My First Experiences Studying International Languages
I began to make use of the Web once I was 15 years outdated. My predominant aim was to follow some English, Russian, and Spanish. Throughout my teenagehood, I used to obtain a number of assist from Latin American folks (for Spanish), People (for English), Italians, and Russian-speaking folks (largely Russians and Ukrainians).
Dance and Music
My curiosity in Arabic began in my teenage years once I fell in love with stomach dance. (I noticed it for the primary time on a college tour in 2005, once we went to Greece, and there was a proficient girl who was dancing throughout our time for supper, and I used to be impressed with all of her actions along with her stomach.) I wished to change into like her, so I began to study the whole lot on my own.
At first, I began watching some Spanish movies, however the good sources have been restricted. Then, I began watching some English movies. (It was okay however nonetheless not sufficient.).
Then, I began to perform a little analysis and skim in regards to the historical past of the stomach dance. I found a number of fascinating issues. That was already adequate as a result of I might see my progress.
Nevertheless, once I began to search for some music I might use… I found that each one songs have been in Arabic. So, I used to hearken to singers resembling Moustafa Amar, Nancy Ajram, and lots of others.
However it was once I was listening to Moustafa Amar, Amr Diab, … many different singers from Egypt, it was like love at first listening to. I believed each single phrase they sang (despite the fact that I understood nothing…. I assume my coronary heart was succesful sufficient to acknowledge their feelings).
My First Steps in Arabic
My brother noticed how a lot my love for the Arabic language and its music was rising, so he determined to seek out one thing in order that I might study Arabic.
He discovered the “Arabic for Dummies” guide, which was nice, but it surely was clearly oriented to MSA. I accepted it simply because I solely noticed it was “Arabic language,” and I wished to study it irrespective of how. So, I began to make use of this and “Train myself Arabic,” however nothing labored for me since I might begin and cease with my Arabic studying.
I additionally tried some purposes resembling Memrise, Mondly (however after all, I might discover solely MSA…), and later the app “Utalk” (which was the one app that has the highest 4 commonest dialects: Gulf, MSA, Egyptian, and Levantine Arabic.)
On the similar time, I might meet many individuals from the Arab world (Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and particularly Egypt). It was not solely on-line… I additionally met a few of them in individual right here in Serbia or on the worldwide polyglot gathering in Bratislava.
All of them grew to become good buddies of mine. On occasion, they might educate me some Arabic, however nothing went as I had hoped.
Studying Egyptian Arabic
Lastly, final 12 months (in August), I made a decision to go to Egypt as a result of I used to be so curious to study many fascinating issues about Egypt.
My brother let me know we would have liked to go to Egypt 4 months upfront. So I made a decision to make use of this chance to study some Arabic (as a result of I wished to impress Arabs, particularly throughout my speak within the Egyptian dialect).
I used to review with a few academics on italki:
With all of them, I used to review the textbook “Colloquial Egyptian Arabic.”
Additionally they taught me the Arabic letters. And I really like how they taught me, particularly Amr’s means. He’s so humorous and constructive. Plus, he is aware of some Turkish, which is important for me as a result of, at that second, my Turkish was already about B2/C1 degree.
