Students traveling abroad are warned of anti-American sentiments. Citizens of the great country of Morocco are eager for visitors to like their country and are genuine about welcoming you. Moroccans realize if you are open-minded enough to stay in their country, you are not the stereotypical “ugly” American.
It is my fifth week here in Morocco and I am staying until the beginning of August. By now, with two or three friends we can navigate the medinas (old city and market) of most cities and get to the places we want to visit using our French and Arabic.
While finding our way to the Kasbah Museum in Tangier from the petit socco (little market), a student in our group asked directions from the wrong person; our new “guide” was a street vendor who “loved” to show Americans around. All we wanted were directions. Instead, he followed us to the museum and said he would wait for us while we toured the place. My friends and I viewed all the exhibits in about an hour and a half. The last 30 minutes were spent trying to decide how to elude our new “guide,” because after he took us to the medina, we knew he would ask for a “tip.” Being a tour guide without government authority is illegal in Morocco, so he had to be discreet. He sells fake jewelry and baubles to tourists as his “real business.”
Stepping out of the gate of the former palace-turned-museum, we scanned the nearest streets for our “guide.” For the briefest of moments, we believed he was just a helpful Moroccan. Guess again. Wandering out to the gate that looked out over the ocean, he followed us and found some other Americans to try to sell his wares to. I explained to him that we would just stay around there for a while, and he was gone until we starting walking to the medina.
He claimed he would take us there himself. Explaining that we didn’t need his help, we walked faster and tried to escape through a group of elderly Italian tourists. It wasn’t until my French-speaking Texan friend threatened him, saying that if he wouldn’t leave us alone, we would go to the cops. After so many words in several languages calling us cheap Americans, we were free of him only to step into the real snake pit.
Two other men approached us, asking in English if we needed a guide or person to show us the medina. After the previous ordeal, we were getting a bit sick of them thinking of us as typical American tourists who needed to be guided around and who would pay them to show us. After politely refusing and thanking them, we tried to leave, but they engaged us further by saying “Why do you have to be paranoid Americans? The men here, there are some bad, but there are lots of nice ones. If they take you to the place you want to go, all you have to do is tip him a little money.”
The point they didn’t understand was we didn’t want or need a guide. After declining a second time, the taller of the two started to attack us verbally, calling us “paranoid” and “nervous,” trying to calm us with “Don’t worry, be happy.” As tension started to rise, we walked away saying “No, thank you” in Arabic and French. Suddenly, we heard the stereotypical comments we were warned about, “Osama bin Laden is not hiding here! Why do you have to be ugly Americans?” Word for word, that is what he said to us.
So is this how that saying stays alive? It is said to independent tourists who have no need of an illegal guide or have no desire to be robbed. “Ugly” Moroccans harass smart Americans and then spread it around to whoever will listen that these Americans were rude, loud and had no ability to speak any other languages, a complete falsehood. We did everything we could to deflate the situation and eventually had to walk away.
The only way we can start eliminating this stereotype is by being polite and understanding on both sides. Yes, our economies are nowhere near the same and our standards of living are very different, but if we both have mutual respect and don’t try to judge collectively we might start moving forward and regain a good reputation. It’s a tough crowd right now, but if enough people do it we can start softening their outlook.
This is easier said than done, because the “guides” depend on this kind of income to support themselves or their families. So as the future American travelers, let us start holding up our end. Let us be polite and smart travelers that try not to stick out like a sore thumb. We will kindly let them go about their days, but we will not be a profit for them. No excuses; we will be educated Americans who actually leave our country, not “ugly” ones.