how does Santiago change over the course of his year in Tangier?

Upon arriving in Tangiers, Santiago realizes that his journey will be a lot more difficult than he expected. The problem? He doesn't speak Arabic. Sitting in a bar alone, he is approached by a young man who speaks Spanish and offers to help him get to the Pyramids. The young man takes Santiago to buy a camel and manages to escape with all of Santiago's money in the confusion of the marketplace. Santiago weeps with despair, but he asks the stones Urimm and Thummim if the Melchizedek's blessing is still with him. They answer 'Yes', and Santiago resolves to continue his journey.

Wandering the streets of Tangiers, Santiago comes across a crystal shop that has fallen on hard times. After Santiago cleans the pieces in the front window, the owner offers him a job. The owner tells Santiago that he will pay Santiago enough to save up for a new flock of sheep and a passage back to Andalusia. Santiago agrees and takes the job.

By working at the crystal shop, Santiago learns many lessons. One of the most important is that it does not take an exterior force to prevent one from realizing one's dreams. The shopkeeper is actively trying to avoid achieving his dream, because he believes that if he achieves it he will have nothing to aspire to. It is with this in mind that Santiago decides to continue on his own quest.