Yemen is the best destination to study Arabic [Archives:2008/1205/Reportage]
November 6 2008
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Most Arabic institutes in Sana'a are located in the heart of the city. Housed in traditional Yemeni buildings built in classical architectural style, these schools welcome students from all parts of the world who gather here to converse in Arabic and share experiences in a truly global classroom.
In a class lit by colored sunlight let in by qamarias [Yemeni tainted glass windows], students sit in a U-shape as Amelie Henkous, 20, a political science student from France specializing in Middle Eastern studies, stands in front of the class using her laptop to show slides of France. She speaks confidently in Arabic about her country's arts, politics, tourism, history and literature.
Over the past ten years, Yemen has become one of the best countries in which to study Arabic. Although the latest attack on the American embassy in Sana'a prompted many Western universities to ask their students to leave the country, others who come to study at their own cost find Yemen to be a safe and convenient place to study the language. Most students come to Yemen after having heard of the benefits of studying Arabic here by word of mouth from other students or friends.
According to Henkous, “It's easy to talk with people and practice Arabic in the street and elsewhere. I went to Morocco to learn Arabic but almost everyone there speaks French. I knew I would not easily learn the language, so I came here where people don't speak French.” American national Jason Hitt, 19, is studying Arabic to become a translator. After having lived in Kuwait for five years, he says he learned more Arabic in the three months in Yemen that over there.
Hitt did some research on the internet and found that English is not widely-spoken in Yemen. \”Yemen has a lot of native Arabic speakers who don't speak English
