First Day Fustrations

The difference between my day yesterday and my day today is very extreme.
Yesterday was my birthday and the first day in Tangier. We didn't arrive to the American School in Tangier till about 6am. They had breakfast ready for us and then we slept till about 1pm and had lunch ready for us. Most of the day was dedicated to us getting quickly adjusted to the new time zone and learning the ins and outs of Tangier and the program. In the evening we walked about the city. It is completely different than America. People are out around the town till about midnight on the weekdays,  shops are still open even the outdoor markets. We found a Gelateria about a 10 minute walk from the school. The waiters sung to me "Happy Birthday" in French, English and Arabic. It was really exciting.

Today we signed the Language Pledge. CLS follows a very strict no English policy. For me and a few students who have taken very little Arabic its been quite the challenge. For me I found it incredibly frustrating simply because oral communication is one of my greatest skills. Anyone who knows me knows that I love to be expressive, tell detailed stories and use flowery language. Not being able to communicate the most simplest of ideas freaks me out. Even more, I couldn't understand when the program director was giving directions. One of the worst feelings is to feel incompetent. I felt like a little lost child.

Not only am I learning Arabic while I'm here, I am also learning Darija, which is the local Moroccan dialect. Most of the words varies greatly from MSA (fusa). The CLS program is great because they actually provide "language partners" who are Moroccan citizens of about the same age to hang out around the city and practice Darija with. Most of the language partners don't speak English, so the temptation to slip back doesn't achieve much because they won't understand you. My language partner is so sweet, her name is Hynd. As we walked to the Medina Kadem (Old City of Tangier -major Spanish influences )we did a lot of pointing and naming. I can't wait to the day when I'll be able to have a free flowing conversation in Arabic. I do believe that goal is achievable in this short 8 weeks.

I have tons of homework for the weekend and a goal of learning and committing 50 words by Monday. I'll be checking off of social media and English of any kind for the weekend. I can not live without the ability to communicate.

-NJ

Arrival

Thank you all for your warm wishes. I have finally made it to Tangier, Morocco after about 26 hours of traveling. The best part was the 10 hour layover in Frankfurt, Germany where part of the group decided to leave the airport and explore the city. We enjoyed Shnitzel, apple wine and potatoes. The most surprising part to me of the short visit, was how ethnically diverse the city is. The worst part of the trip was landing in Casablanca and having to take a 4 hour bus ride to Tangier after already being massively jet lagged. In any regard I am here and happy. The American School in Tangier sits on a compound of Dorm rooms, dining facility, classrooms and a soccer field in the the middle of the city. I find out later today if Ill be staying here for 4 weeks or moving in with a host family first.

Welcome!

مرحبا!

It's been nearly three months since I received my letter of acceptance from the Critical Language Scholarship Program. I still can not believe that I was chosen. In less than one week I will be leaving for D.C for the Pre-Departure Orientation. I will be arriving in Morocco on my BIRTHDAY, June 19th! In this blog I will share with you my wonderful experiences during my summer in Tangier, Morocco. Please leave comments and asks questions. I promise to update weekly and post pictures :) 

-Nia

Below is a copy of the Press Release sent out by the program:

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 2014 Critical Language Scholarship Program
PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          Contact: Angela N. Woods
Date:    5/21/2014                                                                                Telephone: 202-632-9451

Nia Jackson Selected for U.S. Department of State

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program

Nia Jackson of University of South Florida has been selected for the U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program to study Arabic in Morocco during the summer of 2014.

Jackson is among the approximately 550 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students selected for the U.S. Department of State’s CLS Program in 2014 to study Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Indonesian, Japanese, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, or Urdu languages.  U.S. students will spend seven to ten weeks in intensive language institutes this summer in 13 countries where these languages are spoken.  The CLS Program provides fully-funded, group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to increase language fluency and cultural competency.  CLS Program participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers. 

The CLS Program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. Selected finalists for the 2014 CLS Program hail from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia and represent more than 200 institutions of higher education from across the United States, including public and private universities, liberal arts colleges, minority-serving institutions and community colleges.

During CLS Program outreach activities, particular attention is paid to states/regions of the United States that have been historically under-represented in the CLS applicant pool and to students from diverse backgrounds and academic majors. The CLS Program also encourages diversity in the independent, merit-based review process.  In 2014, over 300 professionals representing 43 states and the District of Columbia, and 183 institutions participated in the selection process for the CLS Program.

CLS Program participants are among the more than 40,000 academic and professional exchange program participants supported annually by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to promote mutual understanding and respect between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.  The CLS Program is administered by American Councils for International Education and The Ohio State University / Ohio University.

For further information about the CLS Program or other exchange programs offered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, please visit our websites at http://www.clscholarship.org andhttp://exchanges.state.gov.