My experience at Ecole Normale Superieure

By: Ivan Solomon, Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at ENS Rabat

“My time in Morocco presented me with many unexpected challenges. Though I consider myself to be quite adaptable and resilient, it took me months to get over the constant otherizing I faced. Friends were helpful, as was my host family, but the most meaningful support I received came from my first-year students at Ecole Normale Superieure. They treated me with a normalness that was rare to find outside of the college. I could be myself because they found me, not necessarily where I came from, interesting. With them, the three hours (yes my classes were three hours each) would fly by and through our conversations about the good and bad of Morocco, I was better able to understand both the racism and the generosity I encountered.

It was their positive influence on my overall experience that made me want to continue our lessons online. Now that I’m back in North Carolina, I spend my Mondays lesson planning, Tuesdays and Wednesdays teaching and the rest of the week working land development. We were surprised this week with spring break so I have some time to catch up on grading. As the academic year comes to a close I grow increasingly grateful for the lessons my students have taught me. And although I won’t be able to fast with them, or bring snacks to the final class session, I know that the bond that we built will outlive the short amount of time we spent together in the classroom.”