In Morocco, greetings involve shaking hands between men and kissing cheeks between women or a woman and man. Punctuality is not highly valued, so people should not expect others to arrive at scheduled times. Cafes are male social spaces while women are expected to focus on domestic duties. At universities, some classes may start on time while others do not, depending on the professor. Alcohol is prohibited in Muslim societies and smoking or public drunkenness are unacceptable. Dating is a mystified concept and young people socialize in groups. Gestures like pointing at your temple mean intelligence while the forehead means crazy, and eating or drinking in public during Ramadan is rude.

1. MORROCO

2. GREETINGS
Man greeting Man
● shake hands when greeting each other and
usually kiss once on each cheek.
Woman greeting Woman
● greet each other with kisses on the cheek. This
can range from one to five (alternating cheeks)
depending on the situation and relationship.
Man greeting Woman
● a simple handshake or handshake while kissing
both cheeks is common. If the hand is not
outstretched, then a slight bow or nod is the
polite thing men should do.

3. TIME
PERCEPTION
Punctuality is not a virtue in Morocco, although some
things work on a strict schedule, like public schools.
Weather works differently in Morocco; As long as you
don't expect punctuality to be high on a Moroccan's list
of qualities but rather learn to go with the flow of
things, traveling is a lot less stressful.
Trains are more or less on time, while buses usually
have no timetables or routes,
When inviting people, never expect them to arrive on
time.

4. MALE AND FEMALE ROLES
➔ outside world
➔ Cafes are in the male domain and are an intersection
between private life and the public life found on the
street
➔ they enjoy much more freedom of dress, behavior
and activities;
➔ In Morocco, it must be the boy who makes the
advances, otherwise the girl is seen as easy.
➔ world inside the house
➔ are expected to cook, clean and raise children
➔ it is still not common to find a woman alone or in sidewalk
cafes.
➔ unacceptable for a woman to be in a bar that serves alcohol,
➔ Girls are expected to be so adorable and magnetic that the
boy will come to her without any warning.

5. SOCIALIZING RULES
1. Most universities organize occasional soirees at school, offering
music and dancing.
2. Alcohol is prohibited in Muslim societies,
3. Smoking is acceptable, but many students do not smoke in front
of their parents.
4. It is not acceptable to be drunk in public.
5. As far as dating is concerned, it is still a very mystified concept,
young people go out together in groups, walk in the park or go
to the movies, but individual encounters are rare.

6. ❏ University classes may or may not start on time, depending on the professor.
❏ University classes usually start in late September/early October and run through June. However, this is
subject to change depending on when Ramadan falls.
❏ College students dress similarly to American students, ranging from formal to punk. However, students
rarely wear sweatshirts or sportswear to school
❏ In general, girls are always very well-groomed (being sloppy can embarrass your family) and boys are
generally well-mannered.
❏ At university levels, grades follow a system, which is based on 0-20, with 20 being perfect and nearly
impossible to achieve. The average is around 12.
CLASS RULES

7. Gestures and taboos
➔ Pointing your index finger at your temple and turning it means you are witty or intelligent. Be
careful, because pointing the index finger at the forehead means that someone is crazy or stupid.
➔ A thumb under the chin means a lot or something is full.
➔ A hand on your heart means thank you/nice to meet you/
➔ Eating or drinking in public during Ramadan is extremely rude.
➔ Wearing revealing clothing may not be obscene in and of itself, but it can provoke some lewd
reactions.
➔ Never eat communal food with your left hand as it is used for personal hygiene.
➔ The right hand is used for greeting and eating.