Did you know that Casablanca is the industry capital of Morocco? Did you know that Marakech is the tourism capital of Morocco? Did you know that the political capital of Morocco is Rabat? Did you know that the official business language of Morocco is French, yet Arabic and Berber are also extremely prominent languages in the nation? Did you know that everyone in Morocco is required to take both Arabic and French while in school and then later must choose a third language once they get to secondary school?
One thing about SAS and going to all different countries is that you learn the “break-down” of the countries. How they work, where people live, and what languages/customs are commonplace. Being from the U.S. we almost expect everyone to know English. While many people do know English, they also usually know at least one other language fluently and a third or fourth proficiently. Our guide on the city orientation knew Arabic, French, and English and utilized every one of them throughout our tour. City orientations take place in each of the countries we go to and give you a taste of what the port city is like as well as the country as a whole. Throughout our tour we got to see many interesting parts of the city. We saw the castle that the king stays in when he visits Casablanca as well as special minarets. Our last historic stop was the Hassan II mosque which I returned to later on in the week. Nyah, our guide, was very open about the Muslim faith and encouraged us to ask lots of questions. She spoke to us about Ramadan which ended while we were in Morocco. Nyah explained to us that not all were required to partake in the fast, namely the elderly and children, also women that are pregnant and up to 40 days after having a child. There are also other exceptions as well. Also, if one were to break the fast, they have to make it up on another day following Ramadan. We also learned about the king of Morocco as well. He is very forward thinking and does much to take care of his people. He was also the first king to bring his wife out to the public, and also only has one wife. These two things are setting precedence for the future. His wife also accompanies him on many of his trips and does many things on her own. This also sets precedence for women. Women in Morocco, unlike other Muslim countries, are not required to cover their heads or faces. In fact, the women there cannot be judged based on what they wear. As Muslim women, they are also not required to walk with a man and if a man were to want a second wife, he must ask permission of the first wife. Women are also beginning to become more prominent in the workplace and in fact, Nyah, is one of four women tour guides in all of Morocco. At the end of our tour, we had the chance to visit a local government store. The interesting part about this store, as Nyah explained, is that everything in there has set prices. Much of Morocco works on the barter system. In the government store, you would not barter; you may get a discount if you pay in cash versus card, or something of the sort. You are also guaranteed quality when you buy from the government store. Often times, in the market, the quality is not the best, or you could buy one thing on the pretense that it is another. The employees in the store were also very nice and helpful and did not push you into buying items. They help you when you need help, carry your items should you not be able to hold it all, and they explain the different items in the store, such as the argon oil which is very important to the Moroccan government.
Overall, the Casablanca orientation was really interesting. Some of the city orientations tend to be boring and really touristy. However, being very unfamiliar with Morocco and also being warned about it, I felt much more comfortable after the fact and knowing how things work. One of the cool things about the trip as well…I met a few people that would go on the Marakech/Ziplining Trip which was awesome because I then had people to spend the day with the next day.
That night, I went out with a group of people. Our group consisted of 3 females and 2 guys. You’re probably thinking…bad idea...and guess what? so was I, at first. Our group originally was walking in a horizontal line and as we got closer to the market place and where the crowds were, we bunched up. We also tended to walk on guy in front and one behind. For the most part, it felt relatively safe; however, it was definitely different. Walking through NYC at night, many know that you should be aware and pay attention to your surroundings and what is going on around y. However, in Morocco, throughout my entire time there, and especially at night in that market place, I was hyper aware. Touch: hand on bag at all times, hands ready to grab someone in your party should you get a little too far away from them. Taste: trying the mint tea that is such a rich part of the Moroccan culture and also testing some of the foods. Sight: making sure your party is still together, keeping an eye on the people that are watching you, noticing the cafes/bars where there are several dozen men with their chairs all turned towards the street and watching, knowing that you are being targeted as obliviously different. Smell: breathing in the different smells of the country, the food, the spices for sale, smelling the dirtiness , and musky smell. Hearing: listening at all that’s going on around, who’s speaking English, Arabic, French, who can be communicated with should you need something, the whistles/catcalls that one of the girls in the party gets b/c she’s blond and therefore different. Nighttime Casablanca proved to be very different from daytimes Casablanca. I was definitely able to appreciate the city more after experiencing both aspects of the city.
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