The journals I’ll use in Morocco
I have 16 more days until I leave for Morocco and I’m so excited to begin my adventure. Before I leave, I wanted to explain one of the more important personal activities that I’ll be doing in Morocco: journaling.
Why Journal?
- To help me remember my time in Morocco. Once I come back, so many details of my life in Morocco and of the experiences that I had will fade. When that happens, I can look back at my journal and remember!
- To process. Life will feel so different and complex at the beginning of my exchange. Journaling will help me to sort out my experiences and understand them better.
- To filter. My journal will be the intermediate step between my consciousness and my blog. That way, you won’t have to read the boring details of my life or any ranting about how difficult my exchange is!
- To relieve stress. As an introvert, I need time alone each day. The routine of journaling will put things in perspective and allow me to recharge.
How will I journal?
I’m a bit obsessive about my journaling technique. The only time I’ve consistently journaled is when I’m abroad: first when I was in France at the age of 10, and then when I returned for a month at 13. Nevertheless, I’ve developed my own technique.
A page from my journal in France at the age of 13.
I’ll use Moleskine extra-large soft cover blank journals (pictured at the beginning of the post). The size will enable me to write as much as I want each day, because I tend to ramble when I journal. I won’t use a journal with lines because the blank pages allow me to sketch, tape-in mementos, and write as small as I want to. I love Moleskine journals because they’re durable, with good quality paper and a pocket at the back to store papers in. I’m bringing two journals to Morocco, and they each contain about 150 pages, so they should be enough to last me through the exchange.
In my journal, I’ll be keeping an account of my daily activities, as well as my mood and feelings about the exchange. I’ll also write down recipes, sketch, and tape-in mementos.
I’ll be journaling in French. It’ll be a great opportunity to practice writing in French. I’ve journaled in French during my times in France, and it’s really fun to look back at those journals and see how my French improved.
Who’s my journal for?
Just for me. My blog is the very public account of my exchange, so my journal will be the very private one. People close to me will see parts of it, but I doubt anyone will ever read the whole thing. It’s not that I have secrets to keep, but simply that this journal will be filled with my feelings at the time events occurred, without the perspective that time brings. What is shared here on the blog will be edited and reviewed to prevent rants or hasty judgement.
I really love what my fellow YES Abroad Morocco student, Claire, wrote about travel journaling on her blog: http://torabat.com/blog/2014/06/18/travel-journal/. If you want more ideas on journaling or a different approach to journaling, she has great ideas!