If you’re planning to travel through Europe before the FSP, flights depart from London, Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt, and Madrid.

Given that the FSP is a rather rigorous program, it is probably best to travel in Morocco at the end of the term and not before. You need to be in good shape when you arrive in Morocco, or it will be difficult to keep up. Since minor stomach problems often occur in the first week, those who are well rested and prepared for the trip recover more quickly.

You will obviously need a passport and often a visa if you’re not a U.S. citizen. If you don’t have a passport or you need to renew it, do so right away. It takes a couple of months to get a new passport, so don’t wait until the last minute. You will not need any vaccinations to get into the country, but a vaccination against hepatitis is advised. If you can find it, a one year Hepatitis-A vaccination is safer than the kind that is valid for only ten weeks. Dick’s House offers a comprehensive medical guide sheet for students going abroad. The CDC website is also a valuable resource: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/

If a suitcase is what you have, just try to pack light. Don’t count on smooth, regular pavement or wheelchair-friendly curbs. In Fez, you need to keep hills in mind as well as distance, potholes, and mule droppings. You will find speeding cars and taxis, crazy motorcycle drivers, and horse-drawn carriages all on the same road. In this sense, the roads are a bit perilous. For your own safety, you’ll want to keep your eyes on the road, not on your luggage. Basically, you will need to carry luggage when you arrive, when you travel independently, on the group program travels, and when you depart. Also keep in mind that you might want to bring things back from Morocco, so leave a little space. You will be able to fit everything you need in a pack. Trust us. This includes books, at least some of which (if not the majority) you will have to bring with you. Library selections at the American Language Center are basic, but local bookstores carry some cheap books published in French. (There is also an English text bookstore and a little street market that sells used books near the American Center. lf you’re a Spanish speaker, there is a Spanish center, El Instituto Cervantes, which has a useful library.)

Books. Make room for your course books first. These can be shipped back to the U.S. at the end of your stay. (Bring the books and tape to the post office. Enter the small building on the left that says in Arabic tard (parcel). They will provide you with a box and the customs forms; put the books in the box, and take them to the customs inspector. He signs the forms, then you take them back to the desk where you got the box, you seal it with tape and address it, then pay the postage.). Mailing your books will probably leave your pack a bit lighter. You may want to buy a small phrase book. The Moroccan Arabic phrase book published by Lonely Planet is helpful and fits easily in a coat pocket. Also consider bringing a French dictionary. ALIF will issue you a Moroccan dictionary along with your textbook. If you have studied MSA, bring along Wehr’s Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic. (Keep in mind that classical Arabic and Moroccan Arabic are very different.)

Caftans and tile mosaics in Boujad.

Computer. In addition to books, you may benefit by bringing a laptop computer—if you are fortunate enough to own one. If customs officials see that you are carrying one into Morocco, however, you may be asked to have your computer recorded in your passport as you arrive in the country, so that its export is verified on departure. This ensures that you will not sell your computer in Morocco. Students in ’02 had no need of computers until it came time to write papers—then they were desperate for them. Some also wished they had been able to keep their diaries in the computer. It is something of a hassle to bring one, but when you want one, you want one. You will need to think about printing, and/or a way to transfer your files to a computer linked to a printer. Flash-memory drives can work well for this. For e-mail, check out the College web-based email programs before you go. The ’02 group went daily to one of several cyber-cafes around town and paid 5-7 dirhams to check their blitz.

Money. Most expenses are already covered by the program, so Fassi life should not be a drain on your wallet. When you treat yourself, a cheap dinner costs only about 50 dirhams ($4.50 U.S.), an expensive dinner 120DH ($11 U.S.). A café au lait may cost as much as 12DH, tip included. Internet costs 7-10DH an hour. On a typical day, you may spend a few dirhams on bus tickets, a couple on a Coke, and five on a glass of mint tea. On average, five dollars a day is a generous estimate for what you'll spend living in Fez ($500 U.S. total). However, traveling out of the city on weekends will cost more. And you may want to bring additional money for shopping ($200 if you want to go on an extravagant shopping spree). Since you will be making many trips to the medina, you may want extra funds to buy souvenirs and gifts. Overall, this could turn out to be one of your cheapest Dartmouth terms! Hidden expenses and surprises are always a possibility, so we suggest having a major credit card and Cirrus debit card for security. A few travelers’ checks for security are a good idea too, perhaps in Euros.

Clothing. You won’t need much variety in your wardrobe, so bring as little as possible. It’s hot for part of the time, so have a couple pairs of light cotton slacks or lightweight skirts. On the other hand, when you come, it may be cool (in the 40s, Fahrenheit) and it also gets wet. You might want to bring an umbrella or a rain jacket and definitely a heavy sweater or winter coat; (nice) sweatshirts and sweatpants can be useful in the house. Be prepared to layer: Moroccans don’t necessarily heat their houses or offices in March, and it gets very cold inside and out.

Moroccan youths seem to especially like black Levis (or imitations), and the average student you encounter will wear the same clothes day after day. It becomes the identifying characteristic of a person in many cases—for example, “Do you know my friend Mustafa; he’s the guy that wears the orange shirt.”

Bring only items you can hand wash to save yourself hassle. Count on doing laundry yourself (though many families offer). Small bottles of detergent or bar soap can be found at almost any local store (hanut). Dress conservatively—long sleeves and long skirts—although conservative clothing doesn’t necessarily mean dressy clothing. Most people wear jeans and sweatshirts, and comfortable clothing is the best choice. In the hot weather people will wear short- sleeved shirts and jeans, but you rarely see shorts. A pair of shorts for around the house or apartment may be fine, but be aware of the norms of your family before you take anything for granted.

Sunglasses and a hat are helpful, but Moroccans seldom cover their heads with anything other than a jellaba hood or headscarf. More and more young men and laborers now wear baseball hats, and sunglasses seem fashionable. While tourists often strut around in shorts, short skirts, and tank tops, you are recommended to dress conservatively. Attention from Moroccan men may be flattering at first, but soon becomes annoying and tiresome.

When it’s hot, students felt it was ok to where short-sleeve blouses, but they really do need to be loose fitting or else you’ll draw unwanted attention. Some women found it comfortable to wear jellabas in the street so as to blend in. Remember you are staying with a family who will expect you to conform to their way of life, to a certain extent. After a few weeks in Fes you will be recognized as belonging to the neighborhood, especially in the medina, and people expect you to respect their social customs. Hence, leave tank tops at home along with the shorts, and instead bring shirts with sleeves (t-shirts and short sleeved shirts are fine and perfect for warmer days).

Expect to do your laundry yourself, although many families have washing machines and dry cleaners often also offer regular washing. Detergent can be bought in any street corner store. Dry cleaners are widely available and cheap (about 15 DH for a pair of pants).

Furthermore, because Morocco is dry, your clothes will get dusty and dirty, so leave your expensive fabrics behind. You may need to dress up for a special occasion, whether a wedding with your family or a meeting with a government official or for a program dinner. For these events, men should bring nice pants, a shirt, and a tie. A skirt or dress pants with a blouse or a nice sweater is appropriate for women.

Toiletries. In addition to books and clothing, you may need sunscreen, anti-diarrhea medicine, aspirin or Tylenol, and cold medicine. If you take vitamins bring them. If you wear contacts, bring plenty of supplies and perhaps even a second pair. (Likewise for glasses.) You can buy soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and other toiletries at the local stores, but don’t expect to find many choices. Women should also bring plenty of feminine protection, as tampons are hard to find. If you plan to be sexually active—which we don’t advise—bring protection. Although many Moroccans are aware of the dangers of AIDS and other STDs, such issues tend to be swept under the carpet in socially conservative countries like Morocco.

Supplies. Other things to consider packing are a travel alarm clock, paper, notebooks, pencils, folders, and a pack of playing cards. These can be found at newsstands (along with stamps, postcards, popular “new Islamic” books, cookbooks, cigarettes, lighters, candy, and gum), but it can’t hurt to bring things of your own along. You might not be able to find a package of your favorite Papermate pens. Many students choose to bring gifts for their host families, a much appreciated gesture. Good gifts would be little things that hint of your home: a Dartmouth T-shirt, a picture book of the USA or your state, paperweight, mug, souvenir alarm clock or watch, small bottle of perfume, make-up, or even maple syrup.

Your families will be very curious about life in the United States. They will ask you many questions, and they will ask to see pictures of your friends and family. Bring a few pictures of Dartmouth, your family, your friends or your hometown. (Screen out the pictures with beer cans and boyfriends or girlfriends in them.)

One of the most important things to pack is your curiosity. Moroccans are known for their exquisite cuisine and hospitality, which translates into great food and large quantities of it. Most families will push food at you until you say shbe‘t (I’m full!).

Vegetarians may have a little difficulty avoiding meat, which is central to most meals. For some, “vegetarian” means “no chunks of meat,” and it will take some explaining to convince that meat broth, for example, counts as meat. Explaining in terms of “allergies” or “medical condition” seems to be effective here. Try to be sensitive and flexible, and most will be happy to accommodate you.

Moral support. Lastly, don’t forget to bring something that makes you happy —your phone card, Bible, book of poetry, last year’s letters from your sweetie, or what-have-you. Bring along some items to help you through moments in which you will feel isolated or crazy for going on this trip—whatever helps you deal with frustrations, loneliness, and disappointments. Matt carried around a heart-shaped stone given to him by a close friend. That, along with a book of daily readings and Sufi poems, did wonders. Jeneen made some mixed tapes before she left and spent hours in her room listening to music and singing to herself; she also brought running sneakers and tried to jog every other day. Consider your daily routines and figure out what small, easy items can help you with a sense of wholeness and happiness.