I
thought it'd be fitting if I shared 14 things I've come to love about Morocco!
Morocco
is a beautiful country with breath taking scenery! Every evening I am blessed
to have the opportunity to watch the sun go down and let me tell you- it is
mesmerizing! Nothing shy of perfection!
2) The Medina at Night:
The medina in Arabic means "city".
In Morocco the medina refers to the old part of town. I love the medina in
general but at night is when it really comes alive! Stepping inside the medina
is like going back in time! You have merchants all over the place selling
various items; from food to clothing to electronics, furniture and more- you
name it, someone's probably selling it! When I first arrived in Morocco, the
medina was my least favorite place due to the noise, odors, and constant
harassment from vendors. Overtime I've grown to love all these things (except
the harassment) about the medina and more! I often go to the medina to get
natural oils for my hair (olive, coconut, almond, lavender, and argan) and for
my weekly hammam trip (more on the hammam later).
3) Moroccan Traditional
Clothing:
Depending on what region of Morocco you find yourself in the dress varies a little. In general the djellaba is most commonly worn traditional dress by both men and women. A djellaba is a long, loose, hooded garment with full sleeves. Djellabas come in all sorts of colors, patterns, and designs. I recently had the opportunity to design my own djellaba and here is a picture of it:
Depending on what region of Morocco you find yourself in the dress varies a little. In general the djellaba is most commonly worn traditional dress by both men and women. A djellaba is a long, loose, hooded garment with full sleeves. Djellabas come in all sorts of colors, patterns, and designs. I recently had the opportunity to design my own djellaba and here is a picture of it:
House dresses- although I don't know their name in Arabic, these are the dresses women wear around the house. When I first saw them in the Fez medina I thought they were the most beautiful things, too pretty to be worn only around the house! Here is a picture of some house dresses in Fez:
A
kaftan is what women wear to weddings and the bride also wears. Kaftans are
beautiful, elegant, and elaborately extravagant! I don't have a Kaftan at the
moment as I have yet to go to a wedding or big celebration but I definitely
want to get one before the end of the year!
Another
article of traditional clothing (well shoes) that I adore is balghas, colorful
leather heelless slippers worn by practically everyone. You can find balghas in
the medina, they come in every color and unique in design.
Overall
Moroccans are generally more fashionable or "coordinated" when it
comes to everyday dress, something I really appreciate!
4) Hanuts: Hanuts
are little convenience stores found on almost every street corner. A hanut is
usually owned by a man who lives in the neighborhood. You can get phone credits, find snacks, drinks,
bread, fruit, food, shampoo, soap, etc. all in a hanut- you name it, they got
it! Hanuts are super convenient for a snack and are open late into the night.
5) Beauty Salons: On average, you can
find about 5 salons in each neighborhood. They are everywhere and extremely
much cheaper than the ones in the U.S.! Some salons are run out of little shops
or one's home (these are most common in my neighborhood) while others are big,
glamorous and more European looking. Over the past 5 to 6 months I have gone to
3 different types of salons, had my hair washed and blown out 2 times as well
as getting my eyebrows done every month. Every trip to the salon is a different
experience but usually pleasant and cheap- it's only 10DH ($1.20) to do my
eyebrows and less than $5 for a wash and blowout!
6) Importance of Family: Besides
Allah (god in Arabic), family is the most important thing. This value is
embedded throughout every facet of Moroccan culture and society. On Fridays, the holy day for Muslims, shops,
banks, and other businesses shut down so everyone can go home to their for a lunch of couscous!
Meals are often eaten communally around one big plate. Every night and on days
when I can make it home for lunch, my host family and I eat together. The act
of sharing a meal signifies more than just eating, it is a sign of love, unity,
and respect. Frequently dinner lasts for an hour as it is a time when we all
reconvene and talk; share our day, talk about the news, and whatever comes to
mind.
When
I first came to Morocco I was pleasantly surprised at how common it is for
teenagers when introducing themselves to include a word about their love for
their family! Back in November I, along with 2 other YES Abroad girls, taught
an English class to some Moroccan students about Thanksgiving. At the end of
our lesson I asked the students if they could write down one thing they were
grateful for. To all of our surprise, almost every single student had the same
response: "I am thankful for God, my amazing family, and education"!
It is wonderful to see the love and respect most youth have for their parents
and family members.
7) Accessibility of Food: You
can find food anywhere and everywhere in Morocco. There are so many
restaurants, snack joints, grocery stores, open markets (souks), and hanuts on
every corner! In the medina you have lots of vendors selling food being
prepared on the spot. Food is relatively cheap and uber delicious! Although
every restaurant and hanut offers about the same thing, it's still nice to know
that no matter where you are you can find something to grab!
8) Hospitality: I
have found Moroccans to be very hospitable and welcoming, especially to
foreigners. When you first meet someone of the same gender, you are greeted by bisous
(kisses) on both cheeks. It is common that someone you've just met will invite
you to their home for tea or dinner! Most people I've met here are willing to
go well out of their way to help in any way they can. Once you do get invited
over for a meal or simply tea, get ready you’re in for a treat! Moroccans love
to shower guests with food, tea and pastries; you'll often repeatedly hear the
mother tell you to "cool/cooli" (eat) in Darija.
9) Transportation: In general, it is
fairly easy and cheap to get around Rabat. There are little blue taxis, white
grand taxis, the Tram, cars, the bus, the train, and best of all- your own two
feet. Having all these transportation means makes it very easy to get around
the city and explore. I personally prefer the tram and petit taxis yet I often
choose to walk instead for exercise.
10) Moroccan Mint Tea: Morocco
has turned me into an avid tea drinker! I drink tea religiously, at least 5
cups a day! I start off my day with a cup or 2 of tea. If I happen to be home
for lunch, I'll have another but if not I make up for it during Gouter
(tea time at 6:30) or during dinner. My host Dad happens to also love tea so he
frequently makes a pot for him and I. Moroccan tea is heavily intoxicated with
sugar. Although I've grown fond of the sweet taste, the quantity I consume is
not so healthy for my body.
11) Weather: Morocco
is a northwestern African country but experiences Mediterranean like weather.
For the most part of the year the weather is phenomenal, sunny, clear, and hot.
All this changes in the winter, referred to as the rainy season in Darija.
Though the temperature rarely drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit it can get
really cold! Due to the fact that there is no central heating in Morocco, the
houses are built of out concrete, and the majority of Morocco doesn’t utilize
any sort heaters, it is extremely colder in the house than outside. I have to
bundle up more inside the house than when I go out but hey- it's still sunny
outside instead of dark and gloomy, right?
12) Languages: Moroccans are
generally very linguistic and it's not uncommon to find someone who speaks at
least 3 languages. Modern Standard Arabic and Berber are the official languages
of Morocco but French remains the unofficial third language. Darija is the
native spoken dialect all Moroccans speak. Morocco is a mosaic of many
different cultures that have come to call Morocco their home throughout the
centuries. English is also on the rise due to America's large influence over
the media. I've come to realize that everyone speaks a little English,
especially the youth. It is interesting to live in a society with so many means
of communication. My language capabilities have definitely improved as I am
constantly immersed in French at school and Darija everywhere else.
13) Music and Dancing: Chaabi
is the popular music played at Moroccan weddings and parties. Chaabi music is in Darija and very fast paced
featuring drums, lutes, stringed instruments and sometimes electric guitars and
buzuks. My host Mom loves chaabi and every Saturday night when we have family
over the music is on and she and I get to dance to it! Host Mom (as she will be
referred to from here on out) absolutely loves to dance and over the last few
months she has taught me some moves.
14) Riads and the Home: Riad
derives from the Arabic term ‘ryad’ – garden. A riad is a traditional Moroccan
house characterized by having an interior garden or courtyard. I first got to
see the inside of a riad on my YES Abroad trip to Fez back in October. Upon
first step inside the restored riad, I was mesmerized at its beauty. Moroccans
generally invest a lot of time into decorating and maintaining the home as it
is considered to be ones' sanctuary or heaven on earth. The more I learned
about the cultural significance of not only riads but the Moroccan home- the
more I realized I absolutely loved it and wanted to know more! I have decided
to research riads and the role they played and continue to play in Moroccan
culture for my capstone project.
As
you can see, there are a lot of things I've come to LOVE about Morocco and its
culture. I am so thankful for everyday that I get to live in this amazing
country, even if every day isn't "sugar and spice and everything
nice"!
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