Ok, now after posts full of excitement, it’s time to admit that not everything here in Morocco is so cool. I hope you expected that not all is great when you go to a different culture. I expected that but it’s always different when you finally face it.
There is actually one thing that makes me really pissed off – language. My French is not good enough to have a conservation and I still don’t understand a lot when listening to people speaking this language. When you want to go out on your own, take a taxi, go shopping and do all these everyday little things it’s really tiring to communicate with people who don’t speak any language you do. Moreover, speaking English all the time is also tiring since it is not my native language and although I’m fluent there are lots of things I cannot express easily.
Actually, this is not the worst thing here. People here are not willing to use English (I think it’s not only about Moroccans but any other nations who simply prefers to speak their native language). If you spend time with one person only and s / he speaks English, there is no problem. If there are 2 people speaking fluent English, most of time they will communicate between each other in Arabic and in English with you. The more people in the group is the less English they want to use. And then you become the only who doesn’t understand anything (if they at least spoke French, you would be able to learn it by listening but they it’s usually Arabic). You become bored and you feel you waste your time since you are not the part of the conversation. You don’t feel needed there. Even if you ask them to speak English they usually admit that you’re right to ask them for it but it doesn’t make them implement it. Actually, I’ve noticed how I have changed here since I arrived – I tend to say what I don’t like and what pisses me off instead of keeping this inside of me as I used to before. It’s good to be honest.
But don’t worry. I still enjoy Morocco and I am sure that I want to live here for the next 12 months despite all these challenges. And I do feel that my French gets better and better. I extremely enjoy studying it!
À la prochaine! (see you next time!:)
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5 comments:
Hey, same is in most countries. I had the same in Peru, where I didn't understand Spanish and English is not really useful there.
But your starting complaining - maybe it's the culture shock that's kickin in?
Best wishes
OLO
Kamil, it's exactly how you described here in Italy as well!
In Italian I've only learned some numbers, basic words and swearings of course:)I think the only way out is to learn language to be able to have basic communication at least!
Good luck!
Masha
yeah, I expected that it was not only in Morocco. The thing is that it's sometimes so frustrating when you sit and get bored because you don't understand a single Arabic word. At least, I live with foreigners mostly so I dont have this problem in my flat. And I learn French everyday:)
Spoko Wolaczek, nie przejmuj się! Jak się do ciebie wprosze to sobie tylko po polsku bedziemy rozmawiac i tez nikt nie bedzie rozumial! I wtedy ci zli ludzie zobacza jak to jest tak nic nie rozumiec i im sie bardzo przykro zrobi i zmienia swoje karygodne postpowanie:)
Ściskam drzwiami i caluje
hey!
Thank u for night conversation I finally have my room with so far only 1 cockroach;-)
hugs!
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