Parting Thoughts on Morocco
I like Morocco. A lot. I’ve had several friends that have been there, and everyone speaks favorably of it, and now I understand why. The Moroccan people are some of the best-hearted people I’ve met in a while. Seemingly always willing to help and be hospitable, whether it’s each other, visitors, children, poor… ask, and if they can, they will. While trying to find my hotel, Zak employed the help of many on the street to ask if they knew it, and many would walk with us for a bit in attempts to find it. If somebody needed help loading luggage on a bus, someone would always jump to help. I saw Mohamed several times give some change, which he did not have much of himself, to a poor child. Tea was always offered when meeting with someone… a shop owner even made us tea for coming back the next day. The sense of community was much stronger than many other places.
The problem, of course, is the poverty level, which causes several issues. The thing that turns off most people from Morocco is the feeling of always being on edge for fear of being ripped off, scammed, or just generally hassled. The people are put in this economic situation of there not being jobs nor earning enough at them, anyway. So often I heard Moroccans talk of wishing so badly to travel, but not being able to because their money isn’t worth enough, and the extra hassles of obtaining visas for many countries. They envied those from other countries that had the opportunities and didn’t even fully realize what that meant. And it makes the realization that so many Moroccans can communicate with so many people in the world because of their language skills, yet have never even left their own country, much more enlightening. Of course, one of the results of poverty is trying to get money. I talked to good, honest Moroccans, trying to earn legit money. Providing goods or services in exchange for money. Unfortunately, so many take advantage of tourists by elevating prices, or coercing money in a less than friendly manner, such as some of the performers in Djemaa el-Fna. The kids learn quickly how to make money and will sometimes try to demand money for “guiding” you through a maze of buildings or the souqs, regardless of whether you asked them or not… It’s unfortunate that it happens, yet I see the necessity which causes it.
Personally, I didn’t feel bothered. I felt more harassed by the homeless in Portland, Oregon than by the people in Marrakech. Maybe it’s because I blended better than the average tourist. Maybe it’s just because I know how to ignore it… perhaps Detroit has built up my immunity to it. But maybe that’s not a good thing, either… Because many people feel harassed, or are trying to ignore it, it also means they’re closing themselves to the good ones. So many Moroccans are worth talking to and spending time with, but get ignored because they’re not trusted due to the actions of some of their countrymen. When Zak was trying to find other people to go to Ourika Valley with us, it was for my benefit… so that it would be cheaper for me… but I know he had to work hard at getting people to trust him to come with us. And even myself, walking around the food stalls of Djemaa el-Fna at night, several guys are out with menus trying to persuade you to come eat at theirs. I just ignored them at first, and walked right past when they approached. But one night, I wanted to eat, so when one came up, I let him show me his menu, and I decided to eat at his restaurant. I’m glad I did. I talked with him and several other guys for a couple hours, as well as some others they got to come over and eat. They weren’t out to hassle people… they’re just doing some marketing and advertising and trying to get some business for their boss. They don’t want to scam you, just for you to eat at their restaurant, but often get shrugged off as beggars do. But they were great to talk to. They liked to talk about their country, about their lives, about their thoughts of the world and life, about movies and music, and like to hear the same from you. I came back other nights, and even if I didn’t want to eat, they insisted I have some free tea and just sit and talk. Zak and Mohamed constantly told me that talking to others was just part of their culture, and encouraged it. It’s completely acceptable to just start talking to anyone, and if they’d like to continue, they’ll reply.
Tags: Africa, Morocco, Travel
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