THEME OR TYPE OF PROJECT:
Learn Arabic and discover Moroccan culture.
PROJECT FEES:
350 euros per month (including Arabic classes, food and accommodation in the host family).
AIMS OF THE PROJECT:
The aim of this project is to give the opportunity to people interested to learn Arabic and to come and discover the beautiful country of Morocco. By living with a Moroccan host family, the participants will be completely immerged in the local culture and will be able to take part in and adopt a Moroccan way of life. The idea is also to manage time in the morning to do some volunteer work to contribute to the development of the local society in addition to the Arabic lessons that will take place in the afternoon.
5 GOOD REASONS TO LEARN ARABIC:
1. Arabic is the 5th most commonly spoken language in the world and an official language of the United Nations, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Conference, and the African Union.
2. Arabic is the language of Islam, understood by Muslims throughout the world.
3. There is a high demand for Arabic-speakers in the Western world so it opens job opportunities in a lot of fields: journalism, business and industry, education, finance and banking, translation and interpretation, consulting, foreign service and intelligence, and many others.
4. Knowing Arabic can promote intercultural understanding: Westerners are presented with one-dimensional negative stereotypes about Arabic-speaking people through the news media, films etc. Besides all what is happening nowadays in the Middle East, this has of course nothing to do with the language, and moreover, people who know Arabic can negotiate the cultural and linguistic gap between nations and assist in solving and avoiding intercultural conflict.
5. Arabic influence is evident in many other languages.
MORE INFO ABOUT THE PROJECT:
People interested in this project can choose between learning Darija, the Moroccan dialect, and Fusha, classic Arabic.
Morocco is a safe and politically stable North African Muslim country, which makes it the ideal place to learn more about Arabic and Islamic influences. One of the best ways to develop greater knowledge of Islamic culture is to learn Arabic. In our program, we offer the participants 10 hours of tuition per week and volunteering hours in one of our projects in the morning.
COMMUNITY CONTEXT:
Rabat is the capital and fourth largest city of Morocco with an average population of 580,000 people. It combines both
Mediterranean and Oceanic influences on many aspects. Rabat’s climate is mild and temperate, with cool winters and warm summer days. The city is quite dynamic as far as cultural activity is concerned thanks to many structures (Theatre Mohammed V right in the city centre, Cinema Renaissance, official galleries and the archaeological museum) and active associative work.
Rabat provides a cosmopolitan setting which gives a good opportunity to improve your French. Although Arabic is the official language in Morocco, Rabat is an administrative and business center meaning that French is culturally very important because most of the official activities are conducted in French and many diplomats live in the city. If you don't know much Arabic, French or even English will be alternatives that you can use to communicate and learn at the same time.
Further information about the country will be attached in the National Profile form.
ACCOMMODATION DETAILS:
The volunteers will live in hosts families where they will be given 3 meals per day.
CAMP ADDRESS:
CSM IMM 13 APP 06 rue elmowahidine Quartier Hassan
ARRIVAL POSSIBILITIES AND MEETING POINT:
• If you choose to arrive directly in Rabat Airport, we can arrange someone to pick you up for 150 dirhams, otherwise the meeting point will be Rabat Ville Train Station.
• To get to the Rabat Ville Train Station from the airport you can take the bus right outside the gate for 20 dirhams and it will leave you in front of the train station. With a taxi, it should cost you about 100 dirhams (price negotiable).
• If you arrive in any other airport of the country, you will be able to reach Rabat by train, check the timetable and connections on www.oncf.ma
Once you have your flights details please pass them by e-mail to your interlocutor so you can arrange with him/her the meeting point.
The info sheet will be send to you by e-mail 3 weeks prior departure.