Mahmuda Chowdhury
Ford School of Public Policy
I can read Arabic, but not understand it or speak it so I thought studying abroad would be a good opportunity! During my study abroad in Morocco, I met many other first-generation students in my cohort and Moroccan peers. Our discussions flowed naturally because we could easily relate to each other’s experiences, from navigating unfamiliar academic and cultural settings to balancing the expectations of our families. This shared understanding created a strong sense of community and made the experience even more meaningful.
Studying abroad in Morocco wasn’t my original plan. I had intended to go to South Korea, but a friend convinced me to join her for the Morocco program. When she canceled, I decided to go on my own, despite feeling anxious about going to a country where I didn’t speak the language. I didn’t expect much from the experience and hadn’t done much research about Morocco, which in hindsight, made it all the more surprising when it became one of the best experiences of my life. I overcame my fear of learning new languages, something I had always struggled with, and made some of my best friends through the program friends with whom I’ve already planned a reunion next month. The CIEE Morocco program is so well thought out; everything they do is intentional and considerate of their students, and I would recommend it 1,000 times over. One of my core memories was when my friend and I decided to travel seven hours overnight to another city to watch the Moroccan national team play Zambia in a football match. We were told we wouldn’t be able to find tickets, but if we did, we could skip class to go. The program
director was confident we wouldn’t succeed, but I managed to find tickets, and we ran off to Agadir for the game. It was an incredible adventure. Leaving Morocco was so difficult because of how much I loved my host family, the program, and the friends I made. I would absolutely recommend studying abroad especially in Morocco for the unforgettable experiences, personal growth, and lifelong connections it offers.
As a first-generation student, I never thought studying abroad was an option for me, largely because of the financial constraints. Receiving the First-Gen Education Abroad Scholarship removed the financial stress and allowed me to fully immerse myself in the experience without constantly worrying about money. Without this scholarship, I wouldn’t have had the freedom to embrace the opportunities Morocco offered, from traveling to different cities to forming meaningful connections. The scholarship gave me the chance to grow personally and academically, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
