AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FRANCE – Arriving in Tangier, Morocco’s port on the Mediterranean, one immediately loses any preconceptions about North Africa. The traveler is equally intrigued with the indigenous culture as with the long history of Western influence. Long ago, Morocco was eyed for its strategic location at the mouth of the Mediterranean and its valuable natural resources. Phoenicians, Romans and Byzantines all possessed the land at one time and left their mark. European interest began with the Portuguese’s failed attempt to take the land, where the pock marks from Portuguese galleons are still visible in Tangier’s fortified city center.Oddly, it is through the U.S. that Morocco forged a working relationship with the West. It was the first to recognize U.S. independence, and Tangier is the location of America’s oldest embassy.Attracting multinational corporations with loose tax policies and shippers with free port fees in the 1920s, the port ushered in a period of worldliness that resonates today. Not until the 20th century did Europe gain control of Morocco, starting with a French-Spanish agreement that made Morocco a protectorate. Only recently — in 1956 — did the nation gain independence.This colorful history has yielded a fascinating concoction of Berber and Arab culture, colonial influence and globalization. Stepping off the plane in Tangier, tourists are greeted with a modern glass and steel structure, like many of the country’s recently renovated transportation buildings. In this moderate Muslim country few respond to the several calls to prayer each day, and men and women often work together in European garb. Leaving the airport by taxi, it’s easy to mistake the area for Destin with numerous construction projects underway to add to the city’s towering condominiums. Still, many of these buildings loom above grass and mud structures of traditional architecture. A walk from the city’s train station will bring them to what has to be the most accommodating McDonald’s they’ve encountered — where they can enjoy a McArabia burger on top the building’s terrace (prices are cheap, even without a dollar menu).In the city’s medina — or town center — the duality of old and new is even more striking. Donkeys pull carts next to Ford sedans while men smoke hashish between sips of Coke.Although it can be expected that Tangier would show it’s Western influence, leaving the city can be disappointing for a traveler seeking a romantic departure from occidental culture. Even in southern Morocco, where Western influence is limited compared to Tangier, the mark of modernity is still ever present. Standing on a rooftop in Marrakesh, one witnesses an endless sea of satellite dishes affixed to the mud roofs, and “Berber Eiffel Towers” — tall cell phone towers — are present, even at the edge of the Sahara.Morocco is a place Westerners can get an idea of its indigenous culture but not without frequent reminders of home. In other words, while there are limited Western comforts and immersion in the culture, it seems impossible to entirely detach oneself from home.This should come as no surprise. The impact of colonialism and, more recently, Morocco’s extroverted economic policies have eliminated any chance of experiencing authentic Berber culture. But perhaps seeing how the country has negotiated old and new, outside and inside, is an equally enjoyable experience.Whether you are in modern Casablanca, trekking the Atlas mountains, or heading into the fringe of the Sahara, one thing is clear — you can still enjoy a refreshing Coca Cola, but it certainly tastes different in the markets of Marrakesh. Mark Macmurdo is a 22-year-old economics senior from Baton Rouge.—-Contact Mark Macmurdo at [email protected]