Arabic? yes, and more.

I spent 8 weeks at the Excellence Centre in Halle. It was my second summer doing an "Arabic Intensive" course. Last summer I was at the University of Wisconsin in Madison: two Arabic intensives, two very different summers. In Madison, the setting was academic: grades, exams, and hours spent at the campus library. In Halle, the setting was full of life. I went to the Excellence Centre to learn Arabic and am so grateful I did. At the Excellence Centre, Arabic is taken out of the textbooks. It's given life, it becomes full of colours, history, and emotions. It's in Halle that I felt, rather than merely knew, why I was learning Arabic. We did use a textbook to learn the grammar and studied the vocab sheets. But, and that's when I learned the most, we also translated songs, played games, made breakfast, and wrote love letters. We carefully listened to Muaz telling us about Al-Andalus, asked him to repeat himself when we got lost in the history or the Arabic. We went to the zoo, museums, coffee shops, and Arab restaurants. We travelled to Leipzig and Berlin. Muaz made Arabic fun, interesting, and beautiful. The Arabic I will learn after the Centre will have its roots in Halle.
At the Excellence Centre, I felt welcomed and encouraged to be part of a community. I have met such caring and brilliant people. Thank you for everything.