See? I can use Arabic. La mushleka. I think the entire student body – except for the old farts like me – stayed up all night to study. By9:30pm, I figured I was too tired and if I didn’t know it by now, I wouldn’t by morning. There are about 4 of us who are always in class – another American, a grad student from Poland who is brilliant and an equally brilliant Italian fellow learning Arabic “for fun” – and we were chatting with the listening professor as the other students struggled in. The boys had clearly stayed up all night studying (or something) and didn’t make it until the second hour of class. We had two hours of class – the listening and conversation part of the curriculum – and then the exam.
It sucked. All the girls went to pee beforehand, so there was the unexpected event of a line at the squat toilets. The mind boggles. I did, however, understand nearly everything (all instructions and explanations in Arabic, of course) except one section. I took my best guess, figuring I wouldn’t understand the explanation anyway. I just hope I pass! If I fail, I suspect nothing happens except humiliation, but it would not be good. However, I have already noticed an improvement in my reading, translation and grammar skills, though am sadly deficient in writing and speaking. Since I have had no training in either, I suppose this is not too startling. Even that is improving, though I am too scared still to talk much. My comprehension is also still pretty slow – and the exam is fast-paced – but I can now just about keep up. Better than last week!
Tonight all the kids are going to the Christian quarter to party at “German House.” The Christian quarter in the Old City is called Bab Touma, after the gate and the street of the same name. Since the houses are all tucked up against one another, to get to the party, the kids have to meet somewhere than have a guide to the house. Our house is the same. Here’s an example of the direction that is easiest: Go through the Hamadiyyah souq to the end, where the Roman pillars still stand. Then, as you face the Omayyad mosquee, go right. Follow the old wall of the mosque until you see the sign for “Omayyad House Restaurant”. Go right into the alley. At the end of the alley, turn left. Pass Beit Jari, take the next alley to the left. Go right, then left, then right again. At the end of the alley, turn right to the door. Mind the floor – someone likes to pee on our front step on occasion, and the recent addition to the alley is someone (clearly a person, as there are no dogs here) took a big dump. One of the kids took a picture. It’s funny, but ewww.
I will spend the evening at home reading, resting and listening to music. Then I will drink tea. Probably will be some biscuit eating as well. I will go tonight to greet my friend in the souq as well, possibly have tea there. There is always time for tea, here.
Thanks for the well wishes, all!
February 19, 2009 at 11:24 pm |
Alf mabruk on surviving the first exam. When I was in Morocco, I spent a lot of energy berating myself for my poor skills. On my birthday, after I had been there for a little more than 3 weeks,a traveler and student who had befriended me gave me a textile with a saying by Ali on it. She asked me to translate it, which I did easily. She then triumphantly reminded me that three weeks earlier she had shown me the same textile and asked me to translate it for her, and I couldn’t. I searched high and low for the trick, but there was none there. It was the same textile, only my skill level had changed.
You are learning so much. The bummer is that, the more you learn, the more you realize how much more there is to learn. Every once in a while, kick back and enjoy how far you’ve come.
Love and hugs from Luna and Amara!
February 20, 2009 at 1:14 pm |
I agree with everything that Amy says! Your skills have improved drastically – the whole point of immersion – AND you are learning language in context with culture – how precious that is!
I hope your tea was good, and that perhaps you treated yourself to a special biscuit or pastry – it doesn’t hurt to live large!
It is snowing again, but lightly. Only about 4 inches, and Topaz romped and snowplowed and jackrabbitted and had all kinds of fun! I also appreciate the fresh snow – it covers the dirty, yucky snow.
Sonya and the crew worked hard and tipped over the catbox last night, which I didn’t discover ’til the morning. They took turns looking innocent. After your description of radical defecation in your neighborhood, I can handle this!
February 20, 2009 at 5:48 pm |
Well, I think Amara and your mother said what needed to be said about your skills and the idea of kicking back, seeing, truly, how far you’ve come. I hope that by the end of this experience that maybe you will ease up on yourself. I would have said stop being so hard on yourself, however, that would probably take more than 6 weeks.
I do love your description of life there. You have a way of bringing it all to life even the pile of poo. Take care and relax!
February 21, 2009 at 12:03 am |
Glad to read your colorful description of the exam- and the view from your seat the morning of the exam! (I think I have seen that very same cast of bleary-eyed characters in some of my classes)
My burning question: did the tenants of German House take the opportunity to use the Mighty Poo as yet another landmark in their directions?
Can’t wait to know the answer…I might need to re-evaluate how I give directions once I know.
PS when I find myself thinking in the other language, instead of thinking word-word-word, I know I am making progress. Sounds like you are well on your way!