Marhaba (Hi!)
This is Safa, a Morocco Native and the one behind moroccanzest.
After years in a corporate job in Paris and hundreds of escapes to Morocco whenever my schedule allowed to, I finally surrendered to my passions: Morocco, Moroccan Food and Moroccan Design.
If you are looking for an authentic insight about Travelling to Morocco, want to acquire beautiful Moroccan handicrafts or find easy and delicious Moroccan recipes, you will like it here, I promise!
I grew up in Morocco in a traditional Moroccan family in Salé, one of Morocco’s oldest cities. My Mother’s family was very attached to the traditional Moroccan lifestyle. Food was always cooked from scratch and we had a great appreciation of traditional handicrafts and beautiful handmade pieces.
One of my happiest memories were in my auntie’s small sewing shop, playing with colors and materials and learning how to sew, knit and embroider. I spent many afternoons with my aunt walking the Medina (citie’s downtown) narrow streets, exploring traditional handicraft stores and looking for the rights fabrics, colors and sewing threads to create tablecloths, caftans or djellabas. I remember how happy I was to be part of the group, and how my mother and aunt would allocate a small time to shop the materials for my personal sewing projects.
What I was living resembled my mother’s childhood. While she was growing up, she and her sisters used to handcraft Moroccan rugs that were exported to Europe. Unfortunately, as she was the only sibling going to school, she quickly stopped making rugs to only focus on her studies.
The same thing happened to me. The lovely and sweet afternoons in my auntie’s shop, sewing and listening to music, disappeared little by little as I grew older and as I started IT engineering in France. For many years, the only times I could reconnect with my passions were during the summers or the weekends, when I could travel to Morocco.
Even if it was for a few days, I still managed to do a small trip to re-explore a Moroccan city and its Medina and see what I love the most: colors and handicrafts!
Till now, taking pictures and visiting Moroccan Medinas is one of my favorite things to do in Morocco. During each visit, I always make sure I stop by the Medina, restock some essentials, and shop souvenirs and original crafts.
Oh and if you are planning on shopping in Moroccan Medinas and if you are not familiar with Moroccan markets, my shopping guide is one of the most liked articles in moroccanzest. It will save you a lot of time (and a lot of money!).
I also grew up listening to my mother’s stories about her childhood. My favorite stories were about the way Moroccan women used to take care of their skin and hair, how they used to dress and the beautiful jewelry designs that almost completely disappeared. Her stories contrasted a lot with what I was seeing at that time, a Morocco thirsty of modernity where tradition was seen by many as a flaw, while the Morocco she grew up in in the 60s and 70s was a beautiful mix of tradition and modernity.
In that time, covering the face was a sign of modesty and had nothing to do with religion. Many women used to dress in short skirts for school, work or when going out, and cover their faces or wear Djellaba (traditional long dress) when going to the Medina or visiting family.
A few years ago, I finally decided to reconnect with my passion in a more formal and organized way. I quit my corporate job in Paris and started learning more deeply about Moroccan history, culture, fashion, and design. My passion grew bigger, and you know what? I have never been more in phase with myself and what I love.
If you have a question or need more details about a Morocco-related subject, make sure to reach me here. I get tons of emails but I’ll do my best to answer as quickly as possible.
I hope you enjoy this sweet Moroccan bubble I created for you ♡
Love,
xx
Safa
