In the US, we're taught since a young age to not stare at people. It's considered rude, as if you were calling them out in a room full of their peers. If you're caught staring at someone, you're given a dirty look by your peers, and most likely the person you've chosen to stare at. However, staring is often how humans express their curiosity. It could be that this person is blonde, and perhaps they've never seen a blonde before, or simply that their wearing a really cool shirt and you're trying to get the nerve to tell them this. But...I've noticed (through living in both Morocco and Oman and spending time with family in Italy) that staring is totally acceptable in other countries.
I cannot count the times I've gotten stared at by someone of the opposite or same gender in this country. Obviously, I get stared at for different reasons, depending on the person who does the staring. I used to be super bothered by this, but now I've gotten used to it. If I see a girl staring at me, I'll smile at her (don't ask me why I do this, it's just my instinct) and I am usually rewarded with a smile in return. However, if I catch a guy staring at me, I sure don't smile back at him...because that could easily lead to what we like to call a "cultural misunderstanding".
One thing that is nice about staring being acceptable in this country is that, just like others get to stare at me, I get to stare at them! And of course I mean this in a non creepy way. Things in Morocco continue to surprise me, despite having lived here for almost four months. Almost everyday I experience something new, be it a fight I see in front of the billiards hall that is broken up by two motherly looking djelleba'd women, or a strange device that someone is using as a mode of transport (the most interesting one I've seen so far has been a guy in a wheelchair who placed his wheelchair on top of a platform with three wheels, that is powered by him pumping (think: oil drills in Southern California) a lever that moves the wheels...very interesting). Regardless, I now can stare without feeling awkward because people almost expect it from passerby's! Of course, don't stare to make people feel uncomfortable, but in my humble opinion, staring is totally acceptable if you're curious about something. Just...please...don't go up and touch that person's hair or clothes..that's a whole other level of unacceptable (that I hope will never become acceptable).
Until next time, bsalama!
(Also this is my 100th post yay me!)
I cannot count the times I've gotten stared at by someone of the opposite or same gender in this country. Obviously, I get stared at for different reasons, depending on the person who does the staring. I used to be super bothered by this, but now I've gotten used to it. If I see a girl staring at me, I'll smile at her (don't ask me why I do this, it's just my instinct) and I am usually rewarded with a smile in return. However, if I catch a guy staring at me, I sure don't smile back at him...because that could easily lead to what we like to call a "cultural misunderstanding".
One thing that is nice about staring being acceptable in this country is that, just like others get to stare at me, I get to stare at them! And of course I mean this in a non creepy way. Things in Morocco continue to surprise me, despite having lived here for almost four months. Almost everyday I experience something new, be it a fight I see in front of the billiards hall that is broken up by two motherly looking djelleba'd women, or a strange device that someone is using as a mode of transport (the most interesting one I've seen so far has been a guy in a wheelchair who placed his wheelchair on top of a platform with three wheels, that is powered by him pumping (think: oil drills in Southern California) a lever that moves the wheels...very interesting). Regardless, I now can stare without feeling awkward because people almost expect it from passerby's! Of course, don't stare to make people feel uncomfortable, but in my humble opinion, staring is totally acceptable if you're curious about something. Just...please...don't go up and touch that person's hair or clothes..that's a whole other level of unacceptable (that I hope will never become acceptable).
Until next time, bsalama!
(Also this is my 100th post yay me!)
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