TENTATIVE ITINERARY OVERVIEW

Week 1: Arrival, Orientation, & Language Foundations

Students begin their program in Rabat with an orientation to the city, program structure, homestay, and key cultural and linguistic contexts. Intensive language classes establish foundational skills in Standard Arabic, Moroccan Darija, or Tamazight with emphasis on communication, listening, and everyday interaction.

Alongside classroom learning, students are introduced to Rabat through guided neighborhood walks and cultural site visits, helping them begin to understand the city as a living learning environment. This week focuses on building confidence, establishing routines, and preparing for deeper community engagement.

Week 2: Language in Context and Community Engagement

Language learning becomes increasingly integrated into daily life as students begin engaging more actively with Rabat beyond the classroom. Intensive instruction continues, with growing emphasis on conversational fluency and practical application.

Students participate in seminars related to Moroccan culture, history, and language. We include lessons in art and traditional craft such as calligraphy, zelige tile making, or embroidery.

Week 3: Immersive Practice

Students deepen their engagement with language acquisition by contributing more actively while continuing to develop language skills in real-world contexts. This week emphasizes applied learning, observation, and participation within community spaces. Students continue to learn from seminar sessions targeted at developing their understanding of place.

Language instruction supports students in navigating more complex communication, reflecting on workplace interactions, and building robust vocabulary. Group reflection sessions help connect lived experience with broader themes in global studies and intercultural learning.

Week 4: Integration and Reflection

The final week focuses on synthesis and reflection. Students continue their language learning while stepping back to critically engage with their experiences in Rabat. Emphasis is placed on integrating classroom learning, community engagement, seminar series, and their homestay experience to create a deeper understanding of carrying this course forward.

Students participate in a hikayat (storytelling) workshop, allowing them to understand the art of language in Morocco and apply their language skills.

Students participate in structured reflection sessions, share insights from their placements, and explore how their learning connects to their academic or professional pathways. The program concludes with a focus on continuity, supporting students in carrying their language learning forward beyond Morocco.

In addition to the Rabat-based residency, participants have the option to join two experiential learning journeys that extend learning beyond the city:

• Optional Sahara Journey (July 10–12): A three-day trip across Morocco to Merzouga, where participants engage with the country’s diverse landscapes and experience the Sahara through camel trekking, desert camping, music, and informal language learning in an immersive environment.

• Optional Northern Journey (July 18–19): A two-day exploration of Asilah and Tangier, examining coastal culture, art, and history through experiential activities that engage with storytelling, tourism, and the layered identities of northern Morocco.

This residency is designed for learners who are interested not only in language acquisition, but in understanding how language, culture, and society intersect.

All language ability levels are welcome (we will place students in classes based on their level). 

*Breakfast & Dinner included - students cover their own lunch costs unless otherwise specified in the itinerary.