Blog #12 Meet Aicha Ait Kacem

Aicha

The organization that hosts the students, Dar Si Hmad, sets up the students in our program with “speaking partners.” They are more than just vital translators for when we are doing surveys and research but also advise our students on Moroccan and Amazigh cultures and become close friends. Meet one of the three speaking partners, Aicha Ait Kacem.

Bio: My name is Aicha Ait Kacem and I live in Agadir- Morocco. I have recently graduated from IBN-ZOHR university, English department. I have worked in different language centres as an English teacher, while I was reading and looking for what I really wanted. 

After the interview at Dar Si Hmad for the speaking partner position, I was waiting for Madam Jamila to inform us when we are going to start the program. Excited, I was, and worried at the same time. I was worried not to make it, and happy to meet new people. How could these people be? Will they be happy to be with us? Won’t the different cultures of us be a burden? And I had many other questions.

The day of the meeting came, here we are, very sweet and humble people. We introduced ourselves and we made jokes at the first meeting...Oh that’s a good sign...we will be good friends. What I loved about them more is that they respect our differences as we accepted theirs, with love and understanding. We make jokes but we never take anything personally. When the work time comes, we help each other to do what should be done. I think that is a simple reason to be happy, being with different people but never feel as if you are a stranger. Whenever I learn something new from them, I recall a quote which I really liked, which states that everyone we meet might know something we don’t. That’s why sometimes, it is just good to stay silent and listen to others, you might learn a lot. Anyway, we still have a lot of things moving forward. I hope Sidi Ifni’s visit bring us success, knowledge, and happiness.