Friday, October 17, 2008
"Now we're talking."
I just had a fifteen minute conversation with my host mother – in Arabic. Funny how when you stop struggling with the language and just let it happen, you find yourself saying words without thinking about what they mean in your native tongue. Something clicked today when conducting bilingual interviews, and when I returned home exhausted and anticipating an all-nighter for my case study, I found myself chatting and laughing over a late dinner with Khatm. I'm still far far far from fluent, of course, but I am feeling more hopeful about communication with my family. She seemed pleased, and I was truly glad. We cleared up some misunderstandings, I think, and I’m looking forward to the next several weeks. I feel like I’ve been restored to them and to the culture, somewhat, a refreshing development after the complaints in the previous entry about “coconuts”.
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5 comments:
Oddly enough, all the comments that I leave somehow disappear *tears* I just hope that you're getting to them, Diana. I would hate to think that you'd think nobody reads your entries, because I know for a fact that Emily and I are addicted to them ^^
Anyway, I'm sorry that you didn't get to go to the wedding. I'm sure it would have been an interesting and pleasurable event. And I hope that your paper got finished, and I'm very glad that Arabic is getting easier for you. And at least you are getting closer to your homestay family.
It's fall break for us over here. I'm at home, enjoying my time, and I'm sure everybody else is too. Sam and Elly are still at school, so I don't know if they're enjoying it, but I'm sure that they're glad at not having to go to school. Hahaha, do you get any vacations from school, Diana?
Well, I hope that you are well and hope that you will have a wonderful week!
Hi Danbee,
Your two comments haven't disappeared, they're just unpublished. I read them but felt like they were more personal notes, so I didn't post them. But I certainly loved receiving them! Thanks for being such faithful readers!
Yes, I just now finished my paper (it was due at 5:00 P.M., you know how long papers go).
And yes, we do get "vacations" in the sense that our excursions to places like Egypt are still educational - we have lecturers from different universities teach us and we have readings and discussions. So they are like learning vacations. Tomorrow we're leaving for southern Jordan - to Aqaba, Petra, Wadi Rum and an Eco-lodge. This will certainly be a nice break!
Glad to hear from you as always!
Ahh, okay, I see ^^ I was just confused hahahah~~~
I'm so jealous that you can go to such exotic countries and have them count still as credits *fights with jealousy* How is Jordan nowadays? I haven't been up to date on the international, especially Middle Eastern, news, so how is it politically? I hope that you are safe. Ohh yeah, I'm guessing that your Arabic is getting better from your last entry, but is it getting to the point where it's probably going to be weird when you come back to Sewanee and you get confused as to why everybody's using English? Kekeke...Okay, well I must get to Chinese considering that Kristy is over here and it's probably going to take double the time hahaha~ J/K!!! Miss you, Diana!
"Funny how when you stop struggling with the language and just let it happen, you find yourself saying words without thinking about what they mean in your native tongue."
Exactly. The "click" you mentioned is one of the most encouraging and important things I experienced while abroad, too. When you're mentally able to "put the pedal to the metal" and just talk like you would in your native language, without caring how many errors there will be, you've overcome the biggest obstacle.
Kudos, young paduan.
Hold up!! You went to an eco-lodge?! You never told me about that! I must hear more ;-)
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