To GEN-ZERS, with Love! by Akram Hanno

To GEN-ZERS, with Love! by Akram Hanno


06-16-2025, 09:33 PM


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Post: #1
Title: To GEN-ZERS, with Love! by Akram Hanno
Author: Akram Hanno
Date: 06-16-2025, 09:33 PM

09:33 PM June, 16 2025

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Life is too short. Ergo, live it happily, with dignity, and work for thereafter no matter what it might cost.
It is inevitably full of ups and downs, where we live amidst all these circumstances. Longevity is self-evidence. As long as you live, you see that there are some flaky people try to pull you down. Just smile! When you smile, it will be a nuisance to them, but guess what, your face will be thrilled, too! Who knows some folks are meant to impede your route for a reason; it is for you not to you, remember!
In literature, some characters play functional roles to keep the protagonist moving steadily; bearing in mind that these flats whimsically appear to pull you down, but as a matter of fact, they lift you up. Hence, as a Gen Zer, always be a round character!
                                       
Here is a short story for you in order to help understand that it always seems possible until someone has done. Having looked at some characters that can lift you up and of course be proud of.
Learning a foreign language for me was a little challenging, but very splendid! “A different language is a different vision of life” _Federico Fellini_.  My experience goes back 12 years ago when I was newly enrolled at Sudan University of Science and Technology – College of Languages – Department of English Language, as a first-year student whereby French language was a university requirement.
To begin with, in 2008, when I attended the college, I could barely say my name in French. Some of my classmates have already taken some French courses in “French Cultural Center’ in Khartoum which I didn’t know where is. They were just laughed at me and made fun of me. To make things worse, a friend of mine who attended Omdurman Islamic University – Faculty of Arts – French Language Department, was also very sarcastic simply because I couldn’t know how to introduce myself in French.
Having undergone all these difficulties, I became strong enough to defy myself in making a better version of me in mastering French, but during that someone intervened in my life per se for good which made my language acquisition much easier. In a way, it was a turning point in my life; that was Mr. Amer Basher who made a radical shift in the way that I acquired the language.
Firstly, he took us to the “French Cultural Center’, when I didn’t take courses there, but mostly on the weekly basis I attended all the French Club and the acting performances on their theatre as well as the Cinema where they play every new film that won Cannes award.
 Dr. Amer was not merely a French lecturer, but also a Radio presenter, he presents his program every week on air in Omdurman National Broadcast Corporation in French. He was a truly role model for us not just a teacher, but also an academic guide and motivational teacher who helps those who struggle in learning French. Furthermore, when he sees us, he pays for our refreshments in the cafeteria, as incentive he also gives us some books which he has just bought them when he came from France or some amount of money to positively encourage us to enhance our language integral skills.
With reference to all the above-mentioned, I seriously began to develop myself in achieving my targeted goal. So, every day I studied French at least 2 hours, commencing by conjugating verbs (first, second, and third) groups. When we were assigned to do so, my colleagues were just approaching me to help them with that, so they already found me going the extra miles regarding that in conjugating more than 50 verbs with their meanings and examples. Moreover, memorizing all cassette tapes by heart as a rotten memorization. That was exactly the Audiolingual Method which we were introduced to.
When I attended the second year, I was nearly fluent; spoke like a native, received many gifts from my teachers and the Center as well. I also won some awards. That’s why I am always and forever grateful for my French teachers who lavishly extended their hands for me and everyone who has been willing to learn; and my friends who tried to pull my down, but guess what, they lift me up! 

Consistency and persistence are most crucial, yet grassroots sources that I have learned the value of. Learning a language is not an easy task but, it is not an impossible mission to be accomplished, though.
In fact, it requires to exert a lot of efforts on a daily basis, and patience is always the key. One must make it as a studying habit, at least for one hour each day to practicing the language; commencing from one of the integrated skills and build on as brick by brick then you reap the benefit of what you sow over time.

When looking back to the old days, I am very proud of how far I have come, also with the unstinting support that we have found in its all forms, psychologically, physically, and financially. Learning French has not solely given me the ability to communicate with a great many people around the globe but has also deepen my understanding in embracing diverse cultures. Let me take it as it in the spirit of learned lessons, it made me stepped out of my comfort zone, challenging new grammatical systems, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Today, a sense of accomplishment makes it all worthwhile and opens the door for generations (Gen-Zers and Gen. Alpha) to come, not just learning a language but it is also applicable to all other phases of life.


Akram Hanno