A useful tip in traveling is — Know and save emergency numbers. Always be prepared and save useful numbers in your contacts —  emergency response number, embassy number, insurance number.  Especially when you do not know anyone.

Traveling can be fun. Relocating to a new country can be interesting. Getting into an accident in a foreign country where nobody knows and understands you is scary. 

I was hit by a motorcycle while crossing the road alone at Casablanca. After the impact I was unconscious and nobody helped me. I was crying in pain alone. People only looked at me lying in the middle of the street. Not even the motorcycle driver who hit me moved to help. I caused traffic. Car drivers were honking not showing any concern. Nobody helped. I tried to stand but cannot. So crawled to the side. I was feeling dizzy, cannot stand, bruised, back and neck were in pain. I did not know if something is broken.

At that moment I know no one will help me but myself. When I was able to sit down at the side of the road someone gave me betadine for my bruise. The Careem (like Uber) driver was calling the police. I just wanted to go back home and see a doctor. The police was taking to long to arrive, I don’t want to wait at the road and file a police report. Nobody was helping and I want to know if I am fine with no severe damage. I felt like vomiting, half of my body was painful. I have a hematoma bulging as big as an egg on my leg.

It is in Moroccan education not to move someone during a street accident. They have their reason — that it could be a spine injury and better not to move. But at that moment I could not stay lying in the middle of the street with people only looking at me. In the past, I have witnessed some pedestrians hit by a vehicle — an old man and, a mother with her baby. I am also guilty of not helping. Thinking others will help anyway. Never imagined it could be me alone in the middle of a small street somewhere in Africa.