Mistakes expats make in Morocco

Hello everyone,

Did you make any mistakes when you first moved to Morocco? What were they?

How did you address your mistakes? Did you learn anything from them?

With hindsight, what would you do differently?

Are there any tips you could give future expats in Morocco to help them avoid these kinds of mistakes?

We look forward to hearing from you!

Priscilla

Yes, many. Here are few:

1) Not learning few words of arabic/french: Since I stayed for long time, I made a big mistake by not getting familiar with these two languages. I had a very hard time initially because most of the general public do not speak english. Small things like buying a vegetable from market itself became a huge headache. I slowly learnt few words with help of local friends.

2) Not learning about Moroccan culture: I didn't read about Moroccan culture before coming. I should have because lack of culture knowledge could result in very unpleasant experience during conversations. Moroccan history, their relation with Algeria, Issue about Sahara and other related points are very important for any person who is going to live for long time in Morocco.

3) Food issues: I am pure vegetarian and I didnt know beforehand that Morocco is dominantly a place for non veg lovers. There are few exceptions but it is very hard to find veg food at public places. I should have better prepared before coming to Morocco.

4) Not exploring properly: Only after I left morocco I came to realize how many amazing places I had missed. Morocco is an exotic country and there are tons of astonishing places to visit. I suggest all expats to not be afraid of venturing out, take your bags and catch any bus, you will surely end up finding a breathtaking place.