3100 upvotes, 31 direct replies (showing 25)
View submission: An Open Letter to the Reddit Community
I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco and stayed for a few more years working with a non-profit. Morocco is over 99% Muslim, and Islam is the state religion.
The people there welcomed me with open arms. In my town, I could not leave the house without people inviting me in for tea, bread with jam, dates, or a full meal. Sometimes people would literally drag me into their homes to show hospitality. Why? They saw I was a foreign woman and the way that they lived their faith was to be welcoming and hospitable. Their act of inviting me in, of feeding me, of showing me love, of truly accepting me as I was, for who I was? To them, it was literally an act of worship.
I have dozens of stories-- the time I lost my wristlet (with money, passport, phone, etc.) and when I called the phone, the taxi driver who found it drove it out to where I was, took me to where he found the wristlet, then offered to drive me anywhere I wanted. He asked for nothing in return.
Or the time that I stopped in a small village on a long-distance bus, and an old man grabbed my hand, intertwined his fingers with mine, and said "Morocco and the U.S. are like brothers. We are close. Like this. You are like our family."
The way I was adopted into certain families. The way that my neighbors who had so little resources that they didn't have a bathroom in their house still sent their daughter over with a pot of tea and stuffed bread when I came back from traveling... they knew I probably was tired and wanted to rest, but wanted to be sure I was taken care of without having to prep food and cook.
I moved to Rabat-- the capital-- after Peace Corps. While there, I met the man who is now my husband. A Muslim, Moroccan, wonderful man. He is the opposite of what many think a "Muslim man" must be like. We respect each other. He treats me like an equal partner in everything. We laugh together every day, and after five years of marriage, I am more and more in love with him.
He teaches me to be a better person. When we first got married, he showed me that settling disagreements with raised voices and hurtful words isn't how you treat a loved one. He helped me settle down with my temper. And even now, if he sees it starting to flare, he'll de-escalate me with a joke or by making light of the situation. He helps me remember what is important in life-- people, actions, simple things... not a good job, having a good image, or impressing others.
My heart is breaking. I am calling, I am writing, I am marching. But my heart is breaking. He came halfway across the world to be with me, and now, my country is such the opposite of the hospitality, love, acceptance, and welcome that I received in Morocco. It's a terrible juxtaposition, and I hope we can stand up, speak out, and make change.
Comment by bigfootdrivesstick at 31/01/2017 at 09:05 UTC*
13 upvotes, 3 direct replies
I am also moving for the peace corps in june, to China. Your experience is so heartwarming and encouraging. I only hope i can experience and provide something similar. I anticipate reactions to being american and having trump as my president, but i also anticipate being a positive and loving person in an american/chinese cultural exchange. I hope to build a bridge that says not all americans are identical to their government and to show them that america cares about nations. my goal is to be the best person i can be and to be as loving and compassionate as possible in this really messed up time. your story helps, so thank you. Also thank you to /u/kloset_klepto for their response and articulating a message in a much more graceful way that i cannot.
i love that i keep seeing so many peace corps volunteers (and USA citizens) anticipating showing other nations that the american way is love and compassion. at least we have this organization that isn't obligated to be aligned with presidential political interest but to practice in agape love and have compassionate interest in maintaining and developing love across nations.
albeit to say, i've been nervous since trump took office. but i will be the best and most compassionate person i can be to the world/china to show that america is for freedom and acceptance.
hope that makes sense, had some wine. peace out.
Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 10:01 UTC*
477 upvotes, 4 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by kloset_klepto at 31/01/2017 at 05:37 UTC
59 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I'm moving to Panama for the Peace Corps next month. I'm so curious about what my experience will be like going as an American with all of this going on. I'm hoping to be able to show others that not all Americans are like our current leaders, that the majority of us want peace and are accepting and want to bring about positive change. It will just take time for me to be able to express myself fluently and efficiently in Spanish. Congrats on your service in the Peace Corps and it's so cool that you decided to stay in Morocco after your service and ended up finding so much love- I can imagine myself doing the same thing in Panama.
Comment by GnarlyBear at 31/01/2017 at 09:40 UTC
13 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I live in southern Spain and love going to Morocco, the Atlantic coast especially. I have a great story about their hospitality but if I shared it, it would identify who I am on Reddit and really don't want that.
I am glad you found such happiness there and sorry for the situation you found yourself in.
Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 08:16 UTC
173 upvotes, 4 direct replies
I may be remembering this wrong, but wasn't Morocco the first country to recognize US independence?
Comment by natureZChild at 31/01/2017 at 12:15 UTC
12 upvotes, 1 direct replies
this comment is simply one of a kind! as a Moroccan citizen i salute you !
Comment by tototoru at 31/01/2017 at 11:22 UTC
11 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Hello from Morocco, I believe what Trump is doing now is the opposite of making America great again. Europe has suffered more from terrorist attacks and didn't think about making such decisions, statistics are showing the risk is very low for terrorist attacks in US so one can only come to the conclusion that this is based on discrimination and hatred. I'm afraid this will heart the image of free America and increase the hatred of extremists.
Comment by ImFlawlessss at 31/01/2017 at 11:26 UTC
14 upvotes, 1 direct replies
This makes me happy as a Moroccan.
Comment by IdunnoLXG at 31/01/2017 at 13:37 UTC
6 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I'm glad Morocco is tolerant. I understand your frustration and that was a beautiful story but here's what I have to say.
My parents are Middle Eastern Christian folk. My lineage derives from Syria, we are Orthodox Christians. In the 1950s my family moved to Egypt due to religious discrimination in Syria.
Egypt had a vibrant Christian community, *had*. Things in Egypt were not much better. My mother told me a story of when she was young she went out in a t-shirt during Ramadan. She was gashed and hit on her arm to the point she bled profusely and still has a scar to this day.
My father, who finished second in his engineering class, was denied entry and even a job simply for being Christian. The president of Egypt at the time, Anwar Sadat, banned the Coptic Pope from even leaving his home.
Where my father grew up, not too far outside of Cairo, Christian graves were dug up by Muslim agitatiors. Persecution of Copts still go on to this day without notice from Western Governments despite pleas and cries for help. The Syrian Christian population was forced into captivity.
I understand there are good Muslims in the world, but I cannot sit here with my people genocided and my ancestors historic never ending cycle of persecution and maltreatment go unnoticed. There is a reason behind all of this, and I just ask Reddit one thing, one simple thing - where was the public outcry when we begged for help and you weren't there to even acknowledge us?
Comment by wonderliv at 31/01/2017 at 16:06 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
This is exactly right. I can assure you that a big percentage of people that support what is currently going on has never traveled to countries that have completely different cultures than ours. I spent 3 weeks driving trough Morocco as well with my wife in December of last year and I can confirm what you said. People were very welcoming and open about everything. We asked many questions about their religion and everytime they responded with an open mentality. It is sad the kind of BS that we get sold here in the US, and worst of all if how many people buy into it. I encourage everyone to go out of their comfort zone and experience things first hand. Get to know people from different places and you will realize that we are all not that different from each other.
Comment by [deleted] at 05/02/2017 at 20:51 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I grew up for 17 years in Mali and Burkina Faso, as the son of Christian missionaries.
People always asked me whether I felt "persecuted" for my faith (at the time - I'm agnostic now) and I never did. Never once was I hated for being different.
When I came to the US a few years back, I noticed I started watching what I said around certain people, for fear of coming accross as prejudice or unaccepting. We're very sensitive to that over here, and people here assume it's the same in the rest of the world.
I don't know when this country went from welcoming to being mistrustful of outsiders and "different" people, but it feels as though the old America, cognizant that it comprised of immigrants, is gone.
Comment by sbuxreddit at 31/01/2017 at 16:05 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I lived in Senegal, also a majority Muslim country, and your stories ring so true. Thank you for sharing. It's important for people to hear how amazing the world is when we treat one another like fellow humans.
Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 11:23 UTC
8 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by Funlovingpotato at 31/01/2017 at 11:30 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
We, the people, will fix this.
You have the international community behind you.
Lots of love from the UK.
Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 12:33 UTC
8 upvotes, 3 direct replies
Morocco
Pretty sure Morocco isn't on the banned countries list.
Comment by CommunistCappie at 31/01/2017 at 15:23 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
If people could only interact with one another. If christians could interact with Muslims. People would see we're all just people. Muslims aren't at all bad people. Christians aren't at all bad people. However, there are always those one or two out of 1000 that are horrific.
Comment by [deleted] at 06/02/2017 at 19:18 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I think Morocco has a more functional government that can more easily track/vet it's citizens and the idea of a Caliphate isn't as strong there as in places such as Yemen or Syria.
Comment by falabela at 31/01/2017 at 14:22 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Thank your sharing your story in such an articulate way. It moved me to tears. Keep sharing, keep calling,keep loving, please ::hug::
Comment by SrSkippy at 31/01/2017 at 15:02 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
You'll notice Morocco is not on the list of nations with temporary travel restrictions.
Comment by [deleted] at 01/02/2017 at 03:20 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
You and your husband are amazing wonderful people. I wish you all the best.
Comment by suhjin at 31/01/2017 at 15:28 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Morocco is not one of the banned countries.
Comment by xxFiaSc0 at 31/01/2017 at 09:47 UTC
-24 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I hate to be negative, but what exactly does your story have to do with well... anything? Morroco is not on the list of countries Trump banned travel from. Who is being inhospitable? If you're not treating him the way you were treated when you were in Morroco that's not anyone's fault but yours.
My heart is breaking. I am calling, I am writing, I am marching. But my heart is breaking.
Who are you calling and writing to? About what? What are you marching for?
I hope we can stand up, speak out, and make change.
That is such a vague and nebulous goal. Good luck winning elections with that.
Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 11:27 UTC
-11 upvotes, 2 direct replies
" They saw I was a foreign woman and the way that they lived their faith was to be welcoming and hospitable."
Sorry i´m sure they´re nice people, but if they are it´s their culture and not their religion.
Islam by itself is a deeply fascistic, antisimetic, homophobic and sexist ideology. My father was as Iman back in Iran, my family had to flee from Iran when the Islamist took over. Swiss took us back then and we abandoned Islam.
Comment by Stabbird at 30/04/2017 at 04:52 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Wow. Love to you..
Comment by [deleted] at 31/01/2017 at 12:46 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Which is why Morocco is not on the list. My father was born and raised in France, he has a wonderful story of driving through Morocco one summer with a couple friends.