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moving to morocco!

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charleerose91

Hi!  :)
Im looking for some help, advise etc on moving to morocco, specifically Rabat!
My husband is Moroccan and Im British we have been living in Dubai for the past 3 years and decided that we will likely have a better standard of living in morocco vs moving to the UK. His family are in Rabat, we've been there numerous times and love it, he also owns a pharmacy there so its the obvious choice. however, i don't speak any arabic nor french (i know awful!) but i'm planning on learning as much as I can (french) before going, any advise on finding work as an expat, cost of living eg renting vs buying (looking online is totally confusing) starting formalities and also if there is any form of expat community there! anything you might think may be of help! extremely excited but nervous!

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Fred

I can't offer advice about Morocco, but I can give some general advice.

Nerves are very common, especially when you know little of a country.
Google like crazy in order to find out as much as possible about the place, especially youtube stuff so you get an idea of what things look like over there.

Language is always a problem, so learn as much as possible before you go, starting with "Thank you" , "How much?" and the numbers.
That make you polite and able to shop.

NEVER get into expat social groups. All you end up doing is talking about home and comparing it to the place you live now; it's the perfect way to make sure you get homesick.
Get out there and find out about our new town and country.

An open mind is essential. The British press gives a very one sided view of the region, most of which is absolute rubbish.
Preconceived ideas must be dumped from your mind.

Start reading the local news now. That will give you an insight into how the country ticks.

http://themoroccantimes.com/https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/

Fred

Don't translate prices into Pounds.
The money is going to be totally different so comparing prices to UK ideals is a bit pointless.
Work it out against your salary and what you can afford.
Also, check locals' salaries to see what is normal for them, then act accordingly.
Get used to the colour of the money ASAP, and check prices in fixed shops before you get negotiate anything.
For electronics and larger items, check local website prices. Google will translate them to English well enough for you to understand them.

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