Utah Youth Testimonials

 

"Being a Military Youth Ambassador and participating in the Moroccan Youth Exchange has helped me step outside my comfort zone. I'm not the type of person to try new foods or experiences. It's not that I'm picky, but I know my likes and dislikes. Learning how to be comfortable in a new situation has opened my eyes to new possibilities for my future. I would be more willing to take the opportunity to try new things now! I might even be excited to step outside my comfort zone after traveling to Morocco. Having the opportunity to make new friends from all over, both in Utah and in Morocco, has been amazing as well." - Maliea

 

"I didn't really want to do the Moroccan Youth Exchange at first. I was very introverted when I applied, and I felt like I had a group of good friends and that was all I needed. But my mom explained that it was a fun experience and I should at least put an application in. I thought it would be a horrible experience. I had really bad homesickness when I went on other trips and I didn't want to experience that so far from home. But now I'm so glad I did this program because of the relationships I've been able to make. I can now go places, make friends, make the best of a situation, and enjoy the "new " situation." - James

 

"It's amazing to me that the Moroccan Youth know at least three languages! And they have a very tight knit community that is evident in how they interact with their neighbors and co-workers. The sense of community is so strong in Morocco." - Aubrey  

 

"I think it's amazing that we can develop such strong relationships in such a short amount of time. The entire exchange only spans one month of time in total. Two weeks hosting year and two weeks traveling year. It was so hard to say goodbye to our Moroccan friends and to realize how much we will miss them." - Gloria  

 

"I was so scared to go to Morocco. When Anise was here in Utah, he was so accident prone and I thought it would be the same in Morocco. Then I get to his home and met his little brother. They are a copy of each other! And the accidents still happened! But it was so comforting to see Anise hadn't changed and that we could have a great time through all of the accidents. And I was completely safe the whole trip!" - Jackson

 

"I loved the architecture in Morocco. It was so cool to see how they built buildings from the past and how they continue to use that same method or structures today. The Mohammed V Mosque in Casablanca was amazing and beautiful and full of artistry. When we look at old American architecture, we can see where our roots started in log cabins and now our homes are very different from that. But in Morocco, they started with beautiful archways and decorated with tiles and wood carving in the ceilings and very ornate ways of decorating their homes and they still do that today." - Sarah  

 

"It was so neat to see that families are the same in Utah as they are in Morocco. They still love each other and they still argue and they still tease each other. I liked seeing that family is family no matter where you are." - Brooklynn  

 

"I've never traveled outside of Utah so being able to travel and see a different culture was amazing." - Eva  

 

"I learned to be patient and considerate. As I worked through differences we had, I really learned to just be patient and explain my view as I listened to others' views. Especially since there was a language barrier sometimes." - Chris  

 

"I really just loved getting to know the people. Seeing how much everyone changed in the year between hosting and traveling was interesting. I learned that by talking to people we find that nobody is all good or all bad. We are all a mix no matter where we live. And we are more alike than we are different." - Zach  

 

"I had traveled to Morocco with my family before participating, when I was younger. I already knew I would enjoy this new experience with Morocco. But, if I had not done this exchange, I know I would not have made the friendships I have now. I know our social circles would not have crossed at school with the Utah kids and I would never have met the Moroccan kids."

- Leah  

 

"My favorite part was getting to see different aspects of a new culture, including basic things like the way they go about their everyday lives." - Kym