Awareness

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Reason 612 Why I Love (Rural) Morocco: To quote more than a few shop owners, who more often than not just hang a sheet or lean a broom across the front of their shop when they go home for lunch, “There are no thieves here.”

Around Luanda

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Small grammatical errors should be forgiven when one's writing in his or her tertiary or quaternary language.

Small grammatical errors should be forgiven when one’s writing in his or her tertiary or quaternary language.

Reason 888 Why I Love Morocco: Almost everyone speaks at least two languages, most speak three, many speak four, and it’s not unusual to find someone who can speak as many as six or seven with reasonable fluency. Yet, to a person, all are equally, incredibly humble about this amazing talent..

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Reason 584 Why I Love Morocco: The hot season and the watermelon season are in near perfect alignment.

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Reason 591 Why I Love Morocco: If you look helpless enough, eventually someone will take you by the hand and lead you through the morass of paperwork necessary for renewing your carte de sejour.

Dry

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Moroccan butcher in Agadir

Reason 933 Why I love Morocco: Despite the rapid move toward modernization, especially in the massive metropolis of Casablanca, there remains a culture of trust and goodwill that permeates informal relationships.

The latest of innumerable examples: My local butcher, who’s known me only a week or so, sent me away with my purchase, even though I’d forgotten my money, and told me I could pay when I able. Incha’Allah.

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Reason 531 Why I Love Morocco: Midnight rides through the desert on a darkened bus enables an incredible view of the stars and moon without clouds or light pollution.

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Reason 501 Why I Love Morocco: Unlike most of the West, where even eye contact is rare, you’re virtually guaranteed a salutary response, even from total strangers if you bother to make an attempt. Salamu walaykum.

Mauritania