Click here to view our Picture GalleryFeb. 22nd - Rabat & Sale, Morocco
For the past week we have been in Rabat/Sale, Morocco.
We have had such a great time working with Club Scientifique!! We have been meeting with a group of about twelve students (ages 12 to 16). Club Scientifique actually consists of a larger body of over 800 young people who take extra science and mathmatics courses at a community center sponsored and operated by the Bouregreg Association. But, they have chosen a small group of students to work specifically on One World Youth Project.
Moroccans speak French and Arabic...and learn English in school...so many Club Scientifique members are not strong English speakers. We were not sure how the workshops would work with this language barrier...but it turned out that we didn't have much to worry about. Group leaders, Saadia and Badr, helped translate...but we also discovered how much can be expressed and understood with a small amount of language. Body language became very important. It is amazing how much you can learn about a person just by watching them...even if they are not speaking your language...you can understand. With these teens we saw the same conversations unfold, the same social dramas play out, the same jokes cause laughter...as we did with American teens. We really are all so similar. So much of life is universal.
The first day we showed the youth group the video from their sister school in Oakland, California. They all were very interested in this...and tried to imitate the Californian accents. Some of the students were also surprised that there were Muslim students at the Northern Lights school. "I thought they would reject our religion." one student said. He then apologized for his misperception saying, "I didn't know there were Muslims there." Another student asked where the video was filmed, "Is this Africa or the United States? I see there are black youth." We were later told that apparently some of the Club Scientifique members did not picture that many African Americans lived in California.
This first day we also learned a lot about Club Scientifique and their various projects. They have done so much...entered national science competitions...been featured at international expositions...and more!! It is really quite incredible.
As the days progressed we got to really know the students. The second day they wrote their declaration and translated it into Arabic as well as French. Arabic writing is beautiful...the whole writing process is like an art form. We loved watching them translate the document.
The third day we worked on the documentary. We were really impressed by the English skills of some of the students...even though they had the option of a translator, they all preferred to speak in English even though it was difficult for them. "English is an international language. We want to learn it," they said. I kept thinking, 'I want to learn French...I want to be able to really talk with you all!'
The fourth day the students assembled their cultural exchange package. They all brought in items from home. We were so excited by the amount of time everyone spent on each item. They didn't just bring in products...they brought in hand-drawn sketches, long letters with pictures, carefully written recipees, etc. They put everything in a traditional Moroccan basket and then explained each item on film to help their sister-school better understand.
We also decided to "Californianize" one of the Moroccan boys. Lindsey brought her Cali clothes...we took the Raiders hat out of the California cultural exchange package...and then had a mini briefing session with Zacharia on Californian youth culture. It was so funny! He got all decked out in skater shoes...we fluffed his hair...put his hat on backwards... got a hooded sweatshirt on him...and taught him a handshake. Lindsey (being from Ventura County) then taught him some slang. I instructed Zacharia on the proper way to 'sit' and 'strut'. And, then he marched back into the classroom with, "Yo, yo ...'sup homedogs. Morocco is tight!" ...much to his classmates' utter amusement! It was really quite funny. He loved the hand shake...and it became a theme of the next few days.
The last day we talked about the community service aspect of One World Youth Project and the UN Millennium Development Goals. This one very intelligent young woman spoke up, "But, as youth...so small in this world...how can we possibly make a difference on these big issues?"
"Each and everyday you are making a difference," I said ...speaking slowly so that everyone could understand my english. "By not taking action on one of these UN goals you ARE making a difference...a negative difference. You can't help but make a difference. It is uncontrollable. It is just up to you to decide what kind of difference you choose to make."
The girl nodded in agreement. Her eyes were moving back and forth. You could tell she was thinking.
"If you make a difference in just one person's life," said Lindsey. "And, if you think about it...if every young person in this project made a difference in just one person's life...If every young person in the WORLD made a difference in just one person's life...we really could reach these goals...we really could eradicate poverty."
The girl smiled in agreement. Others nodded their heads.
"And, just by speaking out. Just by taking steps to make a difference...you are sending a message," I said. "You are sending a message saying, 'Young people do care. We are ready to take action and we CAN.' You are sending a message to the Moroccan people... to the United Nations. These UN goals will only be reached with youth taking action. All great change starts with the people and works its way up."
The girl suddenly had a huge smile on her face. She spoke in Arabic fast and excited -looking us in the eye. Her shiny black hair bobbing up and down. She asked Saadia to translate for her: "Like Morocco she says. She says that Morocco became more democratic because of the young people...because the youth demanded change...because they saw the need for change."
The rest of the evening (we meet at night time) the Moroccan students worked on their plan for a service project to help eradicate poverty. They wrote four plans actually. The first plan explained the problem as it related to Morocco and their local community. The second plan explained the needs they wanted to help meet as young people. The third plan described how they would help meet these needs. And the fourth plan showed how their sister-group in California could work together with Club Scientifique for this project. It was an extrememly creative and well thought through approach!
After so much work, it was time to lighten up a bit. So we filmed a group interview about the project ...like a debriefing... but it soon turned into a blooper video...we dubbed it "One World Youth Project - uncut...a behind the scenes look at cultural exchange" Everyone was laughing so hard!
We were sad to leave Club Scientifique. We will miss these students.
The Morrocan students really knew how to capture their culture. They knew what they were proud of and they knew what they wanted to talk about. This whole process was much clearer in Morocco than in other places we have worked with. I have a lot of respect for Club Scientifique and its members. We were ambassadors for them...but in many ways they were the ambassadors as well. Most all of what I know of Morocco I have learned from these students. Throughout my entire life I know I will remember this. I will always think of Morocco fondly. I have Club Scientifique to thank for that.
And this is really what One World Youth Project is about. It is about young people creating change through communication. I have learned these past six weeks that communication comes in more forms than I ever imagine existed. It is perhaps the most powerful tool on this Earth.
- Jessica
We have had such a great time working with Club Scientifique!! We have been meeting with a group of about twelve students (ages 12 to 16). Club Scientifique actually consists of a larger body of over 800 young people who take extra science and mathmatics courses at a community center sponsored and operated by the Bouregreg Association. But, they have chosen a small group of students to work specifically on One World Youth Project.
Moroccans speak French and Arabic...and learn English in school...so many Club Scientifique members are not strong English speakers. We were not sure how the workshops would work with this language barrier...but it turned out that we didn't have much to worry about. Group leaders, Saadia and Badr, helped translate...but we also discovered how much can be expressed and understood with a small amount of language. Body language became very important. It is amazing how much you can learn about a person just by watching them...even if they are not speaking your language...you can understand. With these teens we saw the same conversations unfold, the same social dramas play out, the same jokes cause laughter...as we did with American teens. We really are all so similar. So much of life is universal.
The first day we showed the youth group the video from their sister school in Oakland, California. They all were very interested in this...and tried to imitate the Californian accents. Some of the students were also surprised that there were Muslim students at the Northern Lights school. "I thought they would reject our religion." one student said. He then apologized for his misperception saying, "I didn't know there were Muslims there." Another student asked where the video was filmed, "Is this Africa or the United States? I see there are black youth." We were later told that apparently some of the Club Scientifique members did not picture that many African Americans lived in California.
This first day we also learned a lot about Club Scientifique and their various projects. They have done so much...entered national science competitions...been featured at international expositions...and more!! It is really quite incredible.
As the days progressed we got to really know the students. The second day they wrote their declaration and translated it into Arabic as well as French. Arabic writing is beautiful...the whole writing process is like an art form. We loved watching them translate the document.
The third day we worked on the documentary. We were really impressed by the English skills of some of the students...even though they had the option of a translator, they all preferred to speak in English even though it was difficult for them. "English is an international language. We want to learn it," they said. I kept thinking, 'I want to learn French...I want to be able to really talk with you all!'
The fourth day the students assembled their cultural exchange package. They all brought in items from home. We were so excited by the amount of time everyone spent on each item. They didn't just bring in products...they brought in hand-drawn sketches, long letters with pictures, carefully written recipees, etc. They put everything in a traditional Moroccan basket and then explained each item on film to help their sister-school better understand.
We also decided to "Californianize" one of the Moroccan boys. Lindsey brought her Cali clothes...we took the Raiders hat out of the California cultural exchange package...and then had a mini briefing session with Zacharia on Californian youth culture. It was so funny! He got all decked out in skater shoes...we fluffed his hair...put his hat on backwards... got a hooded sweatshirt on him...and taught him a handshake. Lindsey (being from Ventura County) then taught him some slang. I instructed Zacharia on the proper way to 'sit' and 'strut'. And, then he marched back into the classroom with, "Yo, yo ...'sup homedogs. Morocco is tight!" ...much to his classmates' utter amusement! It was really quite funny. He loved the hand shake...and it became a theme of the next few days.
The last day we talked about the community service aspect of One World Youth Project and the UN Millennium Development Goals. This one very intelligent young woman spoke up, "But, as youth...so small in this world...how can we possibly make a difference on these big issues?"
"Each and everyday you are making a difference," I said ...speaking slowly so that everyone could understand my english. "By not taking action on one of these UN goals you ARE making a difference...a negative difference. You can't help but make a difference. It is uncontrollable. It is just up to you to decide what kind of difference you choose to make."
The girl nodded in agreement. Her eyes were moving back and forth. You could tell she was thinking.
"If you make a difference in just one person's life," said Lindsey. "And, if you think about it...if every young person in this project made a difference in just one person's life...If every young person in the WORLD made a difference in just one person's life...we really could reach these goals...we really could eradicate poverty."
The girl smiled in agreement. Others nodded their heads.
"And, just by speaking out. Just by taking steps to make a difference...you are sending a message," I said. "You are sending a message saying, 'Young people do care. We are ready to take action and we CAN.' You are sending a message to the Moroccan people... to the United Nations. These UN goals will only be reached with youth taking action. All great change starts with the people and works its way up."
The girl suddenly had a huge smile on her face. She spoke in Arabic fast and excited -looking us in the eye. Her shiny black hair bobbing up and down. She asked Saadia to translate for her: "Like Morocco she says. She says that Morocco became more democratic because of the young people...because the youth demanded change...because they saw the need for change."
The rest of the evening (we meet at night time) the Moroccan students worked on their plan for a service project to help eradicate poverty. They wrote four plans actually. The first plan explained the problem as it related to Morocco and their local community. The second plan explained the needs they wanted to help meet as young people. The third plan described how they would help meet these needs. And the fourth plan showed how their sister-group in California could work together with Club Scientifique for this project. It was an extrememly creative and well thought through approach!
After so much work, it was time to lighten up a bit. So we filmed a group interview about the project ...like a debriefing... but it soon turned into a blooper video...we dubbed it "One World Youth Project - uncut...a behind the scenes look at cultural exchange" Everyone was laughing so hard!
We were sad to leave Club Scientifique. We will miss these students.
The Morrocan students really knew how to capture their culture. They knew what they were proud of and they knew what they wanted to talk about. This whole process was much clearer in Morocco than in other places we have worked with. I have a lot of respect for Club Scientifique and its members. We were ambassadors for them...but in many ways they were the ambassadors as well. Most all of what I know of Morocco I have learned from these students. Throughout my entire life I know I will remember this. I will always think of Morocco fondly. I have Club Scientifique to thank for that.
And this is really what One World Youth Project is about. It is about young people creating change through communication. I have learned these past six weeks that communication comes in more forms than I ever imagine existed. It is perhaps the most powerful tool on this Earth.
- Jessica
