A University of Florida student said she followed her grandpa’s footsteps as she studied abroad in Fez, Morocco, over the summer.
Gillian Shaw, a UF international studies senior, said her summer trip to North Africa – and then later to Europe – was coincidentally in similar locations as her grandfather’s stations when he was a part of the U.S. Army in the 1950s.
“We’re like twins,” Shaw said.
Shaw was one of 12 students from UF and the University of North Carolina to study the Arabic language in Fez, Morocco, for nine weeks with the Arabic Language Institute in Fez – a UF-sponsored program that gives students the opportunity to experience the language firsthand.
Shaw said she wanted to go to Morocco because of the number of languages spoken throughout the country, a few being French, Spanish and Arabic – all languages she can speak fluently.
“I like to consider myself a linguist,” the 20-year-old said.
Despite Shaw’s linguist expertise and the comfort of following her grandfather’s footsteps, she said she wouldn’t have survived the challenges of Morocco’s diverse culture if it weren’t for Iman Alramadan, her previous Arabic languages professor who encouraged her to travel to Morocco.
Shaw said the three semesters she had Alramadan as an instructor for beginning and intermediate level Arabic courses prepared her for Morocco’s diverse culture.
She said Alramadan didn’t just teach her the Arabic language, but how to use it effectively within the culture.
“If I hadn’t learned that much, I wouldn’t have survived there,” she said.
Shaw was also one of three UF students to be awarded the Mohammed bin Rashid Arabic Language Award in May right before her trip, an honor that she credits Alramadan with as well.
The award, which is named for the United Arab Emirates Vice President and Prime Minister of Dubai, seeks to encourage contributions to knowledge of the Arabic language.
She said UF language professors suggest candidates for this annual award, and she had no doubt that Alramadan recommended her before she left for her new job at Indiana University last Spring.
“I owe all my successes in the language to her," Shaw said.
Alramadan said from the beginning, it was apparent that Shaw wanted to learn the challenging language.
She said the Arabic Language Award signifies that selected students are ready to communicate in Arabic without any problems, including skills in reading, writing, understanding and speaking the language.
She said Shaw achieved a very advanced level in the language and deserved the highest grades out of her peers, which is a reason she earned the award.
“Gillian is a brilliant and devoted student who has actively shown in class a very high and positive quality as a language learner,” she wrote in an email. “I am very proud of her.”
Shaw said one of the best parts of the trip was the people she met along the way. She said they all still talk every day in a group chat.
Jalyn McNeal, a UNC global studies junior, is one of Shaw’s now-closest friends.
McNeal said his relationship with Shaw became stronger when they sang “Wicked” songs one afternoon while studying in Café Clock, a restaurant in Fez they used to study in almost every day.
McNeal said he made a special connection with each student who traveled to Morocco this summer, including Shaw. “It’s something I’ll never forget,” the 20-year-old said.
Shaw said she has been back in the U.S. for a little more than a month because after her time in Morocco, she traveled through Europe alone until she met up with family in Birmingham, England.
She said the European cultures she witnessed in Paris, London and Germany made it easier for her to transition back into American culture because of the similarities between the cultures.
However, she said the environment in Morocco was different.
She said sometimes she still feels on high alert with her surroundings because sexual harassment was a big part of Moroccan culture. Every time she passed a man, sexual comments were made.
“It was eye-opening,” she said. “I don’t think you can ever get used to that.”
She said her experiences overseas this summer made her appreciate the American environment more – everything except McDonald’s.
Shaw said she had to eat McDonald’s almost every day during Rhamadahn, a Muslim monthlong holiday of fasting, because it was the only thing open. She said she “kind of participated” but only because nothing was open and it was against the law to eat or drink anything in public.
“Yeah, I no longer eat McDonald’s,” she said.
Shaw said one goal she had for herself while in Morocco was to ride a camel because she has a picture of her grandfather riding one while he was stationed there in the ‘50s.
“My goal was to get a similar (picture),” she said. “It was awesome.”
Shaw is graduating this December and has thoughts of pursuing a master’s in Arab Studies at Georgetown University.
However, she indicated her traveling days are far from over. The Palm Harbor native said she hopes to travel to Jordan next summer to either teach English or volunteer in refugee camps.
“I don’t know if I’ll get there…(but) we all have an obligation to help these people,” Shaw said.