Meet My Friends, Imad
An interview to a friend I met during my trip in Morocco.
Welcome to Meet My Friends, a series of interviews with people I met during my trips, special people who became my friends. I enjoy meeting new people while travelling, which is why I often volunteer during my trips. I think it is important to meet local people to know more about the culture of the place you visit, and sometimes you meet people with fascinating stories. In these interviews, I want you to know a bit about my friends and their countries, their stories and why they are special to me.
This interview is with my friend Imad, I got to know him in Morocco. I met him thanks to Couchsurfing, he hosted me and my friend Laurentia in Marrakesh for 3 days, showing us the city and being a great host
Please meet my Imad, I hope you enjoy this interview.
Please introduce yourself, where you are from, where are you right now, what you do, and how your typical day is.
Hey! My name is Imad, I’m 25 years old. I am Moroccan currently living in Morocco in Safi city which is my hometown. My day is pretty simple as I’m trying to focus on my goal for this period which is learning the German language. I basically try to workout 5 days a week, go for a swim at the beach twice a week and of course being in your home town after being away for a while is a blessing.
What means travelling for you?
First of all, travelling is the only thing really, that I can rely on to get me out of my comfort zone and help me to improve myself, and that’s why most of my good friends are the ones I met while travelling.
What is your favourite destination? Why?
My favourite destination so far is Tangier, I’ve been to a few other countries but it had to be a city in mine. Because it simply meets my requirements of pleasure, comfort and beauty. It’s a city worth visiting and I’m 100% confident you won’t regret it.
How do you describe Moroccans to someone that never been to Morocco?
Moroccans are mostly good people, some are bad and you mostly find them in tourist places where they try to hustle to make a living. But if you’re lucky enough to meet a genuine local person, which is not that hard to achieve, I can guarantee you that you’ll feel even more welcomed than your home sometimes. It’s just a part of our culture that most Moroccans didn’t sacrifice even though it can sometimes be harmful to them.
On your experience on couchsurfing what did you like the most about meeting travelers?
Well couchsurfing was a blessing for me, it opened up the world for me. By being able to meet many travellers from all over the globe, with each person carrying their culture, mindset, wisdom and experiences I can get to pick from the things that help me grow and become a better person, and, most importantly to truly connect with other humans beings same as I am and build a peaceful and respectful relationship. Which is something that’s hard to achieve these days.
The must-see place in Morocco
Rabat which is the capital, I won’t say why to not spoil it. But if you do visit you’ll understand exactly my point.
One or two dishes you shouldn't miss while visiting Morocco
Tagine, here you can find a YouTube link that explains the dish, and fish pastilla here the YouTube link.
Your next trip is already payed, where would you go?
Australia, because I’ve met so many amazing kind Australians everywhere I go and made some great friends that way. That’s why I would love to visit that country for it’s people and of course the beautiful beaches
A place or an activity to do in Morocco, that is out of the main touristy route
A hike to Lake Ifni بحيرة إفني, where you can camp as well if you like. It’s remote but safe, and a place to simply relax in peace.
If you could be a character in a movie what would you be?
A person who helps others in need and in silence.
Thank you to Imad for participating in Meet My Friends. If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing, updating to a paid subscription or buying me a coffee. Also, you can share it with people you think might like this content.
Another interesting interview Flavio. If your friend Imad ever decides to come to Australia and visit our beaches, recommend to him to obey the signs. Yes, there are crocodiles in some areas, yes there are stingers (OUCH) and if they recommend not to go down to the rocks, don’t. So many visitors to this country have been washed off. Stick to life saver patrolled, sandy beaches, and don’t forget the sunscreen.