School Trip to Morocco

Keepcalm, my kids are white british

@Avidreader69 where can I book a family trip to the rockies for £1k pls???

Are you saying they have air ambulances in the Atlas Mountains that can take people quickly to a hospital with full facilities?

@CanopusMind I think it's more subtle here, nowhere near as obvious. Have you been?

Exactly @CurlyhairedAssassin . There's no way on earth I'd be volunteering to staff that school trip. Just no way. Not in a bazillion years.

No sorry it's not fast if they are white British

choosing to go somewhere remote away from any proper medical facilities.

Yes expatriate children go camping many weekends, often on week long trips, far away from medical facilities. They do have air ambulances you know? Probably better rural emergency care than most of England in terms of getting people to hospital

Is it racism though? DH is Algerian. I have been travelling to Algeria for decades and never had a problem. By comparison the level of hassle I saw women getting in places like Tangier was unpleasant. Even in Marrakesh, it would be quite intimidating if you didn't know the culture. I saw a different side because I was with a native Arabic speaker.

We drove towards Ouarzazate and the lorries were fucking terrifying. One was so overloaded it nearly tipped on a corner. DH was chatting about it to someone at a petrol station and he said it was a common occurrence for them to tip.

I would want to know exactly how the trip was going to be run before I let yr8 girls go there.

It would be a big no from me. School trips at that age should be more about fun with your friends, having a bit of independence, learning to get on with others, maybe seeing a culture which is slightly different from ours, and doing the odd thing outside your comfort zone, all in as safe an environment as possible. The Morroco trip just sounds way too much for that age group - they won't have the emotional maturity to deal with a vastly different way of life and won't know what to do if they have to deal with inappropriate attention.

I don't understand the people describing successful holidays with their own children. Have you forgotten what a school trip group is like? It's a massive group of excitable youngsters loosely supervised by a couple of teachers. Ratios will be nothing like when ynou only have to look after your own child on a family holiday. Imagine a large group of girls with men near them in a built up area, a couple of supervising adults at the front, perhaps one looking at some papers/their phone at the itinerary or dealing with someone who has started to feel unwell. Would a year 8 girl say or do anything if she was touched inappropriately by a passing man? Or would she be too terrified to say anything or indicate to a distracted teacher that something had happened.

I don't know how a teacher would voluntarily go on something like that and shoulder such responsibility, choosing to go somewhere remote away from any proper medical facilities.

I mean, would you let your kids go to London on a school trip?

🙄

Keepcalm, believe me, they are not, it's a great place to take kids, female ones too!

I can't imagine what the school are thinking tbh. Are they going to be supervised at all times by teachers? If not, and they're going to have free time to do as they please, after the experience of many of my female friends in Morocco, there's not a chance in hell I'd be sending my teenage daughter on that trip. I'm a teacher, and supervising a trip to Iceland sounds quite lovely, whereas supervising a trip to Morocco sounds like a recipe for a lot more stress and hassle. Just why??

@Darbs76 oof that is steep but Tokyo is probably one of the best cities on earth. I went in my 20s and loved it and would have LOVED it as a teen. It’s also very safe.

Hell no. It was awful, the only place in the world where I've felt properly frightened.

We had people grab us, yell at us and that was with us dressing carefully, speaking fluent French and trying not to draw attention to ourselves. We got lost continuously and couldn't stop to get our bearings without huge hassle every time.

It was a hot, stressful, aggressive experience. Dh says he wouldn't go back for free, ever.

I wouldn’t send my DD, I’ve been to Morocco (albeit quite a few years ago) I was young but dressed appropriately (not covered head to toe but not looking like I’m in Love Island) & I had no end of mither from the men & abuse from the women. I went to Tangier & Marrakesh.

also, it’s v expensive for 5 nights! I think a lot won’t go.

£1k for 5 nights in Morocco is ridiculous so on that basis it would be a no from me.

However, having visited Morocco 5 times, including as a young 20 something and later with my 13 year old daughter, I dont see it as unsafe for males or females. I've never felt vulnerable sexually.

Yes, in Morocco I do

Even people who have paid for cruise trips, lots dont like getting off at Morocco. Even though it is part of the trip they have paid for.

My DD went with no issues. Big trekking trip through the Atlas Mountains. In context a day trip to London also has an element of risk.

It seems expensive for what it is, although prices have gone up a lot for some holidays. Perhaps the Iceland trip they used to offer is now way over the £1000 mark.

Sorry my mistake. 😀

I'm sorry that happened to you @CanopusMind. I personally couldn't stand the non-stop attention, groping and objectification I experienced and I certainly wouldn't want that for my DD. I've not experienced anything like that here. Oh actually - I was groped once, but I defended myself without fear I would be arrested/mistreated for doing so. Wouldn't be so confident in Morocco.

@lawandgin Hmmm, they are - if you don't see that then that's because you yourself may be treated well. There are abhorrent conditions for many women in the UK - and my quote was regarding women being seen as second class citizens, which they are in the UK too.

Purplewisteria, they are not, that is untrue. Its an exaggerated fear.

Morocco is a pretty safe country in my opinion and a visit to the desert and ouarzazate will be great for a geography trip. It does sound expensive though.