The Author
A mid-twenties American blogging about Morocco. I’m also the author of Culture Smart! Morocco: A Guide to Customs and Etiquette (Random House: 2006) and write for Arabisto, INTHEFRAY Magazine and Global Voices Online. I have also written for a (small) number of online and print publications, including Morocco’s only English-language newspaper, The Casablanca Analyst. Contact me at themoroccoreport [at] gmail [dot] com
March 14th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
Hey there,
Loving the blog….just discovered it…quite an interesting read.
I’m a mid-twenties Canadian travelling to Morocco next week…can’t wait.
I’m very intrigued with your teaching position….can I ask how you landed it….did it require a lot of schooling? I love the job that I have, but I’ve always wanted to do something that allowed me to travel more…you seem to have found it!
Look forward to hearing from you,
Terri
March 14th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Hi Terri,
Thanks!
Getting a teaching position in Morocco officially only requires a BA/BS degree (not necessarily in English). Many schools also request that you have a TEFL certificate (search online for info about that - they range from very intensive professional CELTA courses to 4-week online programs; in Morocco, either seems to suffice).
I hope you enjoy Morocco - I have a Canadian friend coming next week too! Take care,
Jill
March 18th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Hi Jillian, Thanks for you visit. I was lucky to spend a few weeks in Morocco some years ago. I really loved it. I am glad to know you blog, so I can virtually re-visit the country.
March 24th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Arg..I must say I got lost and didn’t recognize right away that this is taamarbuuta..(Among the first persons to comment on my blog
)
I am very interested by your Guid to customs and etiquette. I worked on a small project about Moroccan Business Culture for my English class, and got interested about everything written regarding this subject.
Do you have any articles published online about that?
March 24th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Hi SimplyMoroccan - I’m going to e-mail you in the next couple of days - I just wanted to comment now to let you know that
May 14th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Where do you live? You said you come into Rabat frequently. Something to do with work? What line is your husband in? Nice to find you as well!
June 3rd, 2007 at 3:00 am
I love your blog Jillian, I came across your name from the Global Voices online. I am from New York and travel to Morocco often to see my habibi, just signed that petition linked on your blog. I would like you to contact me, perhaps you can write on some issues with the Consulate that I would like to discuss with you. Keep up the good work.
~Leila~
September 12th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
i have been to morocco the food is memorable sadly we could only stay at the port area but the memories i took with me is just unreplacable
September 23rd, 2007 at 11:06 pm
I am an American currently living just outside of Rabat. Do you live here or in the States? I blog about my experience here. I love it, but I don’t know Arabic or French, so I am really dying to meet some English speaking women. Any advice?
Thanks,
nicole
Hi Nicole - I just moved back to the States in August after two years there (and will be back someday!) to work and to work on my MA. Since you’re near Rabat, you’ve got a lot of choices - first, try the American Language Center - they have a library that you can probably become a member of, and many young English-speaking women teach there. Amideast is another school to check out - lots of foreign teachers as well. Most foreigners I know live in the Agdal neighborhood in Rabat, but I wouldn’t know how to go about meeting people there, except perhaps by chance.
There is one blogger I know of who currently resides in Rabat - Braveheart-does-the-Maghreb.
It can be pretty challenging finding English speaking friends in Morocco (I was an English teacher, and it was still difficult for me!), but you will. I’d also suggest learning darija (rather than French) as quickly as possible - CCCL in Rabat has classes, and Amideast might too. Good luck!
Jillian
January 23rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Hi Jillian , First of all i want to congratulate you about this report , i know that you were a teacher at the ALC in Meknes ( and i was a student ther ) , and i have only one question to ask you, I know a lot of americans coming to Morocco , to make reports, i just want to know why , why all this reports , why all that stuff, are you anthropologists? or is it a way to discover, i see them taking photographs all times , they are intersted about learning the language too , does your government send you to know about morocco , or is it an ambition , or just for plaisure? thank you i will wait for you response. Meryam.
January 23rd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Hi Meryam,
I responded to your question via e-mail, since it was a long explanation.
But just to clarify for future readers - the title of this blog is misleading! It’s not meant to be a report, it was just a name I picked out because it sounded like a newspaper! I blog for fun, and to share my observations about life in Morocco with others.
Jillian
February 3rd, 2008 at 9:43 am
Hi!
Just came across your writings. I am an American who has been offered a job in Rabat at a school. The one thing holding me back is the whole lack of things to do that I keep reading about. Is it really boring for a single, Western woman? Do the streets really close up early and nightlife doesn’t exist? I have lived in the Middle East, so I am familiar with the Muslim culture, but the idea of a place where men constantly harass you and you might feel hesitant about being out and about worries me. Any advice??
Thank you!
August 1st, 2008 at 9:47 am
Arabic Lessons in Morocco - Immerse in Arabic in Temara
Enjoy Our Cultural Excursions
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