Musings on Morocco

Introduction

        I have decided to go to Morocco. Yes, Morocco. “Why Morocco of all places?” is a

question that I have heard a million times since I decided to go. For some time I have been

thinking about traveling to a foreign country to teach English as a second language. I have just

graduated with my Master of Arts, but there is no work for me here because so many teachers 

have lately been dismissed from their positions. I have little formal experience but the market is 

glutted with many teachers who have years of experience. So I resolved to travel abroad to teach 

in a language institute for a time in order to improve my resume and gain some very valuable

experience. After having decided to embark on this adventure, I considered traveling to many

places. I considered South America, Asia, and Europe. They all have points which recommend

them but still I was not satisfied with any of those places. The question which I was continually

asking myself was “What country has the most to teach me?” I wanted not just to go somewhere

to teach, but to also be taught. Europe was the first part of the world to be struck from my list.

The United States is not much more than a European transplant. I would learn some things

living in Europe, but on the whole Europe is not terribly different from the United States. I

considered South America but in the end, it is the same. While there are definite cultural

differences between North and South America, I simply did not feel drawn there. I thought

about Asia and while I think it would be interesting to visit some of the Asian countries, I am

still not sure that I wish to live there. Throughout the entire time that I was deliberating on this

decision, I was thinking about Islam and the Islamic world. I began to think that perhaps that

part of the world has things to offer to me that these other places do not. Why, after all, would I

want to live in a country that is similar to my own? America is largely a Christian country and

Christianity permeates the culture so I must go somewhere different.

        Since September 11, 2001, Islam and Muslims are widely discussed in America. Islam is

the subject of many debates and discussions. I decided that it would be best for me to go to an

Islamic country. If I can go to work and live among Muslims, then I know I can learn about their

true way of life and their true beliefs. I am not interested in Islam as it is depicted on television

or Islam as it is depicted in a book, I want to go to a place where Islam is life. Then I can see it

not in books and films, but in the streets and markets, academies and homes. So then I had to

decide which Muslim country I should consider. At this present time there are some countries

that I could not consider visiting as an American because of our wars and other issues, so a few

places were eliminated straightaway. I began to think more and more about Northern Africa.

That region is especially appealing not only because I speak some French, but because the

people there have a reputation for tolerating Americans a bit more than some other Islamic areas.

There are many countries across Northern Africa, what caused me to choose Morocco?

At the same time that I was deliberating about travel and work overseas, I enlisted in a pen pal

directory. I was soon corresponding with people from all around the world, but I found that

I began to gravitate more and more toward Moroccans. They all seemed very kind and very

friendly. One thing that quickly stood out to me was their readiness to accept me as a Christian.  

This came as a great surprise to me as I had always been led to believe that Muslims do not like 

Christians.  When I told them that I am a Christian and that I desire to learn about Islam, they

were all very gracious and willing to teach me. I had many very good and very stimulating letters 

from my Muslim Moroccan friends. They were always patient with me and strove to answer my 

questions but they were also sincere enough to point out to me what seemed to them to be flaws 

in my own religion. This of course was what I wanted. I wanted to understand them. I wanted to 

see things from their point of view. As I continued to correspond with them, I soon began to 

admire Islam and its principles. These Muslim friends of mine are among the most pious and

sincere people I have ever known. How much better would it be to sit with them in person to eat

together and to exchange ideas? If I can learn so much from their letters, then I am sure I will 

learn much more from their lives and from their friendship. It was these first encounters with 

Muslims that caused me to decide to go to an Islamic country. If I can go and live among people


such as they, then I am sure it can only make me a better person. Not only that, but with such


experiences I can then return to my own country with firsthand knowledge and strive to restore


the reputation of these good people which has been so damaged by a few deranged maniacs.

Impressions

        What are my impressions of Morocco and his people? I have many impressions and only

time will tell if they are based on truth or fiction. First of all, I find that Moroccans are generally

very disciplined and work hard at their studies or whatever task is given to them. From what

my correspondents tell me, American students have a great deal to learn from their Moroccan

counterparts. It seems that there really is no concept of attending universities for parties and fun.  

Morocco and his people strike me as being very traditional. Morocco is after all, the

only country in Northern Africa which still has a monarchy. It is obvious from my interactions

with Moroccans that they are very devoted to their king. I have never heard or read one cross

word about him from any of his subjects. They seem to like the old system and be quite satisfied

with it. Their fondness for tradition can also be seen in their clothes. I find it interesting that

for special occasions they still wear the old traditional garments. In America it is considered 

unfashionable and distasteful to wear clothes that are similar even to those that our grandfathers 

wore, and yet in Morocco their traditional garments seem to have changed little in the last one 

thousand years. I am also struck by the fact that many of my correspondents speak of their 

fondness for traditional Moroccan music. These young fellows are mostly university students 

and yet they have an appreciation for the old songs. Here in America our old songs are no longer 

fashionable and it is safe to say that most university students have never even heard them. In 

America we are always looking for something new and different, it is refreshing to encounter a 

culture which still sees the value of its past customs and traditions.

        Another aspect of Moroccan life and culture that stands out to me is their markets. As

I understand, the markets are filled with men who have made their own goods and sell them to

earn a living. While some would consider Morocco backward and lagging to depend upon hand

made goods, I would applaud the country for not depending upon mass-produced rubbish. To

be sure, there are advantages to factories and industrialization but although goods are perhaps

cheaper and more readily available, the quality only seems to decline. In America we no longer

have artisans and craftsmen, we have people that push buttons and turn dials. They could not

make quality goods with their own hands if their lives depended upon it. I look forward to

walking through the souks of Morocco and I will take great pleasure in buying things which

were made with pride by the men who sell them to me.  I am pleased that Moroccans still have 

that which we Americans lost to “progress” many years ago.

        I have been especially impressed with what I have seen of Moroccan relationships. It

seems that the families in Morocco are closely bound together and their members are very

devoted to one another. It would be difficult to count how many have expressed a desire to come

to America in order to earn a living so that they will be able to provide a better life for their 

parents back in Morocco. I have also noticed that among the conservative Muslim young men, 

the custom of having a girlfriend such as is practiced in America is strictly forbidden. I do not yet

understand what their custom is for finding wives, but I assume that it is some form of arranged

Confusion

        There are a few things about Morocco that confuse me and I look forward to

understanding them better once I have been there and seen firsthand how the people live. The

first is belly dance. It seems that belly dance is a tradition there and is common in that part of

the world but I do not understand how it can be allowed to exist in tandem with the Muslim

codes for female modesty. These two things seem to be irreconcilable. Another issue that

confuses me is smoking. I read that smoking is strictly forbidden among Muslims but at the

same time I see photographs of little shops in the souk which seem to specialize in sheesha sales.

I have also read conflicting reports online. Some websites say that smoking is very offensive to

Moroccans and other websites say that nearly everyone in Morocco smokes. I am not really sure

what I should think. Of course alcohol is also forbidden by Islam but one does not see wine

merchants in the souk. These things puzzle me. Another thing that I wonder about is desert life.

I wonder how it will differ from life here and I wonder what I must do to prepare for it.

Conceptions and Misconceptions

        Since I have been planning my trip and talking with my American friends about my

preparations, I have heard and thought of many things which cause me concern. One warning

that many people have given to me is that I should take care to watch for pickpockets

and robbers. Many members of my family have expressed concern for my safety. My own 

mother warned me against going for fear that I may be robbed and murdered. I have thought a 

great deal about this. Of course I would be unwise to place myself in a position of danger 

without considering what I am doing, but I wonder if I would really be in any more danger than

 I am here in my own country. I live very near to Indianapolis and Chicago. I can be in either city 

within an hour or two. Every day people are robbed and murdered in those cities. It is in the 

newspapers and it is widely known that drug dealers and gangs kill people there. However,

I find it very interesting that when I am in those cities none of my friends nor family express

concern for my well being. Why would I be more endangered in Morocco than in America?

Perhaps if I stand out as a foreigner, I might more easily become the target of some criminal’s

designs. To be sure, knowledge of one’s surroundings and situation are good protection against

crime but I do not think that every Moroccan is standing by waiting to cut my throat and take

my money. Such a notion is preposterous. I will  have to be more careful while I am in Morocco

because of language and culture barriers. Those issues could make it a bit easier for me to get

into trouble, but I do not expect that any great harm will come to me simply because I am in

Another question that I often hear is, “Is it not dangerous to go to a Muslim country?”.

I usually respond by asking my questioner why it would be dangerous and they often answer

by saying, “Because Muslims hate Christians” or “Because Muslims hate Americans”

or “Because Muslims think that we are infidels.” This both saddens me and concerns me. I have

corresponded with several Muslims and I like them. They seem very nice and very sincere. I

do not like to hear them slandered in this manner. The difficulty is that up to this point in my

life, I have never met a Muslim face to face. As far as I know, I have never even seen a Muslim

except in films or photographs. Could it be that these “kind” Muslims are simply trying to

lure me to Morocco so that they can kill another Christian Westerner as some of my American

friends suggest? While I do not hear this from all Americans, some do suggest it. This is my

first time to ever leave the country, of course I am nervous and things such as this remain in my

mind. What if they are simply luring me to my death?  I have thought about it for a long time

and finally my conclusion is, “Inchallah” as they say in Arabic.  Let God’s will be done.  I 

would rather take that risk and trust these people who seem to be so good, than to think badly of

 them for no reason. If they are good, then I will come back to America and defend them and 

their honor; if they are truly so wicked as some Americans believe, then perhaps I will escape 

with a well learned lesson. I think it would be better to die with sincerity and kindness in my

heart than to live a life which is full of unfounded prejudice and hate.

        Another concern which my friends have expressed is closely related to the issue of

animosity toward Christian Westerners. One of my college professors emailed several articles to

me which discussed an expulsion of Christian Missionaries which happened in Morocco a few

years ago. This of course was taken to confirm that Muslims hate Christians and that Christians

are not welcome in Morocco. It is suggested that at the very least there is a prejudice against

Christianity in Morocco and the King who is a Muslim will do whatever he can to prevent the

spread and promotion of any religion save his own. His Majesty, King Mohamed is a Muslim of

course that is no secret. I have thought much about this. Suppose he does try to prevent 

Christianity from becoming well established in his country, does this make him a criminal? We 

westerners would do well to remember our own history on this point. We forget that we are very 

far removed from the days of strong monarchy, but the King of Morocco still does wield power. 

In the old times when the Kings and Queens of Europe ruled with strength and power, many men

and women lost their heads or were burned alive because their religious opinions were not the 

same as those of the crown. When we think about things from this perspective, it seems obvious 

that the King of Morocco rules with charity. After all, it is not Christianity that is outlawed but 

Christian Mission work. According to my studies, there were Christians in Morocco long before 

America was ever discovered. It hardly seems necessary then that we should send missionaries 

to Morocco. In addition to all of this, I managed to find a paper which was published by the 

State Department of the United States concerning religious freedom in Morocco. I was very 

surprised as I read it, to discover that in 2009 there were seven hundred ninety-nine Imams who 

were dismissed for various infractions. This makes it rather obvious that the law is dispensed

with equity even if it is preferred that Christianity does not spread in Morocco.

        

        One common misconception that I have noticed among Americans concerning Morocco

is about the inhabitants of that country. Many people will ask, “Where is Morocco?” and if I tell

them it is on the continent of Africa then they immediately begin to talk about the “Negros” who

live there. This misconception is so widespread that I have stopped saying anything about Africa

when people ask me. I now tell them that Morocco is across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain.

Conclusion

These are my thoughts and concerns about Morocco thus far. I have never been on the

continent of Africa. I have never been among Muslims. I have never even been out of my own

country. I believe that Morocco has much to teach me. I do not think that I could have chosen

a culture more different than my own. I think that my experiences there shall be very beneficial. 

As I live in a culture which continually challenges my every thought and perspective as a 

Christian Westerner, I believe that my misconceptions will be more easily shown and dispelled. 

In addition to that, I hope that my positive impressions will only be confirmed and strengthened 

as I continue to interact with the good people of the Kingdom of Morocco.