Reflections on Morocco
If you read our individual Morocco posts, you probably already know that our 8-day tour across the country was full of ups, downs, big wins, big challenges, and a lot of personal growth. It was the furthest outside both our comfort zones and, therefore, was the most thought-provoking stop of our trip. So, we wanted to take a minute to share a few of our key takeaways:
1.) Everyone should try to visit a Muslim country* in their lifetime. Especially Americans. The big voices in our world have done a great job at spreading fear and prejudice toward this group of people. Even if we think it doesn’t seep in, I know first-hand that it can and it does…and that was a scary realization. I had some incredibly uncomfortable and unexpected feelings come up during our first couple of days in Casablanca and Tangier. I had been listening to the voices that had seeped in rather than paying attention to what was actually happening around me. Then I realized the best way to assuage all the fears and biases was to get out of my head and meet people, visit their towns, interact with their families, eat their food, and be open to the fact that “different” doesn’t mean “dangerous”.
*Taking into account travel advisories, of course.
2.) The best way to visit Morocco is with a small group tour. Between the roads with little-to-no signage, the scarcity of English menus at restaurants, and the cultural nuances, we can’t imagine what we would have done without our guide, Mohammed. Morocco would have been 10x harder, for sure. The culture shock combined with being in a third-world country combined with an overwhelming amount of movement, noise, and smells were just about all we could handle. The fact that we had reliable transportation, someone to help us order at restaurants, and someone to tell us where to go was a lifesaver. Plus, we got to learn so much more about the cities, the history, and the culture than if we had been on our own.
3.) Medinas are intimidating but are some of the best parts of Morocco. The mazes of narrow alleyways filled with shops allow you to find hidden gems around every corner. The artisan and craftsman shops are the best because you can actually watch them hand-crafting the goods they’re selling. The intimidating part is being called into the shops, being followed by persistent shop owners, and, of course, haggling when you do find something you want. (I despise that last part. Luckily, I married a man who loves it and is good at it, so I never have to!) If you want to roam freely through a medina without worrying about getting hassled or getting lost, we highly recommend Chefchaouen. It was the most beautiful, cleanest, calmest, and smallest medina we visited. You’ll likely get lost spiritually within the blissful blues, but it would be hard to get lost physically. 😊
4.) Maintaining the right mindset and setting realistic expectations are key to a successful visit. It took longer to get from Point A to Point B. We had to be careful of what we ate and drank. The little things we take for granted — like consistently hot showers or toilet paper in all public bathrooms — were not a given. We had some overly romanticized expectations going into Morocco that we had to reset about 2 days in, but that reset was necessary for us to experience the country for what it is and not what we wanted it to be. If you go into Morocco with an open mind, flexibility, adaptability, and an open heart, you will grow as a traveler and as a human in more ways than you can even imagine. And you’ll have a great time!
Big hugs,
Juliette