People are extremely kind
Many people traveling to Morocco ask themselves if it is a safe country to travel to, and although there are people who will try to scam you or pickpocket you, Morocco isn’t a country with a high crime rate. Aside from this, most Moroccans you will interact with will be very friendly, kind, and open, and they might invite you to stay at their home or make a traditional dish for you, which they consider very important and an act they perform for someone they respect.
Haggling is a national sport
Well, nearly. You cannot go into a small shop and pay the asking price, because that’s not how it works. In Moroccan culture, much like many many years ago, the seller says a high price, because he expects you to haggle, so don’t be afraid to do so, as you will probably save more than you expected.
Moroccans are the original travel writers
Yes, you heard that right, and no, this wasn’t 30 years ago; this was in the 1300s by Islamic scholar and Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta. He traveled nearly 73,000 miles over a period of 30 years, recounting his adventures and experiences in his famous book Rihla (The Travels).
Moroccans are multi-lingual
If you speak English, French, Spanish, or Arabic, then you will have no issues communicating in Morocco at all. French is known more as a language of prestige since the French colonization of central Morocco in the early 1900s, while in northern Morocco the Spanish took over and people quickly picked up the language. In 2002, Morocco introduced English to all its schools, and Arabic, of course, is the people’s language, so you will definitely end up conversing with a Moroccan, and maybe even in different languages.
Average Moroccans don’t ride camels
If you thought the camel was the country’s primary mode of transportation, you were way off, it’s the donkey. Average Moroccans don’t ride camels, but this has become an icon of Arab culture, and it’s developed as a symbolic experience of this exotic country.In fact, in Rissani, there is a market just for buying and selling donkeys.
Atlas Film Studios is the largest film studio in the world
You may think the largest film set in the world is in Hollywood. But Morocco is acutally home to home to two film studios: CLA Studios Morocco, and Atlas Corporation Studios, the world’s largest movie studio. Over the past 20 years, Morocco has become a popular setting for filmsThe Moroccan region of Ouarzazate has for long been home to many major film and TV productions in the world such as “Lawerence of Arabia”, “Gladiator”, “The Mummy” and “Game of Thrones.”
Moroccans favor using bread rather than cutlery
You’ve probably heard of the famous tagines, but have you ever wondered how to eat one? The answer is with a piece of bread and your hand. You cut a small piece of bread, place it in between your thumb and two fingers, and you’re good to go! Also, if you are eating from one large plate with other people, you better respect their plate territory—meaning you should only eat what’s in front of you.
There is an unlimited number of oranges
Wherever you will walk in Morocco, you will find orange trees and oranges falling on the floor, especially during spring and in the southern part of Morocco, like Marrakech, for example. One of the most calming things to do in Marrakech is to walk through the little streets with greenery, orange trees, and oranges everywhere when it’s sunny.
and the BEST ORANGE JUICE IN THE WORLD.
America’s most revered beat writers fell in love with Tangier
During the 1950’s and 60’s, Morocco served as a literary hub for many writers including, but not limited to, William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Paul Bowles, and Jack Kerouac. If you are familiar with the Beat Movement, author Allen Ginsberg mentions Burroughs’ time in the city of Tangier within his poem America. Ginsberg writes, “Burroughs is in Tangiers I don’t think he’ll come back it’s sinister.”
