Moroccan Center for Arabic Studies

Program Reviews

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Lori
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Arabic in Rabat at MCAS

I enjoyed taking the calligrqphy class and got a good foundation to build upon to continue the stylized writing. My Arabic lessons reinforced what I learned and helped me to identify areas that I needed to work on.

I could not have asked for more. The staff were very helpful. My host family offered me a good room in a wonderful house next to the school. I thought the food was good and very tasty.

I can not thank enough Ali, Chaimaa, Abdesallam and Omar who were so sweety and nice in helping me with my program.

I would highly recommand this program to anyone who wants to learn Arabic in an Arabic culture that never seizes to amaze.

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J
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great

MCAS provided me with a 2 week Arab course and host family stay. The Arabic course was really good. I was using it as revision before university and we went over many of the things I have previously learnt and discussed in detail events around the globe. The teacher was patient and helpful and the programme was well directed. The family lived close to the school meaning my walk in the morning was easy and Rabat is a nice pleasant town to live in.

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Kira
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Arab language course

I took a one week one to one Arab language course. The staff was friendly and competent, I had a friendly host family situated directly in the city center and a very motivating learning experience. I recommend the course particularly not only for beginners, but also to people who already have some background.

What would you improve about this program?
offer group excursions, stuff that is difficult to organize as a tourist
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Nathan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Very Flexible Program

I needed to find a program that would set me up with housing and a tutor on very short notice. MCAS came through. I cannot emphasize enough how fantastic of a tutor Abdelsalam is. He is patient, flexible, and professional to the utmost degree. My apartment was also nice. And Rabat is in my opinion one of the most comfortable cities in the Arab world, and it's a lot more interesting than it gets credit for being.

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Aja
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A great opportunity to explore

I have come to know about MCAS through a friend of mine who has volunteered wth them last summer. I was amazed how organized the program was from the very beginning to the end.

The Staff were very helpful and ready to help whenever we needed assisstance with our project placements or our host families. My friend and I have asked to be placed in the same host family and we volunteered in the childcare program.

It was the best decision that I have ever made in my life to come to a country that had so much to offer. I cant not wait to come back next summer with a group of our school friends.

Thank you Samia, Ali and Abdselam for the wonderful experience you gave us.

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Emily
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Summer in Morocco

Morocco is a very different, but absolutely wonderful place! The host family MCAS placed me with was incredible--they are some of the most genuine and welcoming people I've ever met, and I truly felt at home with them.
I originally came to work in Women's Empowerment, but it didn't really work out with the organization that I was with, and that was disappointing but luckily I was then moved and placed teaching at a school, and it was a great experience teaching such enthusiastic young girls.
The best advice I could give to someone coming is to know what you want to get out of the experience, be very open-minded and willing to try new things, and don't be afraid to take initiative if you want something done.

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Andrea
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Success and Safety

Traveling to Morocco to do service work in an orphanage was our initial goal. To this end, we were very successful and felt like out work was meaningful and helpful. That we were safe and looked after by MCAS was evident from the moment of our arrival. Our host family connection was excellent and that same sense of care and safety was apparent from the host family as well.

What would you improve about this program?
I would recommend more opportunities to work with very young children in an orphanage setting and also more of a variety of opportunities to teach English.
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Cathleen
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

MCAS Review

My arrival to Morocco was a challenge. It was nothing that I could relate to. Morocco is an Islamic country, therefore, religion is their number one priority. This can be heavily witnessed throughout the city. With five prayer calls throughout the days, it was difficult to adjust with my surroundings. Being an American, I got many stares and comments as I walked through out the city. After a while, I started to ignore such compliments but it was overwhelming at first. I highly suggest that any one considering Morocco as their volunteer destination to research their customs and practices. So, when you arrive not everything will be as much of a surprise.

While working at the orphanage, I would walk about 10 minutes to my placement. During my first 2 weeks I volunteered with the handicapped kids. I would bathe, clothe, feed, and play with the kids. I was finished by 1 pm. Afterwards, I helped with the newborn babies. This experience was a little different because I did not have the language barrier challenge with the babies. however, with the nurses I did. I was able to meet incoming volunteers as well.

What would you improve about this program?
Even though program is well put together, I would recommend more volunteer gatherings. During my time, I only meet other volunteers once and my friendship with them was short lived. If I had met them earlier, I know my time in Morocco would have been a little different because I would have friends in which are experiencing similar things as me. Being able to talk about my experience with others is a great way to overcome difficult challenges one may experience while trying to adjust to the Moroccan experience.
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Lucia
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Volunteering, learning Arabic and travelling with MCAS

I have been living for a month in Rabat, Morocco, with a family in la Medina. During my time here I did volunteer work, I learnt Arabic and I travelled.

Volunteer was a new experience for me, but I do not regret doing it at all. Working with kids has been a really incredible experience. Sometimes it was hard to prepare activities but I always had the help of my coordinators, Samia and Ali, to be able to print or to speak with the local teachers in the school.

Also, I have been learning Arabic and I am more than happy with my teacher, Abdusalam. He has been really patient with me and I think I learnt as much as I could in one month thanks to him. Also he had interest in teaching me what I wanted to learn and also made me work hard in reading.

Finally, I had three weekends off, so I used that free time to travel. I went with some other volunteers to the desert and the experience was amazing but the trip was too long for just a weekend, anyway riding a camel was one of the things I wanted to do in here.

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Anon
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Fantastic experience!!

Myself and 4 of my friends volunteered in an orphanage in Rabat for a week. Having spoken extensively in depth with the MCAS director, Ali, before hand he assured us that we would be in safe hands and that the trip would be extremely worthwhile; suffice to say he kept his word.

Ali collected us from the airport, organised an orientation day and also provided us with an itinerary which included local site seeing etc. Ali and his assistant were extremely helpful and were at hand 24/7; we had a few initial hiccups with the host family on the first day which Ali was quick to sort out.

The host family were fantastic and very loving; we felt as though we were family by the end of the week. Credit goes to Ali and his stuff for placing us with a superb family who took very good care of us.

The orphanage was a phenomenal experience which I would urge anyone who is considering going to Rabat to visit and help out I the orphanage. it was a very grounding week for us.

Overall, the experience was amazing! I would strongly recommend this trip to everyone. we will definitely be returning in the near future and will keep in contact with Ali.

Thank you so much for an outstanding experience Ali and thank you so much for your help and support. Prior to our visit we had been in contact with Ali for many weeks; he showed us the host family and guided us step by step on what to do( this was our first volunteering trip). MCAS is a very well organised company which met our expectations and should take pride in its work for others.

Please give this organisation a go, legit you wont regret it :)

What would you improve about this program?
There was nothing that was of significant problem with the program, however if you do have specific needs then you should notify Ali with them. Also, I would recommend that you contact Ali via Skype before flying out.