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Indoor, evening in a cozy living room lit by a table lamp. Laila cradles a softly glowing golden lantern while Grandmother, smiling, hands her an old treasure map across a low wooden table; a travel bag rests open beside Laila.
Laila held the golden lantern carefully. Her grandmother smiled warmly. "This lantern glows brighter each time you learn something new about who you are," Grandmother said. She gave Laila an old treasure map with five cities marked. "You will find treasure in Morocco," Grandmother whispered. Laila's eyes sparkled with excitement. Tomorrow, she would fly to Morocco with her family. She packed the lantern and map in her special bag. "I can't wait!" Laila said.
Outdoor afternoon at Casablanca's bustling market lined with pyramids of colorful spices and hanging brass lamps. Laila lifts her softly glowing golden lantern beside Amina, who smiles and offers her a plate of sticky sweet dates.
In Casablanca, Laila met a girl named Amina. "Marhaba!" Amina said, waving. "That means hello," she explained. They walked through the busy market together. Laila saw colorful spices and beautiful lamps. "Bismillah," Laila said softly before eating sweet dates. She heard the adhan calling from the Hassan II Mosque. The mosque had beautiful patterns on its walls. Laila looked at her lantern. It was glowing! In Casablanca, Laila learned something new, and her lantern glowed brighter.
Outdoor dusk in Marrakech's busy square filled with storytellers and musicians. Omar points at the towering Koutoubia Mosque while Laila, clutching her brighter golden lantern, dips warm bread into a steaming tagine set on a low clay dish.
In Marrakech, Laila explored the big square with her family. A boy named Omar showed her the beautiful gardens. "Shukran means thank you," Omar taught her. They saw storytellers and musicians everywhere. Laila noticed the Koutoubia Mosque reaching toward the sky. Its tower had gorgeous carvings. "Families have gathered here for hundreds of years," Omar said. Laila ate tagine with warm bread. Her lantern glowed even brighter! In Marrakech, Laila learned something new, and her lantern glowed brighter.
Indoor morning in an Agadir hotel room washed with seaside sunlight. Laila holds her brightest golden lantern in one hand and smiles at a mobile phone on speaker, Grandmother's laughing face pictured on the screen beside scattered Arabic word cards.
In Agadir, Laila's lantern shone very brightly. She looked at all the Arabic words she had learned. She thought about the mosques, the food, and the kind people. "I understand now," Laila told her grandmother on the phone. "The treasure is my culture and my faith!" Her grandmother laughed happily. Laila felt proud to be Moroccan-Canadian. She belonged to two beautiful places. "I know who I am," Laila whispered. Her golden lantern glowed brightest of all.