I would prefer to learn a new language because it opens up more doors than just bargaining on a random street. Arguably one of the most beautiful things in life is when two people that come from different parts of the world and look completely opposite communicate with each other through the same language fluidly. Not to mention fluently speaking a language helps you with bargaining much easier. When a vendor sees a visitor, they might feel closed off, or even try to rip them off, but once you speak their language they light up. The feeling of connection is ultimately what life is about, and the ability to make that connection is extremely high-value. Learning a new language is not easy. Countless hours spent repeating, saying, and writing out vocabulary and phrases are required to fully retain an entire language. To achieve this, you must be highly disciplined and be a very hard worker. It is important to remember that learning a new language is like riding a bike. If you do not use the language after a while, you might forget it entirely. Successfully bargaining to a price both parties agree with is nearly impossible. In my opinion, being comfortable getting told “no” is essential in good bargaining. If you offer a price you are comfortable with and they say no. No big deal. The world is still spinning and you can counter back or leave. You will almost never land on the right price at the first vendor, so walking away is also another strategy. When a vendor has demand/interest, their main priority will be closing the deal, so the buyer is in control. Using this leverage is the easiest way to create a discount for yourself. While walking away is useful, I do not use it a ton in the U.S. because many vendors do not carry the same products. In the medina, I can walk 20 yards and pass five different places to buy a rug. When the product is only in one store, you cannot walk away because you will not see it anywhere else. Because of this, I often shoot out a price and am okay with getting rejected. In Morocco, the vendors are seasoned when it comes to dealing with foreigners, and I am quickly learning to adjust and hold my own. At the end of the day, the vendors are just trying to put food on the table and I respect that, so I often end on their offer to make them feel like they won, even if I cut the price into thirds, so both sides “win”.
30 Dirham and a Dream
