Hello Everyone,
I have just rejoined this Forum, having been 'off grid' during the pandemic.
I first visited Morocco 12 years ago & bought a Riad in Marrakech to refurbish 8 years ago. It proved impossible to refurbish, so I had to have it demolished & rebuilt-not an easy process!
The new building was created as my home & I now spend around 1/3 of my time there: I am fortunate to have a full time housekeeper & a driver. The rest of the year, I am UK based.
I spend almost all of my time, whilst in Marrakech, with Moroccans & have learned a great deal about life in Morocco. I know I will never be Moroccan, but I hope I can advise others who are interested in moving here.
It is important to say at the outset that Morocco is not set up to welcome expats or retirees-nor is it the intention of government to attract such people. Tourism itself is only important in a very small part of the country-mostly around Marrakech & Agadir.
It is also important to stress that this is very much a developing country, where the majority of people earn very little. An estimated 30% of its working population have to live & work abroad, mainly in Europe. This means that the possibility of obtaining properly paid work as a non Moroccan are very slim indeed unless you have a relationship with a company who wishes to sponsor you, or a unique skill that the country needs.
Morocco is also a Muslim country which is aiming to modernise, whilst retaining muslim values. The legal system is based on that of the French & the two official languages are Arabic & French. Only very recently have schools begun teaching English, so outside of tourist areas, very little English is spoken. Similarly, cultural references mainly come from the Arab world via TV programmes. With the exception of soccer teams, Moroccans know very little about non-arab nations and almost nothing at all about countries outside Europe, including the US
This is also a country where one's family are central to one's existence & where traditional culture remains very Important. A significant proportion of marriages are still arranged by the family & women are not expected to work outside the home.
Each of the main cities: Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier & Marrakech have very different economic 'raisons d'être' & feel very different from each other.
None of them have an overall level of sophistication comparable to more developed nations & there is a very small 'middle class', who tend to work in the 'professions'.
Internet usage & electronic communication generally remains in its infancy here, with most people accessing via mobile phones.
State provided healthcare is at its most basic ; in many areas outside the cities, it is non existent. Similarly other social services are almost unknown. This is the only country I have visited where there is almost universal mistrust of doctors, who are accused of recommending only the treatments that earn them the most money! Private clinics are well set up & efficient, but awesomely expensive...
Anyone considering moving here therefore needs fairly deep pockets. Also critical is to have native contacts before arriving; almost everything is done via 'people who know people'.
To anyone who is seriously considering relocating here, without a guaranteed job, I would strongly suggest that you begin by renting for 3-6 months in your target area.
Moroccans are delightful people, who are very proud of their country & will always offer help & hospitality-but almost all of them would say that this is a tough country in which to live & make a decent living...
I hope this helps to answer at least some of the topics posted recently...
Do please get in touch with other general questions...
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