Morocco: The Digital Explorer Expedition, Part 1

Well, now that I have re-entered the world of my site, I thought I'd take this fine opportunity to post images from the recent Digital Explorer expedition.

To recap, the morning after my return from Norway, I hopped on a plane with friend and expedition leader extraordinaire Jamie B.D. (one of the founding members of iNOMAD) and accompanied him on a journey to Morocco with a group of 14- 18 year-old high school students from Eastbury Comprehensive School in London's East End neighborhood of Barking. Jamie is a longtime explorer and geography-nut, and has previously led expeditions to the Himalayas and the Atlas. He has been teaching history and citizenship at Eastbury for about 2 years and was eager to transport a group of public school kids to a world full of discovery and new experiences.

As for me, I was eager to tag along because I thought the expedition might make a nice final film project for my MA at Goldsmiths, due in mid-September. Truth be told, the allure of Morocco and the Atlas easily sweetened the deal, and I hoped that going with a group of diverse high school kids from London might open my eyes and allow me to experience the journey through a different "filter" than my own.

What I got was slightly more than I bargained for. I rediscovered my absolute love and need for travel. Not as "something you do when you have 2 weeks off per year from your real job", but as my real job. Don't get me wrong: Filming the every move of a group of high school students for 10 days straight was a challenge. Like anything, there were times that were purely inspiring and times where I had to push myself to remain focused on "getting the shot".

But, waking up every morning knowing that my body was strong and able and could freely move up and down mountains, that my mind could use a camera to compose images and narratives, that I was there to live out an experience but also help tell a story... this was the type of simple spiritual fulfillment that I had almost forgotten existed. Nothing made me happier than to communicate to our Berber mountain guide in French... to be able to translate news and happenings to the group and feel like my skills (?!) are actually useful. The "me" who can sit behind a desk and fix quandaries of various types is the same me who far prefers fixing them in real life, on the road and in person!

Although I realize that this sort of existence may not bring pleasure to everyone, rediscovering my need for it made me feel more alive than ever. It is about the trek from village to village, not knowing what type of lodging or food awaits in the next locale. It is about the thrill of finding a language in common with a Berber villager, or improvising with non-verbal signs when words fail. It is about seeing new towns and slowly and respectfully covering the earth with your footprints, one day at a time. I can't help but want to see it all...

Ultimately, it is about craving and connecting with the spirit of the unknown. By seeking a life that includes a variety of day-to-day experiences, I implicitly trust in a universe where we are all equal and there is true diversity in the "right way to live". Where life is not conceived from a single blueprint, only consisting of a 9-5 and a mortgage (although that is fine and life can be about that), but where there is still room for a rainbow of possibilities and gradations of success. Basically, where it is OK to be outside of the box. And that is the strongest link I see among all of my favorite journeys: I return having been places where people are "off the grid", living life to very different standards and they still show signs of happiness. This thought is so simple and yet it moves me every time.

So, I humbly offer a glimpse into this latest trip and hope that my encounters with this brand of success shine through...