arabic coffee

This morning i picked up new clients of mine to take them to apply for public housing. After having been in the United States for 3 months, these clients are now being passed to me - their new caseworker; clients in their first three months receive much more intense assistance, a sort of hand-holding-we'll-guide-you're-way-and-make-sure-everything-is-okay assistance. After three months, however, they are passed to my department, where we are able to offer them assistance (with a little less hand-holding) for up to five years after their arrival.

My new family is from Iraq, and they spoke a surprisingly good amount of English. Perhaps their daily half hour bus ride to DonBosco, where they receive ESL classes, has been benefiting them indeed. As they, and many other refugees, struggle to understand life in a whole new language, I too find myself pushed to learn new languages. On my van ride home for Thanksgiving I used an app on an iphone to learn several phrases in Burmese. For example "minglaba" is an often heard phrase around our office, meaning "good day" or "hello." I also chuckled as i learned the phrase "yay cho ba" which means "take a bath." we'll see if i ever learn that newly acquired phrase...

But today i got to learn some new words directly from clients. as i drove to work this morning i saw my first snow flurries since 2 winters ago. it was a delight. and i quickly learned the arabic word for snow, pronounced "filage" (like village, but with an "f"). When i ran into another Iraqi client living in the same building and i tossed around my newly learned term i got some strange looks and laughs.

after running here and there and everywhere in the "filage" with my new Iraqi clients, I was invited in to their home for some "Arabic Coffee" to warm up. Now, I do not like coffee. It is like eating liquid bitter dirt. gross. But of course I had to accept. i was served coffee in a tiny TINY mug, more comparable to the size of a shot glass, but all cute and with a handle. it was served on a little silver platter. an adorable little scene all around. but WOW. talk about the STRONGEST, most BITTER, miniature cup of coffee ever! i told them that there was no way i was going to be able to sleep tonight, even after a sip! (which might actually be true, since i'm awake at this hour still!) i struggled to get a few sips down before claiming i had another appointment i was late for...

Tomorrow morning I am giving another Iraqi client a ride to an appointment, perhaps I will surprise and astound her with my newfound Arabic words :-) Cynthia, I might need your help soon so i don't sound like a goober trying to talk with them!