Love and Family

After five trips with CGA, I have learned to appreciate the little things – a roof over my head, something to eat, friends who love me, and most importantly, a family and an education. However, it’s easy to get distracted when I come home. All of us have responsibilities and busy lives, and sometimes we take the love that we get from our families for granted. That’s why home visits like yesterdays are so powerful.

There is a girl in my class named Fatimazahra. She is very quiet and sits in the back, but she is always smiling and full of light. Shyly, she guided us to her home after school. We walked up a steep, narrow set of stairs and entered an eight foot by eight foot room with two skinny beds and a refrigerator. This room, which was the size of my bathroom, was her entire house. Fatimazahra, Rabiee (her mother), and her grandmother squeezed onto one of the tiny beds, eagerly inviting us to squeeze in with them. Rabiee presented us with food (which she most likely did not have the money for) and vigorously encouraged us to eat, wanting to make us feel as welcome as possible in her home. Immediately, I felt amazed by Fatimazahra. She comes to school every day ready to learn, and is one of the hardest workers in our class. She wants to attend college and become an astronaut, and I am looking forward to turning on the TV and seeing her fly away to Mars. I love that she is able to dream big, despite the fact that her mother and her grandmother both did not go to school and her family struggles to get by every single day. Though neither of them was educated, both are beyond supportive of Fatimazahra going to school. Over and over, they thanked us for teaching her English, saying that they regret not having gone to school every day. In these moments, as Rabiee was telling us about how she makes only $15 a month (rent alone is $30) and how grateful she is that Fatimazahra is going to school, I felt emotions that were indescribable. The most amazing part of Morocco has been the people, and Fatimazahra’s family proved that. To see three generations of women who work so diligently every day to make the best of everything they have is the definition of inspiring, and it reminds me to value education in my own life.

Our visit reminded me about how powerful love is. No matter the situation, these three ladies are always there for each other. Fatimazahra’s mother or grandmother is always waiting for her when she comes home from school, and both younger women are there to take care of the oldest. Everything that they do for each other comes from a place of love and compassion. In the words of Fatimazahra’s grandmother: “you would have to kill me before I left my daughter and granddaughter.” This kind of love reminds you of what is really important – you can be struggling to make end’s meet and wondering where your next meal will come from, but the love you feel for those who are close to you will always be strong. It is important to focus on that, especially when things get tough. It’s always difficult to deal with stress about money, school, and work, but when you love someone, you have to lift each other up as you face these adversities together.

Fatimazahra’s family spoke endlessly about how proud they are of her for going to school and being so driven to learn English. They are a little hesitant about sending her off to explore space just yet, but they are willing to support her in whatever it takes to achieve her dream. With all the love that she has at home to guide her along the way, I believe she will be a great astronaut.