Maroc: A Brave New World

Bonjour from Morocco! I have in Ifrane, Morocco for about five days now, and I have had more than my fair share of culture shock so far.


1. English isn't much of a thing off campus. It took me two planes, two trains, and a bus to get to my school from the United States. If I had not been with a big group of people, most of whom knew at least some French or Arabic, I would have been in some serious trouble. However, I would like to point out that I'm slowing learning basic words in French, and I know how to say 'Thank You' in Arabic... شكرًا .... pronounced 'shukrahn', I think. It's also really frustrating because my mind has
been automatically switching to Spanish whenever I want to say something, so sometimes Spanish,
Spanglish, or Spanch (Spanish and French) comes out. Basically, no one understands me when we go
into town.


2. Bartering also isn't really a thing in the local marché (market) in Ifrane. I was super excited about the marché because I thought we would be able to barter for the things we buy. WRONG! Everything has a listed price, but I have been consoled by some local students that you barter much more in the Old Medinas in places like Marrakech, Casablanca, and Fez.


3. I've been here for 5 days, and I've already been harassed. Some friends and I were walking back from the marché, minding our own business when a car of about four or five guys started following us and yelling obscenities in French. They were basically saying stuff along the lines of: "I'm so horny for you! Come here pretty girls". Needless to say, I was pretty royally mad, but we all did what we were supposed to do and ignored it.


4.  There are several rules and regulations on campus that while are not overly surprising, they will definitely take some getting used to.
  • No alcohol is allowed on campus period.  
  • No drugs are allowed on campus (even weed...which I was surprised to discover that it is technically illegal in Morocco...possession constitutes expulsion)
  • There is a curfew of midnight between Sunday and Thursday (you have to be back on campus by midnight or not come back until 6am the next morning)
  • The school conducts random searches of rooms without notice and there doesn't have to be a reason.
  • All residence halls are single sex except the two new ones and the opposite sex is not allowed to step into the building (or side of the building in the case of the new halls) or risk expulsion.
  • No walking on grass allowed because it is 'holy'...seen as flower beds...don't walk on the flowers...don't walk on the grass.
  • One does not wear pajamas to class...FINALLY!
  • If two people of the opposite sex are alone together, they are presumed to be having sex.  Apparently willpower or friendship isn't seen as a strong diversion from having sex.
  • The attendance policy is stricter here than at Maryville College!  WHAT?!?

5.  The weather here is not quite what I expected:
What my friends expected

What my parents expected

What I was told to expect


I did not come prepared for the snow that we're about to get.


What I actually got