The sister cities of Rabat and Salé sit along the Atlantic coast, separated from each other by the Bou Regreg River. Straight across the Atlantic Ocean is Wilmington, North Carolina. Rabat is the political capital of Morocco and is home to many embassies and consulates. The populations of Rabat and Salé are approximately 580,000 and 890,000, respectively.

Whenever we are planning to travel, one of the things we have to think about is packing. Are you someone who makes a packing list and diligently checks off every item well in advance of the night before? Or are you a last-minute scrambler, throwing everything in the bag and hoping you didn’t forget anything?

If you plan to visit or live in Morocco, it is helpful to know some of the customs related to money. This is a country where flowers are not a luxury, but where some of the customs related to money may be different from your home civilization. Here are some pointers to help you during your visit.

In my experience, little is more frustrating than when money situations don’t meet expectations. This article is written to help you understand how to obtain local currency in Morocco, the Moroccan Dirham. Morocco is primarily a cash-based country, so while you can use a credit/debit card in certain places, you will need cash for many transactions.

There are only two places in Morocco that contain a metro system, with Rabat-Sale being the other. In comparison to Paris, the Casablanca metro (tram) network is basic…but at least it exists! Having grown up in the Seattle area lacking a metro system, I will take what I can get!

The train network can get you to most major cities on the coastal side of the Atlas Mountains, from Marrakech in the South, all the way to Tangier in the North, and Oujda and Nador in the East. If you ever visit the country of Morocco, perhaps you will have the opportunity to experience the train. If you do visit, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Setting up a home in Casablanca for the last six months has brought me more joy than I expected; but I certainly used what I have learned over many previous apartments and moves to make the home that I want to stay in for a long time. Here are five recommendations I have if you, like me, are trying to make a place a home as an expat.

I have heard it stated that “taxi” is the one word recognized throughout the world. Perhaps the name recognition gives some indication of the wide-spread use of this form of transportation. If you spend anytime in Morocco you will most likely use taxis as a means to get around. This article will describe some of the basics of taxis in Morocco.

I first became interested in Morocco when I was at university and loved to spend time at a Moroccan restaurant. Let’s be honest, my taste buds first captivated me, but I also felt like Morocco had a rich culture, and I wanted to know more. My friend and I spent countless hours at the restaurant, partaking in the delicious foods and dialoging with the Moroccan owners.

When most people picture Morocco, they have one image in mind.

Desert.

But Morocco is much more than just the desert. My wife Cailyn and I have lived in Morocco for over two years, and while we have had the opportunity to travel some, we know there is much more to this incredible country.

When visiting a new place, it is always a good idea to see if there are any special events or celebrations going on. Morocco is a country with numerous festivals and cultural events, some of which are traditional and some of which are more modern, and both Moroccans and tourists alike can enjoy the festivities.

A great way to get to know a culture is to get to know its celebrations. Michael and I have been living in Morocco for two years now, and we are starting to know the celebrations that come around each year. Ramadan is almost over for this year, which means that the second most important holiday in Islam is coming, which will commemorate the end of Ramadan.

For people moving to Morocco desiring to stay for a long period of time, they will need to apply for a carte de sejour (residency card). Gathering the documents is a process in itself, and submitting the paperwork is another experience altogether. For myself, I asked some of my friends about their experiences when they submitted their applications, and this gave me an idea of what to expect. The purpose of this article is to hopefully give you a reasonable expectation if you ever need to apply.

Hot-climate cultures tend to be relationship based, utilize indirect communication, have a strong group identity, seek inclusion, have a long history, and are described as high-context. In warm cultures, relationship is the basis of everything, even in professional settings. Relationships as the most important value impacts many other aspects of the culture. Time on the clock is not as important as the face sitting in front of me.

If you desire to stay long-term in Morocco, then you will need to establish residency (obtain a “carte de sejour”). This article will not be entertaining, but hopefully it will provide you with useful information so that you know what to expect. Our hope is that you can benefit from what we have learned going through the process ourselves.

Ramadan is a month-long religious observance, vitally important because fasting during Ramadan in one of the Five Pillars of Islam. You may have heard of Ramadan and have some idea about what it means and how it is practiced, but there is always more to learn. We want to give you a brief overview of what Ramadan is, as well as some examples of how it is observed based on our experiences in Morocco.

What do we mean when we use the word culture? And what is the point in even talking about different cultures? Merriam Webster has a few different definitions of culture. First, culture can be "the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence (such as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time.”

Expectations. What do we expect from other people? When traveling, what do we expect to see, feel, and experience when we visit a new place? If we expect great things and the reality doesn’t match, then we are typically disappointed and discouraged. Some people would prefer to set low expectations such that everything will be a pleasant surprise; however, the majority of people do not operate that way.