Small steps

“Traveling; It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” -Ibn Battuta Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem. Marhaba!! Welcome family, friends and strangers to my travel blog! My name is Hera and in the summer of 2012 I was blessed with the opportunity to travel on my own from my home in California to two beautiful countries in Africa and the Middle East. I volunteered abroad in the rural areas of Morocco where I educated the local community on various social, economical and health issues while volunteering in hospitals, farming projects, orphanages, dental clinics and health care festivals. On my way home I stopped by Jordan and England during the month of Ramadan. Here is a little collection of pictures, videos and thoughts of my trip abroad and where I will be sharing my adventures. Stay tuned for where I go next! :) Want to contact me? Send me a message!

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have a safe trip inshAllah- choti khala and family

<3

[s23july]

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Beautiful Moroccan Architecture.

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Beautiful #Moroccan #Paintings sold on the streets leading the way to #Agadir #Beach. Apply now with @unitedforservice for December programs in #Morocco! Last day is tomorrow Oct. 25! See the world and volunteer to help! #unitedforservice #volunteerabroad #summer2012 #missit #haveafewcustomworksofart

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#Berber #wedding where we danced all night! Love & miss Rahat & Beyza #Agadir #Village #Morocco #Safi #Imissthattan #Summer #VolunteerAbroad @unitedforservice

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Hey! I was wondering, how much did your Morocco trip cost altogether? And how exactly did you volunteer? did you have time to do some sight seeing? :)

Hii! It was 2500 and 1000 for a plane ticket which included my air fare to Jordan and England! I was looking for volunteer abroad programs for a year prior and the program fees alone were around $3000. As part of the trip, we had to get donors to sponsor us and I was able to pay the entire cost of the program just through donations! It was a 2.5 week trip and we stayed in a beach front village in Tildi for 6 days but did see a bit of Marrakech and Casablanca and a whole lot of Agadir and Idougnadif. I volunteered in hospital emergency rooms, public clinics (where we took height, weight, blood pressure, sugar levels), pharmacies (where we prescribed donated medication), public and private clinics (where I viewed a circumcision and a C-section and the held both children afterwards), dental clinics (I extracted 4 teeth!!!), orphanages (which helped me make the decision to sponsor an orphan as well as adopt an orphan in the future iA) as well as helped local fisherman develop farms to expand produce and generate another source of income in low socioeconomic areas! All that and I went shopping at Zara and Mango, went sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, visited the YSL museum, did more shopping, ate amazing Moroccan food everyday, experienced a Hammam (bath house) and attended a traditional Moroccan wedding with old and new friends and beautiful Muslims from CA, Kansas, New York and Illinois who I still stay in touch with today :)

[truthabides]

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Excited for our Morocco volunteers to help young boys and girls in Morocco enhance their skills in Math and English :) Go TMP 2013!

bhrama: People undervalue their education. There are kids all over the globe that would love to sit in your chair. Knowledge is addicting. 

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My little Moroccan cuties! Taught over 70+ kids how to brush in a rural Dental clinic :)

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MashAllah Hera, I didn't know you were going on this trip! May Allah bless you on this journey and bring you back safe and sound. Hope you enjoy and learn and grow. Look forward to keeping up with you through the blog. Take care and love, Ghazala Aunty

Thanks for the support & love Ghazala Aunty <3 

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I can't wait to hear all about your adventures traveling! You're going to learn so much, I'm so happy for you!! Be sure to take pictures :)

Athina!!!! <3 I took so many pictures, I have to post a few here ASAP!

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have fun in morocco!

I had a great time, thanks so much :)

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you should make a picture blog. just pictures! I want to see all your pictures from morroco!!:)

I'll be uploading a few here and there once I have edited the majority of them, stay tuned <3

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what happened to your facebook? WE NEED TO SEE PICTURES! omg why are you keeping us waiting:( haha

I know I'm so sorry!! I have to start blogging about my time! I wrote in a journal so hopefully I can update this blog soon!! :)

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been following your blog for some time now, what you're doing sounds amazing! just two things, how did you get into this program?and do you have to be involved in a certain field of education to go? :)

Aww sorry I never replied hun! A friend of mine went last year and I so I applied and got in! You don't have to be in medicine to go to Morocco but in order to participate in hospitals and clinics you have to be a little knowledgeable about medical terms. United for Service has programs in India and Mexico as well! Let me know if you have any other questions :) 

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So excited to be in London for the Opening Ceremony! :) 

I realized I didn't even blog from my time spent in Jordan! I was in Amman for 5 days and I've been in London for the past week! Watching the Olympic Cycle Race tomorrow!!

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Mobile Dental Clinic at the Annual Idaougnidif Village Festival!! 72 villages, over 3500 people! Great day to spend the last day in Morocco! Sorry for the lack of updates-it's been a busy 2 1/2 weeks! Gosh I love this place and the people I've met in this trip, I wish I could have stayed a few more days but I'm finally reunited with my beauties Lana and Manaar in Amman, Jordan!! :)

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Hello!! Just checking in for all of you who were worried about my bag! Alhamdulillah I received my bag last night, three days BEFORE I leave Morocco.... Bless my mother who advised me to pack a few extra clothes in my hand carry in case there is a problem with my baggage and bless the UFS coordinators for making it possible to even get my bag shipped here from JFK airport, where it was sitting for the past 15 days. I'm surprised how calm I was about this entire situation, but I guess it was easier to cope considering all the girls on this trip dress extremely well! Love everyone for sharing their clothes with me! We had a mini luggage party last night before departing to south Agadir for the medical festival, it felt like Christmas haha! Anyways I have to make the best of the last two days in Morocco so goodnight! Sorry for not updating as frequently, just shows I'm having a good time :)