Morocco is a dry country, and Al Akhawayn by extension, a dry campus. I speak on behalf of [at least most] of the visiting students responses when I say our first response to the announcement of Karaoke night was, “How the Hell are we supposed to do that?” Everything we’ve been told thus far can be summed to: cover everything, drink nothing, and reputations spread fast. Fair enough. I’m a guest here as I am everywhere I travel. It’s not my right to impose.
On my life– not awkward for a moment. We walked straight into a party: Student DJ’s, lights, a wall filled with rows of song lists printed on rows to pick from, a screen for music videos, dancing, solid crowed, no shortage of singing volunteers. Wonderful! (I’m starting to wonder if there’s something in the water. I’d been warned about drinking it from the tap, but not for that reason!) The pictures below were taken by AUI Student Activities at the on campus event. Afterward people migrated toward a bar near downtown to dance.
In hindsight, I suppose one could have been given the same conservative advice during the 1920’s. While alcohol is not part of the general culture, dancing [it seems] is. I wouldn’t say Ifrane is Speak-Easy abundant, but they definitely exist. There are three most people could list off the top of their heads plus one supplier in an abandoned bus ticketing building. Legality has little to do with existence (*I should note: permitted by law, forbidden by Islam). Turkey had its fair share of loft bars and smokey corners, but Morocco somewhat blends the two aspects: A cloudy étage for the smokers upstairs, and narrow music-blast ing bar down stairs for those with the volition to dance.
Walkabout 