Why Damascus:::Specialist in Arabic Courses in Damascus | Syria

Now in Damascus (end June 2009, around 32 students): Matthew Ong – USA – LA (since Sept 08, 1 year, package 3m private courses + accommodation), Dominic Taylor – UK – London – mid Sept – 7 months, Zainab – UK – London (since January 2009 - 6 months), Marko Koplimaa – Estonia – Feb 09 – 6 months (full package in Damascus University + accommodation), Hugo Legge – UK - Leeds (since February, from scratch – 5,5 months), Robert Payne – USA – LA – Feb - 6 months (senior student 60 year old), Rumaldo – Usa – Houston - March – 1 year (), Bettina Tam – Canada / Hong Kong – Swarthmore Univ – end May 2 month (only family accommodation in Baramka), Marie Bush - USA / California – mid May - 2-3 months (), Cory Frey - USA / Delaware – June - 1 year (arabic program in Damascus University, Living and Practicing accommodation for 3-6 months + private teacher), Joel – Princeton (several times in Damascus: Oct 2006 for 6 months, January 08, August 08 + June 09) – 1 month (research with private teacher + accommodation), Ron Stein – USA / Appleton WI – June 3 weeks (package of private studies 3h/day + accommodation "Living with teacher"), Alexander Bevilacqua - Italy studying in Princeton Univ – mid June – 2 months (special package 4h a day intensive private lessons with 2 teachers), Jessica Heinzelman – USA – SF – mid June – 3 months (studies in Damascus University, family accommodation and private tuitions), Schuyler – USA – NC Durham – mid June – 1 year (arabic courses in Damascus University, Living and Practicing accommodation for 3 months + private teacher 3 days a week), Maryama – France – living and working in London – mid June – 2 months (University of Damascus), Alain Vignier (senior student 68 year old) – France – Rennes – end June -1 month (advanced level), 7 students from Spain – Madrid – end June for 1-2 months: Sandra Sesmero + Ana Municio + Maria Gil + Maria Laburu + Isabel Palomo (girls live in Syrian families) + Manuel Mane for 6 months + Cristian Far (19 year only), Barnaby – UK – working in Bruxelles – end June – 1 month, Matteo Colombo – Italy – studying in Oxford University, Siavash Samei – Usa – Georgia – end June – 2,5 months (advanced level), Mohana – USA living in Qatar – Doha – end June – 1 month, Jana – Czech Rep - Plzen - end June – 2 months (advanced level), Amina – Switzerland – Geneva – end June – 1 month (19 year), Kamila - Czech Rep – Hradec Kralove - end June – 1 month, Kandia – France – Paris – end June – 3 months, Maria Dolores – Spain – Granada – end June – 1 month (private tuitions only),

In July - August 2009 (already around 15 students): Brian Brennan (senior student 61 year old) – Australia – Sydney – July - 1 month (second time in Damascus after August 2006, intensive private studies), Christian Sahner – USA - Princeton / studying now in Oxford Univ (intensive private studies 4 hours a day), Diane Jousson – Switzerland – Geneve – July – 3 months, Rosa Martinez (56 y old) – Spain – Granada – mid July – 2 weeks (private lessons), David Crosbie – Canada – living in Dubai, mid July – 1 month , Benedetta – Italy – Venecia – mid July – 1 month , Michele Steiner - Switzerland – Berne, mid July – 1 month, Carmen Clavel – Spain – Alicante – August – 1 month (second time in Damascus after summer 2008), Bart - Belgium – BXL - August – 1 month , Yvon - France – August – 1 month (), Olivier - France – studying in Cambridge Univ – August – 1 month , Michal Pesta – Poland – Aug – 2 weeks (arabic private tuitions), Marco Perolini – Belgium – BXL – August – 3 weeks (arabic private teacher), Adrian Masip – Spain living in Abu Dhabi – August – 3 weeks (arabic private course), Christina Guillaume (adult student 61y) – France – Paris – end August – 3 weeks.

and many more to confirm for the fall (Sept/Oct) of the year 2009, Insha Allah ! .... Heinz Heule from Switzerland – Basel – end Sept – 2 weeks (second time in Damascus), Gundi - Switzerland – Berne – end Sept – 2 weeks (second time in Damascus), Maggy - Switzerland – Lausanne – October – 1 month (third time in Damascus), Daniela - Italian living in Switzerland – Zurich – mid October – 1 month (second time in Damascus).

Why Damascus : The perfect place to study Classical Arabic

The best way to discover a country or a culture, know their traditions, understand their values and way of thinking, and learn their language is to live in it and socialize with their people.

"Dimashq" is one of the best cities to study Arabic, offering a complete linguistic immersion. Unlike other Arabic speaking countries (Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Gulf countries or North Africa), here, few people speak English or French. The students will express themselves in Arabic, make efforts to practice the language at all times and in all situations of everyday life to communicate with local people. They will listen, see, buy, move, eat, drink, breath ... in one word, they will LIVE in Arabic 24 hours a day (and even dream in Arabic, Insha Allah!!).

In another hand, Syrian people speak a colloquial Arabic (Al A’mmia or darija) which is easy to understand and very close to formal standard MSA Arabic (Al Fus-ha) due to historical and geographical reasons. Their spoken language remains the closest to Classical Arabic, enabling the students to continue their lessons outside the classroom, practicing in everyday life, with almost everybody.

Syrian Arabic is the most useful and accessible of all the Arabic dialects. It is almost identical to dialects in Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan and it is widely understood all over the Arab world. This gives the great possibility to use classical Arabic with Syrians, who understand it perfectly.

The people of Damascus are friendly, opened and hospitable to foreigners. They are always willing to help foreigners to practice Arabic. You can’t imagine how much Syrians appreciate and how happy they are when you speak with them in their language. They are patient and listen to you, even if you speak slowly and making lots of mistakes. In this way, you can fully participate to the daily life of the city (shopping, bargaining, having friends, meeting people, working jobs).

Dimashq is the most traditional and authentic place to study. As of yet, big malls and fast food culture are not part of everyday life. We don’t find Mac Donalds, Burger King, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, Coca or Pepsi monopole, the western cultural and commercial invasion. Syria has less mass-tourism, which means more traditional and natural atmosphere, is less westernized which means more originality and more confidence in Arab identity, is more educated which means easier and better access to local community for language practice and cultural immersion.

For Muslims, one can immerse himself in the appropriate atmosphere: there are mosques everywhere and the Adhan can be heard five times a day from every mosque. Although it is a conservative society, people are free to practice their religion.
Whether you are professionally or personally interested in Arabic, Arabesk’s services will be invaluable to your study