If you look at the world map, you simply fail to notice some
countries. You haven’t heard their name. They are not amongst the popular
tourist destinations or no one in your circle has ever been there. But as the
world is becoming smaller and smaller, there is no telling which place you’d
land up, how much time you would spend there and what it would mean to you in
the coming years !!
Morocco is one such country which happened to me. As a child
I had never heard of it – as a country. The only morocco I knew is a snack in
southern india with a similar sounding name ‘Murukku’ !! 7 years back I heard
it as a project site for one of our company’s projects. Still it was a far away
thing. I just knew it as a site for one of our company’s projects. Only when I
was assigned to it for a short term work deputation did I start knowing it. I
had a very different idea about it till I went there. Being an Islamic nation,
all I thought about in the plane was – in case my wife has to accompany me
sometime – she would have to wear a burkha and have plenty of restrictions!!
How wrong I was !! Yes, people there are traditional but warm and liberal as well.
It was to become my home for two years. A place where I made
very good friends, had very good colleagues, saw some beautiful sights and
sceneries and enjoyed their culture and food – which is quite similar to
India’s – Colourful, energetic and family oriented.
I have now been an expat twice for considerably long
durations and I can say that for all the glamour and money that people back
home view it (Depending on the destination of course) – practically it is something else altogether. Being away from
family, having to prepare your own food after work, doing the dishes, having to
oversee office tasks as well as home chores is a different ball game. On top of
that, ensuring that your health remains good – It is as easy as hitting a bulls
eye from moving car !!
Casablanca where my workplace and my home away from home was
– is a commercial city. Just like Mumbai, it is cosmopolitan, A fair amount of
foreigners live – French, Spanish, Chinese, Indians who all come for work
mostly and lot of them own houses in this charming city – as I hear.
People in morocco are warm and friendly to say the least.
They have a family culture and live like kings – as in they are fairly
satisfied with what they have – no rush, no hurry. In my interactions with
them, sometimes, I was close to pulling my hair – flustered at their easy
attitude. Mumbaikars would classify them as being ‘lazy’ but lets face it – we
are in too much of a rush for everything and if you want to really live your
life – you should do it in your own terms – in your own sweet time. One culture
point - I saw a lot of kids being whacked by their parents in morocco,
reminiscent of the Indian training culture of our generations and the
generations before us !!
A peek into their food – Moroccans raise their eyebrows when
you say ‘Vegetarian’. They cannot understand how a person can live only on
veggies all their life. They have meat in almost everything they eat. ‘Where do
you get your proteins from?’, they would ask.
Well, we Indians can write books and books about food – all
types of it, so I never wasted my breath explaining to them what vegetarians
eat!! Coming back to their food, Tajine was my favourite – It consisted of slow
cooked meat stewed in cooked vegetables with Moroccan spices. It is made in an
attractive earthen vessel which allows all the flavours and aromas to be
trapped in. When the lid is opened, the aroma is mesmerizing !! Couscous is
made from wheat durum and is cooked with meat and vegetables. Rfissa is a dish
of chicken and lentils, which are served over a bed of pastry (pasta). In
restaurant they have special days for each. I remember Rfissa being available
on Wednesday and Couscous on Friday. Tajine is available all days. Shawarmas
are famous as a kind of fast food version. They make and eat a variety of
breads. Mssemen was my personal favourite, more so because it was kind of close
to the Indian maida roti. During Ramadan they have a variety of sweets from dry
fruits and stuff.
To be continued....
