1. As far as the Moroccans are concerned, there is no limit to the amount of mint tea a person can be expected to comfortably consume in an hour’s time.
2. If you’re a little too mindful of the care and maintenance instructions for a hand full of traditional henna you aren’t really all that attached to in the first place, you better be prepared for those designs to stick around a whole lot longer than originally expected.
3. Insha’Allah. God willing.
4. There are many ways to wrap a turban, but blue is the only traditional fabric color among the Berber tribesmen. It’s quite the selling point in a country where prices are bartered.
5. If we’re being honest, sitting on the back of camel is especially uncomfortable… and that’s before it starts to walk.
6. Sometimes, non-native English speakers don’t realize the degree of offense associated with some of our more colorful four-letter words. My advice? Roll with the punches.
7. Tagine is the ceramic pot, and everything cooked inside the pot, and the meal you can probably expect to be served if you ever find yourself in a traditional Moroccan home. The meat is always eaten last. Avoid the pickled lemons, and don’t expect to find any silverware on the table.
8. Religious freedom is a privilege. In Morocco, it’s a criminal offence to own a bible written in Arabic. While we sat in church one Sunday in Marrakech, two native Moroccans were arrested for trying to attend the nearby Catholic service. Christianity, or any faith tradition other than Islam, is only permissible among foreigners.
9. As far as the people of Marrakech are concerned, any fruit can (and should) be juiced.
10. The cheapest Pringles cans are in the remote mountain village where the road ends and people cart around their belongings on donkeys. It seemed counterintuitive at the time.
11. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love convers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:8-10).
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