Money Miracles in Morocco

See that person by the railing? Moi aussi!

Sitting here in my cold bedroom, no central heat, I am smiling under two quilts with a tiny room heater on full blast. Why am I smiling? I am marveling at the recent money miracle in Morocco.


It has been a mere three months and 13 days since I first arrived in Morocco and tried to set up a bank account with debit card. FYI - Moroccan time is completely different than any other time. I was hoping to get direct deposit for my paycheck. Right before I went to Florence and the Duomo, my friend, Julie in HR, graciously came into the art room and dropped off my very own brand new pin number from the bank. 


If you recall, the last pin number sent to me did not go with my card, and the bank machine ate my card, etc. It was a less than wonderful day that day. I decided to put off trying my card and pin until after Florence just in case it did not work; I did not want to start on my happy Italian adventure on the wrong Moroccan foot, so to speak.


You don't decide your pin number in this country; they give it to you in the mail months after you get your debit card. See how easy the system is? It's a snap, I say. Well, anyway, I finally decided to go downstairs (we live over a bank and ATM machine) and try my shiny new debit card that had recently been eaten along with my very new pin number. 


Having just returned from scaling the dome in Florence, I felt a renewed vigor and joie de vie! Yes, I can get money out of an ATM in Morocco. 

And yes, drum roll, it actually worked! You folks who want debit cards the first day you open up a bank account are way out of line. What's your hurry in America? I just think back to how silly I was if I didn't get something done quickly or in a timely fashion back home. Here they'd say go get some mint tea and wait a few months for your debit card. Chill. What's your hurry? Gosh.


Anyway, a money miracle happened to me tonight in Morocco. I have a debit card that works!


The adventure continues......