School Trip to Morocco

Spot on, @viques
Same old, same old. Some people have no idea.

Bold indeed. You'd have to triple my salary. I had a bad enough time in Berlin with yr12s! No way.

Years ago a friend of mine went to Morocco with her DP and they did a trip to the desert with camels and sleeping under the stars with their lovely guide. What wasn't so lovely was the guide sexually assaulting her in the middle of the night while her DP was asleep. She was too shocked and terrified to say anything to her DP until they were back in their hotel.

Obviously an anecdote, I know couples who have visited without any problems, but I really wouldn't want my teenage DD going there without me.

This old chestnut about teachers' places, the companies organising these trips factor in the cost of teacher's places, would you rather your children were not well supervised? Remember, they have to be better than parents, parents have accidents, teachers are careless!

It’s quite a bold endeavour for the staff. There was a tragic accidental death of a teen on a school trip at a linked school in a European country. I am usually quite relaxed but this trip would worry me.

They're going on an organised trip, I wouldn't consider it unsafe. However Marrakesh is a shithole.

I love Morocco- a stunningly beautiful and really fascinating country. I’ve been to all the places on this trip and would recommend them all (especially sleeping in the desert- a pp was saying it’s expensive for camping but it’s really not equivalent to a camp site!)

I do agree it’s expensive.

Wtf happened to school trips to the zoo, amusement Park, major domestic city or a cheap trip with ryanair.

Been there. They will possibly be mugged, groped and definitely cat called.

Really? Why not go to Menorca during the holiday if you want sunshine rather than have massive responsibilities?

It's a trip that girl guides international do all the time. I think you should contact your regional girl guide and ask them questions.

If you did the inevitable trip from Gib, not still the old Mons Calpe I assume, then you'll probably have just been round Tangiers, a whizz round on a bus, a seedy lunch with a belly dancing caberet and a walk round a souk. You'll have been hassled to death because they know when the day trippers are coming in. We lived in Gib for years, never did the one day tourist trip.

Y8 seems a bit early for this kind of trip. My DS did a v similar itinerary for A level geography in Y12 - mixed school, they all had a great time and were busy doing project work for the A level which did count. Y8 wouldn’t necessarily have that academic focus, more of a jolly. Certainly not academically vital then so a choice if you can afford it.

We took our young kids in 2019. It was great. No hassle. Had been with DH 10ish years previously and remember a little more hassle but nothing dreadful.

I think a group of y8s would be fine there IF they are with teachers/trusted guides at all times - no going out alone - and IF they are advised on to dress and behave appropriately.

But tbh I’d say the same of y8s going anywhere!

Way too expensive and imo utterly inappropriate for a young girl travelling without family. This is the backdrop she would be operating in

english.alarabiya.net/perspective/2013/03/07/Morocco-eyes-law-on-rape-and-child-marriage-

Agree with the others that you should just take the kids to Iceland. Sounds like the teachers have decided they want some sun.

No way. Morocco is a fabulous country but there’s no way I’d allow my teenagers to go on a school trip there. Too many health risks that can require hospitalisation, and too much harassment .

PS Roads to Quazazate are hairy... this would worry me most.

Darbs76 I wonder if this is the same school my DS goes too. We got that email and I was shocked at almost 3k

Love Morocco, have been to the places mentioned many times , plus Agadir etc. I even took DD when she was 5. I am blonde, she is blonde. You absolutely HAVE to know how to dress and act. You need to embrace local culture and food.

However, there are concerns for me at this proposal...

My questions would be

Do the teachers speak properly fluent French?
Do they have experience of Morocco?
Is it during Ramadam?
That is 50% too expensive for the trip you are considering. It was my actual job to price these things, for corporate groups, let alons children. Ridiculously expensive.

With teenaged girls (and boys), it is a no. Unfortunately.

Oh here we go.
A few teacher places are free, mostly the staff pay towards it.
Would you pay to supervise teens 24/7? Or think maybe it should be subsidised?

....Not to mention the attitudes to being gay. I’d be challenging the choice of destination with the school. Iceland is lovely and a much better choice all round.

No way for year 8. I bet a man has organised this trip.

I suspect that the insurance is high

I remember pupils going there in the 60s but maybe things were very different then, and it might have been as part of a cruise? This was in Scotland.