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About me

Hi, I’m Amanda or MarocMama as you’ll get to know me!

I began writing MarocMama as a young mom wanting to share the challenges and triumphs of parenting in a cross-cultural relationship. I’ve enjoyed writing and reading for as long as I can remember. It was a way for me to explore far off places when I felt stuck in the very small, rural community in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

I couldn’t wait to leave!

At 16, I took my first international trip and as soon as I stepped out of the airport in Athens, Greece I knew it was a travelin’ life for me! I met my husband (MarocBaba) on a vacation in Marrakech Morocco when we were just 20 years old, we married shortly after meeting and have three children (M is 16, K is 13, and A is 2 years old.)

We lived in the US for almost 10 years and then decided to move to Morocco. The information and advice I share here is from first-hand experience. It’s not just a Marrakech travel blog or Morocco travel blog but a collection of experiences, places, and insight gleaned from years of experience.

Second only to my love of travel is my love of great tasting, amazing food. I’m always up to try most things (except the snails, don’t ask me to do that again!). I plan my travel around what I can eat first, then what else there is to see.

MarcocMama is a blog for food-loving, adventurous travelers who want to connect with people and places on a more authentic level.

Get tips, stories, and inspiration to have experiences outside your comfort zone as you explore Morocco and the rest of the world. Whether you’re traveling solo or have kids in tow, you’ll find honest, practical advice about non-bucket-list destinations around the world.

MarocMama offers travel stories that bring you along on the journey, practical advice to help you plan your own adventures, and recipes from around the world so you can re-live your travel experiences long after you return home.

How I can help YOU?

Over the years I have realized people visit MarocMama for a lot of reasons. While I don’t have the answer to all your questions what I will always aim to provide is;

  • travel information and advice about Morocco from someone that lives here – not just someone that visited for a few days.
  • in-depth information about life in Marrakech
  • insight to life in Morocco; whether you want to move here or you’re just want to see what it’s like
  • ways and ideas to bring Morocco home with you – even if you have never visited!
  • Recipes, shopping tips and more will let you feel pieces of the country in your own homeland.

It’s not all Morocco all the time. You’ll also find travel tips, product reviews ,and posts on our travels around the world.

My goal is to give you a place where you can get all of the help you need to start traveling – to Morocco and elsewhere and to bring that life into your home – wherever home is!

What I Can’t Provide

While I try my best to be a resource for people there are a few things I can’t/won’t do.

  • I’m not a matchmaking service. Please don’t ask me to introduce you to my friends for relationships.
  • I can not/will not provide analysis of your relationship/potential relationship. A lot of people have asked me for advice on this and the truth is I’m not in a position to provide this type of analysis nor do I want to put myself in the position to judge a relationship that I have little knowledge of.
  • Detailed trip planning assistance. I have a lot of information for free here please read through. If you’d like help organizing your trip check out my Marrakech Trip Planning Resource or my food guide to Marrakech.

I know you’re thinking, so what kind of credentials do you have? Why should I trust you? Here’s a few of the places I’ve been included and speaking engagements I’ve done.

What Readers Are Saying

After having spent a week in Morocco and being exposed to wonderful, flavorful new foods and spices, I wanted to see if I could make some dishes myself.  I had done an amazing food tour with Amanda at MarocMama where she took me into the Medina and brought me to many marvelous stands that I would not have found on my own.  Not to mention, with her by my side I at least knew I could make it out of all of the twists and turns the Medina offers!
 
Having gone back to Amanda’s website once home, I saw that she had a cookbook for purchase/download.  I immediately bought it and have used it ever since to the delight of myself and my family!

Karen

Pennsylvania, USA

My friend Gigia and I planned a two-week trip to Morocco on our own. We used a lot of resources, and the one that always brought the most joy and usefulness was MarocMama. 

MarocMama newsletter was one I always opened, read, and found value from. The personable tone and up-to-date information was always welcome. I bought the Marrakesh Food Guide and found it so helpful. For me, it’s all about the food, and this guide and other pieces on the blog helped make sure I ate great food all the time. 

MarocMama is an excellent resource for all things Morocco! And I also enjoy reading about Amanda’s other adventures and recommendations. 

Cynthia

Intrepid Traveler

Sharing is caring!

Nikiah

Monday 6th of March 2023

Wonderful Blog and great food resources. We are travelling to Morocco in a few days and I just printed out your food guide as well as the gluten free guide--these are fabulous! Wondering though, as you mention eating fruit and salads as well as ice cream{Apparently they add water to them}, which are all foods that I have been warned about as they commonly make travellers sick. What is your take on this?

Amanda Mouttaki

Friday 10th of March 2023

Ice cream is heated and then frozen so most things are killed off. I think everyone has to go with their own level of comfort with these things. You can always make sure raw fruit and salad is dried off. Peel fruits if you're concerned of sickness. Most all salads in Morocco are cooked vs raw so this becomes less of an issue. I tend to eat everything anywhere I go but know people have different sensitivities and you'll have to gauge a little on how comfortable you feel with it.

Michelle

Monday 20th of February 2023

Thank you! I have just spent the most amazing 2 weeks traveling though Morocco, and I can not wait to travel back and fill in with the places I missed. I read your posts and found it to be wonderful information. It is just now, that I read your bio (because I’m still under the spell of the country!) and I was pretty shocked that you were from the UP. I am as well. A tiny town in the west end, Bessemer… I too left young and traveled but as a flight attendant. Thank you for all you have accomplished here, and Bravo!

Evelyne Cohen

Monday 31st of October 2022

As a French Moroccan Jewish woman that lives in the US and was born in Casablanca in 1958 and left in 1961 It has always been a dream to return to my homeland and learn more while visiting the sites from my youth. This blog has given me insight to a world unknown that I can only aspire to travel to one day soon.

Amanda Mouttaki

Monday 31st of October 2022

Evelyne,

It would be an honor to know you and show you the land of your birth. I do hope you can return. <3

Gail Oliver

Thursday 1st of September 2022

I have really enjoy your site and information. I am traveling in December to Marrakech, first time for a birthday celebration. I am going through Lisbon then onto Marrakech. I have a question about traveling solo as female there. I may go a few days early and was going to go to Essaouira but may just do a day tour there. Is is safe for a female alone in Marrakech. I wanted to go to Chefchaouen also but cannot find way to get from Lisbon to there before meeting in Marrakech. Any suggestions appreciated and on the safety factors. Thank you Gail

Amanda Mouttaki

Thursday 1st of September 2022

Hi Gail - it may be a little overwhelming (Marrakech is just very busy) so Essaouira by yourself might be a little easier to do. Chefchaouan is a very long way from Marrakech. You'd need to go from Lisbon to Tangier or Fez first to get there. Then it would still be 3-4 hours. It would require a private driver or bus rides. For general safety, be aware of your surroundings, you might be less comfortable in the medina areas after dark as it can be very confusing with minimal lighting.

Allen Mitchell

Sunday 12th of June 2022

Hello: My name is Allen. I have studied some about Morocco, but need to learn more. I has a trip planned to go to Casablanca but was cut short because 8f the China virus. Now I don't have the money or vacation since I started my new job. I currently writing a series of adventure novels the involve Morocco, the Berbers and Arabs. I'm also interested in learning how to cook real Moroccan food, especially that which involves the tagine. One day I will come to Morocco. Thanks Allen