Little Lost American

I like to talk....and talk, and talk and talk. Anyone who knows me can attest to this, and I like to think I'm so interesting that I keep people's rapt attention rather than making them wish for earplugs or a quick yet subtle escape.

I could be wrong.

Anyway, here in Marrakesh, in the land of people daring to speak a language I (barely) know, I have learned about silence. And you know what? It's not golden.

I yearn to talk, to gossip, to whisper, to chat and to wile away the hours with these Moroccan ladies who love to laugh and talk until all hours of the night. My mother-in-law is just full of fun and always attracts a house full of family because we're all drawn to her. I want so badly to have a real conversation. I can tell she does too. We're working on it.

I will say, however, that it is surprising how much you can communicate with a few mutually understood words, some key gestures and a knowing smile or a wink, for which my mother-in-law is famous. She always has a conspiratorial little wink for me. She's so cute!

Sometimes during my prior visits I've taken to slipping out after mealtimes to read a book or to chat with Ali. But now that I've been here so long and on my own I feel I've really become part of the family and feel more comfortable with my silent spells, which are becoming more brief as the language starts to seep into my brain.

I will address what I believe is a real problem with American schooling and that is the fact that we aren't exposed to other languages at a young age. If it were not for the decent-to-good language skills that some of the family over here have I would be completely lost. I mean, after all, the guy I buy my fruit from has no teeth but by God he can speak English with me! Another time a guy stopped me on the street to comment on my great English skills. When I told him I was American and that of course I speak English we had a good laugh because at first glance he thought I was Moroccan. Mind you this was a French-speaking African who came to Morocco because he could speak Arabic and he was conversing with me in English no problemo!Come on Americans get with it!

But I am learning. I am determined to make myself less lost here, and I am convinced that total immersion in a culture is the best way to achieve that, at least in terms of mastering the language. I am learning almost with no effort at all which is fabulous because I surely did not come here to put forth much effort into anything other than having a great time. Mission accomplished by the way! Living in a new land is surely worth any discomfort I may have to deal with or silence I may have to endure! Being a little lost never hurt anybody.