Need to learn english and arabic

[Ban Hammer 13,110]

Welcome to MENA!

ain't that the truth. pass the popcorn doodle

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Thanks, Capt! I will try to be sensitive. I rarely enter discussions about mixed race, cultural, religion, language, and nationality couples because I don't have any of those barriers, having married a man who shares most of those with me. And I was reluctant to enter this one when I read it the first time because I share the same concerns that have been expressed here about the language barrier, but the OP shrugged it off.

MBP posted a thread on a serious subject that should be discussed here. It raises a red flag here when it comes to our attention that a couple has a big language barrier because there is so much to discuss about other differences that often go unspoken until they become a problem. I can only say that the issue has been raised here because it should be raised here, not only for the interview, but beyond in the marriage. I'm sure that the women here are only interested in the good of fellow travelers when they express their concerns about your road ahead.

[peezey 0]

In the hopes of not offending anyone, please let's stay positive.

Stay positive about what, exactly? There's really nothing positive about something that is a major red flag, no common language, and then couple that with a huge age difference (just guessing), and you have a bigger red flag, if that's even possible. The OP asked if it's a problem, and it's a problem. The rest of us have normal curiosity about how the freak anyone could agree to marry someone and sponsor them when they aren't even past charades yet.

Edited April 2, 2007 by peezey

[lion_lioness 0]

Peezey,

if you read my post again I am agreeing with everyone's concern. However, there's no harm in being sensitive in how we use our words. You're right though she did ask

edited: to make the topic a bit lighter, Google has a new beta translation tool. I posted it a few months ago. Still in beta so it does NOT work correctly everytime but its fun to use

Edited April 2, 2007 by lion_lioness

[Sofiyya 1,687]

BTW, check your PM blocks, ladies. The system is blocking people on its own.

[LaL 418]

good luck Connie. I have started several times with the Egyptian Colloquial, and so far I am able to speak conversationally, but limited. I really want to make more time for it 0 I have no excuse!

[thkcmp 0]

good luck Connie. I have started several times with the Egyptian Colloquial, and so far I am able to speak conversationally, but limited. I really want to make more time for it 0 I have no excuse!

Thanks.

Connie

[sarah and hicham 3]

I think shes new, she ask a decent question about language because it is something they want to overcome. She wasnt asking for someone unfimilar with her life if they "got it". There are many maybes but not up to us to judge .....hopefully she got some answers and can find some help with the language teachings. Good luck

No one is judging her. She posted a topic in a public forum where others can respond and share their opinions and topics. She can choose to ignore something she doesn't like. We're all big kids here and seeing as this is an internet forum I think we should know that we're not always going to like what others have to say.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Answer the questions given, dont try to out guess someone elses situation and if someone cant say something politely then dont say anything, and im (as is most) far past being any kind of kid. Sorry Green this time i have to agree to disagree a few on here are not just interested in the good of their fellow traveler it becomes more intresting to validate how "they" just dont understand someone elses business. How many that have filed dont have some issues to overcome?? Again Connie, glad your here and i hope you got some good suggestions about the tools to learn for both you and him.

[tnh9479 1]

I know we have some time but I'm very concerned about the interview. Tarek feels he will be more comfortable doing the interview in arabic but I know we would have to prove that we are able to communicate with each other. Right now I don't feel confident that we can do that. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated especially if you've been in the same situation.

On the contrary, I think a lot of people are concerned about the good of not only Connie, but this man. If people are questioning the validity of this relationship on the basis that there is no common language, I can only imagine what the consulate will think (considering Casa has a HUGE history of sending back petitions on situations that are much less questionable than this).

My suggestion for Connie is to NOT file the K-1 until she and her fiance can truly document that they can communicate in a common language. (This was one of the first questions asked of my husband at his K-1 interview and of other fiances during their interview. Actually, this was the subject of much discussion at my husband's interview because they could not believe how well he spoke English and were questioning him how and where he learned.)

Twila

[Henia 11]

Hi everyone,

I just found and joined VJ a couple of weeks ago. I am in the process of gathering all the information and filling out the forms to petition for a k-1 visa for my fiance, Tarek, in Morocco. We have a problem I'm hoping someone here might be able to help us with.

I went to Morocco to meet Tarek in person in February. He knows a little english and i know a little arabic. Between the combination and some charades we did much better than I thought but there were still times that we needed someone to translate for us.

I have purchased several audios and software that teaches arabic but haven't been able to find the moroccan dialect so a lot of what i'm learning from this software turns out to be incorrect. Does anyone know of something out there that teaches the correct dialect?

Also, I've searched for something to help Tarek to learn more english but he doesn't read very much english alphabet so he would need something that is also in arabic writing. Can anyone help me there?

I know we have some time but I'm very concerned about the interview. Tarek feels he will be more comfortable doing the interview in arabic but I know we would have to prove that we are able to communicate with each other. Right now I don't feel confident that we can do that. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated especially if you've been in the same situation.

Thanks everyone. This website has already been a great help!!

Connie

Marhaban Connie!

Welcome to Vj...MENA board!

All I can say is may Allah ease your troubles with the visa and get your man here faster. Sorry I have not been in your situation. Both me and my man speak a common language (actually several)...

Rosetta stone is a good place to start... going to your local masjid or area where native speakers are... and of course having your SO teach you. ( Better yet go there ... learn it there) Worked for me! There are also several women here with Marocain SOs maybe you could hook up with one for some language and culture exchange.

And if I may add my 2cents in here, as Twila suggested I think you need to know your SO more. Too many relationship donnot work out for this exact reason. Waiting little longer will not hurt anything. Having a real relationship where you both live together is really the only way to know each other, and most do not have this luxury, buuuuuuuut there are ways around ... Vj Mena women here for you! We are not shy. We tell it like it is... as we see it ! Believe me I have seen it all!

Also it does not matter what language HE interviews in...but the point would be can you prove you two communicate and able to understand each other. Sure denial if you two cannot even communicate.

Bishfaa a'alik Ishraat! ie lebessa wa tahora incha'Allah !!!-amin and Bonne chance with the visa journey!

Edited April 2, 2007 by Henia

[cbd2cai 0]

Connie,

I have a nice simple book to get you started and you can both use it together . . . because it has flashcards with english on one side and arabic on the other. It is called "Your first 100 words in Arabic". When I had the book with me in Egypt, the in-laws liked to help me out and would pronounce the words for me . . . and it helps them to learn English at the same time.

You can buy this book at Amazon if you can't find it in a local book store . . . at it is around $10!! Your First100 Words in Arabic

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Hey thanks i just ordered this myself although Ahmed has good english this will help me with the rest of the family, the whole order with shipping was only 7

[cbd2cai 0]

Hey thanks i just ordered this myself although Ahmed has good english this will help me with the rest of the family, the whole order with shipping was only 7

Oh, good, I am glad that I was able to help someone, LOL!!

Yep, my Ahmed speaks good english too! And so does his brother . . . so much so, that the last time I was visiting with his family, his brother kept talking and talking and talking . . . . and his mother and sister were just sitting there waiting for him to STOP talking so they could say something . . . they don't speak English, which makes it a bit awkward for us . . . but my efforts to learn Arabic are not progressing as fast as I would like. I had a private tutor here in Dallas and was making great progress, but then he took a job teaching English in Korean a year ago . . . I am so bad about keeping up with it by myself .

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Well Ahmed has very good English and his brothers are learning slowly, his brother in law understands some but wont talk it with you but he can sure be listening ha. Ahmed is working with his little neice also and she can talk some sentences to me on the phone so maybe she can come up learning, then his parents do not understand so i had a mixture of both when there. Maybe if i see this book does good i can get another and send to them. Again thanks.