We are “stuck” in Morocco, but despite the confusion, we are safe, healthy, and supported, privileges that should not be taken for granted.
Today I woke up in the beautiful beach town Essaouira. Although I am unable to return home to the US, I must admit, Morocco is not a bad place to be stuck. After making breakfast in a brightly lit Airbnb and getting ready to start the day, my boyfriend and I decided to take a walk to explore our home for the foreseeable future. Upon stepping outside, we passed a group of young men. “Nihao! Japan? Corona?” one shouted, snapping me back to the present: What had started as a senior spring break trip turned into a month (or longer) adventure.
In the span of a couple weeks, so much has changed.
The second semester of my senior year of college as well as graduation will be done remotely. A self-designed summer fellowship in Europe I received funding for hangs in the balance. A company I applied to and completed the final round of interviews for before break announced they have put a hold on hiring for the time being. When and how we will be able to return home remains unclear.
We arrived in Casablanca on March 5 on a direct flight from JFK. After settling in, we walked to the Hassan II Mosque, the largest mosque in Africa and 7th largest in the world. As we walked along the water, we came across a group of young men hanging out and as we passed, one shouted: “Corona, corona! Fuck you, get out!”
Shocked at the aggression, but not surprised by the sentiment we had somewhat expected, we ignored the outburst and continued to walk. Out of all of our encounters so far, that was the most openly hostile response we had received. After hearing and reading about the treatment of tourists, especially of Asian descent, in other countries, we consider ourselves lucky that these outbursts are all we have had to face. Circling back to the mosque, we were able to capture the sunset which was absolutely surreal.
After one night in Casablanca, we took a train to Fes. Our time in Fes was spent wandering, and getting lost in, the busy souks crowded with tourists and locals alike. We spent three days walking around, trying different foods, and of course, haggling.
Some vendors in Fes would try to get our attention by shouting one, two, or sometimes even all three of these common Asian phrases: Nihao, Arigoto, Konichiwa. Others would simply yell Asian countries, usually Japan, but once in a while, China or Korea.
Then there were those who used Corona to get our attention. While we would like to assume most of the people who snickered “Corona” in passing did so in jest and not malice, it was hard to ignore the unwanted attention we received simply because of our appearance.
Read also: How Foreigners Experience the Lockdown in Morocco
After three days in Fes, we took a bus to Chefchaouen, aka the Blue City. If you look up Morocco on Google Images, you’ll see multiple pictures of a picturesque blue and white town with flower pots lining the walls…that’s Chefchaouen. The town is small but beautiful, characterized by small shops, hills, flowers, and cats. The atmosphere is completely different than that of other Moroccan cities and there is a mix of locals and tourists.
On our last day, we were walking with our luggage to the bus station when a group of boys walked by, one said “corona” as we passed. We turned our heads and lightheartedly said, “don’t worry, no corona,” to which the boy laughed and actually apologized. We found Chefchaouen to be a refreshing break from the busy souks of Fes where we returned after staying one night in the Blue City.
After our last day in Fes, we embarked on a tour of the Sahara Desert arranged by a local company. After negotiating with the owners, we settled upon the price of 1,500 Dirhams (~$150) for three days and two nights which included a private driver from Fes to Merzouga (with stops along the way), a night in Riad Mamouche in Merzouga, two camel rides, a night in a camp in the desert itself, and then a minibus ride to Marrakech.
The bus ride to Marrakech took 10 hours, and, after a long day, we finally arrived in the busy city. Despite news of the COVID-19 being broadcast all day every day, people in Marrakech seemed relatively unconcerned, and the square was crowded and bustling with people eating, selling, talking, and playing games.
Read also: What Happened When I Discovered I Was ‘Stuck’ in Morocco During the COVID-19 Crisis
We found vendors in Marrakech to be more pushy and in your face than those in Fes, particularly the ones who work at the food stalls. Multiple vendors stood in our way as we walked and would repeatedly say phrases such as “I don’t touch, don’t worry” or “take a look, no problem!” The one time I walked through the square alone on my way to the restroom, a vendor stood walked alongside me and said: “Come eat here, you look like my next girlfriend.”
On our last day in Marrakech, a restauranteur asked us if we wanted to sit down or take food to go but after looking at one another, reconsidered and told us we could not stay and eat. When we walked into the pharmacy on the same day, people immediately covered their mouths (which they had not been doing before) and two girls that entered immediately walked out upon seeing us there.
These are relatively harmless incidents especially considering the stories we have heard from friends, family, and the news but it is still important to highlight these experiences as no one should be discriminated against, receive unwanted attention, or refused service based on their appearance.
COVID-19 is a global pandemic and everyone is at risk of being a receiver or transmitter regardless of your ethnicity. Covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze, washing your hands frequently, and social distancing should be practiced and not only after seeing a person of a certain race.
On Sunday, March 15, we woke up to surprising news: Morocco had suspended all international flights to and from the country. Up until that point, we had been keeping track of the spread and had seen all the news updates. Based on the other bans in place, we knew we could expect to be in Morocco for the next couple of weeks. Following the ban was an announcement that all the restaurants in Morocco would be closing in order to limit large public gatherings, a logical decision based on the lack of social distancing we had witnessed up to that point.
Luckily, we had already planned to go to Essaouira, a small port city on the coast. When we first arrived on March 17, butchers’ shops, fish stalls, vendors selling fresh produce, and souvenir shops were all up and running and there were no confirmed cases of COVID-19. Tourist activities such as surfing, kite surfing, horseback riding, and even camel rides were still available and being advertised by the locals whose income depends on tourism.
Read also: A Film Noir: One Expat’s Experience in Morocco During COVID-19 Crisis
The impact of COVID-19 on these tourist-dependent places can already be seen as shop owners in the Marrakech souks and those who run tourist activities in Essaouira have had to significantly lower their rates and accept lower prices due to the impending lockdown. On March 20, Morocco declared a state of emergency and imposed a 6:00 p.m. curfew along with additional restrictions.
One of the hardest parts about being abroad during this time is the amount of mixed information. We have asked shop owners, officers, and locals about what will be available in the upcoming weeks and have gotten different answers. Some say we can expect to be here for two weeks, others say we should plan for months.
Shop owners seem unsure of whether they are allowed to open the next day and if they are, how long they can expect to stay open. Prior to our departure, we had been monitoring the status of COVID-19 and never imagined we would be in this situation. News sources in the US focused primarily on outbreaks in China, Italy, and Iran and even though we knew this virus was highly contagious, the extent of its harm was unclear.
The day the lockdown in Essaouira was announced, while walking on the empty beach, an officer of some sort (we were told most likely part of the military) told us to “go to our hotel and stay there forever,” an ominous warning indicating the severity of the situation.
The US State Department recently raised all international travel to Level 4 and the US government has said to “have a travel plan that does not rely on the US government for assistance.”
After emailing [email protected] on March 20, we were told that the last special flight for US citizens for the foreseeable future would be on Saturday, March 21 at 4:00 p.m. from Marrakech. However, this flight was first come first serve (based on when the email request was received), there would be a layover in London (which had 1,588 cases), and it would cost $1,485 (for reference the original round trip direct flight from JFK to Casablanca was about $700).
Needless to say, I did not make that flight. However, the prospect of returning home raised multiple questions. As passport holders of different countries, it is unclear whether we will be able to return to the same country and if not, will one of us be stranded here alone?
When we arrived in Morocco on March 5, there were three cases. On March 22, Morocco announced the suspension of intra-city buses and trains, a strict measure that will hopefully curtail the spread of COVID-19. As of July 10, there have been 15,079 cases and counting.
We are “stuck” in Morocco, but despite the confusion, we are safe, healthy, and supported, privileges that should not be taken for granted.
