Avoiding Culture Shock in Morocco

One of the many reasons we travel is to see new sights, try new foods and to learn about different ways of life. However, when visiting countries whose cultures are very different from your own or where you don’t speak the language, it´s not unusual to experience some degree of culture shock.

Culture shock affects different people in different ways. It may produce feelings of homesickness or anxiety about being scammed, cleanliness or some other issue that is inconsistent to what you’re used to. Culture shock is completely normal and experienced by even seasoned travelers, but the effects can be diminished with some advanced preparation, a little bit of empathy and a sense of humor.

Prepare before you go:

Learn as much as you can about Moroccan culture and customs before you depart. For example, if you’re interested in buying souvenirs in the souks, study up on your bargaining techniques. A rudimentary understanding of how Moroccans bargain for goods helps ensure you’ll get a better deal, avoid being scammed and understand that bargaining is a way to reach a mutually satisfactory price and socially interact with other members of the community.

Similarly, if you read about Moroccan rules of hospitality, you’ll be less surprised when a complete stranger invites you to his home after just a few minutes’ conversation. You’d know it was completely natural and polite to agree to some unspecified future date even if you have no intention of accepting the invitation.

Another way to prepare is to learn a few phrases in French, Arabic or Berber. Saying merci, shukran or sahit to express gratitude will go a long way in helping to break the ice with strangers.

Be empathic:

Some first-time visitors are taken aback at certain behaviors they witness in Morocco, for instance, wide-spread littering or cruelty toward animals. However, when you see Moroccans littering, remember that the Western disapproval of throwing trash on the ground comes from public education campaigns aimed at changing people’s behaviors coupled with sanitation budgets for trashcans and daily trash collection. This doesn´t mean that Moroccans are “dirty”—in fact you may be surprised at how clean even the most modest Moroccan home is kept. What it means is that there haven´t been concerted public and private sector efforts to change people’s attitudes about littering in the streets.

The same goes toward the visitor who is outraged at seeing children throw rocks at stray dogs. Because most Moroccans don’t keep pets and because rabies is a problem in many parts of the country, Moroccans are taught as children to fear animals.

Laugh it off:

Travel allows you to learn about new places, but you also learn about yourself. Remember that you’ll be coming back home with a treasure trove of stories and that you’ll soon laugh when recounting the tales of your mistakes and mishaps.

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