hours out from my next chapter.

    A FEW Japan chapter take aways:

    I can do anything-move to a new country by myself, start a new job and succeed, make new friends with language barriers, bungee jump, sky dive, ocean dive, and brighten the world while brightening my own life.

    The airplane is small. Hard to get out and go to the bathroom. I don’t remember airplanes being this small. I haven’t flown on a full flight in 3 years, since COVID began. 

    Our layover was in Dubai. 

    My dad will have traveled the globe by the time he gets back to Washington. How bad ass is that. 2 one way tickets, 3 weeks and 4 countries/ FOUR CONTINENTS. I think that is amazing.

    The next chapter is beginning. 

    *Trust the process. Keep safe in doing so. Be smart and be strong.

    August 25th, 2022

    New continent, new adventure-same girl and same bike!

    I had a sweet ending to my time in Japan. Time with people that I adore and admire. I am now 24 days into my time in Morocco.

    It’ll be fun to go back and see how my first weeks in Japan were-that is when and why I began this blog!

    Getting off of the airplane in Casablanca, my knees were shaking, I was really nervous. I was more than nervous, I was terrified. Hard to believe that I did that by MYSELF when I moved to Japan. This time my dad was with me :]

    Driving to Tangier I saw: horses and mules, pulling wagons (SAY WHAT?!). Earlier that week my dad was talking about how his grandparents used horses to do the farm work-then I was seeing that with my very own eyes!

    Wagons for transportation- another shocker.

    The car ride was hot-AC is not as popular here as it is in the places I have lived. Airport to home was about 5 hours and after an 18 hour flight commute we were exhausted. Walking into the apartment I was happily surprised by the size and condition. The apartments here are BEAUTIFUL. Tile floors and giant rooms.

    No AC so windows are open all the time. For sleeping I have to decide if I want to have a hot room or a quiet room. The night life here is unlike anything I have ever experienced. The city seems to come to life around 8 or 9 and continue until the morning hours.

    September 10th, 2022

    I am now 1 month and 9 days into my journey here. The way I feel today is completely different than how I felt the day I arrived at the airport.

    The day I got here I was ready to leave. I wouldn’t have written that before today or told anybody because I knew I hadn’t given Morocco a chance. I hadn’t given myself a chance.

    I didn’t like the lack of smiles. Guess what-not everyone expresses happiness with a smile. Accepting that and learning to beam inside when necessary and outside when safe.

    I didn’t like being looked at. Now that I am around and living here, people don’t look so much.

    I was scared. Going out took a lot of energy. I was scared because I went from a place where NO one looks at you or touches you, to a place where everyone looks and personal space is everyones space. 

    I went from a quiet life to a city that comes to life at night. (It is beautiful.)

    It was a lot of adjusting. A new and different way of life.

    I appreciate the discomfort because I know that my greatest growths have come from being uncomfortable. The real changes have come from stepping outside of comfortable.

     People would ask me how I was liking Morocco and I would respond as positively as I could-It’s a lot and I look forward to the magic to be found.

    I was grasping at straws, yearning for the day I would feel safe and free. 

    I had a moment, 13 days into my time here, where I KNEW in my heart that I was going to be okay…That I was going to be more than okay, that I would thrive, grow and sparkle.  That was a big moment for me-the moment I knew this is the place for me.

    You know who was LOVING it from day one? Dad. Who knew that guy was born to be international. He is a natural at it. No fear. At least he shows no fear, in his daughter’s eyes. Something I am most thankful for is that my dad began this adventure with me.

    Tangier, Morocco

    Being 40 days into my time here, two years feels like it won’t be long enough. 

    40 days mask free after wearing a mask for the past 3 years. I felt naked without it for awhile and I still giggle when I reach up to my face to take it down.

    A funny for you: A guy at the beach told me I dropped my toilet paper…The entire roll that I carry in my backpack fell out. Most public restrooms don’t have it. Learned that the hard way.

    Crossing the street is an adventure.

    HEY! The Mediterranean sea is spectacular, can’t wait to explore that more. Also said my first hello to the Atlantic sea. In fact, dad and I both took our first swim in the Atlantic Ocean.

    My dad stayed with me for 3 weeks in Morocco before completing his trip around the globe. Washington state to Japan, to Morocco, to Spain and back home again. So thankful he was able to start this chapter with me. We both lucked out on that. I love that I made this decision to leave home and how my parents too, get to leave home. 

    In a short month together my dad and I traveled places we never dreamed of, places we had never looked at on a map and we did it together. I really do feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

    Spain
    Tangier
    Tangier
    Full moon

    Japan is where my life began.

    I am excited to see what unfolds in Morocco and how much more at home I will begin to feel living, as me. I am sure of something wondrous and beaming. 

    All the love and all the power from your now, Morocco Lovin’ Rachel.

    illies