Jackie Merranko

 

Jackie Merranko has been receiving Arabic instructions from ADL for almost a year now. We recently asked a few questions about her experience with us, and here is what she said:

 

ADL: Why Arabic?

I chose to learn Arabic because I have always had an interest in this language and its culture since I was a teenager. I have always been curious about that part of the world, their traditions, their religion, history and language.   Also, I think with the current political climate, this is a very useful language to master; it is in high demand and widely spoken in the world. As a 911 operator, I think being bilingual is a definite asset to have. So it is safe to say that I am learning Arabic for both personal and professional development.

 

ADL: What are some of the challenges of Arabic?

I grew up speaking English all my life, so I do it without thinking about it. It comes naturally to me, but when I try to communicate in another language, there is a high level of concentration that takes place.   Also, it forces you to learn the technical aspect of your own language! I had to strengthen my knowledge of English grammar to keep up with the instructor when she uses words like adverb, clause, predicate... I remember learning these grammar terms in school, but that was a while ago. I forgot all specific usage of them, so learning Arabic is making me revisit the mechanics of grammar of my own language as well. Another challenge that is particular to Arabic is the pronunciation! I could handle the grammar, but definitely the pronunciation was something that required real effort on my part. This is because Arabic speakers use many parts of their throats that we simple don't. So in order to make certain sounds, I had to be familiar with the different muscles in my throat and train them to produce the sounds necessary to speak. I had to work very hard at this, because it is so easy to say the wrong thing if you are not careful!!

 

ADL: With all these challenges, what keeps you going?

Just because it is a challenge, it does not mean that it is impossible to overcome. I don't want to give up now; I have started my journey and would like to finish it, to reach a level of mastery. I love the feedback that I get from my friends, particularly the Arab speakers. They appreciate the effort when I communicate with them and they encourage me to continue. It is a challenge, but one that is worth taking.

 

ADL: Why Atlas Dreams Languages?

Prior to ADL, I took Arabic at two different universities. While the quality of instruction was acceptable, the fact that they had to complete the syllabus by a certain time put pressure on everyone. There were times when I felt that a certain topic could have been stretched over a longer period of time and I could have benefitted from more explanation. But it was not possible because the instructor had to stick to the syllabus. Also, when you are in a class with many other people, you are subject to following the pace of others. Sometimes you understand the task at hand, but others don't, so you have to sit there and just wait for them to get it before we can move to the next subject. And personally, I find easier to fade off and go to lala land when I am in class with other people. With ADL, Zineb is right there with me, one on one. I don't have time to daydream. If I don't understand something, she explains it different ways until I get it. If we need to spend more time on a particular lesson, we do. I don't feel the pressure of deadlines. It is a lot easier for me to learn that way.

 

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