Accent

Shukran is how you say Thank You in Arabic. If you're pronouncing it for the first time, think shuck (like an ear of corn) and Ron like the name. I remember in 2003 (while I was studying abroad in Morocco) saying Shukran and getting back "your accent is really good."

More than ten years later I'm back to saying Shukran quite a bit. Unfortunately when I say it, I hear something different in my pronunciation. I hear myself saying shukran less fluidly. My mouth's transition between 'shuk' and 'ran' changed - basically deteriorated :-(

On the other hand, I have been meeting more and more entirely in Arabic. These can be one minute interactions or much longer. For example, I went on a tour of Tent of Nations just outside Bethlehem. With the manager there, Daoud, I walked around and learned about what he's doing (mostly in Arabic).

That's where I got this picture.