Morocco
From markets to mountains: a diverse travel experience.
The Basics
Location
Morocco is located across the strait of Gibraltar on the Mediterranean sea. It borders the Atlantic ocean on the Northwest shoulder of Africa.
Weather
Winters in Morocco are fairly cool and summers are extremely hot. Morocco is cooled seasonally by the breeze off the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
Climate Type
The climate in Morocco is subtropical.
Physical Features
The Atlas mountains are located in Morocco. There is also a fertile plain that runs along the Atlantic coast.
How to Fit In
Language
The official language of Morocco is Arabic, but the ancient Berber language of Tachlhit is widely spoken as well.
Folkways
Moroccans have great respect for the elderly. When meeting someone for the first time, it is polite to present them with mint tea. When greeting someone of the same gender, the standard greeting is a handshake. In Morocco, it is rude to open a gift when you receive it.
Taboos
Do not visit a Moroccan mosque unless you are Muslim. Only eat food with your right hand, the left hand is strictly reserved for hygiene.
Digging Deeper
Subcultures
One of the Moroccan subcultures are the Moroccan Berbers, decedents of the ancient Berber Kingdom. A subculture that has recently become popular in Morocco is the pop-culture youth subculture.
Evidence of Culture Change
Western culture and the Arab Spring movement has dramatically changed Moroccan youth, especially in the music that they listen to.
MLA Citations
Peters, John F. "Insha'Allah: Morocco's Changing Culture." Time. Time, 30 Nov. 2011. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
"Morocco - Language, Culture and Doing Business." Morocco. Kwintessential, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
"Morocco Travel Tips – DOs and DONTs." Travel Taboo Guide – Dos and Donts. Travel Taboo, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
"Nonverbal Communication, Greetings, and Taboos." Moroccan And Rollin. WordPress, 29 Mar. 2013. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
Coupon, William. "Cultures Captured: The World's Tribes and Subcultures."Cultures Captured: The World's Tribes and Subcultures. William Coupon, 2015. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.