Culture Shocked
I've been in Portugal for 2 months now and my visa is soon to expire and I want to squeeze in one more crazy adventure before I have to return to my small boring hometown. A quick look on google flights and I see that Morocco is conveniently close and is sure to give me an experience I'll never forget. I buy the ticket and book a cheap hotel. A week later I'm on my way.
I fly to Casablanca where I transfer to a smaller propeller plane. While waiting in the small airport I notice the eclectic style of songs playing on the overhead speakers: the Russian National Anthem, the Exorcist Theme song, James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend" and Eric Clapton's "Tears In Heaven". I try to avoid the superstitious state of mind creeping up on me and focus on where I'll be arriving in the next couple hours.
During the flight I notice the landscape is nowhere near metropolitan, all of the buildings are made of clay and stand only a couple stories tall. Everything is green with a beautiful mountain range far off into the distance. A short hour later I land in Marrakesh. I find my way to the passport clearance line and I'm now in a mass of Europeans dressed like Indiana Jones ready for some sort of safari.
I find the ATM and withdraw the Dirhams, stuff them in my wallet and venture outside. I'm greeted by literally 20 taxi drivers trying to get my business. My hotel is roughly 15 minutes away and they are charging an insane amount of money. I tell them what I'll pay and after one by one they approach, eventually the last driver has to walk away from my cheap demands. I look to my left and see public transit! "3 Euro" And I'm a happy girl.
I board and the bus driver couldn't be more friendly. He smiles and waits another 10 minutes hoping for more passengers. He starts up the bus and I'm on my way into the heart of Marrakesh. I'm emersed in a culture with sights of fully covered women, men riding motorcycles with their families hanging on behind them. Camels are saddled up- their owners hoping for someone to ride. There are smells of dust and exhaust, grilled meats and the sweet sweet aroma of donkey urine. Sounds of sirens and singing from the mosques, Arabic singing on the radio and conversations from the other bus passengers in a language I cannot understand. There's a large billboard advertising that Snoop Dogg will be performing at a nightclub.
The bus driver lets me know this is where I need to get off and make my trek for the hotel. Yet again I'm approached by men young and old who want to help me find my way, all at a cost of course. I tell them what I will pay and the older man laughs and says "You have a long and difficult road ahead of you my friend"- I get the feeling he's used that phrase a time or two to sucker first-time travelers into paying him the 200 he demands for the guidance. I tell him I only have 20 for him, he laughs and walks away yet the younger one sticks around and takes my bag and starts speed walking. I have to follow, while still trying to take in all of the sights and people around me. After a good 10 minute walk through covered markets and crowds of people we make a right turn down a small quiet alley and he knocks on the unmarked door. At this point I'm just going with it. The inside is actually quaint and colorful.
Then I get to the bathroom and notice that the shower is nothing more than a spout coming from the wall with no hopes of hot water. And there aren't any towels or... toilet paper. Thankfully I packed some wet wipes ;)
Me being an eternal optimist, I took this as a hint to spend as little time in my hotel room as possible so I can explore as much of this place as possible. I woke up early the next morning to the sounds of a bustling city, motorcycles and horns beeping, I walk out and I realize this is what culture shock is like, and I kinda like it.
:')
I'm jealous Heidi, I've never had the chance to really travel, so I'm at this moment living vicariously through you.
Hey @chippy, no worries! I'll do my best to show you the world through my experiences
Hi, are you traveling alone?
Started off that way, but luckily I've managed to make some really great friends who also love to travel so now we plan trips together to meet up.
Wait, you're wearing jeans, in Marrakesh, in July?! ;)
Jokes aside, what did you think about the food? Did you try some Tagine?
Keep us posted about your travels Heidi!
Actually that trip had taken place in March 2015, I can see why my wording would lead you to believe it was happening now, I just wanted to let the readers feel a sense of being there in the moment with me.
Even being there in March it was really hot, I kept my jeans on to be respectful since it is a Muslim country and the women there dress very conservatively. Morocco is probably the most "liberal" country in regards to tourists and not caring how much skin they show but I wanted to be respectful, even though I would've loved to wear some shorts!
I'll be posting more stories on this trip in the future but since you asked, I stayed a few nights with a family in Ouarzazate Morocco and the mother made some amazing dinners in a tagine. Her couscous and chicken was incredible... my mouth is watering now just thinking about it. She also made breakfast every morning that consisted of a mild tasting porridge and thin pancakes served with butter and jam. So I'm very happy that I got to experience real home cooking there. Otherwise while I was in Marrakesh I would eat at the small restaurants and I stuck with the rotisserie chicken since I knew it was kept hot the whole time. I was only a little paranoid of food sickness but everything tasted good. They season the food very similarly to the Mediterranean style so I was loving it.
I think you should keep that style of writing, it gives the reader a better sensory experience, a sense of being there in the moment with you, as you said.
Where are you going after Portugal btw? Spain? Or somewhere outside the E.U? Or maybe don't answer that, keep publishing the travel stories as they come :)
I was just asking in case you needed some tips about Spain... Anyways, happy travels and may you discover more delicious cuisines :)
Very cool. I can't wait to be able to internationally travel myself. I have been around the US a lot but never outside of it and I really, really want to experience culture shock. :)
Mind if I ask what's stopping you? I know it can be scary to think about going somewhere far where you aren't fluent in their language, but you'd be surprised how many people speak English. I end up feeling guilty that I'm in someone else's country and yet we are communicating in my language. If they don't speak English you're going to get VERY good at charades :)
What I love most about traveling internationally is that my mind is constantly "on" I always am thinking either how to say things in their language, how I'm getting from point A to point B, where is the local market so I can buy my own food (to save money)... It's a very stimulating and exciting place to be :) Please let me know if you're having any ideas for travel or questions, I'd love to help as much as I can! I hope you get out there one day :)
Right now I am fighting a debilitating physical illness that makes it feel like I have a UTI 24/7 and makes me pee sometimes 40 times a day. So, my life is on hold while I search for the right combination of meds to relieve that some. I am writing my book for two years and saving up money. I do plan to travel internationally in 2 years. I actually may be moving to Belgium. I am learning French atm. :)
Thanks so much for the insight. I actually really love learning new languages and seriously want to know 3 or 4. And traveling would obviously be great for that. I also am very bored with American "culture" and absolutely want to be shocked.
Bonsoir @lauralemons ! Como ta le vu? Tres Bien j'espere.
I'm really sorry to hear your going through this right now. I'll be praying for you to have strength through it and for a cure to come quickly!
What's your book about? Saving money is always a good idea, and with an investment in Steem now hopefully it'll be easier than ever. Belgium is a cool choice! I had to learn some French for my last trip to Tahiti, it's such a beautiful language. The family I was staying with would teach me some French and I'd teach them English... The English words always sound so blunt compared to French.
Looks like you've got two years to check out places online that tickle your fancy. What sorts of places catch your interest? Old architecture, natural landscape, ocean, mountains?