Immersion

The closest experience I have to being immersed into Arabic is about every third Thursday when I know my professor is likely to check homework. So, for a few hours, I think, read, and write as much Arabic as I can to answer the exercises in my book. Then, I try to cram in some vocabulary that I've neglected. I have class for an hour and fifteen, and then attend the "coffee hour" to practice with native speakers for about two hours (how could they plan an Arabic coffee ONE hour? Well, really they didn't, but they call it that anyway).

Last week was the first coffee hour, actually. My teacher was insistent that I speak with a man from Morocco, which not failing my expectations, included a question about whether or not I was married followed by an awkwardness when I answered no. I took the opportunity to explain that it was the most common question I got apart from where I was from while in Casa, and he assured me it was just because some European women will marry to help out those who want passports. asifa. la shukron.

I still don't know the translations for great expressions from Morocco, like shweea b shweea, or zit zit. Or words for after, before, tomorrow, yesterday, in the past, etc. Enshallah, I suppose. Or maybe, Mashallah would be more appropriate.

ma'salaama
ohktik