Hello…
I’m from the UK and have recently returned from my first trip to Marrakech with my long term boyfriend. I booked the trip/flights etc in my name so had all the contact with the riad we stayed in myself including the manager’s number to contact.
The trip was fantastic and the staff were amazing where we stayed. I was somewhat attracted to the manager (innocent crush) but didn’t act or behave in any way towards him. During our stay my boyfriend was pestered a lot on the streets by men trying to sell him hash. We explained this to the riad manager and asked if he smoked it and he was a bit bashful and used the old excuse of ‘my friends do’ but I can get you some (we weren’t asking just curious). Anyway, one day my boyfriend was in our bathroom and I went up onto the roof terrace alone and shortly after the manager arrived. He handed me a mint tea and took out his wooden hashish pipe offering me it which I did take a few puffs from. He then chatted to me a little and left me alone. He didn’t act inappropriately although when we were leaving he took one of legs as to give me a piggy back (my boyfriend was present and it was more playful if anything). During our time we had a lot of jokes with him, he was a funny, confident guy who I soon realised was probably high from smoking hash all day and night!
Anyway, on our return he sent me a standard message on WhatsApp wishing us a safe return and asking for us to review our stay with them.
I messaged him back saying of course we would and a few days later messaged to confirm we had left a review. Anyway, being a bit naive I sent him a photo of my face and a framed photo of the King of Morocco that we bought during our stay as he had found it hilarious when we were there. He replied and we stopped talking. Anyway, the following day he started messaging me again and said how he would hope I could come back very soon and to meet his family in the desert (we had casually chatted with him about maybe doing an excursion to the desert on a future trip to Morocco but hadn’t planned anything). He asked to call me to explain the trip which I declined so he sent the itinary. We then chatted briefly about it and he sent me photos of him with his mother and brother and repeated about me going back there for a few days either ‘with my boyfriend or family or friends’. I asked him if he had been to the UK before as I wasn’t sure what to say about going back and he said hadn’t but is thinking of making a trip. I said Europe is ok and he responded ‘well if you want I can prepare papers and I will see you in Europe’… I’m really not sure what to make of this… Does he think I am leading him on? Why would he say about preparing papers to meet me there? I haven’t replied because I don’t know what to say but I feel bad if I’ve led him to think we can have some sort of relationship (he only speaks a little English and I speak no Arabic). It was just harmless flirting at most. Maybe I have misunderstood as well as I haven’t had any relations with Muslim men before and am probably being very naive! Please don’t judge, I’m just looking for advice as to how to handle the situation.
Thank you