During the summer of 2000, a reporter from the Chronicle of Higher Education enrolled in the Arabic School.
Click here to read her article
"It's just amazing what I've learned this summer. I'm just in Level 1 and this week my class did the Arabic School radio program ourselves. My most lasting impression of the summer may be the Dance Club and the performance we gave last week. I made friends in the club and in class that will last for years, and when I go to the Middle East I will have people to visit in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Morocco."
Adriana Chacon
Level 1
Recent graduate of Barry University
"I never thought that I'd ever be able to express myself in any language other than English, but after this summer, now I can do it in English and Arabic. It's been one of the most difficult things I've ever done in my life, but this program forces you -- with its all-Arabic, all-the-time, and its intensive structure -- to work hard and work smart at the same time. I love the fact that now I know how to learn a language the smartest way. In this environment, with the quality of instruction that we receive and with students all around us speaking Arabic, I'm past being able to say words and phrases in Arabic. Now I speak in sentences and paragraphs... and I just made up my mind that I really want to go on and teach Arabic."
Al-Husein Madhany
Level 1.5
Harvard University graduate student
"I've gotten to know and feel comfortable with a lot of people in the Arabic School. It's really more like a family and less like a school. I've also gotten to know our faculty and I really enjoy that too. But the learning and studying with friends, and the friendships that have formed through communicating in the Arabic language, that's really special to me. We each have a different way of learning things, but we're always helping each other and testing each other, especially with the vocabulary and grammar. There's a closeness here that I can't describe right now... Sure, I am fluent in Arabic now, I can speak it really well, but it's how I got there, learning and living with friends, that's what I will always remember."
Fadya Lurie-Tannous
Level 3
NYU graduate student
"I had some background in Arabic grammar and writing before I came here, but what I really needed was practice in conversation. The Middlebury program forces you to use the language all the time. When you study overseas, people always want to speak English to you. But here you can go weeks without hearing a word of English... I was watching people come and go and interact with each other in Arabic the other day in our [Arabic School] lounge and I suddenly realized that the whole Arabic Studies community is really a small and very diverse group, and I feel really good to be part of it."
Robbie Young
Level 1.5 student
Georgetown University graduate student>
"My teachers in the Arabic School are just wonderful! I've laughed with them; I've cried with them. I've spent a whole day canoing with them. They are so much more than teachers to me. They've made the entire learning experience, the whole challenge, so much more rewarding for me. Before this summer, all I could say was 'hello' in Arabic. Now I can really converse in the language. I can conduct a conversation in Arabic. In fact it's amazing: I now have personal relationships with people that I converse with only in Arabic. You can't imagine how special that is to me."
Shana Minkin
Level 1 student
Emory University graduate student
"The brochures say that you'll learn more Arabic here than you will ever learn anywhere else, and it's true. It's all true! I'll tell you how good this school is -- people even come here to Vermont from the Middle East to study. Sure it's intense, but you can't imagine how fulfilling it is until you experience it. You earn 12 credits in nine weeks but it's worth it. This was definitely the hardest academic experience that I have had in my life. When you sign that Language Pledge, Arabic doesn't become just your language of study. It becomes your language of life. To me, I think the biggest key to my success was maintaining that zeal, that love for the language, that desire to make Arabic a part of me, that's what got me through."
Bassam Abed
Level 3 student
Virginia Commonwealth University undergraduate student
Other comments from previous students in the Arabic School
Ruth Gaertner
"Having had no training in Standard Arabic, I didn't know what to expect from the program at Middlebury. But ever since the day we took the placement test, I've had nothing but positive experiences with the instructors, students and staff at the Arabic School. My instructors were able to create a cohesive group even though we had very different backgrounds, and they provided a very comfortable and supportive learning environment. With all of the time we spend in class, on homework, and attending the various cultural programs, I sometimes wonder how we make it throughout the week! But because everyone involved in this program is energetic and encouraging, the surprisingly relaxed atmosphere has aided in my acquisition of Arabic. I can't say enough about the quality of instruction in the Arabic School and the cooperative attitudes of the staff and students. This has been one of the most rewarding and stimulating experiences of my life and I strongly encourage anyone seriously interested in learning Arabic to come to Middlebury and benefit from a truly outstanding program."
Christen Smith
"My interest in the Islamic world and international affairs brought me to Middlebury. Once I arrived here, I found the secluded environment pushes you to learn. The patient, hard-working faculty help throughout the program. It's hard work, but you get through it and you learn the language."
Durriya Ghadiali
"The dynamic between dialectical Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic makes it difficult to acquire advanced language skills by simply visiting an Arab country. That is what makes Middlebury's Arabic language program exceptional and very much needed. Professors, professionals and fellow students come together committed to the goal of acquiring language proficiency, and even at low to intermediate levels combine dialect with standard Arabic to provide very functional skills to the language learner...However, if the center of the program is language acquisition, it is rounded out by the opportunities to learn about Arab culture. Close interaction with the Arab professors, the extracurricular activities, and sharing experiences about Arab movies, music, dancing and food have allowed me to better appreciate the beauty and diversity of the culture. It is an experience that is hard to duplicate and one that I would certainly recommend!"
Carlos Gonzalez
"I came to Middlebury because it offered what I was looking for: a well-structured, intensive program which would provide me with the tools I needed to master Arabic. The small class sizes and excellent faculty have allowed me to improve dramatically in my reading, writing and speaking skills in only a few weeks."
Emily Cooper "The Middlebury program provides opportunities to learn Arabic both inside and outside the classroom. On of the things I have enjoyed most about the program is that I have had the chance to see lots of Arabic films (which improves my understanding of colloquial), listen to Arabic pop music, watch Arabic TV and attend lectures about various topics, so I have learned at least as much outside the classroom as during classes. In addition, I like most of the students and I have made lots of friends, and most of the professors are friendly and have a sense of humor. Also, I agree with the program's philosophy of learning both colloquial and fusHa, which is somewhat unusual in American universities. This approach helps in communication with native speakers, whereas other approaches enable one to read and write only"
Joshua Cole
"I came to the Middlebury program in Arabic because I wanted to learn as much Arabic as possible in one summer. I expected to be academically challenged and I expected the program to be difficult. I certainly wasn't disappointed in this respect -- nobody could ever claim that this program doesn't live up to the label 'intensive.' But what was most unexpected and gratifying about the program was the dedication of the teachers and staff. In addition to the many hours spent in the classroom, they were available for individual help in office hours and informally at all hours. The program was exceptionally well-organized, including weekly excursions, film and lecture series, and a host of activities -- all of which made the rigors of daily homework assignments more palatable. Nobody should come to this program if they are not well-rested and ready to work hard -- but those who are will not be disappointed."
Lara Deeb
"One of the things which definitely sets Middlebury apart from any other language learning experience is the cultural immersion that includes but is not limited to the language pledge. When I first told the director of graduate studies in my department that I planned to spend my summer learning Arabic in Vermont, his reaction was, "Why not just buy a plane ticket to the Middle East -- wouldn't that be more 'authentic'?" At the time I didn't have an answer for him, but now the uniqueness of the linguistic/cultural experience here is clear to me. Nowhere in the world is there another community that attempts to carry out all daily activities in Modern Standard Arabic. Moreover, cultural immersion accompanies the language learning. Over the past weeks, we have seen films, heard lectures, and, most importantly, held conversations with people who consider themselves embedded in Arab or American culture, or floating somewhere in between -- dialogues that I never thought possible for me in Arabic. In a sense the most valuable aspect of Middlebury is the confidence that we gain in ourselves; I am no longer afraid of discussions or literature in Arabic."
Michele Forman
"The Arabic program is more than a school; it's a community of students and teachers working and living together -- every day. Complete immersion in the language coupled with experiences in Arab culture provide a rich and unique environment for learning. The energy of the faculty and staff are an essential factor in the great success of the program. Within classes and throughout the school, we're unified by one common purpose. The progress we've made in the language is greater than I could have imagined just a couple of months ago."
Tage Nielsen
"I am a 58-year old physician from Denmark. After a year's work in the Middle East, I began to learn Arabic with the intention of going back for another year, but my progress was not great because of inadequate teaching. So my expectations upon arrival here were very big, indeed, and I must say that they have been fulfilled. Not only did I learn Arabic very quickly, but I also learned a lot about how to learn a foreign language, so that I can continue on my own. I really appreciated the way that Arab culture permeates the books we use and the way of life here at Middlebury. The workload was extremely large, but so was the result. And it was a pleasure to see the teachers working just as hard and with a devotion you seldom see. I did not like the pledge, especially in the beginning, because of the frustration of not being able to communicate. But in the end I realized that it contributed to the result to a considerable degree. So I can warmly recommend spending 9 weeks at Middlebury to those who want to learn Arabic quickly."
Shira Robinson
Perhaps the key to the success of the program, after the pledge, is the patience and commitment of the faculty. I don't know what I'll do when I can't seek help from my professors at 11:30 pm. Perhaps a measure of Middlebury's success is my frustration at having to write this in English!