CWS Identified Internships

Center for Cross Cultural Learning
Wellesley in Africa – Rabat Medina, Morocco

The Center for Cross-Cultural Learning (CCCL) is a private cultural institution founded and directed by Moroccan academics with many years of experience in cross-cultural education. Courses in Fus’ha (Standard Arabic) and Darija (Moroccan Arabic) are taught by professionals trained specifically to teach Arabic as a second language. The list of lecturers includes outstanding scholars in the areas of social science, humanities, literature, religion, and architecture as well as artists, journalists, NGO activists, artisans, and craftsmen.

The CCCL organizes a variety of cultural and educational activities which include language courses, seminars and lecture series on Moroccan society and Arab and Islamic cultures. The CCCL also sponsors art exhibits and musical performances and organizes educational excursions to various parts of Morocco. The aim of these activities is to provide participants with opportunities to learn from the rich cultural diversity of Morocco and to better understand and appreciate the country’s cultural heritage.

The CCCL bookstore department, called MaghriBook, publishes regular bulletins of Moroccan publications and provides a number of university libraries with Moroccan books and audio-visual materials. Among MaghriBook’s regular customers are Harvard Library, UCLA and the Library of Washington University.

The CCCL is located in a nineteenth century building in the old city of Rabat Medina. Its premises are available for rent for conferences and special events.

Internship Description:

The CCCL Internship is different from all other Wellesley College internships in that it is more of an opportunity in cross-cultural living, rather than a traditional internship in an office setting. Students are housed by the CCCL during their stay in Morocco in simple but clean accommodations and have plenty of opportunities to get to know their hosts and other visitors of the Center.

There are a variety of opportunities to help out at the center depending on the students’ interest and skills. Students may be asked to assist with CCCL’s cultural and educational activities which include language courses, seminars and lecture series on Moroccan society and Arab and Islamic cultures. The CCCL also sponsors art exhibits and musical performances and organizes educational excursions to various parts of Morocco. For example, the CCCL also has programs for children 6 to 12 years of age. Sample workshop topics include sessions focusing on traditional oral folktales and storytelling techniques, introductory Tamazight language sessions, traditional Moroccan cooking, sewing, and embroidery, lessons on regional costumes, songs, and customs, traditional calligraphy (writing on the wooden board), and a carpet-making workshop.

Ideal Internship Qualification: