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| Study Abroad: Intensive
Sessions in Cairo, Egypt Frequently Asked Questions |
| Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions Related to the Study Abroad Program |
| What time should I arrive at Arab Academy on the day my session starts? |
| You should arrive at 9 a.m. on the first day your session is due to start. You will finish at 1:00 PM. |
| How exactly will I find it? Directions from some landmark or major street would be helpful. |
| Arab Academy address: 3 Kamil El-Shinnawi Street (Formerly: Al-Nabataat Street), Garden City Ground Floor, Apartment to the right Nearby Landmark: Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (al-majlis al-a3laa lil-shu2uun al-islaamiyyah) The Arab Academy is close to the British Embassy and the Semiramis Hotel. |
| Should I be prepared for some kind of placement test? If I weren't already your student, would the answer to that be different? |
| Students who have been studying with us online do not need to take a placement test. All other students are to take a placement test upon arrival. |
| I know that I'll be in class 4 hours a day 5 days a week. How much time should I expect to spend on my courses outside of class? (In all honesty, I'm not sure what that 4 hours a day means to you. I have been assuming it's contact time with a teacher and that I'll have to prepare for lessons and do assignments on my own time. Some clue how class-time is structured would also be helpful.) |
| The 4 hours a day constitute class time with a teacher.
You are expected to study at home for a similar amount of time (as much time as you find appropriate to review the material and complete your homework).. The 4 hours are divided into: - One 90 minutes session - One 60 minutes session followed by 30 minutes practice (on laptop or paper) - One 60 minutes session or a 30 minutes session followed by a 30 minutes practice session |
| Will I be using my laptop in your facilities or only in my hotel or an Internet cafe? If I can use it at Arab Academy, do you have a wireless network, or will I need to bring or buy in Cairo some kind of adaptor and cable? Are wireless networks available in some public places now? You might want to warn students that we'll need an adaptor or transformer or something to plug our computers in for charging. |
You are welcome to bring your laptop with you to Cairo, however, it is not absolutely necessary. If you do choose to bring your own laptop, make sure you bring a plug adapter so that you can charge it (Egypt uses a circular two-prong plug, like the plugs they use in France); most computer charges can run from 110-220 volts, so a converter is not necessary. Students will have internet access at the Academy, and can either use our computers or their own. We do have wireless internet available to students who bring their own laptops. Additionally, there are internet cafes all over the city if students want to access the internet outside of Academy business hours. The cost is approximately a dollar per hour. |
| Are there any books or supplies I need to bring from home, or will I need to buy textbooks in Cairo? (hard to imagine using books with you, but I haven't experienced onsite yet) All other things being equal, I'd rather buy supplies there for the experience and the feel of not-American and to lighten my eastbound luggage. |
| It would be useful to bring with you the Hans Wehr dictionary. Other than that, you will not need anything. You will be expected to buy newspapers, journals, magazines and books from Cairo (depending on your language level). |
| Is there anything in particular I should be doing to prepare myself for this intensive language experience? (If you are doing anything like Middlebury's Language Pledge, I would need to be able to warn my family.) |
| We expect all our students to speak Arabic only, and ask that students sign a language pledge similar to that of Middlebury. Our novice students may use some limited English upon arrival to make sure that they have settled down and have understood everything, but we encourage all students to use as much Arabic as they can. |
| Is there anything you can think of that Americans rely heavily on that won't be available in Cairo in the form we expect, that either we should bring or we should be prepared for? (vague, I know, but if I knew what I meant, I wouldn't need to ask) |
| I recommend you bring with you any medication you take, as well as some basic medication for common illnesses such as: fever, cold, runny nose, diarrhea, constipation, a thermometer, .... |
| Can we drink from tap water in Cairo |
| It is not recommended that you drink from tap water. You are advised to drink bottled water only. |
| I noticed in your 'questions and answers' section that students are expected to speak only Arabic. I have no experience with Arabic and I was wondering if your program is right for a non-speaker such as myself. |
| Yes, of course. Our program is designed for non-native speakers of Arabic. We have long experience with students at the novice level (complete beginners). Do not worry about this. We want you to speak Arabic as much as possible. You are travelling to Egypt, taking that time out of your life to learn Arabic, so we want you to maximize your benefits. This would only be through doing your best to communicate as much as possible in Arabic. |
| Your web site says that The Arab Academy is the world's leader in online Arabic courses. Does this mean that courses in Cairo will be taught using a computer or will the four hours per day be with an actual teacher? And how big is a typical class? |
| In Cairo our courses are run with an actual teacher. A typical class is composed of 1-2 students in the winter time, and 2-4 students in the summer. We like to keep the size of our classes small. |
| I was thinking of arranging lodging on my own, and I was wondering whether or not this is advisable. I have found quite a few hostels online. Maybe when I narrow down my choices I could run them by you just to be sure. |
| Please go ahead and arrange your own lodging. We can assist students in recommending accommodation in Cairo, but we do not arrange for that ourselves. Feel free to take our advice when you narrow down your choices. We also try to share the experiences of our students on the site. |
| I have a friend who is interested in coming with me. This friend is a female, and we were just wondering what type of dress she would be expected around Cairo. |
| She should dress as conservatively as possible: jeans (trousers rather than shorts) and T-shirts (half sleeves rather than short sleeves). This is out of respect to the Egyptian culture, but Cairo is a very safe place and people are free to wear whatever they wish, provided they can handle the increased attention they may receive from locals. |
| Further, would it be possible for the two of us to lodge together, or is this against cultural norms (we are not romantically involved, it would just be more comfortable for both of us to be with some one that we know). Thank you so much for your time. I am very excited about coming to Cairo and learning more about the Arabic language and culture, and I anxiously await your response. |
| It is against cultural norms for non-married couples to live together. If you live together, people will assume that you are married. If you explain to them that you are not married, then they will have a hard time understanding the situation. At hotels, only married couples are allowed to share a room. There are no such restrictions in renting apartments, and many foreigners of different sexes share an apartment. |
| Course Listings | Study Abroad - Registration: Learn Arabic in Egypt |
| Feedback of Students | Frequently Asked Questions on Studying Arabic at the Arab Academy |
| Location | Information on accommodation and living in Egypt |
| Sample Cultural Program with Tutor | |
| If you do not wish to travel to
Egypt to study Arabic, then you can study online
from wherever you are! |
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Address: Arab Academy: Learn Arabic Language Online (Arabic Language Courses) 3 Kamil El-Shinnawi Street (Formerly: Al-Nabataat Street), Garden City 11451, Cairo, Egypt Tel.: +2 012 218 0305, E-mail: info@arabacademy.com |
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