“I am from southern Morocco. I was among four families living in our kasbah, about 83 people. Each family had its own part of the kasbah, but we all lived together. Then everyone decided to build houses outside of the kasbah, so we kept it for storage. One of them decided to make a hotel and I work here. Now I have my own family with a wife and three children. We live with my mother next door. I got married in July 2002. University was the hardest thing I have ever been through. I had to move away from my family to go to school. We were poor and had nothing. I went to the university on a scholarship and had no money to come home and not much money to eat. It was like a war and it was a fight to succeed. If you don’t do well, they only give you half of your scholarship. I had to study hard and it was like someone held a knife to my head. I only came home three times a year. Thanks to God I finished my studies, but when you come back home, there are no jobs. The jobs are in Marrakesh or Casablanca, but you need someone there to help you get started. I came home to work with tourists and stay with my mother. My father died when I was a year old and my mother was also like my father and I always want to help take care of her. Life is getting better since I started working here. I have a little money and started a small shop for my wife. She is a Berber and makes carpets. I was looking for a wife and an old man I work with said there was a pretty girl in his countryside so we went and met her. After that, I sent my mother and sister to meet her and we made the fist of fiance. I saw her in June and we were married in July. We went to Casablanca for our honeymoon. We went to see the streets, cars and tall buildings. This is for us something strange. I bought her nice clothes. We have traveled twice together since we have been married. Now we have children and can’t travel. She can’t read or write but we are very happy. She is the woman of the house but the respect is always for parents. She makes the kitchen. We can’t eat in resautrants because we can’t afford it and everything is cheaper with vegetables and meat from sheep, cows and goats that we grow on our own. She is like a doctor, she cooks well and keeps us healthy and feeling good. She helps me with the animals and selling carpets helps her buy what she needs for the kitchen. My children go to school and she educates them at home. I want my children to have a good future and to have peace in their blood. Life is to exchange and to make others happy and to feel what they are feeling. Your freedom stops where the freedom of the other person starts. Be happy each day because the day passes and you won’t see it again. If you do your best, it will stay very well. This is what I want my children to do. We may have a different language or religion, but we are the same and we receive you with a big heart. We are here to help each other in life. I want my children’s book of life to be full of nice things. In the U.S., you have all of the things. In Morocco, we don’t, but we still are happy. If you have $1, that $1 can make you happy and still help others.”