Interviewee: I just wanted to start by introducing my relationship to migrants here in Morocco. Although I am not one I have some chances to interact with some of them and talk and I think the first thing is that they are in search of a better life. That is why they are here in Morocco and want to transfer to Europe, because it is the easiest way to get to Europe, illegally. I think it has reached a point where people have lost their lives, and some of them have decided to not take the risk, but some of them they are still going. And I think in respects to the Moroccan economy and Morocco in general I think recently what the Moroccan government did was give them some staples every year, giving them the residency card. Because in Morocco if you do not have the residency card it is not easy for you to be integrating into the system. So I think there were some strategic programs to reduce the amount of people that want to transit to Europe because it is actually giving them the Moroccan security system instead of constantly fighting between getting into Europe or leaving Morocco they can instead stay with citizenship. Some are benefitting from it, some people that have it, they will have to renew it very year depending on what they are doing. I think another thing that is really helping the migrants in Morocco is when it comes to the call centers, those that have a residency card can easily get a job there and make enough money to rent a house, pay your bills, do something with your life.
Grace: Does it help them in the languages they speak? For example it seems like Sub-Saharans speak more English, does this assist them in getting jobs at call centers?
Interviewee: For me, the West African region we have 15 countries and have only 5 that speak English. Which is Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Gambia. And then two Portuguese speaking countries. So the rest are French speaking countries. That is why most of the migrants we see here are from the French speaking countries. So getting integrated for them is easier than the other migrants from countries found in West Africa. But you still have some migrants from Anglo-Saxon countries in West Africa like Liberia and Nigeria, I have not seen any Ghanians or Gambians not really except for the students. You have Liberians, Nigerians I have seen from the English speaking south, South Africa, but the rest are French speaking.
Grace: Do you think that the migrants that are in Morocco are mostly students, economic migrants, or refugees? Who do you mostly come in contacts with?
Interviewee: I would say that people need to know that the Sub-Saharan migrants here come from two major groups. The first being students that come on a baccalaureate scholarship between their government and the Moroccan government. And me and most of my friends are here on this program. So we are here legally. So once you come you are automatically going to have your resident card.
Grace: So does your government give you a scholarship to come here?
Interviewee: Yes once you are sent by your government to come to study here in Morocco like I said, to get a baccalaureate degree between the Moroccan and for example the Liberian government. So your country may help you with some costs every month, even though . But with that and help from your parents you might be able to make it here. So that is some of the students but I do not believe that all of the countries give their students stipends. All of the English speaking countries do it, some of the French speaking countries do, and the rest I am not sure.
Grace: So when you country provides you stipends and an education like this do you have to go back to your country and work there?
Interviewee: So I will only speak for my country, but yes it is like a contract where you must go back and work for some time after you graduate. So they will pay for your transportation to and from Morocco and everything but you must come back and work.
Grace: Why do they do this, why not just educate students in their country? Is it because the education is better here?
Interviewee: Having experienced this education system, it is actually just a different system. Because in Liberia we directly adopted the American system. But when you look at the education system when it comes to infrastructure and development and all of these things we in Liberia are not even close to Morocco when it comes to these things. They have the infrastructures and a good system, qualified professors as compared to my country. Because I went to university in my country for two years before coming here and I have seen a difference, I can compare them. So that is in relation to my country. I see some black people from the Caribbean that are students here. And then of course students from Nigeria, Ghana, I don’t think that the infrastructure is necessarily better here but I think it is more about human cultural interaction. Because there are equal or even better universities in those countries but I think it is more about building that strong diplomatic relationship.
Grace: Interesting. Yea I have been reading a lot about how Morocco wants to rejoin the African Union and rebuild those economic ties.
Interviewee: Yes they want to be a part of the West African community, yes they are trying to build these strong diplomatic ties.
Grace: So you have been here for six years?
Interviewee: I would say more, six and a half years. Because I came here and studied French for one year and then started university. So I had to study French for 6-7 months and then began at a university where people are speaking French at you.
Grace: So you started learning French when you got here and then you were in a university where they were teaching you in French?
Interviewee: Yes it was very difficult. But over time you begin to understand the system and begin to make friends.
Grace: The language system here is crazy to me. The way that everyone is focusing so much on French but in reality in the world system it is not spoken that much. Like what are you supposed to do with this French now, move to France?
Interviewee: No, see that is the misconception people have, France has colonized many countries in the world. Even though perhaps English is the number one language, everyone wants to speak English, as you can see here in Morocco the youth are all learning it.
Grace: Yes, and I feel like they resent French because it is the colonizer’s language.
Interviewee: Yes I think that is the case. But for me, but for my own use, I think that French will be useful for me. Because my country is bordering with two French-speaking countries, Guinea and Cotedevoir. So learning French, it is not a waste. We have nine French-speaking countries in West Africa.
Grace: So where do you see yourself in 10 years? Geographically.
Interviewee: Well I have no idea about 10 years, but maybe 5.
Grace: Okay 5.
Interviewee: Well for me, this is my last academic year.
Grace: What are you going to school for?
Interviewee: I am getting my masters in economics, specifically in economic policy. First I really want to go to home. But I am not going to limit myself because what I have learned or what I am learning is that I can not limit myself because I need to work with an international organization. But what I am thinking in the first five years is that I just want to focus on my own field and get some experience and gain a lot of contacts. And try to establish something good for myself.
Grace: How old are you?
Interviewee: 28, I was 21 when I came to Morocco.
Grace: And have you gone home?
Interviewee: No I haven’t.
Grace: What? Why?
Interviewee: Ah, I don’t know, sometimes I deliberately use my airfare money just to stay here I Morocco. I am in constant contact with my friends and family. But for now I have to do what I have to do for myself. So that is not a problem for me. I can live anywhere, but it depends on my situation and status there. As long as it okay and I am earning money and can help my family I am okay moving anywhere.
Grace: Do you think that Moroccan citizens understand the different migration statuses such as migrant, refugee, and asylum seeker and treat people accordingly? For example if a Moroccan heard that someone was a refugee then they would understand why they would need help or certain protections, or do you think that they treat them the same?
Interviewee: That is an interesting question due to the fact that you have migrants and Sub-Saharan migrants that are trying to transit and you have noticed some people on the street that are trying to beg. And to be frank with you I am not going to be judgmental against Moroccans, I am not going to judge Moroccans in general, but I think some of them are ignorant of these things. When you go to the north I think that it is worse, because I can remember I went to Tetouan, a small city in the North where I used to visit my friend. And you would try to speak to people on the street and maybe ask for some location or something, and they think because you are black you are begging and they will just turn away and walk by. But I think for the bigger cities in Morocco like Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, and some cities around these centers are more open these issues and understand these situations better. So they don’t just judge a black person just on seeing them but they actually try to get to know them and see what they are doing in Morocco. Because you have some people that are having businesses here, who actual work here, apart from the students, you have people here that are just transiting.
Grace: So I don’t want to say this is a Morocco problem, because we struggle with it in the United States, and all over the world but how do you think people can gain an understanding of not being racist? Like is it education, or is it seeing and experiencing people of different races and socio-economic backgrounds more? Like do you feel like it has to do with Morocco being such a homogeneous country?
Interviewee: Uhm for me personally, I wouldn’t see the word racist, I think they are ignorant. That is the first thing.
Grace: What do you mean ignorant, like ignorant to others situations, and why they are here?
Interviewee: I think it is ignorant because,