The scourge of green card marriages Morocco

 The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy

He came from Morocco to the USA on the Lottery in 2011. He had only been here three months and was looking for every opportunity to find work. Khalid and I met on Facebook. He had seen that I visited Morocco several times and he needed a friend that he could relate to.  He was in California and I was in Portland Oregon.  He couldn’t wait to come and visit me. I welcomed him on an October day in 2011. It was his first trip anywhere else besides California in the USA. I showed him many tourist areas in Oregon and he loved it.

The day before he went back to California he shared his life with me in Morocco about how hard it was for him and his family to make a living there. He stood across my kitchen counter and said “If I hadn’t of gotten the lottery I would have married and old women to get to the USA” and he was serious. That was a year and a half ago, since then Khalid has a better job and attends college in California. He also makes enough money to live on his own and send money back to his family in Morocco. Not everyone is as fortunate as Khalid.

Before I met Khalid I thought it was horrible that so many Moroccan men used older women by marrying them to get to the USA and soon after they got their green card or citizenship they divorced. I have seen marry heartaches and devastated lives. But that day in my kitchen with Khalid changed my perspective a little. I understand how desperate people can do practically anything to better their lives and the lives of their family.

I personally know many older women who are engaged, married and in the petition process or divorced from Moroccan men, and to be honest the divorce rate is at least 90%. Most of the women are overweight and some have disabilities and most of them are 40-70 years old. And the Moroccan men are 19-30 years old. I have even seen a case where the woman was 45 and the guy was only 17. A Moroccan man chooses an older woman because she is financially stable and makes enough money to file for him and also take care of all his needs for the first 2 years after he arrives to the USA until he gets his green card.

The process to file for a petition is long, emotionally draining and expensive and most of the time the American woman pays for all the expenses because the man comes from a poor family. She flies to Morocco and has a beautiful traditional Moroccan wedding with the traditional wedding dress and henna.

She is a princess for the day. All the pictures look the same with the traditional marriage kiss on the forehead. She comes back to the USA and files for the petition for her new husband to come, which she pays for. Then in addition she begins to send him and his family money and gifts. The whole process takes 1-2 years and once they begin the petition there is no backing out. She joins support groups with other women who are married to Moroccans who are also waiting for their husband to come. She needs all the support she can get because her family most likely does not support her decision to marry a much younger man and bring him to the USA. 

When he finally arrives in the USA he will have a lot of needs since he is young and has never been away from his country or his family. Many of these older wives will put their young husbands in school, buy him clothes and cars and even put his name on the bank accounts and the house. She will be responsible to take care of him legally for the first 2 years after he arrives in the USA. This contract is between the couple and United States Immigration. It is a totally different than the traditional Moroccan marriage.

I would like to share the typical stereo types and characteristics of a man looking to marry for the green card. 

·         He finds her on Facebook, Myspace, Tagged, chartrooms or other single sites.

·         He may also find her in tourist areas in his country. 

·         The woman in 40-70 years old

·         Most are overweight

·         She may have a disability

·         She has low self-esteem, due to a bad marriage

·         He says he is not attracted to younger women.

·         He promises to treat her like a queen

·         He quickly directs her to skype or yahoo soon after the first chat.

·         He begins talking about marriage after a few weeks.

·         He tells her religion is not a problem.

·         Most of these guys are sitting in cyber cafés and chatting with many American women and other women from European countries and is looking for the highest bidder.

·         The green-card hopeful knows she is too old to have children, so he says he doesn’t want children, but if Allah provides that is fine.

·         He says he doesn’t want to live in the USA and soon invites her to his country. 

·         Later he will ask about her finances and request she send money, gifts and clothing.

 I am aware there are many of these marriages that do workout but the percentage rate is very low. I can also understand the desperation of many people needing to seek a better life. But I don’t agree with deception, lies and using people to get it. There are many people involved, not only the man coming to the USA but the family he is marring into, and since she is an older woman she most likely has children and those children will have a relationship with him also.

Nothing is guaranteed in this life but a lot of heartache can be prevented if you take your time in any relationship before marrying anyone. I am aware that is also happens to men. There is a saying “desperate situations require desperate actions” so, proceed with caution.

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Price Of Beauty: Jessica Wears Short-Shorts To Meet Veiled Women

Jessica Wears Short-Shorts To Meet Veiled Women

Last night's episode of The Price Of Beauty focused on Morocco, and Jessica found herself being criticized for showing off her legs.First Jessica, CaCee and Ken met their Moroccan beauty ambassador, a singer named Khansa Batma. In photographs, Khansa was wearing non-traditional, Western clothing— like many people in Morocco — and yet when she met with Jess and her friends, Khansa wore a djellaba. The show tries to celebrate the culture of each country, but sometimes it feels like exoticism, emphasizing how "different" the non-American women are.

Khansa took Jess, CaCee and Ken shopping for djellabas and caftans, and Jessica said: "The essence of the Moroccan beauty that mystery — what's under the veil, what's behind the hidden door." UGH.

Perhaps it's naive of me to believe that this show would attempt to present a non-stereotypical view of veiled women. Still: The "vixen behind the veil" and the "exotic hottie" is such a dated, problematic way of looking at women who cover their bodies for religious or traditional reasons. Back when I wrote about a lingerie commercial in which a sexy woman puts on lacy undies and then throws a burqa over herself as she heads out, one commenter made an excellent point, which stood out in my mind and seems applicable here:

Orientalism in art is most closely associated French painters of the 18th century, which was just a colonization of the Arab world was expanding. In Orientalist paintings (see Ingres, "The Turkish Bath" or Delacroix "Women of Algiers"), women are often hypersexualized. This "heathen society" supported imperialism for moral reasons.

I have to wonder, give westerners history of sexualizing "foreign" women... is this just a continuation of Orientalist thought? What does this say about the West's need to "liberate" the Muslim world?

It's as though Jessica can't comprehend the thought that covering everything but the eyes could be oppressive, religious, neutering, misogynistic or just a tradition — she has to make it "sexy."

Anwyay. After shopping for outfits, the group headed to the night market to get "a taste of Moroccan culture and find out some beauty secrets." What actually happened was that Jessica had a monkey sit on her head and then Jess and CaCee gagged as they tried to eat sheep brains.

The good news is that Jessica and CaCee "loved" the veil after wearing it for a couple of hours.

The drama of the episode occurred when Jessica & Co. met some women who wear the veil, and one woman, Layla, who does not wear the veil — but thought that what Jessica wore to come see them was "inappropriate."

On the one hand, Jessica standing up for herself was admirable. On the other hand, I think it's important to be respectful when you're experiencing other countries and cultures. I've been to Morocco, and since so many Western tourists visit, you will see people wearing shorts and tank tops. But shorts and uncovered shoulders are not allowed in mosques, and I'd think that if you were going to someone's home, or to a meeting with conservative women, it would seem obvious to wear something with a little more coverage.

Jessica's shorts were really pretty short. But since Ken and CaCee were both covered, I suspect the whole "you are inappropriate" bit was a set-up by producers. Also, Layla and Jessica hugged and made up later in the episode.

Then Jessica learned the tea tray dance; what it had to do with the price of beauty, she didn't say.

Still, Cacee and Jessica learned lessons from Morocco: Sexy isn't just about boobs and butt! Imagine that! "The heart of a woman" makes her beautiful! Next week: Japan. And yes, Jessica dresses up like a geisha.

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Morocco Slow to Enforce Laws on Women’s Rights

Morocco Slow to Enforce Laws on Women’s Rights

She gave conflicting statements and when she was finished speaking with two male police officers, no one was clear on what had really happened. There were only two consistent elements in her testimony: that her first name was Amal and that she was pregnant.

Like many unmarried girls in Morocco, she would be afraid to admit to having had a sexual relationship because of the social stigma but also because it is illegal to have sex outside of marriage.

Last year, 16-year-old Amina Filali committed suicide after a judge and her parents forced her to marry her alleged rapist, causing a national and international uproar.

In 2004, Morocco changed its code of family law, shifting away from Islamic principles by giving more rights to women regarding divorce and polygamy, and raising the minimum marriage age for women to 18 from 15.

But conservative judges have been finding ways around the law. Courts have granted special dispensation for minors to marry in 90 percent of the cases that have appeared before them, according to 2010 data reported by the Justice Ministry.

And while human rights groups are urging Moroccan leaders to further reinforce women’s rights, amending the penal code remains a sensitive issue. While the government has ratified international treaties on human rights, its own laws do not yet conform, a situation that has led to protests, human rights groups say.

In Amal’s case, the police officers who questioned her late last month were extremely gentle. The presence of Najat Oulami, a member of the women’s advocacy group Al Amane, seemed to help.

“We help women navigate the system and make sure that every woman that comes to our offices asking for our help is treated well by the authorities,” Ms. Oulami said. “We took Amal to our shelter, we gave her clothes and fed her. But she is a minor, we cannot take on the responsibility and the authorities need to deal with her case.”

Because Al Amane cannot shelter minors, Amal was sent to a different shelter, and her whereabouts are now unclear.

To avoid more tragedies like the Filali suicide, rights groups say that Morocco must change Article 475 in its penal code, which allows for a charge to be dropped in cases of statutory rape if the two parties get married. One interpretation of this provision has allowed rapists to swap the charges against them for a wedding ring and a child bride.

“The problem is, many judges are very conservative,” Ms. Oulami said, “and they believe that it is better to save the girl’s honor by giving their permission to let minors get married.”

Al Amane is one of several groups throughout Morocco working with Global Rights, a nongovernmental organization that aims to help women get more access to the justice system.

A grant from the Netherlands has led to the creation of a Web site called Marsadnissa, or Women’s Observatory, where judicial decisions are listed as a sort of database to help women’s rights lawyers across Morocco argue the law more effectively.

This kind of tracking mechanism is crucial, rights advocates say.

“Judges don’t know how cases are being decided across the country — there is no systematic collection and publication of court decisions at the local level,” said Stephanie Willman Bordat, an American who is the Global Rights director for the Maghreb region of North Africa. “We’d like to see greater consistency in court decisions and greater protection of women’s rights by the judiciary.”

In January, the Justice Ministry issued a statement saying it was in favor of abrogating Article 475 and human rights groups are confident it will be struck down by Parliament. The Islamist-led government, however, is not showing much impetus to act.

“The pressure of civil society has already created an impact: It has become impossible now to marry a girl under the age of 16,” Kachane Belcaide, a lawyer in the northeastern city of Khemisset, said last month. Still, “the current government seems to be divided,” he added. “There is no sign that a special law on violence against women will be put forward.”

Observers say that any changes undertaken by Morocco will not mean much as long as there is not a strong and independent judiciary to apply the law. In fact, Moroccan judges themselves are demanding changes to the family code. In August 2011, judges formed the association of Moroccan judges, which now has 3,700 members, to protest judicial corruption and interference by the executive branch, which they say undermines their independence.

Aziz Nizar, a judge and former president of the association, said initiatives like Marsadnissa would help change the system. “There are many ways to interpret a law,” he said. “I frequently go on the Web site, read the decisions and am inspired by them. Sometimes I even enter comments and give my opinion on some cases.”

Despite the various initiatives, the biggest obstacle to advancing protections for girls seems to be the prevailing mentality in Morocco about women and their place in society. A recent online documentaryabout the rape law, “475: Trêve de Silence,” in which Moroccans of all ages and from different parts of society were interviewed on pre-marital sex and rape, showed a clear consensus that a girl who had lost her virginity had lost her value.

“A woman should stay at home and only go out to run errands,” one man said in the documentary, suggesting that a rape victim was responsible because she put herself in danger. “She shouldn’t be wandering around the streets.”

Even some women in the film said they believed that was normal for men to desire women. As one teenager put it: “The man is never guilty.”

Alice Urban contributed reporting from Rabat.

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Life in Morocco: An American Experience

Life in Morocco: An American Experience




Before I came to Morocco several months ago, I had many conceptions and misconceptions about living in a North African, Islamic country. What must I do when I hear the call to prayer? Will I be tolerated as a Christian? Will I be allowed to associate with women? These were all questions that came to my mind when I thought of coming to Morocco. The Morocco of my mind was the Morocco of Hollywood films and when I thought of Morocco, I thought of camels, tents, the French Foreign Legion and the One Thousand and One Nights.

Since I have come to Morocco, my friends and family in America have asked me many questions. “Do they have highways in Morocco?” “Do they have mobile telephones?” “Do they have washing machines?” I’ve also heard more than enough questions about camels and about the desert.

Now I am here. I have lived and worked in Fez for several months and I scarcely see anyone who is not Moroccan. I am entirely immersed in the culture. I eat Moroccan food, my friends are Moroccan, my clothes are Moroccan, and I have done a fair amount of traveling.

Since I arrived, I have seen my fair share of televisions, mobile telephones, highways and European luxury cars. I am however, still waiting to see the desert and those camels that everyone keeps talking about.

Many westerners have misconceptions about Morocco. I myself did not understand things well until I arrived. Muslim women are not shut up in some distant wing of their house where they are forbidden to have interaction with men. The women in Morocco work together with men in just about every job. I should also mention that not all women in Morocco are veiled. Morocco, like every other country has a diversity of people and of culture.

Some women are veiled and wear gloves so that the only part of them that is seen is their eyes as they look over their veils. Other women wear a scarf to cover their hair and they consider that to be sufficient. Then there are other women who do not cover their heads nor their faces and no one seems to be bothered about it.

It is common here in Morocco to see a veiled lady walking with a lady who only wears a scarf or perhaps with a lady who does not cover her head at all. These women who have different religious convictions all get along with one another and are friends.

These women have rights also. Some people make the mistake of thinking that because some Muslim women do not live free lives, then all Muslim women are oppressed. I think that the women of Morocco are among the most free of all of the women in the Islamic world. They come and go as they please. They drive cars. They do business or whatever else is necessary.

One should note that unlike the women of the west, Muslim women have always had the right to hold and inherit property. There have been many very powerful and influential women in Islamic civilization.

For example. in Fez one will find both a synagogue and a Mosque-university which were founded by women. The University is Al-Karouine which was founded by Fatima al-Fihri and it is reputed to be the oldest continuously operating university in the world and the synagogue is Em-Habbanim Obviously these women were not shut away in the harem fanning themselves all the day long. They were an important and influential part of their society.

Another issue should be mentioned, that is that Morocco is a very modern and progressive country. The streets are paved and wide. In Fez, there are fountains at every turn.

There has been much publicity this year about the King’s project of building the tramway in Rabat which apparently has been successful. Contrary to what some people might think, we have electricity, running water, and everything else that one requires for a comfortable life in this modern age. I have not done without anything to which I was accustomed in America save my favorite blend of pipe tobacco.

In Morocco there is a great deal of tolerance as well. Before I traveled to Morocco, I was warned by many friends that it could be dangerous for a Christian to travel to a Muslim land. After all, Muslims hate Christians, they say. Well, perhaps that is true in some places. I don’t know. I am in Morocco. Since I have come to Morocco, I have dined with Muslims. I have slept in their houses, I have been nursed by them when I was sick and they have never insulted me or discriminated against me for not being a Muslim. My friends know that I did not fast for Ramadan and they are not bothered.

In fact, when I visited some Muslim friends during Ramadan, they insisted on preparing food for me so that I could eat throughout the day as I am accustomed to do. They never ate until dusk, but they never asked me to fast with them. Never once has any of my Muslim friends tried to convert me to Islam since I came to Morocco. My religion is simply not anything that they are worried about.

I live in Morocco now. My conceptions now have a foundation and my misconceptions have been corrected and adjusted to correspond to the truth. Now I know that when I hear the call to prayer, I can ignore it. It does not stop all life and movement when it is sounded. Now I know that most people don’t care what my religion is. I don’t have to worry about being discriminated against. Many Muslims call me brother and friend and I know that they are sincere. I can associate with women. I can walk with them in the street and talk with them in their homes and there is no problem. It is easy to live among Muslims and I am quite comfortable here. I think that I shall stay for quite some time.




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Life in Morocco: An American Experience


Fez, October 3, 2011


Before I came to Morocco several months ago, I had many conceptions and misconceptions about living in a North African, Islamic country. What must I do when I hear the call to prayer? Will I be tolerated as a Christian? Will I be allowed to associate with women? These were all questions that came to my mind when I thought of coming to Morocco. The Morocco of my mind was the Morocco of Hollywood films and when I thought of Morocco, I thought of camels, tents, the French Foreign Legion and the One Thousand and One Nights.

Since I have come to Morocco, my friends and family in America have asked me many questions. “Do they have highways in Morocco?” “Do they have mobile telephones?” “Do they have washing machines?” I’ve also heard more than enough questions about camels and about the desert.

Now I am here. I have lived and worked in Fez for several months and I scarcely see anyone who is not Moroccan. I am entirely immersed in the culture. I eat Moroccan food, my friends are Moroccan, my clothes are Moroccan, and I have done a fair amount of traveling.

Since I arrived, I have seen my fair share of televisions, mobile telephones, highways and European luxury cars. I am however, still waiting to see the desert and those camels that everyone keeps talking about.

Many westerners have misconceptions about Morocco. I myself did not understand things well until I arrived. Muslim women are not shut up in some distant wing of their house where they are forbidden to have interaction with men. The women in Morocco work together with men in just about every job. I should also mention that not all women in Morocco are veiled. Morocco, like every other country has a diversity of people and of culture.

Some women are veiled and wear gloves so that the only part of them that is seen is their eyes as they look over their veils. Other women wear a scarf to cover their hair and they consider that to be sufficient. Then there are other women who do not cover their heads nor their faces and no one seems to be bothered about it.

It is common here in Morocco to see a veiled lady walking with a lady who only wears a scarf or perhaps with a lady who does not cover her head at all. These women who have different religious convictions all get along with one another and are friends.

These women have rights also. Some people make the mistake of thinking that because some Muslim women do not live free lives, then all Muslim women are oppressed. I think that the women of Morocco are among the most free of all of the women in the Islamic world. They come and go as they please. They drive cars. They do business or whatever else is necessary.

One should note that unlike the women of the west, Muslim women have always had the right to hold and inherit property. There have been many very powerful and influential women in Islamic civilization.

For example. in Fez one will find both a synagogue and a Mosque-university which were founded by women. The University is Al-Karouine which was founded by Fatima al-Fihri and it is reputed to be the oldest continuously operating university in the world and the synagogue is Em-Habbanim Obviously these women were not shut away in the harem fanning themselves all the day long. They were an important and influential part of their society.

Another issue should be mentioned, that is that Morocco is a very modern and progressive country. The streets are paved and wide. In Fez, there are fountains at every turn.

There has been much publicity this year about the King’s project of building the tramway in Rabat which apparently has been successful. Contrary to what some people might think, we have electricity, running water, and everything else that one requires for a comfortable life in this modern age. I have not done without anything to which I was accustomed in America save my favorite blend of pipe tobacco.

In Morocco there is a great deal of tolerance as well. Before I traveled to Morocco, I was warned by many friends that it could be dangerous for a Christian to travel to a Muslim land. After all, Muslims hate Christians, they say. Well, perhaps that is true in some places. I don’t know. I am in Morocco. Since I have come to Morocco, I have dined with Muslims. I have slept in their houses, I have been nursed by them when I was sick and they have never insulted me or discriminated against me for not being a Muslim. My friends know that I did not fast for Ramadan and they are not bothered.

In fact, when I visited some Muslim friends during Ramadan, they insisted on preparing food for me so that I could eat throughout the day as I am accustomed to do. They never ate until dusk, but they never asked me to fast with them. Never once has any of my Muslim friends tried to convert me to Islam since I came to Morocco. My religion is simply not anything that they are worried about.

I live in Morocco now. My conceptions now have a foundation and my misconceptions have been corrected and adjusted to correspond to the truth. Now I know that when I hear the call to prayer, I can ignore it. It does not stop all life and movement when it is sounded. Now I know that most people don’t care what my religion is. I don’t have to worry about being discriminated against. Many Muslims call me brother and friend and I know that they are sincere. I can associate with women. I can walk with them in the street and talk with them in their homes and there is no problem. It is easy to live among Muslims and I am quite comfortable here. I think that I shall stay for quite some time.

By Jess L. Norton is Morocco World News’ correspondent in Fez, Morocco.

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love souks Smata

I love souks as i find them so photogenic - the people and the variety and diversity and shapes and colours and designs of goods that are usually there and the vibrance of the atmsosphere. So ive been to quite a few around Morocco including those in combination with festivals - on my own but mostly with my moroccan connections - and shopped for orders from my UK moroccan friends eg babouches particularly of the type made in Tetouan.
And then also theres the souks in Tunisia that ive been to too - such as also the excellent Tunis souks! where i did buy some excellent babouches!

Not that it makes it fool proof or even easy! but it does make it a lot easier to have seen the ways of checking and comparing for quality and haggling for prices. Going to the artisanal ensembles helps too in seeing how low the set prices can be and therefore how low you should go in the souks - or in some cases how much cheaper we can get things haggling in the souks.

As for the souks of Marrakech its been said that they are renowned for their variety and high quality and that the craft of leatherworking is even said to have originated here and the craftsmen of Marrakech regarded as master-leatherworkers.
The souks are arranged and known by the type of goods on offer ie Souk Smata for its slippers and belts!but you will also find that as babouches are generally such saleable attractive items for tourists you will find them prominently placed in shops soon after entering the souk and also in the covered markets (kissarias).

Generally aim for babouches that you particularly like of course - and as for price if they ask for 200 dhm or more they are probably worth around 80 dirham - yes even for good leather - or even 60! and if going for nice leather ones check that the leathers soft and nice quality and dont smell!

Leather pouffes are also a favourite and good value - if you haggle well - a standard design should be about 120-150 dirham for medium sized pouffe - the ones that look fabulous and are all one colour of beautifuly soft leather or with lots of colour and work on them can be up to 350 dirham with good haggling - check the smell though - have a good whiff for that nice smell of leather - if its got a pong it probably wont get any better but rather worse and sorry but...stink your house out!....especiallly leather lamps, use something like a fire lighter if you have or ask for some matches to test to apply some heat to the leather and see what aroma is achieved...if its not good quality leather it will release an aroma you dont like.....

Address: Place jemaa el-fna via rue du souk smarine
Directions: In between Rue Souk el-Attarine and Rue Souq el-Kebir. It can help to utilise a guide for a first visit to the souks to locate various souks and sights especially if you dont have much time.


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Moroccan Slippers

Moroccan Slippers

HLATC 1985.14.6, Slippers (babouches), Morocco, 1975-1985

One of my most recent photography projects was a group of footwear from Morocco. This heavily decorated pair of slippers (babouches) was likely created for wear at a special occasion, such as a wedding.



Notice how the slippers don't have backs, very similar to shoes we would call "mules." These slippers were made by the Berber people, traditionally a Muslim culture. The shoes not having backs is likely to allow for easy removal upon entering the Mosque for daily prayer.

An added benefit of backless shoes is allowing for more air circulation, keeping the wearer cool in the heat of Morocco!

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