Islam assigns a very humble place to women in society. Muslim women did not have special rights reserved for them. The only exception should be considered the tradition of respectful attitude towards the mother, and only because this is stated in the main book of Muslims - the Koran. The situation began to change after the Moroccans gained independence. For the first time, the status of women was somehow determined after the appearance special document– Code of Personal Status, called Mudavan. For the first time, a provision was formulated about an ideal Muslim family, which was necessarily headed by a man. A woman could get married only with the permission of her father or guardian, and her consent was not required at all. This led to the fact that in the eighties of the 20th century, active protests by Moroccan women began to change their position in society. Following the example of other countries, women's organizations were created and actively involved in this work, and the result was not long in coming. Women now have access to higher education, and now up to 20% of university teachers are women. They also have a prominent place in medicine, teaching children, and other areas. Today, Moroccan women are also represented in the country's legislative bodies.
The name of King Mohammed VI is associated with the new edition of the Mudavan Code, which appeared relatively recently. Now the age at which a girl can get married has been increased to 18 years. The previous age was only 15 years. The father's consent is no longer required for marriage, and married women received the right to initiate a divorce themselves, if necessary. A child born to a foreigner now received all the rights of a Moroccan subject, whereas previously he could not count on this. The king is credited with the widespread development of women's education and the co-education of children in schools. At the same time, one of the important provisions of the Koran remains unshakable - allowing a devout man to have up to 4 wives. This position was justified in ancient times, when many men died in bloody wars. Today it has lost its former meaning. Moreover, not all of today's Moroccan men are ready to support even two wives. This is now quite expensive for economic reasons. In addition, a man can bring a second wife into the house only with the written consent of the first, and in this case a special court decision is necessary to enter into a marriage. The ancient traditions of the Berbers also played a role, mostly maintaining monogamy even after they adopted Islam.
A little preface. Since childhood, I have been an adventurous child, and I have never stopped in the face of difficulties; moreover, all my life they have attracted me, because I simply cannot live in peace. Moreover, I am an extremely fickle person, I am burdened (I think, like all people) by monotony, I did not like school only because for 10 years nothing new had happened: at 8.30 school, home, sleep, school again (with the exception of all sorts of there were affairs), then there was a university, I entered the linguistic department of management, I really didn’t like it, and I left it before the first session, my parents supported me, because I am the only child in the family beloved by everyone. I am quite a creative person, I saw my future in creativity, I wanted to draw, create, I also really like to write, even now I am receiving orders for various articles. I myself am from Kyiv and love my city madly, but living in it was becoming increasingly difficult. My parents have their own business, the foundation of which they built on their own, without theft or deception, but they began to be greatly discriminated against by competitors “with their own roof,” etc. I had the idea to go to the USA and build my future there, maybe even get married to marry an American simply because of citizenship (I admit honestly), but it was during this period that I entered the best Kiev theater university on my own, I went there simply for the sake of the exam itself and without preliminary preparation, I PASSED, I’m just delighted, and it seems like this is a happy ending, but it wasn’t to be. A year ago, a guy from Fez (Morocco) added me as a friend on Facebook; I knew nothing about this city, I saw and heard about it in the TV series “Clone” (I watched it as a child with my grandmother). And we started communicating, I was 18 at that time, he was 19, at this age in our country there can only be open relationship, we are both students, I was very interested in learning new things about his culture, because before I was extremely cautious about Muslims, many girls I knew suffered because of them.
After 2 months I realized that HE is the most close person for me, despite different cultures, and a month later he came to me. I wanted to meet my parents, I introduced him to them, but I said that he was a US citizen, because I was afraid of my parents’ condemnation, religion for my mother is main factor, my sister was abandoned by a Muslim, and she suffered for a very long time about this, but he looked quite like an average American, my parents really liked him.
He stayed in Ukraine for 2 weeks, during which time we didn’t even have a hint of an intimate relationship, and before he left, he proposed to me... It was wonderful and painful at the same time, I couldn’t give up everything, the hard-won institute that I loved , as his home, and most importantly, his family, and his mother did not know who he really was and where he lived.
I thought about it for about a month and agreed, not because of the money, moreover, I was sure that he was a poor man, I was very afraid that he would turn out to be some kind of fraudster, this is very risky, in a Muslim country there will always be law on his side. Life, children - I realized that I was not ready for this, that first I needed to live with a person in order to understand whether I was ready to take such a step.
After my refusal, he came 2 weeks later and said that he couldn’t live without me, and that I was his family, and before the wedding we had no right to live together. After all the persuasion, I naturally melted, and the red tape began with paperwork. I also had to tell my mother everything, and I was sure that after telling the whole truth, she would definitely not let me go, and HE himself suspected what I had lied to my parents about (luckily they are not English-speaking). And then the red tape began with paperwork, getting to know his country and his parents (I told my mother that I was going on vacation with my friend).
When I was going to his country, I still had thoughts that now they would give me to some brothel (I’m so paranoid), but everything turned out to be much better: his parents accepted me, his whole huge family came, one of his brothers so I was married to a Ukrainian woman, this fact made me extremely happy, and it was Ira who helped me adapt and understand their language (his family also does not speak English). And then I returned home, I decided to tell the truth to my parents, after which there was a huge scandal (like, what were you thinking anyway), naturally later they forgave me and accepted my choice, but before that we frayed each other’s nerves well, I’m still ashamed that I lied for so long.
My parents were at the wedding, two best friends and sister, you could write a book about the ceremony.Now everything is fine, my husband and I live in a huge penthouse where the whole family lives, in this house each family has its own apartment, the only common things are a swimming pool and gym, there is also a huge living room and kitchen. I had to convert to Islam, my husband did not insist, but for my mother-in-law this was the main condition, although the only one for me will always be God, and I still wear a cross, twice a year I come home for a session, although each time it becomes everything is more complicated, hubby doesn’t understand this, moreover, he wants me to take my parents to us, so that I stop this trip to Ukraine, there were a lot of disputes about this, but nothing can be done, that’s their mentality, yes I and I’m glad that I will see mom and dad every day.I can say with confidence that my life is a success, no one offends me, I live like a stone wall, as a woman I have succeeded, I don’t need anything financially, of course, I had to give up many things, but I don’t feel nostalgia. Therefore, girls, do not be afraid of your desires, do not believe propaganda, of course, you do not need to rush headlong into the pool, God protects the safe, if you love and believe this person, take risks, because I almost lost my happiness, and in fact, nationality - it's nothing. The main thing is that we are all human. If this story helped anyone, I would be very glad.
Elena_sl (Ukraine)
Morocco is a country developed Russian tourist not as good as, for example, Turkey, although in terms of prices and level of service it can be a worthy competitor.
If you happen to exchange a few words with a Berber schoolboy, the first thing he will ask is where Russia is located, where you come from, who is your king, and why the Russian team plays football so poorly.
Except that getting there is a little more expensive and takes longer: Morocco is a kingdom in northern Africa. Moreover, the most real thing, without fools. The king here is perhaps even more popular than the queen in Great Britain; his image (not for sale!) can be found in almost any shop, even a run-down one.
And, besides, Morocco is a Muslim country. But without extremism. Europeans have been welcome here for a long time. It is not for nothing that French tourists have firmly established themselves in Morocco: vacationing in their former colony is considered a rule of good manners.
Country
If you try to describe Morocco in one word, it would be “mixture”. Moreover, a mixture of completely unexpected things. Well, what is it like to see several women in hijabs riding along ancient narrow streets at a decent speed, avoiding people walking?
Meanwhile, Morocco is truly an incredible fusion of the traditional eastern way of life with modernity: half of the local population lives in historical centers, which have not changed in any way for several hundred years, except that satellite dishes appeared on the roofs. Part of the population lives in the mountains, where the benefits of civilization have never reached. And next to this life there are luxury hotels, golf clubs and beaches for tourists.
In Morocco, you can choose your lifestyle - you can not leave the “civilized zone” and enjoy the proximity to the Canary Islands. Or you can stay in a small hotel in the city center (prices in all such hotels are a ridiculous 7-10 dollars per person) and try to penetrate local life.
People
The Moroccans themselves are also an explosive mixture different nationalities. The majority are Arabs and Berbers (the original pre-Arab population of the country). And, according to personal observations, they are strikingly different from each other. When communicating with an Arab, you immediately realize that you are a stranger. And all communication can only be the background of the buying and selling process. The Berbers are a different matter - they are surprisingly friendly, unobtrusively sociable and not closed off in their own world.
If you happen to exchange a few words with a Berber schoolboy, the first thing he will ask is where Russia is located, where you come from, who is your king, and why the Russian team plays football so poorly. Not bad for a child?
In general, on the streets of Morocco, people tend to communicate spontaneously: it is impossible to predict who will approach you and for what purposes. Some suffer from a lack of communication, others want to sell you hashish, others want to show you the city, others want to complain about how difficult it is to find a job. Perhaps, a tourist who goes for a walk alone will suffer from excessive (but completely harmless) attention.
And, as you might guess, a woman will never approach you. Women in Morocco live according to Muslim tradition - without sticking their nose out of the hijab, covered from head to toe. And what is slightly disappointing is that there are few beautiful Moroccan women. Historically, this is easy to explain: it was from Morocco that in the Middle Ages pretty girls were most often kidnapped to make them into dancers. In fact, most modern Moroccan women have impressive dimensions.
And this is not surprising: Moroccan cuisine is very tasty and nutritious.
Kitchen
What can you try in Morocco? Among the dishes national cuisine there is nothing exotic to the point of inedibility. First, try the tagine. The classic tagine is different varieties meat and fish stewed in a special conical-shaped container. However, Moroccans allow any deviations from the canon - vegetables, meat and vegetables, and just fish can be included in the tagine. But anyway it's delicious. The second candidate to try is couscous. This is not a sweet, as many people think, but a delicious paste made from wheat, served with vegetables, lamb and sometimes fish. By the way, fish is excellently fried on a grill on the embankments of all resort towns.
Sweets cannot be avoided (some even complain that they return from Morocco feeling better): most Moroccan sweets are made from honey, nuts and flour. Moreover, there are many modifications and options for preparing cakes. A typical national drink is mint tea. Moroccans drink it everywhere, and it is offered both in restaurants and souvenir shops. But the main thing is that mint tea is sweet; Moroccan residents don’t understand how you can drink it without sugar.
What to see
Each major Moroccan city has its own flavor. This is not a metaphor: all the houses in Marrakesh are painted warm orange, in Fez – sandy, in Essaouira – white. This is a tribute to tradition, which dictates that rich houses should be no different in appearance from poor ones. And it's not about potential thieves. “An Arab is rich only at home,” says the saying. In the Muslim community there are no sharp class boundaries: everyone goes to the same bathhouse, to the same school, to the same mosque - the one that is closer to home. An Arab has the right to demonstrate his wealth only at home - and he decorates the patio (riad) in the style of “A Thousand and One Nights”: he plants a garden, installs a fountain, cages with songbirds, and carpets. But you will most likely never see this.
But Morocco will turn its face to you in the market. The rules of behavior at an oriental bazaar are the same everywhere: protect your wallet from passing thieves and bargain shamelessly, reducing the price by at least half. If you are treated to mint tea and seated on a stool, but within twenty minutes you and the seller do not come to a consensus, you should not feel obligated to buy anything. Hospitality, long bargaining and a reverent attitude towards the buyer are a tradition.
Cities have not only color specificity. In fact, every Moroccan city (with the possible exception of dusty Casablanca) has something special for tourists; it’s not for nothing that almost all of them call themselves the capital - either a state capital, or an ancient Berber capital, or a cultural or economic capital. Even if you're going to devote all your time beach holiday somewhere around Agalir or Essaouira, don't miss landlocked Marrakech. This is a city-poem.
All roads of Marrakech will sooner or later lead to central square Djemaa el-Fna, where European artistic bohemia once loved to hang out. Nowadays there are more and more banal tourists who are entertained by fakirs and snake charmers, colorful water carriers, soothsayers and legend tellers, women applying henna tattoos. The center of the square is lined with awnings, under which, upon your order, freshly squeezed orange juice will be prepared for you, which you will remember kind words in Moscow coffee shops. And in the late afternoon, on Djema el-fna, smoke begins to rise: tables are brought out, where national cuisine is prepared for tourists, kebabs are fried, lights are lit, and music is played.
Useful
You can travel between cities by bus or train. In general, any collision with the transport system of Morocco once again confirms the saying “East is East.” Rushing and scheduling are looked down upon here: despite the short distances between cities, Moroccan trains are annoyingly slow, and buses typically leave half an hour later than scheduled. However, both types of transport are quite comfortable and equipped with air conditioning.
Travel costs by train and bus are approximately the same. Average cost roads from city to city: 180 – 200 dirhams. Local currency exchange rate: 1 dollar is equal to approximately 11 dirhams. Despite the fact that the national language of Morocco is Arabic, the entire local population speaks French, and in places where tourists gather, they also speak English.
Elena Uvarova
How do people live in Morocco? How to describe this country in one word? Probably a mixture. There is so much mixed in it that sometimes you can’t believe the reality of what is happening. Women in hijabs driving a moped, houses in historical centers densely hung with satellite dishes, spontaneous communication on the streets - and all this is considered the absolute norm.
Among the Moroccans there are mountaineers - they live in areas where the benefits of civilization have not yet reached. And a few hundred meters from their neighborhoods there are tourist areas with beaches, luxury hotels, spas and golf clubs.
Russians
There are not as many Russian speakers in the Kingdom as in European countries– only a few tens of thousands. According to rough estimates, about 5 thousand live in Casablanca. Almost 80% of compatriots are women. Many moved here with their husbands. We met when they were studying at universities in the USSR or Russia.
The interesting thing is that real life Russian women in Morocco differ from the stereotypes associated with the position of the weaker sex in the Muslim world. Morocco is a humane state in this regard. Here the fair sex is allowed much more than in other Islamic states.
How do women live in Morocco?
The Koran and Muslim traditions must be respected - this is an axiom, but Moroccan and Russian girls decide on their own whether to wear a hijab or not. There is no violence from the husband and his family in this regard.
Life of women in Morocco, especially in major cities, approaches the European style. Girls increasingly appear on the streets in comfortable T-shirts, jeans, dye their hair, and wear light makeup.
But tight-fitting tops with a deep neckline, leggings that emphasize all the curves of the body, the local population will not understand or accept. This also applies to the length of the dress: it is better to cover the knees.
Certain conventions do not limit the freedom and rights of representatives of the fairer sex. If earlier they unquestioningly obeyed the will of their father, and then their spouse, today the situation has changed dramatically.
Moroccans:
- They study at universities, although not everyone attended school before.
- They work, including in government positions. Almost 25% of doctors and teachers are female.
- Get married after 18 years of age. Previously, girls were married off as soon as they turned 15 years old.
- The bride does not need her father's consent to start a family. They won’t force her into marriage either—the girl’s consent is required.
- If previously children were considered the property of their father and remained with him in case of divorce, now they can live with their mother.
It would seem like paradise, but not everything is so rosy. A Muslim man, as before, has the right to have four wives. However, the first spouse must give written consent to each subsequent marriage. No consent - no harem.
It is difficult for foreigners to get a job. The exception is doctors - there are many vacancies for them. In any case, a diploma of education issued in another country will have to be confirmed. It is difficult to do this without fluent French.
French is not the state language (the state language is Arabic), but it is used for business communication, in the field of culture and education. Without mastering it, you won’t be able to get a qualified job.
The house and everyday life are entirely on the wife’s shoulders. It is not customary for men to help her with housework, but every family has the opportunity to hire an au pair. For an amount equivalent to 2-2.5 thousand rubles per month, the housekeeper will clean and do other work.
Housekeepers are predominantly village dwellers, which is why the cost of services is so low. Theft is not uncommon, so wealthy families prefer to hire trusted assistants and pay them more.
The only thing local men do is prepare mishui. This is lamb cooked on a spit with spices and vegetables. The dish is considered ritual, so it is served on royal holidays.
A Muslim woman and a Russian emigrant, even if she knows a little about the laws and has courage, will never remain “with broken trough" To kick her out, the spouse must have serious reasons, for example, convicting her of treason. Words alone are not enough—witnesses are needed.
Moroccan couples, tired of each other, prefer to divorce in a civilized manner. The laws of Islam in relation to families, if preserved, are only in some villages.
The life of Russians in Morocco is inextricably linked with gold. They, like local women, greedily buy gold jewelry. Greed in in this case- synonymous with pragmatism. Products made of precious metals will remain with them in the event of divorce or death of a spouse.
Ethnic composition
The local society consists of representatives of two nationalities. 60% of the population are Arabs, almost 40% are Berbers. The total number of those living in Morocco is 35 million. The French, Portuguese, Russians, Spaniards and Jews make up only a small percentage of the population. No more than 550 thousand of them live permanently in the state.
Modern Berbers, descendants of the indigenous population, live in the mountainous regions and oases of the Sahara. They managed to preserve their language and some traditions.
The port city of Casablanca is considered the most populous. More than 10% of the population lives on its territory.
Rabat is the capital and cultural and industrial center of the state. It is permanently home to 1.6 million people.
The four largest metropolitan areas also include Marrakech and Fez.
Jinns and other national characteristics
Foreigners will have to adapt to the way they live ordinary people in Morocco, their mentality and national characteristics. Cunning and generalized judgments are in the blood of the local population. They don’t like to be specific here - they prefer to indulge in long, lengthy explanations, mentioning Allah inappropriately and inappropriately. This looks comical in the conversations of grandmothers at the entrance or businessmen at the negotiating table.
Moroccans believe that solutions to any problem come from higher powers, even when it comes to the timing of making a duplicate key, sewing a dress and providing other services. Don’t be surprised if a local resident explains the delay as the machinations of the genies.
Adults believe in their existence - not those fairy-tale genies that live in bottles or jugs, but creatures from the Koran that live human life, give birth to offspring, but remain invisible to others. The locals are afraid of them.
Residents African country There is another habit that hurts your ears at first. They swear with and without reason, often completely out of place.
Communication
Moroccans love to talk. The desire to communicate is in their blood, even spontaneously. A stranger has no problem approaching a passerby on the street and talking to him. It is impossible to predict the topic in advance - family, personal life, offers to show the city and surrounding area, work and much more.
The only taboo is discussing religion. To faith local residents, like all Muslims, are reverent and respectful. They understand that one incorrect word can offend the feelings of the interlocutor, so they put this topic out of brackets.
You will have to refrain from friendly hugs, pats on the shoulder, and kisses, because tactile contact is not encouraged among Moroccans. As a sign of greeting, people nod their heads to each other and occasionally shake hands.
You cannot kiss a woman’s hand even out of ignorance - in a Muslim country this can be regarded as flirting and courtship that goes beyond what is permitted.
Behavior during Ramadan
Moroccan holidays are associated with religion. Ramadan is one of them; believers must observe a month-long fast, give up excesses, and cleanse themselves spiritually and physically.
Foreigners, however, note changes in people’s behavior - not in better side. People become gloomy and more often demonstrate intolerance and aggression in communication. Even drivers on the roads honk irritably at motorists and pedestrians.
Shops and cafes are closed during the day during Ramadan, and the streets become noticeably thinner. The fast will end and everything will return to normal.
Kitchen
National cuisine deserves tasting, at a minimum. Locals drink for breakfast green tea or coffee and a bun. The main meal is considered to be lunch. Products for its preparation are bought in the morning.
Sandwiches and snacks are bad form. Lunch should be complete, consisting of salad, hot meat, and snacks. Families dine at home, gathering around a common table. Even schools here provide a lunch break.
On Fridays, residents of the Kingdom traditionally gather for couscous. His time comes immediately after prayer. Couscous is made from corn grits, the grains of which are ground by women by hand.
In the Kingdom, all dishes are not served at once - they are served one by one. Dessert time comes after the main course: as a rule, fruits, fruit salads, yogurt, and sometimes cakes and other pastries are served.
The favorite drink of the locals is mint tea. They drink it at home, visiting, at work, in restaurants and souvenir shops.
Housing
To understand how people live in Morocco, you need to look into the residential areas. The most prestigious and expensive cities Rabat and Casablanca are considered places to live. When renting or buying a home, the same principle applies as everywhere else: the closer to the business and cultural center, the more expensive.
You can rent a two-room apartment in a good area for 500-600 dollars, and for a villa you will have to pay about 1.5 thousand dollars a month. In residential areas, housing will be cheaper.
The “bedrooms” in Casablanca are built up with five-story houses with open entrances. The peculiarity of such houses is the windows, which do not have a uniform standard, shape and size. Because of this, it seems that in some apartments they are missing, in others they are partially walled up.
Shopping
Clothing, shoes, accessories and household items are sold in markets, shopping malls and branded clothing boutiques. Moroccans do not live richly, but many prefer quality items from well-known brands.
The population buys food and spices in markets and shops - there are many of them on every street. A supermarket with a self-service system is more difficult to find, especially in areas remote from the center, but this circumstance does not cause shortages or discomfort. After all, at the shopping malls you can always buy fresh meat, fish, seafood, spices, vegetables and fruits.
There is no frozen fish in the country - only from fresh catch. There are always seafood and seafood dishes on the tables. It is important to bargain with sellers, even if you don’t feel like doing it. Bargaining at the counter is part of the culture.
Food prices are three times lower than in Russia. But salaries are also low. It will be difficult for Russian migrants to find decent work. When deciding to move, it is important to remember that Morocco is a third world country, although wealthy foreigners feel almost like paradise there.
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