Language Struggles (and How Barnard Helps Prevent Them)

Barnard has a policy that students must complete two years of study in a language before they go abroad. While the policy has some exceptions (you can take only a year of a language, if you promise to do a homestay, for example), the general idea is that after two years of a language, you will be prepared to understand classes, and have positive social interactions when you study abroad in the country of your choosing.

This is a good policy. It’s a policy that makes a lot of sense. It’s a policy that is slightly less helpful when you travel to Morocco.

Capitalism is the same in every language.

I took Arabic for a year and half at Barnard, and felt pretty prepared when I landed in Morocco. I thought I knew enough Arabic to order food, get directions and make casual conversation with my host family. And I do know enough Modern Standard Arabic to do those things. However, in Morocco, most people speak a dialect of Arabic that they call Darija, which is very different from Standard Arabic. To put this in perspective, it would be like if you learned Shakespearean English for a year and half, and then moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. You would be speaking English, but no one would understand what you were saying, and while all the sounds of English would be familiar, you wouldn’t really understand what people were saying to you.

Thankfully, I chose a study abroad program where classes would be taught in English, as even with 2 years in Arabic, I would not be able to keep up in college-level classes. And my work in Arabic has helped me a lot in the Arabic classes I have taken in Morocco.

In addition, all of the news is in Modern Standard Arabic, and my host father speaks a little as well. This combination has led to many awkward conversations about the news. My first night in my homestay, my host father asked me what the youth of America though about the situation in Syria. I responded, “some people think America yes in Syria. Some people think America no in Syria.” In my host family, I speak like an Al-Jazeera reporter with a head wound.

I realize this might sound discouraging, but part of the beauty of Morocco is that everyone is so kind and patient with me when I try to speak Arabic. In the touristy places, people are especially excited by my Arabic, and I am always excited to tell them I am from the U.S. I’m very thankful that Barnard does have the language policy it does, because without it, I would not have been as committed to Arabic, and would not have had the incredible experience I am having!

Bella