Hello @joslud. Your writing beautifully weaves around the metaphor of "fog"—a symbol of obscurity, misunderstanding, and the challenges of conveying deep, culturally rich thoughts across different languages and perspectives. I must say, this is a wonderful story, and I'm blushing that something I said could become a muse for a great writer like yourself. You know what? I could write an entirely new post on the keyword "fog," and use it metaphorically as you have but it might not be as artistic as yours, so I'll stick to the comments for now.

I get you. I understand you, and I think you understand me. Regarding the course and the metaphor, I wouldn't say it's something entirely new. These courses and writing assignments are probably designed to polish a writer's skills and push them out of their comfort zone. Again, I have nothing but respect for the work of teachers. But I've realized there are so many variables to consider—an infinite number, especially when we're dealing with writers from around the world.

Right? For one, you can't fully grasp the semantics if a writer is discussing something unfamiliar to the teacher or other readers. For example, my story about Anarkali... Those who understand Urdu or come from my region will connect with it on a level that someone from Indonesia, Germany, or Venezuela might never reach. I received a call at 9 AM just to tell me that the story touched their heart.

Another variable is that the principles of literature might differ in every language. From what we've read and heard, your adaptation should feel authentic, close to the truth (of fiction), making the story your own while still reflecting the essence of the original. Otherwise, merely replicating the names and characters isn't challenging.

The third variable is the subjectivity of the reader. In fact, if you ask me, that's where the real issue lies. When it comes down to grading, it's not disheartening to get fewer marks. No, not at all. What hurts is when the reader doesn't grasp what the writer is trying to convey, especially when constrained by a word limit.

In one of your posts regarding the feedback of task 1, you asked, "Are you writing for bigger votes?" To answer that: no one would admit it even if they were. But do they want them? There's no question about that. As for me, I chose these tasks because they were interesting. Yes, they were and still are. No doubt about it. But do I feel motivated to continue? No, not because of grading, not because of voting, but because of the feeling of not being fully understood.

I don't think anything from my region, my language, will ever have the same impact on the teachers as it would on native speakers of their own language. That's a reality, and there's nothing wrong with it. It's a matter of language, not just stories. So, I will openly say that only native speakers can truly understand a language. No amount of translation can do it justice.

If we are talking about a personal blog or a technical/programming post, then language holds a secondary importance. But in this course, which has a multicultural essence, or when you are trying to understand culture through language, it becomes almost impossible. Because in the end, you are only reading translations. Urdu can't be fully understood by you.

Am I criticizing you? No, not at all. In fact, I deeply appreciate the amount of time and energy you are investing in this course. But that's just my personal struggle: I feel I'm not capable enough to do justice to this. I feel hampered, restricted, and perhaps even incapable.

Dearest joslud: The fog has lifted, and now we can see that while complete understanding may not always be possible, the effort and passion you pour into your tasks are recognized and valued.

Way to go. More power to you and your course... I wish you a complete success and wonderful entries ahead :)