Honestly, wtf? The goal of a phrasebook is to NOT make me look like an asshole, which is what I would look like if I used ANY phrase from your Sustainable Travel phrase section in the back. If I went to the local souq (market) and or hanout (store) in my CBT site and asked “Wash Katibi’u ssel’a dyal ttizhara lmunsifa?” (do you sell Fair Trade products) or “Wash katbi’u lmuntazhar l’udwiya” (Do you sell organic products) I would look like a complete asshole. Besides from the phrases in this section being completely pretentious (e.g. would you like me to teach you some English?), last I checked this isn’t Whole Foods, this is Morocco. I saw the man in the souq kill my chicken in-front of me, feather it, gut it, and then give it back to me in a plastic bag. No saran wrap here, this chicken is legit free range AND local. Gurl, you don’t need phrases to make sure you are eating locally and fresh here because you just are. I know, shocking.
Oh, and it gets better, oh yes, much better. For a phrasebook that is written for a tourist, Lonely Planet gives you the phrases “What sorts of issues is this community facing” and then gives you the option of inserting “freedom of the press”, “police and army reforms”, political unrest”, “religious freedom,” and “rights of women and children.” I have been living with a family for almost a month now, and even I wouldn’t ask that, you know why, because I don’t want to look like an asshole. Lonely Plant, I am not sure if you know this but there is this thing called integration and diplomacy, where you get to know the people and the community, build a few relationships, and hopefully are seen as trustworthy and then you can talk about sensitive subjects like police brutality. You know what happens if you don’t do this, you look like a pretentious asshole. And believe me, if you asked Air Maroc “wash ‘end sharika ttayaran dyalkum bernamazh lta’weed lkarbun” (does you airline have a carbon-offset scheme?) you would look like an asshole.
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