Fauzia's Dirty Laundry
Today someone sent me the link of a Fulbrighter student posting her experience on the website. It is rare to see Pakistani Fulbrighters coming out and telling their story and it is extremely rare to see it in form of graphic novel.
http://fauziahusain.blogspot.com/
She goes on detailing (or sketching) events and activities of everyday life without indulging into any deep philosophical discussions. This keeps it light and fun to read. One reading it can relate some of their own experiences.
I really liked the slide about Word Accent, it depicts the problem most of Desi’s face at the Supper Market, Wallmart or other Shopping places. It happened to me one time, I was with a friend trying to buy him a white coat, so we asked a person at the counter “Where Can I find a Coat”
and it took series of Whats and my trial of different pronunciations, hand gestures of that it is something you wear to finally make him understand what I am asking for. Interestingly one of the tires was Spelling of Coat also.
Wrong Accent
I thought OK this means my accent is really really bad; oh my God my poor lab-mates, I talk to them all the time, thinking they understand me clearly. Poor souls must be having really hard time. So I asked my American Lab mates can they understand me clearly or not and their reply was, yes they can.
Really! and their reply was really.
Only one person told me that some time you speak too fast otherwise you are good. But I think they were just being nice friend because every once in a while I have to try all the known pronunciations to make person at counter understand what I am saying.
And when finally he/she understand I am saying, we both have a tried but happy on success laugh. For me it is finally I can pronounce a word in American style and he might be thinking “What they hell I have gone through”.
With expression of mutual relief we depart, hoping never to meet again and if meet never to try this thing again.
There are few posts right now, I hope she could add more slides to it and make it a complete book.
Fauzia is back in Karachi nowadays, viciously hunting for job. Wish Her good luck
