Who welcomes you to Ranch de Diabat?

There are many reasons to organize a trip to Morocco and decide to visit Essaouira.

We have already shared some of them in recent months on the Ranch blog blog and today we'll tell you about another one: at the Ranch de Diabat in Essaouira, together with Omar and Mohamed, Erika awaits you, who in 2006 decided to leave Italy to live in Morocco.

Erika therefore combines typically Moroccan hospitality with full knowledge of the needs of Western tourists: a perfect mix to create travel experiences in Morocco tailored to the needs of those who travel, with the aim of giving unforgettable emotions to those who decide to organize their holiday in Essaouira also passing through the Ranch de Diabat.

Who welcomes you to Essaouira? 6 questions to Erika

When did you make your first trip to Morocco and how did you organize it? 

The first time was in 2006: backpacking, I left alone to spend 25 days traveling in Morocco, studying the route on my beloved Lonely Planet and using public transport to move from one place to another. During those weeks I spent a lot of time with myself, my thoughts, my travel diary... but I never felt alone, because I met so many people, travelers and locals, whose language I didn't yet know but with whom I always established pleasant exchanges...

Then you decided to change your life: when did it happen? How did you feel? What prejudices did you have to fight against?

I decided to change my life as soon as I met Omar, without thinking twice: at first I simply wanted to extend my first trip to Morocco, but I didn't have enough money in the ATM to reschedule the flight. I then returned home, resigned from my job and told my parents that I wanted to try living in Morocco for a while. I hadn't told them about Omar, but I think they understood.

At first they were definitely shaken by this decision: the only one who always supported me, however, was my maternal grandmother.

Among the things I was most sorry to leave behind was certainly sport: I was a men's football referee, a sector in which I had created an important role for myself by pushing against rampant chauvinism. I was sorry to end this chapter of my life abruptly, but Morocco helped me obtain great satisfaction: for a period of time I also refereed here in the men's local football championship, obtaining great professional rewards and adequately saying goodbye to this passion that I have accompanied for many years.

Unfortunately, I also left many friends in Italy: it wasn't easy to have their understanding and I had to fight with the prejudices of those who imagined me wearing a veil, closed in my house.

And yet... in 18 years I can guarantee you that I have not had to wear the veil, nor stop doing what I loved (sport, friends, travelling).

Obviously Omar and I had to compromise on some things, like any couple, but my freedom was never questioned.

Were there any difficulties at the beginning? Now it's better?

I have never been scared of language, religion or the need to adapt to a culture different from my own.

At first the biggest difficulties were gaining understanding from my parents and finding something to do to support myself. Both issues have been largely resolved and overcome: not only because my parents understood that this was the right path for me, but above all because with Omar we have set up a well-structured business and also a family.

Like all families, there continue to be difficulties: managing children, marriage, work issues... But cultural differences have never been a problem: I have always approached them with respect and I have always felt integrated with the local people.

What do you miss most and what makes you say, instead, "I made the right choice"?

I cannot deny that I miss my land, my family and also my important friends...

Sometimes I have to return to Italy, or take a trip somewhere, to breathe "European air" and to recharge after periods of intense work.

However, there are several reasons why I am convinced I made the right choice: the smiles and warmth with which I was welcomed from the beginning, even though I come from a different country, with a different culture and a different religion; the work stimulus of undertaking this professional path in a country where there is still a lot to build and where, among other things, the bureaucracy is not as complex as in Italy.

I also believe that the quality of my life is very high: my family and I work with animals, we live immersed in nature, in an environment that gives serenity and well-being. The greatest joy is hearing our children tell their Italian friends about their life in Essaouira and the pride of having received a dromedary as a birthday present!

What exactly do you do at the Ranch?

At the Ranch I take care of many things: at the beginning I opened the office, taking care of the administrative, commercial and management of personnel and company expenses.

Over the years we have created a team, so I can share the management work with other people and also dedicate myself to the more "material" part: not only planning, marketing, contacts with agencies and tour operators, but above all in the field , with my beloved horses. Living with them, taking care of them and being guided by the wind during the rides are priceless emotions that I love to share with the people who travel with us.

Is the fact of being Italian an added value for Western tourists who come on holiday to Morocco?

Yes, I believe that being Italian is an added value because in me they see organizational skills and seriousness and therefore the possibility of trusting without hesitation. However, I would like to say that these characteristics can also be found in many Moroccan colleagues: I am an atypical expatriate, I arrived for love, not to "exploit" the resources of this country or do things that I would not have been able to do in Italy for bureaucratic difficulties. 

I certainly learned the concept of "WELCOME" perfectly from the local community: "stop here, let's sit down and talk a bit, with words, gestures, smiles".

This is how it works here, even in the most touristy places, where the desire to sell something never separates from the desire to give a small gift to the customer. The desire to sit around a table and spend time together is always a priority, so know that if you come to Ranch de Diabat we will welcome you with open arms and make you feel at home.

Milena Marchioni