Learning Beyond Borders: Reflections on Study Abroad in Morocco

During the Summer of 2025, I had the privilege of teaching BMCC students Intercultural Communication (COM 255) through a study abroad program in Morocco. There are rare moments in teaching when the classroom stretches far beyond its walls, when learning becomes something lived, embodied, and deeply human. My time in Morocco was one of those moments.

In partnership with the Council on International Exchange (CIEE), I led students through several cities in Morocco, including Rabat, Fez, Marrakesh, Casablanca, and Chefchaouen. Together, we immersed ourselves in Morocco’s rich history, diverse communities, and vibrant cultural traditions. As educators, we often speak about experiential learning and global competency, but it is one thing to discuss these concepts theoretically and quite another to experience them firsthand. Navigating a new culture, language, and educational system while rethinking what it means to teach and learn globally proved to be a powerful experience for both my students and myself.

Throughout the program, I watched my students engage with deep curiosity and reflection. They were challenged and inspired in equal measure. As they encountered unfamiliar perspectives, they formed meaningful cross-cultural connections and discovered how communication transcends borders. By doing this, they also challenged Western narratives and stereotypes, allowing them to see the country’s richness, complexity, and modernity in ways that textbooks alone could never convey. Watching their growth reminded me why global education matters: it cultivates not only knowledge but also empathy, adaptability, and a deeper sense of our shared humanity.

In Fez, for example, students witnessed how centuries of history continue to shape daily life. This included a visit to the world’s first university, founded in 859 by a woman, more than one thousand years before European women were even permitted to access higher education! What impressed me most was how quickly students moved from simply observing differences to asking deeper questions about culture, power, and communication. They practiced intercultural competence not as an abstract concept, but as a lived skill, one they can carry far beyond the program.

Returning home, I realized that studying abroad had changed not only my students’ perspectives but also my own pedagogy. It made me rethink how to create classrooms that encourage curiosity, openness, and genuine engagement with people whose experiences differ from our own. Spaces where differences aren’t things to be managed but instead are welcomed as a vital source of learning.

Study abroad is more than travel; it’s transformation. The world itself is a living curriculum, and as educators, our task is to help students engage with it thoughtfully, critically, and compassionately. Are you interested in developing or leading a study abroad program? Learn more about the possibilities by exploring BMCC’s faculty engagement resources or email our Office o Global Exchanges and Experiences at GlobalExchanges@bmcc.cuny.edu.