Amazing !!! The Arabs are known to be a hospitable people and Kuwaitis are far ahead in it. I have seen this around with all my Kuwaiti friends. You go to a Deewaniya, and you will be showered with Gaawa(something similar to coffee I think), Dates and other sweets. And the tradition with Gaawa is that you drink, than he serves you more until you shake the cup to indicate that you dont need more.
Besides that @ work, I have friends, who get me home cooked stuff too. No need to mention the ready made stuff. What I like more, is when someone gets you something from home. In that case, the person when they cook it at home, remember you and take the trouble of getting it to office for you. Wallaahi, it means a lot to me. I still remember the cup cakes I ate 2 weeks back they were awesome!!
Yesterday was a busy day, I went to some meetings to other departments, and when I came back I saw a plate with variety of fataair and trust me since I had come from outside, I was hungry too. So I ate it to my full. And it was lovely. JazakAllaahu Khayran to the one who sent it for me. It was lovely.
So now you know, why I love to be in Kuwait so much, I think I get pampered a lot over here.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Arabic or Kuwaiti or Misri or Lebnaani...
Hala beek...
Well I dont know how much is my Arabic improving or I am at the same level. Try to memorize new words On and Off. Well Arabic is a very rich language and there's a lot of confusion because real Arabic is different than what is spoken in different Arab countries. Each region has got a different Accent, a different set of regularly used words.
For example, I might say Something to a Kuwaiti friend, than they would say its Misri, means the way I said it, is how egyptians say it. Or I might say Something to an egyptian, and he would be like what does that mean. For e.g. Sach("I know its similar to our Hindi Sach") - is it true? I have some Kuwaiti friends using that, but egyptians are not aware of it. So I end up in a loop, based on what I learn from who. I know some friends who say "Afwan" for "Sorry" and some lebanese friends say the same word for "Welcome". And there are many Urdu/hindi words that we already know mean the same thing in arabic as well. E.g. "Mahabbah" = love, u remember Mohabbat for sure. The "t" at the end is pronounced as "h" And some other issues come like, there is no "P", so they would say "Bebsi" instead of "Pepsi". Egyptians will pronounce every "J" as "G", even if its a proper noun. So "Joseph" would become "Goseph". In kuwait all the "Q" are pronounced as "G", So "Manqaf" is pronounced as "Mangaf"
So what I speak is a mixture of Kuwaiti+Lebnaani+Misri+Hindi = Hindi arabi... But I enjoy it. The good part it, I can know arabic words and pronounciation, because we read the Quran. But when I try to teach the Arab friends some Hindi words, they are like whats this, how to pronounce etc. Its a big thing for them.
And I know lot of Kuwaiti friends, who speak the usual Hindi words like: Kaisaa Hai? Kyaa Haal Hai? Theek hai? Bohat Achchaa, Ek paani Do, Nahi, Cheeni Kum etc etc. It sounds so cool when they say It.
Well I dont know how much is my Arabic improving or I am at the same level. Try to memorize new words On and Off. Well Arabic is a very rich language and there's a lot of confusion because real Arabic is different than what is spoken in different Arab countries. Each region has got a different Accent, a different set of regularly used words.
For example, I might say Something to a Kuwaiti friend, than they would say its Misri, means the way I said it, is how egyptians say it. Or I might say Something to an egyptian, and he would be like what does that mean. For e.g. Sach("I know its similar to our Hindi Sach") - is it true? I have some Kuwaiti friends using that, but egyptians are not aware of it. So I end up in a loop, based on what I learn from who. I know some friends who say "Afwan" for "Sorry" and some lebanese friends say the same word for "Welcome". And there are many Urdu/hindi words that we already know mean the same thing in arabic as well. E.g. "Mahabbah" = love, u remember Mohabbat for sure. The "t" at the end is pronounced as "h" And some other issues come like, there is no "P", so they would say "Bebsi" instead of "Pepsi". Egyptians will pronounce every "J" as "G", even if its a proper noun. So "Joseph" would become "Goseph". In kuwait all the "Q" are pronounced as "G", So "Manqaf" is pronounced as "Mangaf"
So what I speak is a mixture of Kuwaiti+Lebnaani+Misri+Hindi = Hindi arabi... But I enjoy it. The good part it, I can know arabic words and pronounciation, because we read the Quran. But when I try to teach the Arab friends some Hindi words, they are like whats this, how to pronounce etc. Its a big thing for them.
And I know lot of Kuwaiti friends, who speak the usual Hindi words like: Kaisaa Hai? Kyaa Haal Hai? Theek hai? Bohat Achchaa, Ek paani Do, Nahi, Cheeni Kum etc etc. It sounds so cool when they say It.
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