Your experience of culture shock in Morocco

Living in morocco is an adventure which you try to enjoy it by staying sane.

Do.
1) Keep a lot of change in the pocket as you will need it to feed the army of the beggars during your journey. Morocco is even worst then India when it come to beggars.They are everywhere. and they are violent and bully.
2) that's all with do-s
Dont's
1) never trust anyone in morocco. You can agree for something or smile but do not trust them. Moroccans love to cheat and lie.It is in their blood.
2) Never show your pursue with the money in the public unless you want trouble
3) Never do business unless you have a good Moroccan friend which will be by your side from the beginning
4) Never say you are rich - you will be in trouble for sure.
5) Do not be very polite. They will think you are weak or gay. Being very polite is seen as weakness in the Moroccan society.They use very rarely - thank you or have a nice day.
6) if you are thinking to settle in morocco do not try to mix too much with locals otherwise you will slowly change for worst in years to come.Being and staying an European is a blessing in itself so do not change it.
7) plus many more but i do not have enough time to write a book now.

Hi there, I do agree with blusky2015...but if you have a problem the moroccans are there to give you a helping hand. My tire broke down on the street and I had 4 moroccans stopping on their bikes and cars to assist immediately. I was not alone, my partner was with me, so it wasn't a question of that I was alone as a woman, they just love to be of assistance. Then that in town, in the Medina or other turistic places it got completely out of their hands...they see you as a € note, not as a human beeing. I too think I could write a book of my 'frustrations' to work in Morocco...but on the other hand we have lovely skies almost year-round. ;O))) And very polite, joyful and helpful authorities...

Hi
Morocco is one of the best country.
You need to know how to play your role. Here everyone is kind.
Just focus what You want to do in morocco. Then do it. If you in interfer in culture u might be dont understand.
Bye

feel sorry for you. if you find things so bad, why are you here???? morroco is a poor country so yes there are beggers. I live in Essaouira. people are kind & welcoming. They are not takers but givers.

if you think morocco is soo bad then why are you here from the first place? to everyone else : ask the locals about where to go don`t just go to a poor town and complain about them asking for $. use common sense people you are in a place where almost everyone is poor and they all see you as a source of quick cash

If bologni2015 is too obtuse to comprehend a culture and thinks everyone in Morocco is dishonest and rude then he should stay home. And who would brag about their wealth or show off their money in any country? That's vulgar. If someone has money to travel the world then why would they complain about a poor person asking them for a couple of Dirham?!
Begging is both cultural and religious. In Islam repulsing or chiding a beggar is not allowed because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “and do not chide the one who asks for help” [ad-Duha 93:10].  I have seen the poorest people give part of what little money or food they have to those who are worse off. In Morocco individuals are judged by their kindness and generosity above all else, especially wealth.
I have lived (worked) in seven countries in North America, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and traveled to another 20.  I have been traveling to and living in Morocco for 40 years. It is my favorite country with nice people, beautiful sites and great food.  I have given away a lot of food and money and repaid in kindness and good fortune many times over. I was never bullied.
  Bargaining is done in many countries and it is expected in Morocco. It isn't that difficult and a lot of fun if you are polite, patient and firm.

Hassan, well you're morocan aren't you? 

it is none in this forum who is bologni2015 so i guess hassanmehdia is too angry at blusky2015 that he can not even write his nickname properly ))
At last he made me laugh with his comment even in some parts I did not understand what he wanted to say.

for sure hassanmehdia is a maroccan himself.

i have not problem giving one dirham to one poor person every day..the real problem ( which hassan must accept) is thousand of beggars pestering people every day and anywhere in morocco..be it at traffic lights while you driving ,be it at market place and etc,etc..If I have money does not mean I have to thru it t the team of beggars all around the city If I come as a tourist in morocco , then I expect to spend my money and same time ENJOY the stay and walking around the city --or Am I asking too much?

Everything has a limit

Also I do not like even people that brag in internet : i have helped,i have give.You do it for the sake of Allah - NOT TO SHOW off.. ))
government must do something about it because it is not good for the image of the city especially to European tourist which bring a lot of money to the Moroccan economy.

if i am wrong on regards of controlling the beggars in the city then i apologize.

blusky2015 - As you know by now, morocans are in general extremely defensive of their country, and many can not even tolerate any comments about it, other than how great the country is! Oddly enough many of them are desperate to leave this so-called "beautiful" and "great" country that they supposedly love so much! They are so in love with it, yet they can't wait to leave it! Many of them are prepared to engage in fake marriages just to escape from it. Yet would be angry at any criticism about the country. Strange... 

Oh, and I don't trust the beggars anymore after giving money to a "blind" man who entered the coach I was on. He was brought on by someone, had his hand outstretched, so I put money on it. And then I watched him carefully as he left the coach. As they walked away, he took the money out of his pocket and looked down at it. Which confirmed to me he isn't actually blind, and that I was tricked. It wasn't the first time someone tried to make me feel sorry for their situation and try to help them out. Unfortunately as a result, I don't trust the beggars anymore. I guess many are just after free cash. I'm not a cash-machine.

Hi marocco  is a very safe place to visit  our live .the ppl are poor but very kind, i see marocco  as  one  of the most beautiful places  on  earth♡...

I am moroccan my self and very impartial and never bias , so  i would like to add some infor  to this :


if you are kind person and yu want to do nice gesture then make sure you choose the beggar to give it to and not to the one that approach you and sometimes aggressively ...because those ones are professional beggars and it is part of their daily job. we do have genuine beggars that are in need surely but the genuines one are even shy to ask , u find them sitting but not bothering u , i go to those and give them money ,,, i think it is great reward .
now i would like to correct some ideas here for tourist about beggars, Morocco indeend is poor country, so we do not have social welfare system even we know that  morocco is full of welathy resources , .... so those who do not have they tend to beg from other to get their food  for a day.

I was approached many times by beggars showing me prescription of medicine that they need to buy ,  i agree to buy it for them but wiith condition is that i chose the pharmacy and i buy the medicine for them  but not and never  give the money , once i say that to them  they walk away lol ..because they know they can not get money this way lol  .........................lot of them use that trick to get easy money...

i was approached by some beggars that stand outside the shop asking u for money because they are hungry , i go yes sure what do u want to eat and i buy food to give and never money ....the doggy beggars makes it worse for genuine ones ,,, some of them need drugs and pretend to be genuine beggars ... i guess living in morocco u gotta learn how to deal with such situation.

BY MY ADVICE THOSE WHO COFNRONT YOU AS BEGGARS AND KEEP THEIR FACE RIGHT IN YOUR FACE OR FOLOW YOU AROUND : SAY NO AND IGNORE THEM .. THOSE ARE PROFESSIONAL BEGGARS AND THEY MAY HARM YOU IF THEY FIND YOU WEAK OR SCARED ... because some of tourist will be scared and give money just to get rid of them DO NTO DO THAT ... it is mistake if u do it because if they see u doing that maybe they want more from you .............or even follow you which hotel ou staying and you find them waaiting for you every morning to say  give me money as good morning lol hhhhhhhhhh

But lets not forget that we  also  have lot of foreigner that are beggars and criminals who are europeans and from other countries and where do they flee? they come to morocco as it is right spot for them to hide .. and many survive here in morocco and moroccan families welcome them to their homes and some of them even stay for long periods  one year or even permanently here...... that is why our tourism is damaged because moroccan families are too generous and welcome those foreigner in their homes giving them  shelter and food and so the restaurant and hotels are empty how the country will make money from tourism them???
if u go to europe  or elswhere u gotta pay ur own food and ur own acocmdoaiton otherwise u sleep in the street and u be taking to the cellar for a night lol 

the nature of moroccan people is they act nice and kind  towards foreigners more than towards their own people , it is odd but it is true ....

I love morocco and i think it is great country , great food , many nice places to see , generous people , beautiful weather and i recommend it to anyone who has good intention to visit and explore it:

For those who want to have safe trip , Imagine the country of morocco  like simming pool and u gotta know where u can swim and make sure u dont get drown .....so learn how to swim before u plunge in lol  which means read about it  before you come and this expact forum is great way too

I hope my comments do not offend anyone , either moroccan or non moroccans .

thank you all and i wish you all the best

blusky2015 is moroccan him self, every moroccan need to stop the bull shit ( i love my country its beautiful) fuck that all those mother fuckers are ready to leave right this second , try opening the borders for couple hours im sure no one will be left in so called beautiful country beside the wealthy government people, it funny to read all this comments how they can`t accept the ugly truth

FOR WESTERN WOMEN ONLY  !!!



Please do not mix your culture with our moroccan culture...when you are looking for only friendship  ....please try to be friends with female moroccan (same sex gender) and not male.
In morocco is very acceptable to have friendship btw two men or two female   (same gender) BUT is not acceptable to have friendship btw opposite gender.

so any male moroccan offering  you a friendship , he is gotta be  lying to u , he has more interest than just friendship unless he lived abroad for many years and he has integreated in westen society.

Anyone send you message in this forum and offering friendship BE ALERT..............

Where in europe and western countries u can find friendship btw male and female which is normal in that society ,

MOROCCO IS NOT THE SAMEEEEEEEEEEEEE: BE ALERTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Hello,
I agree with la cantina,Essaouira.
Living in the UK,with a second home in Essaouira for the past ten years,
I have found my Moroccan neighbours,and friends wonderful.
Yes, I am still "street aware" but also in every other country I visit,
I could sit down and write a list about the UK,but I have a life to live.

to London 76
you are talking rubbish, I have been travelling to Marrakech for 5 yrs as a solo western female - of older yrs - and I have built up friendships with both men and women who are moroccans. I have been to dinner at their houses and met their families and they do not have any ulterior motive. I have found the moroccan people to be very hospitable and warm and friendly, they dont have much in the way of money or assets but they will gladly share what they have. I have had the young lotharios trying it on - of course I tell them to go away - but have built up friendships in the way I built friendships in any other place by good conversation and trust. I have not been 'ripped off' or asked for money by these people.
Please dont generalise and speak ill of a whole nation.
I am just about to arrive for another visit and already have had various friends offer to pick me up at the airport and sending out invitations to dinner etc.
regards Peta M

phoenixinuk


Marrakesh is flooded by tourists so u should have no problem there , the last 10 years our tourism in marrakesh has increased a lot and we had some many incident that took place there like crime etc in the past ... but the authority noticed that may affect the money in the tourism so they have put police patrolling around under cover and other with uniform. so Marrakesh has less crime then any other cities.

but it does not mean all moroccan cities are the same as Marrakesh..... perhaps u are regular travellers so you know your way in and out well and u dont get much in trouble and also if ur experience that good it does not mean all others have same as yours...

another thing when moroccan notice regular visitor  and familiar face  they keep away from them and also ( i have mentioned some tips for tourist in my other post to avoid unwanted bad incident.) ,

they only go after those ones that ae vulnerable and its their first time for visit. once u r regular VISITOR  than u become like local , even your behaviour changes from other first time visitors , u can see a lot of difference from the bodylanguage too.

and u mentioned u made great friend , i am happy to hear that .....so u probaly being seen with them having coffee by locals and they wont even go near you.lol


I am so happy to hear u had very good experience in morocco but it does not mean the rest of first time traveller will have it... and i am not generalising so you better reread my post again to understand it better.

i am morocan and i have lived abroad for many years , also i have both moroccan and non moroccans friends and i heard lot of shit experiences more than good one.

Precaution is a lot better than cure !!

I am an American. I fly from Casablanca to NYC several times an year and talk to a lot of people who had a great time in Morocco, I have never heard them complain about the beggars or street vendors.
  I have rubbed up against tourist in many countries and have seen the best and worst of them. Most are delighted with their adventure, have an appreciation for other cultures and don't mind a few unpleasantries. A few however have nothing good to say.

Never mind beggars, I had someone approach me offering the kind of thing I wouldn't think those of the same gender will ever offer me. I wasn't dressed in a particular way or acting in a certain manner to attract this sort of attention, so that was truly a culture shock which I've yet to recover from.

Beggars: You can walk through any big city in the world and find aggressive begging, Its not something that only happens in Morocco, Ive seen more aggressive beggars in London that just about anywhere else. Morocco has its share of beggars as do most countries.

For first time tourists to Morocco, its not like a couple of weeks in Spain or the South of France, Morocco is a whole different way of life, that's part of the charm of coming here, its something different.

As with any tourist destination take a day or so to know the place, ask other people staying at your hotel where to go and what to avoid. Don't go flashing money around or you will loose it. if you are going to buy a expensive item, i.e. leather jacket, don't buy it from tourist area you will pay double, try and make friends with a local, their advice is invaluable. Don't pay the first price asked, and do not be afraid to barter, offer them half the price they asked for as a starting price, and then come to a agreement from there. Keep in mind they want to sell to you, if you feel the price isn't right walk away.

Just use common sense and you will be fine.

Reading through some of these posts you would think Morocco is a frightening place full of beggars,thief's and hookers. The reality is it is no worse than any other tourist destination, there are unscrupulous people ready to take advantage of you, you have to take care, keep your personal stuff (phones, cameras) secure and you will be OK.

And finally if you hate Morocco so much that you feel you must post negative comments every day about the Moroccan people and country, you can always make use of the airport and leave. There is no law keeping you here, or for that matter making you visit, i don't understand why you would keep coming back. Or why you would keep on writing about it, move on life is too short.