Learning Arabic in Palestine

Hi, my name is Kristie. I am from the United States and in medical school. I came to the Excellence Center to study Arabic and to learn more about Palestinian life and culture. While I am only at the center for a short period of time, I hope to continue my studies and use what I learn in my future as a doctor.

I arrived in Palestine just days before the celebration of Eid Al-Adha, one of the two major holidays in Islam. I spent the holiday with my host family, learning about their traditions and eating amazing food. The children had a great time bringing me random objects from around the house and teaching me their names in Arabic. While “tray” and “table leg” might not be the most useful words at this point in my Arabic studies, we had a great time! Over the next two days, I met around 30 members of the family. For my second day in a new country, with a new language, it should have been an overwhelming experience. However, to my delight, they were some of the most enjoyable days I have spent in a long time. The whole family was incredibly warm and welcoming, going out of their way to make me, the foreigner crashing their party, feel comfortable and included.

Once the holiday ended, I began my Arabic lessons in earnest. 3-4 hours a day I had private lessons with my teacher Alaa. While the beginning of learning a language is always difficult and somewhat frustrating, Alaa made it manageable and fun. While teaching me the basics, she helped me focus on medical vocabulary so that I could immediately learn the Arabic most useful to me. Overall, the experience was fantastic and exactly what I hoped for by going to Palestine. I will hopefully be back in the future!