Please review - I'm back and forth already about the length, considering I have 1.5 more sections to write. I've taken out the greeting and it will appear to end abruptly, because it's not finished. Thanks in advance for your time reading this thesis... :)
I am writing to you in regards to the I-601 Waiver of Inadmissibility filed on behalf of my husband, XXXX. XXXX and I have been married since May 31, 2012 and living apart while we go through the process of immigration. The time apart has been trying for both of us and I urgently request that you approve the aforementioned petition so that we may finally be united and move forward with our life together.
I believe that the U.S. Consulate in Morocco found XXXX inadmissible under INA § 212(a)(9)(B)(i)(II) for having been unlawfully present in the United States for over one year. In early 2001, XXXX entered the United States on a tourist visa. He had intentions of looking for a university to attend in order to learn more about information technology (a field which continues to experience economic growth throughout the nation). He had considered a school in Oklahoma and was planning to return to Morocco in order to obtain a student visa. However, as you will recall, this was at the precise time that our nation came under attack by a group of terrorists. At that time, many were under the impression that those terrorists arrived in this country via student visa. As such, XXXX unwisely made the decision to stay in the country without properly adjusting his status.
XXXX left the United States of his own volition in 2010 in order to spend more time with his aging parents, who were often requesting for him to return. In 2011, XXXX was considering visiting his friends in the United States, unaware that he had incurred a 10 year ban. Around that time, we met, as many do, online. I had recently moved to Chicago and was enrolled in a PhD program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. We began communicating and had planned on meeting once he obtained a tourist visa. However, on the date he went to the U.S. Consulate in Morocco, he was informed that he needed to bring tax information for the previous six months in order to prove that he had ties to his country in order to obtain a tourist visa. He did not have the documentation readily available. XXXX was still not informed that he had incurred a 10 year ban from the United States.
By this time, we were communicating daily via MSN messenger and emails. As I grew to know him, I decided to stop dating other people because there was something special and captivating about this man. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I have developed an acute ability to judge others’ intentions and their personalities; for me to consider not dating anyone else and wait for XXXX was a first in my life.
XXXX and I first met in person in August 2011 in the province of Ontario, Canada. By the end of that week, my gut told me that I would eventually be married to XXXX. I’ve described to others that I knew he was “the one,” in the same way that I knew everyone I had previously dated before him was not. As an adult, I have been intensely protective of my personal life, even from my own family, but after meeting XXXX, I was formulating plans for him to meet my parents once he obtained a visa to the United States.
In March 2012, I flew to CITY, Morocco and spent 11 days with XXXX and his family in their family home. As you may realize, this is rather unheard of for a Muslim family in a Muslim country to have an unmarried woman stay in a household with her fiancé. However, his family welcomed me with open arms and treated me as their own. This is quite rare. We planned our wedding for the end of May 2012 and chose to marry in Toronto, Canada so that my last living grandparent would be able to attend the ceremony. With his mother and my brother as our witnesses, we married on May 31, 2012. Due to work responsibilities, I had to return to Chicago on June 3, 2012.
I have been fortunate enough to have a boss who has allowed me to work on holidays and save time in order to take longer vacations so I can spend time with my husband. However, demand for my time at work is at an all time high and I have been unable to see him in person since December 2012. Not many people spend their first wedding anniversaries apart, but we have done so this past May.
XXXX is statutorily eligible for a waiver of inadmissibility under INA §212(a)(9)(B)(v) for his unlawful presence in the United States. Case law suggests that the unlawful presence may be waived if the applicant can establish that the refusal of admission would result in extreme hardship to the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse, son or daughter. (See IN re Shaughnessy, 12 I&N Dec, 810 (BIA, July 29, 1968)).
Extreme hardship is quite relative and subjective to each person experiencing said hardship. However, case law suggests that factors to be considered in determining extreme hardship to the qualifying relative include: (1) presence of lawful permanent resident or U.S. citizen family members in the United States; (2) family ties outside of the United States; (3) conditions in the country where the family member would relocate and family ties in that country; (4) financial impact of departure from the United States; and (5) significant health conditions, particularly when tied to the unavailability of suitable medical care in the country of relocation. (See Matter of Cervantes-Gonzalez, 22 I&N Dec. 560, 566 (BIA 1999)).
Below, I will demonstrate how I would experience extreme hardship were XXXX be required to serve the remaining 7 years of his incurred 10 year ban outside of the United States.
1. Medical Hardships.
I have been working as a Social Worker since graduating from OTHER UNIVERSITY in 2005. While living in New York City, the focus of my career was working with people living with HIV/AIDS. As a health care worker, I was routinely exposed to many bacteria and viruses, one of which is called, Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff). And while I generally maintain excellent health, I continue to carry C.Diff spores in my intestinal tract. In 2008 I was hospitalized for an overpopulation of C.Diff, dehydration, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Initially, there was also concern of possible Crohn’s Disease as my initial CT scan showed Ileitis (EXHIBIT). My uncle has suffered from Crohn’s Disease for several decades and I have a close family history of chronic colitis. Fortunately, the ileitis was caused solely by the C.Diff infection. I was told that likely the cause of the C.Diff overpopulation was because I had recently taken prophylactic Clindamycin in preparation for a root canal several weeks prior.
While in the hospital, I was unable to tolerate nutrition and hydration orally and was receiving medications and hydration from an intravenous tube. Prior to my discharge from the hospital, my mother flew to New York City to take care of me. In order to ensure that there were no live and active C.Diff spores in my apartment, we were advised to bleach the entire apartment and send every item of clothing and linen through the wash. My gastroenterologist chose to not have me return to work immediately out of concern that additional stress would reactivate the ileitis, but to also ensure that I would not further spread C.Diff to the patient population. Because I was still not tolerating food, I flew with my mother to North Carolina, to stay with my parents while I recuperated. I returned to work in February 2008 with an initial hospitalization in January 2008 (EXHIBIT).
Upon discharge from the hospital, I was treated using both an antibiotic and a medical strength probiotic, which I continue to take so as to ensure that there is a consistent level of healthy bacteria in my intestinal tract. In July 2011, my current medical provider recommended continual use of this medical strength probiotic (EXHIBIT).
In January 2013, I developed pharyngitis which would not resolve on its own. I chose to go to an urgent care center after approximately 10 days of difficulty swallowing. I was also nearly exceeding the maximum allowable dose of Ibuprofen, which is known to cause stomach bleeding. Upon learning this information, the Nurse Practitioner I met with examined me and noticed one white spot on the back of my throat. Despite being informed of my history of C.Diff, she chose to give me a broad spectrum antibiotic, Penicillin. Within two days, I was once again nearly hospitalized with fever, cramping, and severe pain, all of which are signs of impending C.Diff takeover. At the time, I had one medical grade probiotic pill left and chose to discontinue the penicillin and take the probiotic.
During this time, my husband and parents were communicating regularly for fear of my safety. My mother almost flew to Chicago, where I currently live in order to once again care for me however, I was able to combat the illness because of the readily available probiotics in the U.S. (EXHIBIT Communications). I confronted the urgent care clinic who prescribed me the Penicillin. The medical director informed me that I must be what is called a “carrier,” or host of C.Diff (EXHIBIT).
I recently discovered that the incidence rate of C. Diff infection in Morocco is just above 18% compared to a 6% incidence rate in the United States. This means, that were I to be treated in a health care institution in Morocco, not only am I already a carrier, but I have a higher risk of being secondarily re-exposed to the spores (EXHIBIT). When you couple this along with my experience of having difficulty with a health care provider rendering correct treatment in a language where I am capable and fluent, I have serious concerns about my ability to receive care in a country where I don’t speak either of the official languages – Arabic and French – or the local dialect, Darija. Improperly treated C.Diff infections could lead to dehydration, gastrointestinal bleeding, and quite possibly death.
Additionally, for years, I have suffered from severe food allergies. While in graduate school, I visited a nutritionist at CU who informed me that the only way to possibly heal myself from food allergies was to eliminate them entirely from my diet. At the time, with no actual testing, I believed my allergies to be limited to onions, bell peppers, and eggplants or aubergines. In July 2012, I underwent testing from a medical provider to determine which foods were causing additional gastrointestinal problems.
The results of the test were devastating. Initially, I suspected three foods to be the culprits of my ongoing digestive problems. I discovered that I have extreme allergies, the type that cause an anaphylactic response to two foods: clams and scallops. Additionally, I have allergic responses to 48 other common foods, many of which, my medical provider suspected had cause microscopic tears in my gastrointestinal tract, possibly leading to my difficulty to maintain consistent iron levels in my blood. These foods include coffee, lettuce, tomatoes, wheat, gluten, tumeric, asparagus, yeast, celery and grapes, amongst others (EXHIBIT).
Following the results of this testing, I was put on a medical grade food supplement and advised to immediately eliminate all 48 foods from my diet. Once again, I was put on a medical strength probiotic, a therapeutic dose of Vitamin D and a high dose of iron (EXHIBIT).
Furthermore, there is an increasing repertoire of research that indicates there is a possible connection between food allergies and a condition known as “leaky gut.” For many years, it was noted that most people suffering from Parkinson’s Disease were known to have leaky gut syndrome. Many medical providers assumed that there was a causal relationship between Parkinson’s and leaky gut – it was thought that Parkinson’s caused leaky gut. Now, as information and research improves, results are suggesting that the causal relationship is inversed and leaky gut may, in fact cause a variety of neurological impairments, including but not limited to: Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other neuropsychological disorders. One thing is known, food allergies are highly correlated to the development of leaky gut (EXHIBIT).
Were I to live in Morocco with my husband, I would be unable to shop for my own food and ensure that the ingredients did not contain something to which I am allergic. I do not read or speak Arabic, nor do I read or speak French, both native languages of Morocco. I would be dependent on others to convert English to French or Arabic (and vice versa) to ensure that those ingredients were not in the products being purchased.
Further, while health care in Morocco is improving, it is only minimally comparable to the healthcare I am accustomed to and receive in the United States. I carry adequate health insurance in the US and should I need to access high quality medical care related to either my history of C.Difficile or food allergies, I have access to 121 hospitals in the Chicago area, two of which are ranked amongst the top twenty in the nation for Gastroenterology and GI Surgery (EXHIBIT).
2. Employment Opportunity
Following the dissolution of the PhD program in which I was enrolled in 2011, I have been employed with COMPANY as a Consultant. Additionally, I hold licensure in the State of Illinois as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and am also a Board Certified Music Therapist – a credential which I have held since 2002 (EXHIBIT & ). In my current role, I am considered an expert on both Federal and State regulations governing Skilled Nursing Facilities and Intermediate Care Facilities, including nursing homes that provide care to individuals with serious mental illnesses.
In the State of New York, I was a Licensed Master Social Worker in good standing and had worked primarily with individuals living with HIV/AIDS, in a variety of settings, including community supportive housing, long-term care, and was employed by the City of New York as a Psychiatric Social Worker, specializing in assessing individuals attempting to obtain emergency housing through the specialized public assistance program designed for individuals and families with HIV/AIDS, chronic mental illness, chronic substance abuse problems, and chronic homelessness (EXHIBIT).
Since finishing graduate work in New York City, I have had little difficulty finding and maintaining employment (my only termination was due to State level funding cuts to the Medicaid system). I was hired to COMPANY on DATE, 2011 at a pay rate of $MONEY per annum. When I first started, I was one of two Consultants; during my training month, I was informed by my then supervisor, that he would be leaving the company in November 2011. For approximately 4 months, I was solely responsible for providing regulatory assistance to 16 nursing homes in Illinois and Northwest Indiana.
During those four months, I assisted one nursing home, providing care to approximately 160 residents with serious mental illness through four State level and licensure surveys. The facility was able to achieve substantial regulatory compliance, something with which they had been struggling since the summer of 2011. At that time, I was responsible for coordinating and developing plans of correction, auditing, and providing documentation to the State of Illinois to ensure that the nursing home was providing excellent care to its residents.
Additionally, during that time period, we chose to part ways with the Director in that facility, and I was asked to serve as the interim director in addition to my regular duties as a full time consultant for COMPANY. Since that time, I have testified in court as an expert witness in defense of this facility, sat as the interim director on three more occasions, and trained nearly all staff in that building on Sexual Assault prevention, Abuse prevention, and worked closely with the Assistant Administrator on during his investigations of alleged abuse/neglect.
In March 2012, while I was visiting my then fiancé in Morocco, our company found a candidate to fill our second Consultant position that had been vacant since November 2011, one who had clinical licensure and substantial experience working in long term care. This candidate was also familiar with the regulations in the State of Illinois regarding psychiatric care. She worked with our company from March 2012 to October 2012. Since her resignation, I have once again been the sole provider of Consultation to 16 nursing homes in Illinois and Northwest Indiana. Because of the nature of the work done, it has been very difficult for our company to find qualified candidates. As of July 8, 2013, our company will bring on another consultant, but one who does not have nearly the same level of experience as myself or my former colleague. As such, it is anticipated that she will require a lengthier training period.
Also worthy of consideration is that within one year of my employment, my work ethic and expertise were generously rewarded with a pay raise of $MONEY per annum, bringing my current salary to $MONEY per annum. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for a Social Worker was $XX,XXX per annum in 2012 (EXHIBIT). This puts me in nearly the 90th percentile of Social Workers, nationally.
Currently, I am the only employee in our company who has received training from the P.O.L.S.T. initiative in the State of Illinois. The Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment initiative is a national program to universalize the process of obtaining and having treating orders for advance directives. The State of Illinois has chosen the acronym of P.O.L.S.T. (Physician’s Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment). As the sole approved trainer, I am responsible for in-servicing staff at all 16 of our nursing homes and intermediate care facilities on decision making for end-of-life situations, including opting for CPR or Do Not Resuscitate orders.
I am also responsible for signing off on National Association of Social Workers (NASW) approved Continuing Education (CE) courses provided by COMPANY so that others may maintain their current licensure as Licensed Social Workers (LSWs), Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs), Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs), and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPCs). In the past year, I have provided CE trainings for Administrators, LCSWs, LCPCs, LSWs, LPCs, RNs, LPNs and Board Certified Music Therapists through this Continuing Education Provider License through COMPANY. I also provide Clinical Supervision to employees wishing to seek clinical licensure while employed by one of our nursing homes.
Additionally, the nature and scope of the work I currently do is highly specific to Illinois, Indiana and more broadly the United States. It is highly unlikely that were I to move to Morocco that I would be able to find work that could be considered comparable.
Morocco remains a developing country with minimal economic opportunity for even a skilled worker, such as me. According to the United Nations Development Programme 2012 indicators, the average Moroccan earns $4,384 per annum, compared to the average worker in the United States at $43,480 (EXHIBIT). The disparity in income is nearly 100-fold. For an income earner at my rate, that is the equivalent of living and working on 5% of my current salary per year.
According to the Social Security Administration of the United States, the legal minimum monthly income in Morocco is 2,028 dirhams, which roughly equates to $551 USD, depending on exchange rate (EXHIBIT). Retirement earnings in Morocco are 50% of the average income earned for the last 96 months of qualifying income. I have been paying into the Social Security System in the United States since I began working at the age of 17 (EXHIBIT). Currently, my estimated benefits for retirement are significantly higher than 50% of a projected annual income of $4,384, were I to be able to find employment in Morocco. By not paying into the Social Security System for the next 7 years should I move to Morocco to live with my husband, my potential for benefits significantly decreases, and subsequently the lack of paying into the system further strains the current economy.
The only circumstance under which I would be able to consider working and living in Morocco were if I were to obtain a federal job at a similar pay rate. I have previously considered working for the State Department, however, jobs with the US federal government are difficult to acquire, particularly with sequestration. Job postings for the US Consulate in Morocco have not been in my field of expertise, and they require that the job seeker be fluent in English, French, and Arabic. Of these three languages, I am only fluent in English. Arabic is considered one of the most linguistically difficult languages to learn, and while it would be of tremendous benefit to me to learn, that task is simply impossible at this point in time given the amount of time my current position demands.
3. Significant Financial Debt
In September 1996, I enrolled at UNIVERSITY with a plan of becoming a Music Therapist. I completed schooling and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Music Therapy in December 2001 (EXHIBIT). To pay for my education and living expenses, I utilized federal student loans and worked several jobs. During this time, my brother was also in college at the time, and our parents were unable to support us financially. For this time period, I incurred a debt to the federal government, which I began paying back following my grace period of six months.
During this time, I took and passed my board certification test to become a Music Therapist, a credential which I maintain to this date. In September 2003, I returned to school in order to obtain a graduate degree in Social Work. I moved to New York City and attended the OTHER UNIVERSITY, which is currently ranked as the number 5 school in the United States for Social Work (EXHIBIT). Once again, in order to pay for my education, I was not only eligible for Federal Work Study in my second year of graduate school, but I had to take out a combination of Federal subsidized, unsubsidized and private student loans in order to pay for my Ivy League education.
I have since consolidated, re-consolidated, and put onto various forms of payment plans my educational loans. I was quite excited in 2007 at the prospect of possibly being eligible under the new Federal Student Loan forgiveness program. However, the organization at which I was employed did not qualify, and despite the vulnerability of the population with which I worked, I was not qualified to partake in this program at that time. Nonetheless, I enrolled in the program, by consolidating my federal student loans from BANK back over the Federal Government in the fall of 2010, accruing only a total of 3 months of qualified payments before moving to Chicago in 2011 and enrolling in a PhD program at THIRD UNIVERSITY
In order to pay for the minimal education I received at THIRD UNIVERSITY, I once again took out a combination of Federal Subsidized, unsubsidized and Grad Plus loans in order to afford school and living quarters. Upon dissolution of the program, monies received from the government, were returned to the government. However, the living allowance is still owed to the school.
In total, I continue to owe a net total of $A TON OF MONEY in student loans, $XX,XXX.XX of which is owed directly to the federal government, $XX,XXX.XX of which is owed to my private lender, BANK, and $X,XXX of which is owed to THIRD UNIVERSITY (EXHIBITS ___, ____, ____). I have nearly reached my lifetime limit for borrowing from the federal government and have been paying back my student loans since 2002 (EXHIBIT). At my current rate of payment, I can anticipate my loans repayment ceasing in ______. Additionally, I am not currently eligible for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness program, as I currently am employed by a for-profit entity.
Were I to live in Morocco and earn approximately 5% of my current salary, as previously outlined, I would more than likely be unable to pay back my debt to the United States Federal Government. This would cause me to find a way in which to extend my loan repayment in perpetuity. Even while I was unemployed in 2009, I made sure to pay back my private student loans on a graduate repayment plan so as not to affect my co-signer’s credit. As a responsible borrower, I have been in effect, paying back my student loans for over 10 years, ceasing only while I have been enrolled in school or while I was experiencing financial hardship (unemployed).
However, if my husband were to join my in the United States, our economic prospects would only increase. We have spoken many times about the possibility of paying off my student loans with joint incomes, and thus allowing us to start a family as debt free as possible.
4. Desire to have a family
XXXX and I fully intend on having a family together. At the respective ages of 35 and 34, however, we are nearing a point in our lives, where we could face several medical obstacles if we are to wait much longer.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, becoming pregnant after the age of 35 poses health risks both to the mother and to the child. It has been documented that fertility decreases after the age of 32 in a woman because she is born with a fixed number of eggs. The declination in fertility increases rapidly after age 37, as well as the ability for the eggs to become fertilized, thus resulting in pregnancy (EXHIBIT). In addition to these problems, the March of Dimes has indicated that additional problems may occur for women at or over the age of 35 when pregnant, including high blood pressure, miscarriage, placenta previa, the need for cesarean section, premature delivery, stillbirth, and having a baby with a genetic disorder (EXHIBIT).
Another common problem facing women pregnant at or above age 35 is pre-eclamspia, which if not treated correctly can lead to maternal death. A study published in Tropical Medicine and International Health in April 2013 suggests that the number of maternal deaths in hospitals in Morocco is directly related to substandard care. Further, the study, which reviewed 303 maternal deaths in Morocco from 2009, indicated that 33% of deaths in were attributed to hemorrhage and 18% as a result of pre-eclampsia. Of the maternal deaths reviewed, 75.9% were considered avoidable, 43.9% of which were directly related to inadequate treatment (EXHIBIT).
A report published by the World Health Organization, indicates that “Morocco is one of 57 countries suffering from a grave lack of health personnel, and remains extremely vulnerable to their exodus towards other countries.” (p. 28). To put this into perspective, in Morocco, there are 5 doctors and 8 paramedical staff for every 10,000 inhabitants, compared to 26 doctors and 94 paramedical staff for every 10,000 inhabitants in the United States (EXHIBIT (p.31)). Additionally, working conditions of health care professionals are considered to be below expectations for countries of similar economic development. The US Department of State suggests that for individuals travelling abroad, that they first bring a list of Joint Commission International (JCI) approved hospitals (EXHIBIT). The Joint Commission is known to accredit hospitals with a certain set of standards and regulations. A search of the Joint Commission International webpage yields that Morocco does not have any JCI accredited hospitals (EXHIBIT).
My mother has experienced several gynecological difficulties over the course of her life. She was born to my grandmother who utilized diethylstilbestrol (DES) in order to prevent miscarriage. This has resulted in a prevalence of fibroids, polyps, and early deliveries during childbirth amongst other complications. Having such a close family history of such difficulties, coupled with my age of potential first pregnancy being approximately 35, my risk factors increase exponentially.
With the potential for a high-risk pregnancy, access to adequate health care to prevent any possible negative outcomes is imperative. In the Chicago-land area, there are 121 hospitals readily available to me, as compared to in Morocco, where, as I have just described, conditions in local urban and rural hospitals have proved to provide substandard care, thus increasing risk for complications and death of both mother and child.
5. Educational Opportunities
The State of Illinois Joint Committee on Administrative Rules Administrative Code, Section 1470.95 (a)(1) indicates that “Every licensee who applies for renewal of a license as a social worker or clinical social worker shall complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE) relevant to the practice of social work or clinical social work. At least 3 of the 30 hours must include content related to the ethical practice of social work. (EXHIBIT)” As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in good standing, in order for me to ensure that I maintain my license, and thus my livelihood, I must adhere to these requirements of receiving educational training in the amount of 30 contact hours within a two-year time frame. Some of this continuing education I am able to receive through my employer via online trainings, attending in-person trainings, and by in-servicing professional and para-professional staff.
As a Board Certified Music Therapist, in order to maintain good standing and renew my certification, I am also required to obtain 100 Continuing Education credits over the course of every five year renewal period (EXHIBIT). As with my LCSW, as a Board Certified Music Therapist, I am also required to obtain minimally 3 Continuing Education credits related to ethical practice. I satisfied this requirement during my last recertification cycle as a Music Therapist and current cycle as an LCSW by co-facilitating a presentation on Ethics at the American Music Therapy Association National Conference in October 2012 in St. Charles, IL.
As previously indicated, I moved to Chicago in 2011 to begin a course of study in a PhD program. In the summer of 2011, for circumstances beyond our control, the program at was dissolved. As a result, the students of the program, are currently pursuing legal recourse against the school. For many years, I have discussed with friends and family the desire to obtain a PhD. I continue to have this desire, one which my husband fully supports, yet the best educational opportunities are the United States. In Chicago alone, I have options to pursue higher education in Social Work and bio-ethics, two fields in which I hold strong interests.
In researching the potential for educational opportunity were I to live in Morocco, I found a listing of approximately 100 PhD programs available, the majority of which are offered in French and/or Arabic. However, there were no programs related to Bio-Ethics and only one program in Social Work (EXHIBIT). Further investigation led me to that university’s website, where I discovered that they do not, in fact, have a Social Work PhD option (EXHIBIT). Supposing that there was a school in Morocco offering a PhD in one of my expressed areas of interest, recognition of that degree upon return to the United States would be non-existent. The National Association for Social Workers has minimal standards in accrediting schools of Social Work. They do not accredit schools outside of their jurisdiction of the United States. This, in of itself, would render the degree useless, and prevent me from finding employment in higher education.
With the possibility of moving to Morocco, it is nearly certain that I would have little to no opportunities to ensure that my licensure and certification would be upheld and that I would be able to renew either in good standing. If I were not able to maintain my license or certification, I would most certainly have a difficult time finding employment upon return to the United States, if able following the completion of my husband’s incurred 10 year ban.
6. Potential for Social Isolation in Morocco and Religion
Most people I know, if they were to describe me, would use both the words, “strong-willed,” or “independent,” and quite possibly a combination of both. My mother tells a story to those who will listen about a revolt I led in pre-school because I did not want to cut and paste for the same project twice in one day. While it makes me smile and laugh every time I hear it, it should speak to the nature of my personality. She’ll also tell you a story about how after a trip to Disneyland, I fell asleep at the Spaghetti Factory, face first into a plate of spaghetti. However, that is less relevant to the story.
By the time I was a sophomore in high school, I knew that I would study music therapy and become a music therapist. I graduated high school just shortly after my 17th birthday and entered college the same year. I played the flute for a total of 14 years, and was often told that I should change majors in college to be in performance, however, I was not deterred from my plan. I paid for college entirely without assistance from my parents, receiving only minimal help. For my required six-month internship to complete my degree, I enlisted the help of my professor and became the first student in the Western Region of the United States to put together my own internship experience. I later spoke about this experience and taught others how to devise internships at a national American Music Therapy Association Conference.
When I was told that as a music therapist, I made more money than the “clinical” staff, I decided to go become a recognized version of “clinical.” I then applied to OTHER UNIVERSITY, the only school I considered. Once at OTHER UNIVERSITY, I was their first Board Certified Music Therapist. In my second year, I worked closely with the school to find a location and recruit a supervisor that would allow me to grow in Social Work but combine my experience as a music therapist. I was later hired on at that site.
As you can see, I am an extremely independent person. I ask for help minimally and prefer to take the proverbial road less traveled. I am able to do so because I have a strong support network and know how to negotiate systems in the United States. Moving to Morocco to serve out the remainder of the 10 year ban, would likely be extremely disruptive. During my visit to Morocco in March 2012, I was unsettled to see police guards along the road every few kilometers checking for terrorists. I was nervous when we were driving through big cities because of my lack of understanding of the rules of the road. The Department of State in its consular report on Morocco indicates that road conditions are considerably different from that in the United States and that accidents are a significant hazard, resulting in serious injuries and fatalities to U.S. citizens (EXHIBIT).
I have previously mentioned my inability to communicate in the native languages of Morocco. While it is true that I have taken a six week course in Arabic prior to meeting XXXX, I am essentially able to tell you the following in Arabic, “there is a bicycle in the street, but not a car.” I’m confident that this information will not get me far. Having grown up in San Diego, I studied Spanish in high school, not French. Not being able to communicate effectively can lead to a variety of undesirable situations, including: the inability to communicate with local authorities were I to be stopped at a checkpoint, the inability to purchase my own items at stores, a severe limitation on my ability to find gainful and meaningful employment.
Additionally, of my husband’s family, where I would most certainly live, he is the most fluent English speaker. His father and sister speak basic English, and his mother is a non-English speaker. During my visit, I relied solely on my husband to communicate for me once we were outside of his family home.
When you take my history as a very independent person, forging a solid career path for myself, I have no doubt that being dependent on someone will lead me into a depressive state. I have worked regularly with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, who has attested to my personality style and work ethic, along with the assertion that should I lose these factors, which are integral to my identity.
Also of consideration is my religion. I was born, raised, and consider myself to be Jewish. My father converted to Judaism prior to marrying my mother, who is Jewish by birth. Our religious roots can be traced back to the Spanish Inquisition. On my paternal side, following the Inquisition, they were amongst the first rabbis to settle the area then known as Babylon. I grew up in the Ashkenazi tradition, whose members primarily include Jews of Eastern European descent. On my mother’s side, family members can be traced back to Poland, Russia, and Lithuania.
Demographic statistics published by the Department of State suggest that Morocco is 98.7% Muslim, 1.1% Christian, and 0.2% Jewish (EXHIBIT). While practicing Jews are a protected minority in Morocco, there are approximately 100 Jews in Rabat, the closest major city to my husband’s home, approximately 100 Jews known to be in Marrakesh, approximately 4 hours from my husband’s home, and approximately 2500 Jews in Casablanca, a 3 hour commute in traffic from my husband’s home.
There are significant differences between the Sephardic (Spanish/North African) and Ashkenazi traditions, including melodic phrasing of prayers, customs during services, food variances, etc. In the early 2000s when my grandmother’s temple in San Diego merged with a Sephardic temple, I visited during Yom Kippur services and felt very out of place. I was unfamiliar with the liturgy, melodies and customs. My grandmother and I both remarked about how out of place we felt. I believe I would feel even more isolated not sharing in any familiar customs despite sharing a religious background with Jews in Morocco.
7. Country Conditions in Morocco
The Kingdom of Morocco and the United States have historically enjoyed mutually beneficial relations. Morocco is host to thousands of tourists from all over the world on an annual basis. However, the country’s government has a history of violation of basic human rights, being unsafe for western women, has done little to discontinue human trafficking, and is in close proximity to other countries with rampant terrorism. Morocco itself is not free from terrorist acts.
According to the Bureau of Consular Affairs, “The potential for terrorist violence against U.S. interests and citizens remains high in Morocco” (EXHIBIT). One article suggests that Moroccan jihadists are being recruited to participate in the conflict in Mali despite the recent agreements with European countries for counter terrorism (EXHIBIT). Additionally, the Department of State indicates that women walking alone are vulnerable to assault by men.