Written task introduction

Complication on Learning A Second Language and how it Shaped my Identity

Looking back over all the years that have passed, I can say that I have been challenged throughout my life. I can say that my identity has shifted completely as I had to learn a second language, which is Arabic once I had to move to the U.A.E.

I lived in Australia for the first 4 years of my life, where I would speak English with somewhat of an Australian accent. But then one night my whole life was changed as I was tolled that me and my family where moving to the middle east far way from the greenery, the kangaroos, the “G-Day mate” greetings and most importantly far away from the rest of my family.

As the time was getting closer and closer to the big change in my life, I just overlooked that everyone in the middle east speaks the Arabic language and that I had to learn it someday to be able to live a happy and successful life in the middle east. I started to image how this second language I have to learn was going to emerge and become as part of my second identity that reflects as a mirror to my main identity.

Once I finally moved into the U.A.E, Abu Dhabi, I felt as though the heat was melting me away in-between the crowd that was surrounding me and made me feel completely lost and isolated. When I left the Airport, me and my family had to catch a Taxi to take us to the hotel, therefore, the first thing we would hear as we step foot into the taxi was “Salam ou alakum”. That phrase was just like a clutter of sparkles in a bag that has exploded in the air unexpectedly; since it was the first time I have ever been spoken to in Arabic and I did not know what it meant or how to reply to it. When the taxi driver saw the confused faces, he asked if we spoke Arabic, and my reply was “I have never even heard someone speak this language”. Therefore, I felt really isolated from the other people that originated from this country I just moved into.

Since that day my family and I decided that we all needed to learn Arabic as fast as we could. Only then I realised that learning a new language was like a whole new family drama that no one really wants to get themselves into. I find many difficulties learning the Arabic language, since I was so adapted to speaking the English dialect only. When I started to take Arabic speaking lessons, I was abruptly exposed to new letters words and phrases that are completely different than the English, which immediately messed up my way of thinking and in formulating new ideas. Every time I would go to my Arabic lesson, I would be the one that was criticised by the teacher if I would pounce something wrong, spell anything incorrectly and I would get severely punished when I would speak in my mother tongue language during the Arabic classes. This really lowered my self-esteem since the teacher would say things in Arabic that I only really deduced after I because a fluent Arabic speaker over the years: “you’re a stupid little girl aren’t you!” or even “the English language of yours isn’t important around here, it’s the Arabic you need to sink into your teeth”.

It took me 2 years before I actually learned enough words, sentences, thus when I was able to create conversations with people, I started to in-cooperate the new Arabic language more often in my life. It was very challenging for me to learn this new language because firstly, I was fearful and secondly, my inner voice (mother tongue) was fighting with me so that I wont forget it or put it aside for the new tongue. This changed a huge part of my identity, as it changed my old cultural heritage and made me adapt thus follow the new Arabic culture, which created a new identity in me. I changed the way I speak in Abu Dhabi from English to mostly Arabic because I felt as though I was they are looked upon by others, it did change my identity severely since I really lost my Australian accent and customs.

But I have learned that understanding or learning the Arabic language does not mean I can actually speak it fluently. It’s only a small step in my life that I have accomplished. My mother tongue will always be present till the last breath I carry, and the second tongue will be like a backup to when I need to speak Arabic so that Arabs can understand my ideas.

I can say that I am bilingual! I am proud of that, sine I can speak two languages fluently, even though my English will always be stronger but I still can communicate with Arabs in any Arab country around the world easier without being insulted.

On yeah! BTW, I did go back to my Arabic teacher and told her, “Overall thank you for every critical judgment you said to me because it really did motivate me to learn the Arabic Language even more effectively!” The purpose of telling this sentence was kind of for pay back so she knows that her harsh treatment did not affect me in a very bad way.