A sense of community

Since September 11, one of the most often asked questions is "why buy a house in Morocco?" And the follow up is usually - "Why Fès, why not one of the easier cities?"
Easy? No, not really the correct word. And, yes, Fès can be difficult at first. The geography alone is enough to drive some people away.

Fès has a long and proud history and the people consider themselves very different from the rest of the country. In many ways they are. There is a conservatism at the heart of Fes which manifests itself in religion, superstitions and traditions. Obviously this is a generalisation, but nevertheless one that holds true most of the time within the Medina, if not the Ville Nouvelle.

So, how do the residents treat an outsider? Very well is the short answer. But to maintain good relationships requires some care. Particularly as many of the neighbours really want and need you to provide them with some work. The problem is that the value of work is so out of wack with what we are used to. My nearest neighbour earns only a few dirhams per hour for sewing sequins on slippers. Her husband earns $15.00 a day as a car park attendant. So, when my wife arrived to clean up the riad the neighbours were keen to work. Which was fine - but raised the question of how to be good neighbours and an employer as well. The answer seems to be - don't do it. Better to be friends and help them in other ways. Several other expats have told me the same story - but I would be interested to hear from others with experience in Fes.

As neighbours, they are superb. Our riad is always under their watchful eye and the entire community of our derb seems pleased to have a couple of crazy foreigners setting up house with them. In a matter of days we were paying the normal prices for goods and being greeted on the streets with great warmth. In return we will be employing a lot of artisans from within the community and hopefully the benefits will flow around.

Tags: Morocco Fès