School Trip to Morocco

Have a look at the travel section for Morocco on Gov.uK,

They rely so much on tourism there that it’s safe enough. It’s not like the kids will be going out at night wearing all their finary. Ouzazate in the middle of nowhere and it’s beautiful, loads of movies are filmed there. I can see it as a very valuable geography trip. The Atlas Mountains are spectacular, so are the kasbahs and oasis.

I’ve camped in the desert and it’s all reputable. Especially for 1k. Feels like a lot of money for Morocco… they will also spend a lot of time in transit, five our mrkch to ouzazate, another three to risani or arfoud for the camping. And back again. But year a lot of people commenting don’t know what they’re talking about and sound pretty racist. Liverpool is more dangerous tbh.

The teachers pay nothing! Oi caramba! Oh and while you are frothing at the mouth and worrying about that one you might want to consider that the teachers

a) won’t be getting TOIL
b) won’t be paid overtime
c) will be on duty for 24 hours x 5 for the duration of the trip
d) won’t sleep well for the entire length of the trip
e) will be in loco parentis to about 30 teenagers who will be unpredictable, hormonal , homesick and over excited, liable to lose things, fall out with their best friends/ throw up/ fall over inanimate objects/ spend their money on unsuitable items eg flick knives .
f) will have spent hours and HOURS and HOURS planning the trip, organising travel arrangements, checking insurance, checking passports, checking any health issues or allergies, writing h and s breakdowns, being kind to parents who haven’t read your carefully worded handouts.
g) will be missing out on time with their own families
h) will probably have been expected to leave work for their other year groups to do with supply teachers, who may or may not have done it properly/ marked it/ lost resources/ buggered up the whiteboard.

but hey, it’s a free holiday isn’t it, lucky buggers.

No way, its a dangerous place for tourists, even more so for women and girls. Terrorism and sexual assault are far too common.

No chance. Not safe for young girls. I wouldn’t support their attitudes to females. Very odd choice for a school trip.

And these camels are trained to give camel rides using violence and have dreadful lives.

I went on a school trip there when I was 15. The other parents are right...

Though maybe it's changed???

I believe that homosexuality is still illegal in Morocco so this, along with the continuing wide disparity of women's equality and inclusion in economic, social and political life, means it its somewhere I wouldn't look to go to, or encourage others to visit.

I'd rather spend tourist dollars or pounds in more women friendly societies and where people aren't under threat of arrest based on their sexual orientation.

I'm reasonably well travelled, but no way would I let my year 8 child go on a school trip to Morocco. I felt very uneasy in Marrakech and the souks. It's one of the few places in the world I'd never go back to.

Is it a First Challenge trip with hiking in the High Atlas? If so, I've done that trip - and it cost much the same 20 years ago! It is beautiful, challenging and a real test for first timers. The city parts (Marrakech, Essaouira) are more 'foreign' in feel than the mountain hiking - the mountains are physically pretty easy; it's the endurance of being out of reach of facilities that is the challenge. We took Year 10 and although I think Year 8 could have coped, I certainly wouldn't have wanted to take them!

Also, you should watch Inventing Anna before deciding.

We went as part of a cruise (I know, I know, Mumsnet hates cruises) and hated it. I didn't feel safe or confident to walk around alone. When people were back on the ship some had awful experiences of being mugged, groped and followed. I'd never go back, I'd also try to deter my two girls from going.

I want to hear more about @Wereongunoil ’s son’s school trip to Iraq.

Morocco is fantastic. The king is in charge and he is very forward thinking and welcomes westerners. My uncle has a place out there. It was the best holiday I've had to date. The locals are great. 1k sounds expensive but if its great accommodation its worth the price

I love Morocco now, but the first time I went, I was a teenager, and it was hellish. So. Much. Hassle. I think it’s an odd choice for a school trip.

It's an odd choice for a school trip but I've been twice and had no problem.

I've been to North Africa, but not Morocco. I loved every minute of it but it was very different, and even though I tried very hard I still made a couple of fuck ups, culturally. I think the fact French is spoken makes it seem like it's familiar, when it's really not.

I would be worried, a group of school kids may very well be inappropriate in a foreign culture without realising it. They may even get in serious trouble. You can tell teens till you're blue in the face but they don't listen/forget/think they know better.

With the best will in the world a school trip isn't going to be able to monitor what they're doing like a family going away would be able to.

I'm thinking about their dress - could they all be relied on to dress in a way that won't cause a reaction? Arms and legs always covered even though it's hot?

How about how they interact? Is it a mixed sex school? Will the boys and girls inadvertently do something considered scandalous just by behaving how they normally would? I'm thinking a boy putting his arm round a girl, or silly playing / tickling / touching type behaviour that was certainly common when I was that age.

Are any of the kids gay? That's illegal. Are any of them in a relationship - either gay or straight? That could cause a problem if there's and kind of PDA.

Might they swear? Might they feel that the cultural rules above are wrong, and should be challenged? Teens have a tendency to act first and think later - not a great combination.

I found something as simple as making eye contact with male shopkeepers (which I would do without even realising) invited them to be very intense, almost aggressive in trying to get me to buy something. Sometimes they physically grabbed my arm and led me into the shop. A teen girl being dragged into a shop is going to be scared, and not know what to do.

By not behaving as a native female would, I found I seemed to move into a 3rd category where you're not treated as a native female would be treated. But you're also not treated with the respect a man would be. It's quite disconcerting.

Doing something that makes you seem 'not respectable' can tip into 'not respected' quite easily. Being perceived as 'not respectable', especially for girls, by the wrong person could be disastrous.

It's a no from me. There was a similar trip a few years ago by a school not too far from me. Let's just say, the poor female teacher will be traumatised for the rest of her live. It's but safe.

We went to Morocco just before covid and I was really shocked at how little hassle there was in the souks or the main square. Having been to Egypt which I thought was hell in comparison we literally had no bother at all, there must have been a real crackdown at some point IMO as the women who do henna that are well known for scams/hassling were just sat on stools waiting for people to come to them. Even the guy with the monkey wasn't intimidating people.

I loved Marrakech and would go back, the palace and tombs are stunning. We stayed in a beautiful riad too and had a great time, I felt very safe and would happily have wondered around on my own. We went out to the desert and up to the Atlas mountains too and it was all quite amazing.

Just tell dd not to eat in the KFC on the main square (Jemaa el-Fna) as I had eaten all the wonderful local food for a week with no problems, then ate there and was really sick the following day. Looked it up after and the reviews were terrible.

Get her to dress in loose flowing clothes that cover her and she'll be treated with a lot more respect.

Morocco might have been chosen over Iceland due to cost, Iceland is an extremely expensive location, Morocco relatively cheap.

I think it’s a fair price for what it is. It’s not the price that would put me off. But my 14 year old is blonde and tall with legs up to her armpits I wouldn’t want her enduring a fraction of what I did in Cairo.

Not a chance in hell would I let my y8 dd go on that trip. But we live in a fairly rural area and she’s not at all street smart, likes to daydream and would almost certainly get lost. It’s also insane money!
Luckily our y8 trip is to Wales.

Teenage girls and North Africa is not a great combination. But I travelled to Cairo in my early twenties with a female friend. Misogynistic shithole.

Our school sent a letter the other day for a trip to Tokyo, nearly 3k. Very inclusive!