Success at last!

So by now you know of my frsutrations with learning the Arabic language.  It is not one of the easiest languages to learn.  In fact I'm pretty sure it ranks right up there with English.  And English is one of the most difficult languages to learn.  I have not really been enjoying learning this language.  That is until Wed.  I had a great lesson!  Maybe it's because I'm finished learning the letters and their sounds and now it's applying it.  Maybe it's because I really really studied over the weekend (since it was a long weekend).  Maybe it's because she introduced some things that I had already sort of known (I had very brief Arabic lessons when I first arrived).  Or maybe it's because I am actually getting it!  Who knows.  It's probably a combination of all those reasons.  Whatever the reason, I left feeling very confident and pleased.  I was able to have a very brief conversation with my instructor and her son (Hi, how are you?  What's your name?  Are you doing well?  Good evening.  See you later.)  See not much, but I was able to say most of the words and understand most of what he was saying without much help from my instructor!  She had warned me that she would be sending me Arabic emails so when I got home and checked my email I wasn't surprised to find an email in Arabic.  Well, I was a bit surprised.  I didn't think she would send one so soon.  What surprised me more was the fact that I could read it (even without a lot of those silly vowels:) and understand what she wrote without referring to my notes!  I was even able to write back to her.  I wanted to try to answer her questions without looking at my notes so I wrote them on paper before responding to her email.  I did not spell all the words correctly (those darn vowels; I have a hard time figuring out if they're long or short; the short ones don't appear in writing), but I was able to fix my mistakes.  I will learn this language!

Shhh, don't tell ADEC, but I even used some Arabic in class today!  Nothing much, just good morning, how are you, and see you later.  But we're not supposed to use any Arabic at all.  The girls were very surprised!  They know I'm learning, but I think I surprised them by saying something instead of repeating what they say!  They did respond to my good morning with the appropriate response so that's good.  At least I know they understood what I said! 

I am even noticing success in the girls.  Their reading is getting so much better.  I love it when they try to sound out words!  I'm not sure they really know what they're reading, but they are trying.  At the beginning of the year they wouldn't even try.  They would just stare at something.  Their writing is getting better too.   It's just the fact that they're trying and sounding out words that is so impressive!  Their spoken English is also getting better!  A lot of them can now communicate with me in partial sentences instead of just one or two words.  I love this!  We still have a lot of work to do, but it is amazing to see their learning and growth!

So, I will close in Arabic and go and study Arabic!

(toosbehou 'ala khair - good night!)                                       تصبح علئ خير