Traveling to Morocco marked my first visit to the African continent—a journey I hadn't made despite nearly 18 years of traveling, which now seems surprising. For a long time, I hesitated to explore Africa, possibly due to the perceptions and images I was exposed to growing up.  I didn't want to be the white Western woman feeling like an outsider among people I had always been taught to pity.  Although my perspective has of course changed over the years,  I often found myself drawn to Asia, Latin America, or Central Asia instead. 

Still, Morocco has always held a special allure for me. Part of this attraction is due to the fact that a significant portion of the Dutch population has Moroccan roots, alongside another large group with Turkish roots. I was drawn to Morocco, not least because I wanted to learn more about its culture and everyday life. 

My trip turned out to be an incredible experience—I had no idea Morocco was so beautiful. The variety of stones and rocks, in all different shapes and colors, was absolutely stunning. the roadtrips, what a joy! 

I would take early morning walks through the medinas of Marrakech, when it was still quiet and I had a chance to capture some photographs. During the day, this was nearly impossible. I noticed that many people were quite reserved when they saw me with my camera. Since I prefer capturing people in natural, spontaneous moments, this made things difficult and took away some of the joy of photography for me. 

That was in 2021. Looking back, I realize I need to return—maybe things have changed, or maybe I have....