From Palaces to Passion: What Marrakech Taught Me

Hi everyone!

Today is May 13th, 2025, and after a long day of traveling through airports yesterday, I’m excited to spend my first full day in Marrakech, Morocco. It felt great to finally get some sleep last night after staying awake to avoid jet lag.

I woke up around 7 a.m. and headed down for some Moroccan breakfast at our hotel, Diwane Hotel. The breakfast featured a wide range of items in a buffet-style array. I got some eggs, chorizo, steamed tomatoes, potatoes, a croissant, and orange juice. It was delicious, to say the least!

Once we finished breakfast, we headed to the lobby to begin our city tour of Marrakech. We started the tour by driving around the city and seeing monuments like the Koutoubia Mosque and the Djemaa el Fna. Then we went to explore the Bahia Palace, which was absolutely stunning.

Me at the Bahia Palace

I found the history behind the palace, its rooms, and the architecture so interesting. For example, our guide explained how the carvings and tiles were crafted by around 200 workers over several years. The carvings featured Arabic expressions, geometric patterns, and floral designs. I also found it fascinating that they use cedar wood to prevent bugs and termites. The palace wasn’t just beautiful—it held rich history and was genuinely interesting to learn about.

The Bahia Palace

Next, we headed to the medina, a Moroccan staple, where we visited a pharmacy and spice store. There, I learned about various natural products and remedies Moroccans use for hair, skin, and health. There were so many things I didn’t know about—like how saffron can help with memory and tinnitus. I really enjoyed learning more about these remedies, and it sparked my interest to look into them further.

The last part of our day was a visit to The Oberoi, where we toured the gorgeous hotel and all its beautiful gardens and courtyards. We also heard from three employees who specialized in general management, human resources, and engineering. During their presentation and the Q&A session, I learned a lot and found the discussion truly inspirational.

The Courtyard of the Oberoi

One moment that really stuck with me—and will stay with me for a long time—was when the general manager talked about how passion outweighs everything. Skills can be taught, but passion and drive cannot. He asked Ariana, since she’s passionate about cooking, if she thought she could be a cook at a nice restaurant. She said that maybe she doesn’t have the skills yet, but she would love to do it because it’s something she’s passionate about. He responded along the lines of, “Exactly. Passion is what takes you far in your career. With it, you can overcome any barrier.”

General Manager of The Oberoi, Rohan Ogale, speaks to us about passion over skills

Overall, this has been a wonderful day, and I’ve learned so much that I plan to carry with me into future experiences. I’m beyond grateful to have all these opportunities through Horizons and excited for the many more memories to be made!

Talk to you soon,

Paulette F.