DAY TO DAY LOGISTICS

Moroccan Bank Account

• You cannot set up a Moroccan bank account until you have your residence card, which takes over 6 months if everything goes perfectly. So, you’ll be unable to put money in your U.S. bank account until you return after the end of your contract. So, be sure that you have enough liquid cash in your account to last for recurring withdraws like Spotify, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Students Loans, etc.
• There are a few different ways around this…
  • When people visit from the U.S., tell them you can pay for everything in country so that you can use your MAD and then calculate how much you spent and they can Venmo you that amount, which you can then transfer to your U.S. bank account. This route will save both parties international bank fees and/or conversion fees. Win. Win.
  • When people visit from the U.S., send them back with your MAD for them to convert at the airport. They can deposit in their bank account when they return to the U.S. and they can Venmo you the money directly to your U.S. bank account. This route takes a little planning, but it's a solution to an otherwise pretty frustration situation.

Paying your bills

• It is likely that your rent will be taken care of by your school, so you’ll only be responsible for paying your water and electricity bills.
  • You get the bill in your mail slot and then you go to a designated hanout and pay it…it takes 5 minutes tops!

Wi-Fi

• All I have to say is “Good luck!” It took us over 2 months to get Wi-Fi in our apartment.
• First, you need to sign a lease to your apartment
• Then, get it notarized, legally translated, and legalized at the government building
• Then, and only then, can you apply to get internet at a local Maroc Telecom store
• Then, you’ll need to wait for them to install the Wi-Fi. We were told within 48 hours and it was done in only 5! 
• Prices
  • 200 MAD for 150/MB/second
  • 250 MAD for 200Mb/second
    • You'll have to sign a 1-year contract so the longer you wait/the longer it takes to get all the required documents in order, the more you'll spend unnecessarily. Be sure to budget for this extra expense at the end, too!
  • There are alternatives
    • I got a Moroccan SIM card from Maroc Telecom and have been successfully using it for about 3 months now. I am able to buy data at almost any hanout for about $1 USD/GB, which is expensive, but cheaper and more convenient than always having to go to a café for Wi-Fi. 
    • You can buy different increments of data and they last for variable amounts of time, but be sure to dial #555 then enter the code under the scratch off area followed by *3 for an internet recharge.
      • 2GB- valid for 7 days (costs 20 MAD)
      • 3GB- valid for 10 days (costs 30 MAD)
      • 5GB- valid for 1 calendar month (costs 50 MAD)
  • We were able to find a fiber-optic café in Wafa though!
    • They only serve drinks and coffee, but the Internet is reliable and speedy!

Hope this helps!

Elizabeth~