Important Cultural Notes:

Students may find life in Morocco laid-back and easy in many respects, they are encouraged to keep in mind that this life is not without its rules. Although you may encounter kif and hashish being smoked openly, it is illegal; and some police take great pleasure in applying this law to foreigners. The penalty can vary, but may involve an extended stay in a Moroccan prison - an experience most visitors to the country would prefer to avoid. The school will not take responsibility for students who have broken the law and possession of illegal substances on school premises and Residence and is grounds for eviction from the Residence and expulsion from classes.

Other Moroccan laws for students to keep in mind are interdictions on proselytising, which is grounds for repatriation; public criticism of the royal family; and participating in certain political activities. While Moroccans are usually delighted if a Westerner embraces Islam, one rarely encounters a proselytising spirit among them. Missionary work on the part of non-Muslims is forbidden by law in Morocco. All students are asked therefore to refrain from any activity, which might be construed as proselytising.

The strictest Islamic prescriptions require that a Muslim woman be completely covered except for her hands and face and that a Muslim man be covered from his navel to his knees. However, there are many pious women throughout the Muslim world who adopt this form of dress for prayer but wear western style clothing for work or leisure. There are many variations in the personal interpretation of what is "proper" clothing for a woman. Here, too, most city-dwelling Moroccans are fairly tolerant in their attitudes and do not expect foreigners to adhere to local dress codes, which often vary dramatically from person to person anyway. However, this does not mean that anything goes.

Few Moroccan men wear shorts apart from sporting activities, which require them, nor do they go bare-chested except at the beach. Foreigners who do this are usually tolerated but stick out like sore thumbs. On the other hand, while there are Moroccan women who wear skin-tight jeans and low cut tops, this is not necessarily the model for female students. Moroccan women who dress in a “risqué” fashion are aware of what kind of response their attire will attract, and presumably know how to react, or not react, to provocation and cat calls from Moroccan men.

Foreign women usually do not have this knowledge, nor would they necessarily want to be put into the same category (i.e., “immoral women”) that their daring Moroccan counterparts may be put in. Female students are encouraged to dress in a way, which balances their need for comfort with a basic minimum of modesty to avoid attracting attention to themselves as objects of sexual desire. This does not mean they are expected to wear headscarves or long dresses, but they should avoid mini-skirts, tight pants, shorts, and low-cut tops.

Drinking alcohol is expressly forbidden in Islam and its negative social connotations derive largely from this interdiction. While rabat does have several bars, hotels and restaurants that serve liquor, most Moroccans do not drink. Those that do are often not the best elements of Moroccan society. Therefore, students - especially women - are cautioned about social drinking with Moroccans, as this can sometimes lead to unpleasant and, occasionally, even dangerous situations. If you must drink, it is recommended that you do so in hotel lounges or restaurants rather than in bars which tend to be quite seedy in Morocco.

However, to avoid scandal, students staying with Moroccan families should under no circumstances drink in their homes.

Note: While the streets of Rabat are comparatively safe Outside of Ramadan, streets become fairly deserted by 9:30 - 10:00 p.m. and purse-snatching and hold ups with knives are not unheard of. If you are drunk, or smell of alcohol, and are out on the streets after this hour, this makes you just that much more of an attractive target. Women especially should under no circumstances be alone on the street after about 9 p.m. (outside of Ramadan).

Women in Morocco
The place women are accorded in Moroccan society has seen significant transformation in recent years. By way of example, two women were recently elected to the Moroccan Parliament and classes at Morocco's universities are attended by men and women in nearly equal numbers. More and more women are joining the work force in prorabatsions that were once the exclusive domain of men.

Nevertheless, traditional attitudes among both men and women concerning the role of the latter are still much in force and differ considerably from those in other societies and, viewed from a Western perspective, the constraints placed upon women often seem extreme. For example, certain public places, such as bars and most cafés, are considered inappropriate for women, and unmarried women (even if they are over 21!) may have strict parental restrictions on when they can leave the house.

The greatest problems most female foreign students will encounter are cat calls from men on the streets, generally consisting of little more than “bonjour” or “hello.” This treatment is not reserved for foreigners. Moroccan women receive similar advances, and are generally aware that, while extremely annoying, such advances are seldom physically threatening.

A response is not expected. Don't worry about being "rude" as it is not impolite to ignore a stranger's greetings or questions in the street; to respond - even in a negative way - is to offer them reason to continue bothering you. It goes without saying that invitations from unknown men to "meet their families" should be flatly refused. If anyone becomes particularly persistent, rude, or difficult to avoid, call him to someone else’s attention. Other Moroccans - both men and women - are often more than willing to intervene when they see someone in need of help and won’t hesitate to chastise someone whom they see behaving shamefully.

If you are ever followed more than once by the same man, contact the school administration rather than trying to deal with him on your own. By far the best way to ensure one’s safety in Morocco is by avoiding deserted places and sticking to areas where there are plenty of people around to help should you have any difficulties. Women in Morocco, more often than not, go out of the house in pairs or groups, and you will rarely find a woman on the streets by herself after dark. While this is by no means necessary for foreign students, having a Moroccan companion to show you around the city, at least initially, will go a long way toward making your stay in rabat an enjoyable experience.

As mentioned earlier, dressing modestly is one of the most important factors for avoiding unpleasant situations. Avoiding deserted places, walking purposefully, and realizing that it is entirely inappropriate to talk to unknown men in the street - no matter how persistent they may be - will spare you a lot of headaches. Except in nice hotels, women should never attempt to go to bars unaccompanied.

This is partially true for carabat, too, which tend to be male-only gathering places. However, the more elegant pastry-shop or juice-shop carabat are usually acceptable places for women, especially sitting inside or upstairs with a companion. Naturally, foreign women have a certain leeway that "respectable" Moroccan women do not share. However, even this cultural license has its limitations and its price. Smoking in public by women is still considered somewhat risqué.

Male-Female Relationships
Relations between men and women in Morocco differ considerably from those in Europe. Students should try to be sensitive to these differences, as misunderstandings can lead to hurt feelings, resentment, and, occasionally, physically threatening situations. Strong, non-romantic friendships between members of the opposite sex are far less common in Morocco than in Europe, and these are generally formed and maintained within the structure of family gatherings, work, or school. The occasional couples you will see walking together or in carabat are most often married or dating - a practice which is still not as common or open in rabat as in other major Moroccan cities.

This is not to say that male-female friendships do not exist, however, as many students have developed many lifelong friendships in the residence garden and through their families. Should you be interested in something more intimate than a platonic friendship, whether you’re male or female, make sure you know what you’re getting into! Outside of schoolyard flirtations, much of the dating that does go on in rabat occurs with marriage as the eventual aim. Some couples, in fact, are not allowed to date until after their engagement. If you have no intention of getting married, it’s wise to make sure that the other interested party (and his or her family!) shares your feelings.

What to Wear: For both men and women, modest and understated clothing is preferable in rabat and women can often avoid unwanted attention by dressing modestly; and this also holds true for men who might want to wear shorts or go out shirtless. No matter what time of year you come to rabat, it is wise to prepare for varied temperatures, as the weather in rabat is somewhat unpredictable, even in the course of one day.

Long, loose clothing is often most comfortable and coolest in the summer months. The summer is usually quite hot, but a sweater is handy for the occasional chilly evening. If you're coming in mid-winter an umbrella and rain-resistant jacket may also prove useful, as well as warm sweaters and long underwear! Keep in mind that indoor heating is practically non-existent in Morocco, so it can be quite cold indoors during the winter months. Strong walking shoes (or sandals in the summertime) with non-slip soles are essential.

Health Care
Standards of health care in Morocco are generally quite good, though government clinics and hospitals often leave much to be desired. French-trained doctors, who often have experience dealing with a wider variety of ailments than their Western counterparts, are plentiful in hospitals, clinics, and private practice offices.

Pharmacies abound in and around Rabat; Should you feel you're coming down with something, please feel free to contact the school reception. In general, however, you can stop at a pharmacy which, in addition to prescribing medication on the spot, can also recommend doctors. Business hours for pharmacies are typically from 8:30 to 12:30 in the mornings and 3:00 to 7:30 in the evenings.

Cost of Living
Miscellaneous expenses: approx:200-250 Moroccan Dirham [per week, including reading material, stationery, postage stamps, minimal local transportation, snacks, etc.

Transportation expenses for non residence students: bus fares (normally 2.20 Moroccan Dirham per ride) and/or taxi fares (the average fare is 10 Dh) must be kept in mind. Some days students may have split schedules and will need to make the commute twice a day.

Meals for students residing in apartments or hotels: Food/meals will average 40 - 120 Moroccan Dirham per day depending on how often one eats out or if one takes advantage of he schools meal plan. Breakfast in a cafe averages 7 - 15 Moroccan Dirham. Lunches and dinners eaten in modest restaurants average 20 - 60 Moroccan Dirham.

Food bought for meals prepared in apartments: Produce and foodstuffs in general are inexpensive in Morocco, especially if you shop around a bit. The weekly average for ingredients bought for all meals is about 300 - 600 Moroccan Dirham, depending on how often one buys meat. Fish is also excellent and usually slightly cheaper than meat, but be sure to ask which days the fish arrives.

Eating Out

You can eat out quite well for reasonable prices around Rabat. In some restaurants a service charge of 10% are listed as a separate item on the bill (not to be confused with the T.V.A., a 19% government tax which may also be added in some cases). If this service is not included in the bill it is normal to leave a 10 - 15% tip for the waiter provided the service was up to par.

Some restaurants offer only Moroccan fare while others are more international in variety (salads, steaks, brochettes, omelets, as well as the ubiquitous crème caramel). There are dozens of carabat and restaurants scattered throughout the city and the medina where a decent meal can be had cheaply. It might be best to avoid salads in the least expensive places. Traditional Moroccan restaurants are often housed in hotels or splendid villas that look more like palaces.