Bye europa, hello africa

After almost a year of exploring the south of Europe, it was time to cross a higher border. We almost booked a flight to Egypt but then, at the last minute, decided to head down to Morocco instead. To sum things up—it took less than 72 hours after arriving in Morocco for Santemi to want to leave this country and a bit more than a month to fully fall in love with it.

I’m not sure if it was culture shock, but the start was rough. We might have felt like the landscape looked—dry, harsh, scratchy, and indifferent.

For context, we stayed in Essaouira for the entire three months and never left the area. So, our experiences are based solely on this city and do not represent the entire country.

We lived in a beautiful, spacious apartment next door to another Swiss family who had moved here five years ago. Honestly, this was crucial in helping us settle into our new home. The Swiss mother, who was married to a local Moroccan, and their daughter—who quickly became Yuma’s best playmate—were the perfect travel guides we had always wished for. As I mentioned, we felt really lost in the beginning, and even small problems felt overwhelming—especially food (okay, mostly for Santemi).

As passionate home cooks and food lovers, we probably placed more importance on food than we’d like to admit. But after arriving in Morocco, we quickly realized that many of the products we were used to simply weren’t available anymore. It seemed like a small issue, but when everything around you is unfamiliar, and you’re far outside your comfort zone, food can either be an anchor or the last thing that ruins your mood completely.

Luckily, we adapted quickly, food became delicious again, and we found our go-to veggie dealer, Mohammed. He greeted us with a big smile every time we visited his stall, even though we never exchanged more than our grocery list. He was always amused by the fact that we filled our entire trunk with fruits and vegetables every week—he’ll probably never know that we actually ate all of it ourselves. And on top of that, we discovered the best restaurant of our entire journey so far.

If you ever find yourself in Essaouira, don’t miss out on this hidden gem. It’s not just a treat for your stomach but also for your soul. Stepping onto this piece of permaculture land, you can take a deep breath and instantly feel your nervous system relax in this green oasis. Here’s the link: https://www.instagram.com/akalessaouira

Over time, we connected with locals and other travelers. Yuma was surrounded by lots of kids, quickly becoming part of their extended family of cousins, and we found our daily rhythm again. We got back on our surfboards—I personally had an amazing time in the water and got pretty addicted. The medina slowly revealed itself as a beautiful city that quickly felt like home—something unimaginable after our first visit, when we wandered through the maze of alleys, corners, and vendors calling out to us every few steps. There was an old man selling Moroccan donuts, and whenever he was there, I couldn’t pass by without buying at least one. Yuma, on the other hand, probably drank two liters of fresh orange juice every week.

We discovered the incredible beaches and quickly learned how much wind was too much wind to actually enjoy the sand. Essaouira is called the Windy City for a reason. On some days, you get a free leg peeling just by walking along the beach (not recommended). What is recommended, though, is the weekly flea market. It’s not just a cool experience—you can also find some great deals here and there. Don’t get me wrong, 95% of the stuff there is absolute junk, and I still can’t imagine who actually buys it, but that’s what makes the whole thing even more interesting.

Beyond new food, new architecture, a new religion, new people, and a new country, Morocco confirmed something really important to us—something we always thought would be the ultimate goal of our journey. To live in a place where friends and family live next door, where doors are always open for anyone who wants to be part of whatever is happening at that moment.

Two weeks before Christmas, our flight back to Switzerland was booked. And although I was excited to see our family again, I was sad to leave this place that had started to feel like home. But I know it won’t be long before we return to this magical place.

All the best Noah