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Morocco Sophomore Travel Program

Biology, History, and World Religions in Spain and Morocco

A group of young people poses for a photo in front of a weathered signpost with the ocean and sky in the background.

Each year, NMH sophomores have the opportunity to take part in an interdisciplinary travel program that allows them firsthand experiences with the people, places, and cultures they’ve studied in the classroom.

The program is open to students enrolled in the Humanities II World History and World Religions and biology courses, and the destination varies from year to year.

Some years, the sophomore interdisciplinary program takes students to Spain and Morocco. Students spend two weeks exploring themes such as power, race, class, natural resource management, ecology, and urbanization in the region, which has held an important geostrategic position throughout history as a gateway between Europe and Africa.
 

Vibrant pink and purple bougainvillea cascades over a weathered brick wall in the foreground, while a sun-drenched courtyard with manicured trees and flowers stretches towards a pale, multi-story building in the background.
Tall cypress trees and manicured rose bushes in the foreground lead the eye to a grand, ornate building and a historic castle perched on a hill in the background under a clear blue sky.
A group of young people stand in a sunlit plaza with ornate buildings in the background.
A museum exhibit displaying archaeological finds is visible through a glass partition in the foreground, with a ramp and stairs leading towards it.
Green olive groves cover rolling hills under a clear blue sky, with a small white building nestled among the trees in the mid-ground and blurred foliage in the foreground.
A tiled sign reading %22SALA DE ARQUELOGIA%22 hangs on a white wall next to a dark wooden door.
Massive stone columns support a circular, ornate ceiling in the foreground, while arched doorways recede into shadow in the background.
Silhouetted palm trees and a beachside structure stand on the dark sand in the foreground, while the sun sets behind a distant mountain range over a calm ocean in the background.
A grand, ornate cathedral with rounded towers dominates the background, while a lush, fruit-laden tree and people milling about fill the foreground.

In conjunction with the humanities curriculum, they consider the amalgamation of African and European cultures and religions in the area. As part of the biology curriculum, students study the effects of economic development on the environment in Spain and Morocco specifically and across the Mediterranean region more broadly. 

The trip includes visits to Malaga, Seville, and Granada in Spain and to Tangier, Tetuan, and Asilah in Morocco. 

A group of young people are gathered around tables in a library, with bookshelves filled with books in the background.
  • Engage in cultural and educational exchanges with Moroccan and Spanish students
  • Support local organizations working with women and rural people
  • Visit important biological, cultural, and religious sites and museums
  • Discuss relevant topics with experts
  • Experience the local gastronomy and rich culture
A young girl with braided hair paints a mural with bold blue and white shapes on a wall, with cans of paint and brushes scattered on the ground in the foreground.
A person with curly blonde hair looks out over a sprawling city with terracotta roofs under a bright blue sky.