Monday, July 11, 2011

04.07.11. Stretchy time and helpful hand

or few words about Moroccan mentality...

In Morocco I'm spending my time mainly with Moroccans, meeting new people every day: Yassine's family or friends or random people that travel to the same places as we do. The time for Moroccans has a different meaning and a day has more hours. 15 minutes does not mean „15 minutes”, but 30 or 45. „Now” sometimes refers to „maybe in next hour or few more” and „tomorrow” may actually be in few days. In the last minute you realise there's not enough time and something should have been planned before. But the problem is, it is not possible to plan anything, because your friend may call you to meet you right now or you have to help your family or the weather is bad (which means „too hot”) or someone has some other idea. The time becomes stretchy. Plans do not exist. And everyone is fine with it.
Fortunately, there are situations where the time really has the proper meaning: the best trains and buses usually come on time, visits at doctors or business meeting may also be punctual. It's just the everyday life, when the time suddenly seems to slow down and stretch endlessly.

Taxis also have another meaning. In cities there are so called „small taxis” for maximum 4 people, and in small towns and villages you can meet „grand taxis” where even 10 people can fit into a car for 5. The front seat is usually taken by 2 passengers and no one complains that it's too crowded. Motorcycles work similar – very often 4 people fit in one motorcycle and families really don't need a car to travel together.

About families – the family has for Moroccans the highest priority. The older members of the family have to be supported by the younger and family meetings are very important. Family picknicks are also organised quite often. When it's hot, the pickniks start late in the evening, along the streets in the center (parks are too dark) . The houses are too hot, so fresh meal (tajin, melon, Moroccan tea...) can be eaten outside.

The next common Moroccan characteristic is being ready to help any time and anyone. When you are looking for some coins in your pocket while buying tickets, someone will offer you his 5 dirhams, when in crowded bus you can't find a seat, a man will give you his seat (if you're a woman), when you need Internet connection and the only Internet Cafe in the village has no electricity, someone will lend you his mobile Internet, and so on and on. It's easy to make friends here and you know you can always count on your old and new friends. Being stingy is not common at all and those who have more share with the poorer.

Of course, there are exception from all these rules and you can notice different behaviour in cities and different in villages, different among the poor and the rich. But deviations form this rule are not that big and you can always meet a helpful hand and a person that will make you forget about the European meaning of the time.

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