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thinking of making the move to Morocco
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mysterytrain



Joined: 23 Mar 2014
Posts: 366

PostPosted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

water rat wrote:
mysterytrain wrote:
EFL Educator wrote:
Morocco is becoming very, very expensive these days...this is due primarily to European and North American investors who are investing a lot of money into the local economy. As an EFL instructor it is very difficult to save any money in Morocco...consider it a tourist destination and if you come bring a lot of money cause you will need it!!! Shocked Shocked

From another thread in this forum (and posted within a week or two of the one above):
EFL Educator wrote:
Country warnings regarding traveling and carryng any money with you at all in person should actually be out for ALL countries in North Africa..that is Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. Again your best bet is to carry only a credit or debit card with you when traveling...or as an ESL teacher you might end up with NOTHING at all! Shocked Shocked Shocked

So, which one is it? Bring loads of cash, or nothing but a credit card hidden in the heel of our boot? Confused
The obvious solution to this Gordian naught is ---Stay out of North Africa.
btw - while you're here in the Forum d'Afrique - I recommend another look at http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=108381


Why another look, rat? That's the thread from which I quoted the second of the two posts, and "another look" will do nothing to explain the discrepancy between the two, I think.

On September 3, 2014: "bring tons of money, if you come to Morocco"

On September 12, 2014: "Don't bring any cash with you at all ... only a debit / credit card"

A lot must have changed between September 3rd and 12th, I'm thinking ...
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Hod



Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 1613
Location: Home

PostPosted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Now I'm respectable, married, etc, I wouldn't even walk the streets of Casablanca. I'd take a petit taxi, although a couple of them did crash with me inside.

Walking the streets of Casa as a foreigner, you get huge attention, e.g. men running after you to ask the time even though the thousand locals walking nearby also have watches, weird.

Then you get the people who pretend to play football with you, despite there being no ball. The intention is to get close enough to pick your pocket.

One man was trying to get me to go to a disco, so he pretended to dance. In doing so, he took 100 Dirham from my top pocket. That's no problem, but more sinister was his reaction when I turned to tell him to go away. He put both hands up to protect his throat as he thought I had a knife, which I'm quite sure he did have.

As you get older and more sensible, you realise it's not fun or clever to move from a developed country to one that's crime ridden and dangerous. No lie, me and another poster planned to go back to Casa in 2015 for a few days nostalgia, but with the crime there and goings on elsewhere, we just don't want to take the risk.
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mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well there are other cities.
Rabat is better since there are fewer hassles.
Maybe Agadir for a vacation.
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

and then there's MAGIC MARRAKESH!!!!
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mysterytrain



Joined: 23 Mar 2014
Posts: 366

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hod wrote:


Walking the streets of Casa as a foreigner, you get huge attention, e.g. men running after you to ask the time even though the thousand locals walking nearby also have watches, weird.

Then you get the people who pretend to play football with you, despite there being no ball. The intention is to get close enough to pick your pocket.

One man was trying to get me to go to a disco, so he pretended to dance. In doing so, he took 100 Dirham from my top pocket. That's no problem, but more sinister was his reaction when I turned to tell him to go away. He put both hands up to protect his throat as he thought I had a knife, which I'm quite sure he did have.


Exchanging "lira" for "Dirham", how is that much different from the Sultanahmet area of Istanbul?


Quote:
As you get older and more sensible, you realise it's not fun or clever to move from a developed country to one that's crime ridden and dangerous. .


FYI:

1) I'd scarcely qualify as young these days (sensible is a separate issue)

2) I don't live in a "developed country"

3) Each of the three countries I've taught in, and every one I've traveled in, have associated dangers from both political and street forms of crime and violence, as well as local-variety aggressive touts and con artists: there are pretty few places, I think, where these do not exist in some form or degree

4) If I go to Casablanca, I'll remember not to wear a watch. Or maybe I'll carry an ancient Sumerian sundial around with me. That should be a good conversation starter. Smile

So, I'll take you at your word that Casablanca is heavy with pickpockets, strangers breathing down your neck, and petty crime in general (admittedly, not among my favorite attributes).

However, I think it is rare or never that one city can be used to accurately characterize an entire country (Singapore being a notable exception, I suppose).

My confusion about what to take to Morocco in terms of currency (or nothing) continues unabated, other than the watch / sundial thing, I think I've got that down.
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 6:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Be very, very careful in taking cash into and out of Morocco now...before it was NO problem..but now things have changed for the worst. The main problem they faced was in leaving Morocco after a brief vacation. Customs told them too declare ALL their cash...or it would be taken away from them. The were interrrogated for only carrying a few hundred Canadian and U.S. dollars...and missed their flights to Toronto. Be warned!!!! Shocked Shocked Shocked
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water rat



Joined: 30 Aug 2014
Posts: 1098
Location: North Antarctica

PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 12:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you. We were also warned in this thread about Tunisia. Apparently ll of North Africa is to be avoided by the itinerant English teacher and respectable foreign citizen alike.

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=108381
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 2:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It seems that in Morocco the higher powers that be are trying to find new ways to take your money at the airport. As an EFL teacher you may also be interrogated for looking for work teaching English in Morocco as one of my colleagues was recently detained for questioning for six hours at CASA airport for going to a job interview..having a little cash on hand while travelling as a tourist or backpacker on holiday is one thing.... but being forced to declare just a few hundred dollars is ridiculous!!!. What will they think of next.. to abolish money and make it illegal to carry it through customs. Shocked Shocked
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TT-Kira



Joined: 04 Mar 2008
Posts: 62

PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Algeria is similar ...

Worked there & was paid in euros in cash ... no way of getting it sent home so it had to be carried on me through the airport. It wasn't pleasant being patted down 7 times, sweating profusely worried they'd find it all!!!

Hope things don't go the same way elsewhere!!!
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water rat



Joined: 30 Aug 2014
Posts: 1098
Location: North Antarctica

PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 1:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds like Midnight Express. How much did they find? Sad
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 6:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Midnight Express?...more like Cash Express. Seems like these countries are being told to do this by someone else. I assume these countries are also desperate for cash too...and are targeting foreigners ( EFL Teachers) as well cause they want to find ways to take away your hard earned cash. (al be it a few hundred dollars too) Shocked Shocked Shocked
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The New World Order is telling them to steal your money on departure ? Is there something they put in the tea in Morocco that makes you paranoid ?
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mysterytrain



Joined: 23 Mar 2014
Posts: 366

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

EFL Educator wrote:
Be very, very careful in taking cash into and out of Morocco now...before it was NO problem..but now things have changed for the worst. The main problem they faced was in leaving Morocco after a brief vacation. Customs told them too declare ALL their cash...or it would be taken away from them. The were interrrogated for only carrying a few hundred Canadian and U.S. dollars...and missed their flights to Toronto. Be warned!!!! Shocked Shocked Shocked


Toronto? Nobody in their right mind (haha) goes there anymore! I hear it's been completely overrun by BACKPACKING EDUTAINERS from the KHAO SAN ROAD! Shocked Shocked Shocked
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