I think I've already mentioned that Arabic is a ridiculously difficult language that I will spend my entire life trying to become fluent in (hopefully not my whole life, just a lot of it). The majority of my time here in Egypt is spent lost in this incessant babble of foreign syllables. (I just looked up incessant to make sure I was using the right word and it says "of something regarded as unpleasant". I just want to say it's not always unpleasant. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It all depends.) Okay back to the point.
I have this tiny, somewhat crappy Nokia phone. AFS gave it to me so I'm not complaining. It has an Egyptian number so anyone (mostly AFS) can contact me or vice versa. Egyptians talk on the phone for most of the communication so it's kind of important to have this phone. On this phone, I get random texts from the phone company, all in Arabic, probably about promotions and stuff. I never know what they say, I don't really care too much. The text could say "this phone will self destruct in 5 minutes" and I would have no clue.
Today, however, I get a message. Not from Vodafone but from Amr Diab. And I'm here like "who the eff is Amr and why is he texting me?" Then I start to read it. I understand the first three words. Then I see the next words are in quotes so that must be the song (word #3) then I see Amr Diab in Arabic letters and I remember my friend suggesting I look them up for an Arabic singer. And then I scroll down and it has like a pound sign (#) or an asterisk (*) I don't remember and 66 so I guessed that if you want to hear this song by Amr Diab tomorrow you gotta press #66 or *66 or something. It was just an advertisement or something, but I read it. AND figured out what it said by myself. There was two words I did look up, I can't lie. But all it meant was "the star" and "anyone" so I thought it said "tomorrow listen to this song by Amr Diab before something" But it actually said "tomorrow listen to this song by the star Amr Diab before anyone".
Do I still count it at reading and understanding a text in Arabic by myself? Hell yes. I may not have gotten it word for word, but I knew what it was talking about and I'm still really really proud of myself.
Here is all but a couple words of The First Text:
I would like to thank all my Arabic teachers (paid and volunteers) for getting me to this point. If not for you, I wouldn't know how to listen to the song "بلاش تبعد" before anyone. And the more you know... Is there an end to that saying?
I also spelled achievement wrong in a hashtag on Instagram. Which just goes to show my English is getting worse with every new Arabic achievement. (Not acheivement). I would like to take a moment though because the i and e in achievement come after the c so like why is it ie and not ei? English!!
Stay beautiful my friends.
Byeeeee
Corie.
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