Last week, the topic was digital terrorism, where we discussed cybersecurity in the Middle East. And before that, we talked about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the late Saudi journalist who was killed in the Saudi embassy in Turkey. No, this isn’t a Middle Eastern politics class. Rather, it’s my Arabic class! Learning Arabic with … Continue reading Learning Arabic through Immersion… in my School’s Cafeteria
A bite of “börek.” A sip of “çay.” Öğretmen Tuba writes Present Continuous conjugations on the board, and we students take notes, attentive and intrigued. That’s right! Ben Türkçe öğreniyorum! I am learning Turkish! My love for Turkish started with Zawaj Maslaha. At 8:00 PM sharp in Amman, Jordan, families tune in to MBC1 to … Continue reading A Turkish Delight…
[VIDEO BELOW] Wow! I never thought senior year would be this busy! In the midst of IB requirements such as my Extended Essay and Internal Assessments, tons of tests and quizzes for my classes, college applications, my internship, and other commitments, I really have not had time to write on my blog or even breathe, … Continue reading Life and Language Updates… in Arabic!
A week after my last official day as an intern at GirlForward, I wake up to a phone buzzing with messages: “I miss you so much.” “How is school?” “You need to text me more!” Their messages brighten up my day. I’m not going to forget them. Although I have only known most of … Continue reading Friendship Knows No Borders
Maria* and Catherine* chat quietly in Swahili, while Noor* and Farida* speak to each other in Pashto. I sit in the middle, a student of Arabic and a native speaker of Hindi/Urdu. Leading a literature circle of English language learners has been challenging, exciting, and deeply rewarding to say the least. Furthermore, working with the … Continue reading “Wow! I know some Pashto words!”… and other interesting observations
The bus vibrates with the rhythm and melody of the latest Bollywood songs. Twenty girls clap, dance, and sing along, speaking intermittently in Dari, Urdu, Pashto, and Arabic. The large American flag waving outside the window is my only reminder that we are indeed in the States. Growing up, my parents told me many stories … Continue reading A post about bus rides… and being bus(y)
It’s June 29th, 2018. To some, it’s just another day. To me, June 29th is incredibly special. On this day, exactly a year ago, I landed in the Queen Alia Airport in Amman, Jordan, marking the first day of a life-changing stay in Jordan. On June 29th I gained my first glimpses of a new … Continue reading Another nostalgic reflection about Jordan… except this time it’s been published!
“Thank you so much for applying to….” Those words. Those six words say so much. They’re just a benign “thank you”, right? Sure, but when those words are the first six words of a decision letter, you may as well not read on. They’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing-- a kind way of saying, “Sorry, … Continue reading For Every Door that Closes…
[VIDEO BELOW] It’s hard to believe that I started my real Arabic studies a little over a year ago. One year ago, I was counting days until my summer in Jordan. One year ago, I was feverishly reviewing conjugations and basic phrases. One year ago, I was trying hard to perfect my Arabic self-introduction. When I came back … Continue reading Video: One Year of Learning Arabic
Arabic in math class. Arabic in biology. Arabic in French. Arabic in English. Despite my school not offering an Arabic class, I have managed to incorporate Arabic language or culture into nearly every one of my classes. Of course, there's my study hall period, which I have transformed into a legitimate Arabic class. Every other … Continue reading Weaving Arabic through my Junior Courseload
