March 28, 2026

UNESCO World Heritage Site - Chellah

Bittersweet. Today summed up in one word. A day filled with excitement, discovery, and laughter which ended with tears. As I sit in my hotel room listening to the sounds of Rabat, sipping tea, and drying said tears - I realize these tears are bittersweet too.

They are tears of joy at the memories I'm making on my grand "ed-venture" with an amazing group of new friends; and at the same time, they are tears of sadness as I video called home to attend remotely the celebration of life for a dear friend we lost much too young to cancer.

And despite my grief, or maybe because of it, I feel present, reflective, and grateful for this experience and all of my friendships - new and lifelong. Carrying sorrow while immersed in a global learning experience serves as a powerful reminder of the empathy we must carry back into our classrooms: we never truly know what heavy, invisible burdens our students—and our colleagues—are walking around with every single day.

In everything I did today and everything I learned - she was there and would have loved hearing about it. And I know she was laughing at the peacock in the gardens of Chellah, the drenched pants from my kayak down the Oued Bou Regreg, Professor Pineappleton creating his own friendship with Octavius the Otter. And she would have loved the cooking and tea lessons at Roots Academy.

Today's lessons: enjoy every adventure, make new friends, taste every morsel, and with every end there is new beginning.

Professor Pineappleton & Octavius

Kayaking with fellow adventurers.

Chellah Storks: In Islamic culture, storks symbolize faithfulness, good fortune & family.

Peafowl in Chellah, they really are everywhere. :) LOL

Making Msammen at Roots Academy with the sweetest and kindest teacher - who reminded me so much of my dear friend.