Hello everyone! Second time in Cairo in the same place,
I recorded a video with "Nevine" but now I am with "Amera" and she is not just any Egyptian!
She was my first Arabic teacher! In September, we talked on skype.
I found her on the website "italki" and I had lessons with you from September till December
and you heard my Arabic, what are your opinions on my progress in Arabic?
Well, your progress in Arabic now is much better in sentences, the sentence is much longer and faster and your grammar is much better than in our first sessions.
- But in the first 2 weeks I was speaking only English and then I was speaking in Arabic.
Also you knew the vocabulary and making sentences even if it was short but this is good and very helpful and that's better than English all the time, small sentences is helpful.
I think you realized the normal Arabic in Egypt either in Nuba, Luxor and Aswan it's different, and in Siwa if you had gone there.
- Yes, There's also Berber in Siwa.
Well, but overall you would understood, all Egyptians know Egyptian Arabic dialect but did you understand in Nuba and Siwa and when they were speaking?
The problem is that in Aswan they have the Nubian language and in Siwa they have the Berber language so Arabic is not the first language for them. There are a lot of words from Modern Standard Arabic
so it's not even the same dialect of Arabic... For example, in the Egyptian Arabic of Cairo they say "Gabal Musa"/"Moses mountain" but in Aswan they say "Jabal Musa"
so that I had a lot of problems to understand people, but when they spoke with me directly they'd do it slowly
Because of that I didn't have problems because I was able to travel in Egypt.
Now I want to learn Modern Standard Arabic.
If you learned Modern Standard Arabic now it will be much easier.
I will travel to Germany and I don't know if there is a lot of Egyptians
and also I want to visit Tunisia and Morocco so the Egyptian Arabic is not important if I will go to another country.
Yes, But they understand it well because the Egyptian Arabic is famous and easy for example the gulf people understand the Egyptian Arabic
and in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria also, but the problem is our, that we cannot understand what people say in Tunisia.
- But I want to speak any language in the street so if I will travel to Morocco or Algeria, I need to speak their local languages.
You will understand their French because you already spoke French well.
Thanks... but In Germany I'd like to start learning Modern Standard Arabic because I don't understand the news in TV.
And the newspaper too, that's right.
Maybe MSA would help if I want to learn other dialects in other countries... I don't know but I may travel to Egypt again,
and Egypt is beautiful and I met a lot of people and Egyptians are very nice.
How did you enjoy your time in Aswan and Siwa?
Well, I started with 2 weeks in Cairo, then I flew to Aswan, then I really wanted to go to Luxor by Felucca (sail boat) but I couldn't
because I was very sick, because of something I ate or drank and really needed to be able to use a bathroom regularly
Because of that I went from Aswan to Luxor by cruise ship.
Did it take a short time to arrive?
Yes, only 2 days. In Luxor I visited... ah, what's it called... Valley of the... kings then I took a train for 14 hours.
Sleeping train ?!
- No, because I wanted to actually see everything in Egypt,
So it was better to take it in the morning and I could speak with people on the train but there was only one problem...
some kids outside of the train threw rocks at the windows and broke them!
Is the window next to you?
Not next to me but in the same car, the one next to me was broken a little but the other one had broken totally.
Is there a problem in that place?
Yes, I saw blood but that was the only problem I had in Egypt because I thought Egypt is safe and people are good...
After that I was in Alexandria for 2 days and I saw the sea and the library.
What about the weather there is it good?
It was very good, then I took the bus to Siwa.
How many days you stayed in Siwa?
- 5 days
Is it hot?!
Yes, very hot but there were a lot of water springs, so the heat wasn't a big problem
Then I went by car to the desert and I talked with the driver
and he taught me something in Berber and I recorded it on video, and the video will be on youtube by next week.
I came back to Alexandria then Cairo then flew to Sina Sharm El Sheikh,
I climbed Moses mountain by night because I wanted to watch the sunrise... it was so beautiful!
But on this day I didn't speak any Arabic because there was a lot of other foreigners.
In Sharm El Sheikh Arabic is little also?
- In Sharm I was in a hotel for only one day but it was so expensive,
Hotels in Sharm El Sheikh are very expensive.
Then back to Cairo and till now I have been in Egypt for 2 months. It's been great!
Is there another places you would like to visit in Egypt?
Yes, there are a lot of places, but I saw everything along the Nile from Aswan till Cairo, Alexandria, Sina and Siwa...
I know there is much more but I don't know what else there are for tourists.....
When you come again you can visit new places in Egypt and you may find new language not like Berber
but in South G K and this is very different from Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Siwa.
Very good.... Are there any other questions you want to ask me?
Yes. When you came to Egypt in the first time is there any problem to speak Arabic with people?
No, not to speak with them... but you know if I was in Europe or Brazil I love to wear a t-shirt and shorts
but in Egypt it is impossible. Every day I wear pants and a sweater (but right now I have a t-shirt)
now I had mustache and beard but in Europe I haven't.
Why in Egypt?
Because with this things they spoke with me in Arabic but with other foreigners they spoke in English.
Maybe they would think that you don't know Arabic when they see shorts and a t-shirt, no beard and so on.
I don't know if they thought that I was Egyptian by looking at me, (when I speak they know that I am not Egyptian),
but they spoke Arabic with me every time and if they wanted to sell anything
the price is much better because there are Egyptian prices and foreign prices.
That's right but you said that you want to learn MSA?
- Yes. I want to, but later.
OK, another time but have you chosen a time?
Now I don't Know any MSA because I learned only dialect from September to December
but MSA is better internationally and I want to go to other countries. OK... very good.
you speak fast like Egyptians now...
My Arabic is not so good but I am happy that I can do a lot of things,
but I have to learn much more. Maybe in Germany and in another country, I want to learn MSA and more dialect. Yes, thanks.
Thanks, Benny
Good Bye