Continuing from my last post on uplifting travel stories, here are a few more that will make you believe that people are good everywhere and restore your faith in humanity. Thank You For You! One of my first solo travels abroad was to Morocco. I spent three weeks volunteering at a women’s empowerment center in […]

“Now, we go to the supermarket”, says Abdullah, with a smile. We know the smile is ironic and that we are not about to walk into a Safeway. My son Rohan, our Malaysian friend Fazila, and I have hired Abdullah to guide us through the labyrinthine streets of Medina El Bali, the ancient quarter in […]

Go Eat Give’s first monthly cultural awareness event was held at Imperial Fez restaurant last night, and it was a huge success! While the Real Housewives of Atlanta filmed at the restaurant, we had our own private section in a royal Moroccan tent-like setting. As twenty-five or so sat on comfortable cushions and low over sized chairs, […]

When I visited Morocco last Fall, I took cooking lessons from the locals, indulged in the native food and came home with some cookbooks for reference. Eating at home in Rabat was very different than eating at Moroccan restaurants. There were a variety of vegetables that were used in everyday cooking (and were delicious) which […]

I have heard numerous stories over the years about how people have returned from a vacation with sour stories of stolen passport, money or expensive items. And then there are others that fall victims to con artists and willingly fall into the trap of giving it away free willing. In fact, some people have a […]

I went to Russia in May 2009 through Cross Cultural Solutions Insight aboard program. I picked Russia because I had heard about their large numbers of orphanages, in par with India where I saw the plight of orphans first hand at Mother Teresa’s homes. Since this was my first time and I was traveling alone, […]

Ingredients   1 whole large chicken, cut into 8 pieces 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 5 tablespoons olive oil 1 large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped 1 large bunch parsley, chopped 1/2 teaspoon saffron 1 teaspoon fine salt 2 medium onions, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 cup green olives 1/2 […]

Moroccan cuisine is unlike other Arab, African or Mediterranean foods that you may be familiar with. Although it has influences from other regions around it, Moroccan gastronomy offers an interesting offering of meats, vegetables and spices. Characteristic flavorings include preserved lemons, unrefined olive juices and dried fruits. Spices such as saffron, turmeric, cumin and paprika […]

Some of the volunteers from our home base have been volunteering at a local orphanage. Today I learnt a few things about the system in Morocco. For starters, most of the kids in the orphanages are boys. This is surprising to learn since it is usually more girls than boys that end up in orphanages […]

This was my second time on a volunteer vacation abroad program. Last year I went to Russia so this year I decided to try a very different place. Africa was on top of my list of places to travel to. Luckily Cross Cultural Solutions (CCS) offers 2-12 weeks programs in Morocco. Their structure is very […]

I never thought one could have so many adventures in less than 24 hours! For starters, our flight from Atlanta was delayed, which left us with a very tight layover in Paris to get our connection to Casablanca. Once we landed at Charles de Gaulle airport, things slowed down to a “French” pace. The bus […]

 My friends travelling with me must be tired of listening to me say “This reminds me of India” dozens of times since we came here. In fact, there are a lot of similarities between India and Morocco, to say the least. Here are a few worth pointing out… Over crowdedness: When I was walking around […]