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British would-be expat moving to Morocco -- tips

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VFOP77
  4/9/2014 10:21 EST

Planning to move to Fez, Morocco for five or so months in September. I'm British but black and I've heard a great deal about racism in the country. I've a degree from Oxford and I'm doing a Masters at UCL. I'm also taking French classes and will soon embark on a formal English teaching qualification. I've been told that having French, having a degree from an internationally recognised uni and having a teaching certificate will aid me during my time in Fez. However I'm reading a lot about educated African American women being spat at and called racist names on the street, black women being raped, black women being unable to rent apartments because of their race. I come from England and have almost never experienced racism of any sort. Is moving to Fez a ridiculous idea because I'm black and female and therefore at risk? Or are these exaggerations? Some of the stories were on news outlets so I'm not sure they're exaggerations. I would love some into this based on actual experiences. Thank you.

berber
  4/9/2014 12:13 EST

Hi,
It very strange, I never heard that in Morocco, this is a jock, maybe in the last century, Morocco is very open country to all people and don't even think about that, in Morocco live many imagrated people from l'Afrique noir and they live in peace.

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FarahL
  4/9/2014 17:22 EST

Hi There,

I agree with Berber; I don't know where you are reading this stuff.

In Marrakech, where I live, there are a very significant number of West Africans, both men & women studying at the University - where apparently they enjoy the same free tuition offered to Moroccans. I have never seen any evidence of overt prejudice at all - but I don't see any evidence of the different races mixing as they would in England either.

You mention reading about the experiences of African American women - but I have to say, I live in the Marrakech Medina & have hardly ever even seen any African American women around, Indeed Americans per se are not here in significant numbers.

This is not a violent culture; it has the lowest crime rate in Africa & generally my experience as a woman living here is that people deal with others politely & with respect.

This is not to say that woman generally are necessarily treated as equals; this is a male dominated culture & the bulk of married women do not have jobs outside the home.

If you have any lingering doubts, why not just fly in to Casablanca for a long weekend & visit Fez while you are there? A less threatening atmosphere would be hard to find in my experience - good luck.

tiffiben
  4/10/2014 16:56 EST

Hi there, I lived in Tangier for 8 years and I have known so many foreign teachers and they are all happy in Tangier and they do not speak any french and no racism, So please do not believe all the stories you hear. I wish you all the very best for future.

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