I’ve
been exposed Darija--the language spoken in my homestay--for less than
two weeks. Needless to say, basic communication is still very difficult.
I try my hardest to learn, but it’s also a challenge for my Moroccan
family and peers. Speaking to someone who knows so little of the
language requires creativity and patience. Most people become frustrated
when I don’t understand them, and give up after one or two tries. But
I’ve noticed--here and elsewhere--that some people seem to have a gift
for communicating with beginners in their native language.
I am very lucky to have a person like this in my Moroccan family. My 15-year-old host brother, “M,” often takes the time to sit and speak Darija and Arabic with me. He speaks slowly for me, and when I don’t understand, he is quick to explain in another way--whether with words, charades, and drawing. My notebook is filling up with records of our conversations--a sketch of a soccer field, a money conversion, a list of years, etc.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have a person like this in my house, and I try to learn basic communication skills from him. For example, my host mom is more difficult to communicate with. But when she seems to be giving up on expressing an idea to me, I’ve started handing her a notebook and asking her to draw. It works! Hopefully my Darija will improve soon, but until then, I’ll be working on my drawing... and my ability to interpret drawings.
I am very lucky to have a person like this in my Moroccan family. My 15-year-old host brother, “M,” often takes the time to sit and speak Darija and Arabic with me. He speaks slowly for me, and when I don’t understand, he is quick to explain in another way--whether with words, charades, and drawing. My notebook is filling up with records of our conversations--a sketch of a soccer field, a money conversion, a list of years, etc.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have a person like this in my house, and I try to learn basic communication skills from him. For example, my host mom is more difficult to communicate with. But when she seems to be giving up on expressing an idea to me, I’ve started handing her a notebook and asking her to draw. It works! Hopefully my Darija will improve soon, but until then, I’ll be working on my drawing... and my ability to interpret drawings.
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