I’m from the oldest city in Morocco
I’m from the largest old city in Africa
I’m from the city that looks like a museum
I’m from the city that is 1,200 years old
I’m from the city that has 9,500 small streets
I’m from the city where all of the buildings and architecture still look the same
I’m from the spicy city
I’m from the city that smells delicious
I’m from the city that smells like paprika and cumin
I’m from the city that tastes like olive oil and olives
I’m from the city that has 350 mosques calling for prayers at the same time
I’m from the city that has souks in every medina
I’m from the city that has so many colors
I’m from the artisans’ city
I’m from Morocco, North Africa

Zakariae Idrissi Ghlimi, age thirty-six, came to New York from his home of Fez, Morocco, in 2020, just three days before the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. When he was sixteen years old, he began working as a tour guide in Fez. As a tour guide, he learned to speak five languages. Currently, he studies with Melissa Thomas at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Adult Learning Center to build up his reading and writing skills. Winsome Pryce-Cortes is the site manager.