Dr. Mohammad ("Simo") and Khadija Bentouhami, professors of Arabic at VMI, have been traveling back and forth to spend their summers in Morocco for the past 16 years. I became acquainted with Khadija when she first began coming to my yoga classes several years ago. I was used to her leaving in the summer, and this year, when she was getting ready to leave for the summer months, I told her, "Someday I'm going to come and visit you in Morocco!" She immediately replied, "Yes, come, this summer!" I just smiled, but she had certainly planted the seed for thought. It germinated quickly, because a few days later, I thought to myself, "Why not?" and invited the couple to my home for dinner to talk about the possibility. I had seen Mohammad occasionally at the YMCA, but had never really met him, and sharing a meal with them was a lovely experience in getting to know each other on a more personal level. We all felt comfortable together immediately and plans were made for me to join them in about a month.
All the while I was in their home in Fes, I was made to feel at home as a part of the family. When they went to break their fast in the evenings with other family groups - Khadija's sisters and their families - I was included and treated both as honored guest and new member of the family. This is a very warm and welcoming culture. Everyone in Morocco speaks at least two languages - Arabic and French. Many speak three, adding English, and those of Berber descent (Simo, for example) a 4th, Tamazight. In this ancient and sophisticated culture, I felt at times very under-educated!
I feel very blest to have had this experience, and I look forward to one day returning to Morocco to continue exploring this amazing country! Thank you, Khadija and Simo for making this summer such a special one for me!
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