CET Jordan: Intensive Language

CET has found a fantastic academic director in Manal Youssef. She is a strong leader, intelligent, and beyond amazing in the classroom. She and the administrative director make sure you see the tourist-y parts of Jordan, and get an amazing experience in Wadi Rum, but also push you just hard enough so that you come out of the program stunned at how far you've come.
This program was well worth every penny, the only issues I faced were the comments from people on the street, and how chilly it is indoors during the winter! So bring layers if you'll be there close to winter, otherwise, just be ready to learn and learn and learn, more than you ever thought you could. I learned more from this program than it appears from friends did in year-long stays with other programs.

From what I've heard, CET is the one of the best Arabic intensive language program. The curriculum is laid out well, the teachers and directors love the students and work tirelessly to help them learn. That being said, I felt that there were unreasonable expectations placed on the students that led to a lot of burn out, frustration and discouragement. For me, having only finished one year of Arabic, there's a lot of grammar that I thought I would learn this summer, but the focus on grammar was minimal. The idea is that we will learn grammar from context as we read the lessons, but we went through the readings so quickly, often times barely understanding what they were about, before moving on to the next one that the opportunity to look at grammatical structures in sentences was often missed. There were days when I was deeply concerned that I would leave Jordan hating Arabic. That did not end up being the case, and in spite of a lot of challenges this summer, I learned a lot-- the language pledge forced me to speak in Arabic a lot more than I would have otherwise. (I definitely spoke in English with the two Americans I lived with in order to maintain my emotional and mental sanity, but I did my best to maintain the pledge as much as possible.) My vocabulary expanded exponentially and my comfort in speaking, reading, and writing grew considerably. For students considering CET, yes, you will learn a lot, have a great time on the trips that CET coordinates for the program and you will interact a lot with Jordanians through homework assignments, hanging out with your roommate, and meeting with your language partner three times a week (by far my favorite part of the summer!). But also be aware that you will be pushed beyond what seems actually possible. I have two pieces of advice: if your school uses Al-kitaab and doesn't finish the first book at the end of the first year (my university only finished chapter 10), finish it yourself (and learn the vocabulary) before you arrive in Jordan. It lays groundwork for key grammatical concepts that would've been extremely helpful to know. Second, do not be afraid to talk to the program directors and teachers if you're struggling. They want you to succeed, it's just a matter of figuring out how to achieve that!

There are a lot of programs in Amman that teach Arabic to American college students, and I met a lot of other American students out and about in the city and had the chance to compare programs - the consensus was pretty much that CET was the best. Between the language pledge, the 100% Arabic usage in the classroom, the long hours of class and the content-based courses (of course 100% in Arabic), I learned more Arabic, and got more comfortable using the Jordanian/Shaami dialect, than I would have anywhere else. We did all get the chance to see all the sites in Jordan and do plenty of independent travel to Istanbul/Beirut/Dubai etc, as well as explore Amman nightlife, museums and cultural events. But studies were really the first priority. CET is also the best program if you're looking to meet locals. The language partner program was fantastic (a little awkward at first) but as I got to know my language partner I really enjoyed our visits and the experience really helped my conversational and vocab skills. Our roommate was also a great resource to us, she was incredibly friendly and helpful. CET is good at putting together a lot of social events for American students to mingle with and get to know local Jordanians in similar age groups.

The amount of Arabic I learned studying abroad with CET was worth every dollar (or dinar) and every second I spent there. I grew at a speed I once thought was unimaginable, I feel it would take me years in an American setting to make the gains that did. On top of it I made new best friends, and was immersed in a culture that is strikingly beautiful and sincere. CET rules (and so does the academic director Manal, and my wonderful proffesor Noor!)

Perhaps the best trip we took with CET was to Wadi Rum in the southern part of Jordan. In a word, Wadi Rum is unbelievable. Completely filled with red rocks and sand, this is unlike any desert I have seen in my life. The deep silence that settles at night is not foreboding, but extremely peaceful as it is accompanied by the most fantastic array of stars possible. Spending a night in the desert in a traditional bedouin camp was an unforgettable highlight of my trip abroad.

Everyday, I woke up and joked around with my roommate. Sometimes we ate quickly together, and would always discuss the day ahead. Then we headed off to our respective classes, where I discussed current issues and important problems that occur all over the Middle East, but especially in Jordan. After class I would meet up with a friend to chat, maybe grabbing coffee or a snack at a café. I would return to my apartment and hang out with my roommate, once more swapping stories and talking about life as we finished our homework. Then it was off to bed to get ready for a new day.
And you know what? I did all that in Arabic. I could never have imagined doing so without trouble before, but after being a part of the CET program I did so everyday with ease.
There were definitely some difficulties - being harassed and stared at in the streets, and having to cope with a whole different culture. However the CET staff did a fantastic job of helping us all out, and more than prepared us in terms of language.

When I entered the program, I could barely speak Arabic even though I had three years of studying under my belt. Now, I am almost fluent in the language, thanks to CET. The language pledge and the rigorous courses helped me grow my language skills in ways that were more accessible than what I was learning at my home university. I would be lying if I said it wasn't difficult. There was a time midway through the semester when I felt I was failing and wanted to go home, but the CET directors recognized my distress and convinced me that I was doing a good job. Without their encouragement, I would not have worked as hard as I did to master the language. I am about to graduate, and I feel more confident in my language skills than I ever was before CET.

I expressed a great deal of my personal experiences on CET's study abroad blog, but in addition to those experiences, in general, I believe CET enables as close of an integration experience as is possible into Jordanian society.

I really enjoyed my experience in CET because I felt like I was living outside of an "American Bubble" that I had sought to avoid in my abroad program choice. The program really focuses on improving your Arabic proficiency and through a 2-person language class and direct-enrollment into two other classes with native speakers, I felt appropriately challenged with the language and definitely came into my own. The staff is excellent at addressing student concerns and living with local roommates really gives you a fascinating window into the local culture. I made many new Jordanian friends and had some experiences well off the beaten tourist path.