In Moroccan souks, bargaining is not considered rude — it is often part of the experience and almost a form of social conversation.
I spent a month in Morocco volunteering, living through two completely different experiences that allowed me to discover this country in depth.
I left with a friend thanks to Workaway, a platform that allows you to volunteer or work abroad in exchange for board and lodging. We had planned a month split into two entirely different experiences: the first two weeks in a small, remote village in the south of Morocco, and the rest in Casablanca at an English language school.
We set off with a large bag full of games from our childhood: stuffed animals, coloring sets, toy cars, small games that for us held happy memories and that we wanted to give to the children we would meet on the project.
Before, during and between one project and the next, we travelled around Morocco almost exclusively with local people. And it was precisely this that made everything feel even more authentic. We shared mint tea, long car journeys, life stories, laughter without speaking the same language, and a kindness I had rarely encountered before.
The first project was without doubt the one that moved me most and that I will carry in my heart forever. We lived in a facility that organized after-school activities for children and our task was simply to be there with them, play, make them laugh, invent activities together. It might sound like a small thing, but it was there that I understood how much someone's presence can mean.
The living and hygiene conditions were very tough. At times it was difficult, far more than I had expected. For the first time in my life I truly came face to face with everyday poverty. And yet, despite everything, the smiles of those children were enough to repay every moment of hardship. They had a pure, contagious happiness, capable of calling into question everything I thought was important.
It was one of the most intense experiences of my life and I would recommend it to anyone, at least once.
The second project, on the other hand, was completely different: far more structured and international. We lived in a house together with other young people from all over the world and every day we went to an English school in Casablanca. There we held conversations with students of all ages, talking about culture, dreams, religion, travel, social differences and everyday life.
It was extremely interesting to compare myself with people so different from me and, at the same time, to discover how many things, at the end of the day, unite us all. I learned that cultural differences are often less daunting when you actually sit down and talk with someone.
Morocco is a wonderful country. Complex, intense, sometimes chaotic, but incredibly alive. A place that gets under your skin through the colors of the markets, the scent of spices, the call to prayer five times a day, and above all through the people.
And I believe that the most beautiful way to discover it is precisely to live it up close, slowly, alongside the local people.
If you too dream of living a similar experience or want to discover Morocco in an authentic way, you can book a free call with us. Or, if you simply want to visit for a few days but without sticking to the usual tourist spots, I will be happy to help you plan a more genuine and local trip.