Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
ARAB 1001 assignment: Dubai
Watch the videos about Dubai, and write a 50 + words comment. To leave a comment, simply click on the comment button below the video, type your comment, and then click the publish button. Don't forget to write your full name and your class.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
ARAB 1001 assignment: Saudi Arabia
Watch the videos about Saudi Arabia, and write a 50 + words comment. To leave a comment, simply click on the comment button below the video, type your comment, and then click the publish button. Don't forget to write your full name and your class.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
"My Intensive Summer Arabic Course in Morocco" by GSU Arabic Club's Secretary General Ashley Owens AKA Amina
I’m not much of a city girl but I did appreciate the way of life in Rabat. The city is big but not as big as Casablanca. Even though I only traveled to the countryside once on a visit to Walili I felt very much at peace there, despite the blazing heat. There were goats, cows, donkeys and h...orses everywhere. Olive trees were in abundance as well.
Traveling in Morocco I found to be very easy – it was nothing to hop on a train and be in another town after an hour or so. The trains were efficient and reasonably priced. Another means of travel that I utilized quite often were the Petit Taxis, which are a different color in every city (that was pretty fascinating to me). Besides the Petit Taxis, are Grand Taxis and the Tram. Grand Taxis are really uncomfortable but really cheap, they’re really old luxury sized sedans that uncomfortably fit six to seven people. Unfortunately I didn’t travel get to take the bus anywhere.
Generally people in Morocco are very nice. I met so many people and asked even more for help. Moroccans are a people of many tongues as none of them are monolingual. Just about everyone I met spoke at least two languages, Arabic and French, then other times there’d be those who spoke four or five. And even if they were not fluent in other languages they spoke bits and pieces. Also a lot of people didn’t mind helping, as I was lost or confused a lot. At my school Qalam wa Lawh I met an abundance of people from all over the world – Indonesia, Italy, Latvia, France, Canada, Spain and Japan. Everyone was really nice.
I struggled very much with the food in Morocco except for when I ate at a restaurant, but even then it was a bit difficult since all the menus were in French. At the school there weren’t very many options for me aside from the breakfast options. I did have couscous once before Ramadan began and it was pretty good. There were a ton of sweets though and I enjoyed almost all the sweets I ate there, with the exception of a few things that were just way too sweet. I guess Moroccans have a big sweet tooth.
It was also my first time having Mint Chai since I didn’t ever make it to Arabic club. I’m not a big tea drinker I don’t typically drink hot teas unless I’m sick, so the hot mint tea was really
different for me. I liked it a lot but it I could never drink it right away like others.
Qalam wa Lawh was a quaint school with a charming garden located in the neighborhood of Souissi. My arrival wasn’t at the best of times because it was the middle
of a semester, so I spent it with two teachers, Sumaya and Nawal in beginner level 2. The classes were complementary and this arrangement of classes worked very well for me. We did grammar in the morning and the afternoon class concentrated heavily on speaking and comprehension.
Because I was taking intensive courses I was in class from eight thirty am until four o’clock pm. This was not something that I was used to but adjusted to rather quickly. I enjoyed the time that I spent in these classes, and found both of these teachers to be very helpful. After this semester I was promoted to Beginner III with two new teachers Hicham and Taoufiq. These men were fantastic teachers. In Hicham’s class we went over grammar and spoke a lot not about anything in particular. Taoufiq’s class was heavily focused on grammar and it was four hours long – so we learned a lot. I feel like because I was taking intensive classes and we went over something new every day, had homework, and presentations to prepare for I wasn’t able to retain as much as I would have liked. Overall I did learn tons of new vocabulary, gain a better understanding of patterns and how roots worked.
From the time I got to my boarding area in Charles de Gaulle to standing in line at customs in the Rabat Airport I felt like I was about to enter a completely different world that I wasn’t sure if I was ready for. Everyone around me was speaking Arabic, and I couldn’t understand a word they were saying. Over the next six weeks I ran into trouble often but I’d like to believe I handled it quite well. As my Arabic skills and confidence with the language grew the more I tried to solve my problems in Formal Arabic. By the end of my six week stay in Morocco I had learned a great deal of grammar and how to better comprehend. Also I’d like to believe I left this experience with a greater understanding of Moroccan culture on a personal level. I learned how people deal with things, help people, greet people, and generally interact with one another. Also I got to know a bit of myself while abroad and I learned that even when I’m not quite sure what I’m doing or where I’m going that I’m still able to push through and succeed, even if with the help of a few complete strangers.
Traveling in Morocco I found to be very easy – it was nothing to hop on a train and be in another town after an hour or so. The trains were efficient and reasonably priced. Another means of travel that I utilized quite often were the Petit Taxis, which are a different color in every city (that was pretty fascinating to me). Besides the Petit Taxis, are Grand Taxis and the Tram. Grand Taxis are really uncomfortable but really cheap, they’re really old luxury sized sedans that uncomfortably fit six to seven people. Unfortunately I didn’t travel get to take the bus anywhere.
Generally people in Morocco are very nice. I met so many people and asked even more for help. Moroccans are a people of many tongues as none of them are monolingual. Just about everyone I met spoke at least two languages, Arabic and French, then other times there’d be those who spoke four or five. And even if they were not fluent in other languages they spoke bits and pieces. Also a lot of people didn’t mind helping, as I was lost or confused a lot. At my school Qalam wa Lawh I met an abundance of people from all over the world – Indonesia, Italy, Latvia, France, Canada, Spain and Japan. Everyone was really nice.
I struggled very much with the food in Morocco except for when I ate at a restaurant, but even then it was a bit difficult since all the menus were in French. At the school there weren’t very many options for me aside from the breakfast options. I did have couscous once before Ramadan began and it was pretty good. There were a ton of sweets though and I enjoyed almost all the sweets I ate there, with the exception of a few things that were just way too sweet. I guess Moroccans have a big sweet tooth.
It was also my first time having Mint Chai since I didn’t ever make it to Arabic club. I’m not a big tea drinker I don’t typically drink hot teas unless I’m sick, so the hot mint tea was really
different for me. I liked it a lot but it I could never drink it right away like others.
Qalam wa Lawh was a quaint school with a charming garden located in the neighborhood of Souissi. My arrival wasn’t at the best of times because it was the middle
of a semester, so I spent it with two teachers, Sumaya and Nawal in beginner level 2. The classes were complementary and this arrangement of classes worked very well for me. We did grammar in the morning and the afternoon class concentrated heavily on speaking and comprehension.
Because I was taking intensive courses I was in class from eight thirty am until four o’clock pm. This was not something that I was used to but adjusted to rather quickly. I enjoyed the time that I spent in these classes, and found both of these teachers to be very helpful. After this semester I was promoted to Beginner III with two new teachers Hicham and Taoufiq. These men were fantastic teachers. In Hicham’s class we went over grammar and spoke a lot not about anything in particular. Taoufiq’s class was heavily focused on grammar and it was four hours long – so we learned a lot. I feel like because I was taking intensive classes and we went over something new every day, had homework, and presentations to prepare for I wasn’t able to retain as much as I would have liked. Overall I did learn tons of new vocabulary, gain a better understanding of patterns and how roots worked.
From the time I got to my boarding area in Charles de Gaulle to standing in line at customs in the Rabat Airport I felt like I was about to enter a completely different world that I wasn’t sure if I was ready for. Everyone around me was speaking Arabic, and I couldn’t understand a word they were saying. Over the next six weeks I ran into trouble often but I’d like to believe I handled it quite well. As my Arabic skills and confidence with the language grew the more I tried to solve my problems in Formal Arabic. By the end of my six week stay in Morocco I had learned a great deal of grammar and how to better comprehend. Also I’d like to believe I left this experience with a greater understanding of Moroccan culture on a personal level. I learned how people deal with things, help people, greet people, and generally interact with one another. Also I got to know a bit of myself while abroad and I learned that even when I’m not quite sure what I’m doing or where I’m going that I’m still able to push through and succeed, even if with the help of a few complete strangers.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
"My Summer in Saudi Arabia" by GSU Arabic Club's President Matt Horne AKA Abdullah
I went on a study abroad trip to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this summer. When I first arrived in Riyadh, it was around one a.m. and I was shocked at how hot it was at that time. It felt like a hair dryer being blown on me when the wind picked up. Although the weather was like that my whole trip, it wasn’t really bad a...t all. With temperatures averaging above 110 degrees, the lack of humidity made the heat very bearable. As we drove to our villa, I noticed immediately the immensity of the city and how bustling the streets were. The driving in Saudi Arabia differs
greatly from driving in the U.S. There seemed to be very few traffic laws and speed limits were nonexistent. To say that it was a fun experience every time we rode into Riyadh would be an understatement. I have never experienced hospitality like I did while I was in Saudi Arabia. Whether it was shopping at a store or walking in the street, people would give me food and drink on a daily basis. Normally, Saudis would provide us with dates, coffee, and tea whenever they could. My trip to Saudi Arabia was quite a unique experience. Saudis have the call to prayer several times
a day and it is played from the mosques, which are everywhere in Riyadh. Stores and restaurants close for business when the call begins and they open shortly after prayer is over. The way many
Saudis in Riyadh dressed was unlike our western style of dressing. The Saudi men typically wore a Thobe and Shumagh, which covers their heads. The women usually wore Abayas and some had veils covering their faces. The Arabic food I ate during my trip was delicious. I tried many different foods, including: pigeons, camels, and sheep’s head. I also got the opportunity to ride camels, horses,
and four wheelers while in the desert. Last but not least, I learned a great deal of the Arabic language during my time in Saudi Arabia. Most of the people I encountered could speak a little English but the majority of my conversations with Saudis were in Arabic. Being immersed in an environment where I was forced to speak Arabic in order to effectively communicate with locals truly helped me to expand my Arabic speaking abilities. My Arabic vocabulary grew
and I learned the Saudi dialect and other slang fairly quickly. By the end of my trip, I was astonished at how much more of the Arabic language I knew than when I first arrived in Saudi Arabia. I experienced a completely different culture and way of life while in Saudi Arabia and I would recommend anyone who is learning another language to study abroad if they have the opportunity.
greatly from driving in the U.S. There seemed to be very few traffic laws and speed limits were nonexistent. To say that it was a fun experience every time we rode into Riyadh would be an understatement. I have never experienced hospitality like I did while I was in Saudi Arabia. Whether it was shopping at a store or walking in the street, people would give me food and drink on a daily basis. Normally, Saudis would provide us with dates, coffee, and tea whenever they could. My trip to Saudi Arabia was quite a unique experience. Saudis have the call to prayer several times
a day and it is played from the mosques, which are everywhere in Riyadh. Stores and restaurants close for business when the call begins and they open shortly after prayer is over. The way many
Saudis in Riyadh dressed was unlike our western style of dressing. The Saudi men typically wore a Thobe and Shumagh, which covers their heads. The women usually wore Abayas and some had veils covering their faces. The Arabic food I ate during my trip was delicious. I tried many different foods, including: pigeons, camels, and sheep’s head. I also got the opportunity to ride camels, horses,
and four wheelers while in the desert. Last but not least, I learned a great deal of the Arabic language during my time in Saudi Arabia. Most of the people I encountered could speak a little English but the majority of my conversations with Saudis were in Arabic. Being immersed in an environment where I was forced to speak Arabic in order to effectively communicate with locals truly helped me to expand my Arabic speaking abilities. My Arabic vocabulary grew
and I learned the Saudi dialect and other slang fairly quickly. By the end of my trip, I was astonished at how much more of the Arabic language I knew than when I first arrived in Saudi Arabia. I experienced a completely different culture and way of life while in Saudi Arabia and I would recommend anyone who is learning another language to study abroad if they have the opportunity.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Arabic Movie Night
Lemon Tree
Monday, Feb. 25th at 6:00 p.m at Russell Union Theater
The story of a Palestinian widow who must defend her lemon tree field when a new Israeli Defense Minister moves next to her and threatens to have her lemon grove torn down. (Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles, 1hr. 46 min., 2008)
ARAB 1001: Dubai
Watch the videos about Dubai and write a 50+ words comment. Don't forget to write your names.
Arabic Movie Night
Lemon Tree
Monday, Feb. 25th at 6:00 p.m at Russell Union Theater
The story of a Palestinian widow who must defend her lemon tree field when a new Israeli Defense Minister moves next to her and threatens to have her lemon grove torn down. (Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles, 1hr. 46 min., 2008)
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
ARAB 1001 Assignment: Saudi Arabia (Due date: Wed. 23)
Watch the videos about Saudi Arabia, and write a 50 + words comment. To leave a comment, simply click on the comment button below, type your comment, and then click the publish button. Don't forget to write your full name and your class.
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