While we’d all love to pick up and head to another country for an extended vacation or a chance to immerse ourselves in a new language and culture, it isn’t always possible.
The good news is that you don’t have to go anywhere to experience another culture. You may be surprised how much of that culture you can discover from your own home. There are several simple, effective, and memorable ways to get a taste of a different culture and learn a little more about these distant places.
The Language
Learning Arabic Online at home is one of the simplest and most direct ways to get to know a little more about the cultures in Arabic-speaking countries.
As you learn Arabic – whether it’s Egyptian Colloquial or Modern Standard – you can gain new insights into the culture. We use simple stories for young students and in-depth conversations with more experienced students to help everyone understand more of the history and context of the elements of Arabic.
As you take in more of these stories, and see how the language has developed, you’ll start to understand for yourself a little more about the culture.
The Sights
While Egypt is one of the most popular destinations for travelers, there are many Arabic-speaking countries with their own cultures, traditions, historical sites, amazing architecture wonders, and more.
These are sights that you can, in fact, see from your own home.
True, it isn’t quite the same as actually being there, but it is a good first step. You can search through countless images online of some of the most amazing places, events, and activities. You can search a little harder and find virtual tours of some of the most popular museums in the area.
It may not be the same as actually going there, but if you take the time and really dive into the search, you can really immerse yourself in some of the most famous places in these countries.
The Sounds
Technology has opened up the doors to different places so you can hear the very best a country has to offer. That could be the music, the popular movies and TV shows, the podcasts, and anything else that carries the sounds of the country.
You can hear the most popular songs from Egypt or other countries in the region just by searching through YouTube. You can find news broadcasts and commentaries just by looking on the internet.
You can even take advantage of our Arabic language classes to have a conversation with a native speaker. These sounds will be the most helpful for a dedicated language learner, but it’s all part of surrounding yourselves with the sounds of a different culture.
The Cuisine
You don’t have to go to Egypt to get a taste of the local cuisine. Right about now you may be assuming that we’re going to suggest going to the local Middle Eastern restaurant, but we’re not going to go that far.
The fact is that you can try out some amazing recipes in your own home.
This will take a little more work on your part, of course. You’ll have to find some authentic recipes and gather up the proper ingredients. However, when you are able to create this cuisine at home, it will come with a sense of accomplishment, which can fuel your desire to try another recipe.
Before you know it, you will have a full list of favorites that regularly hit the dinner table.
The Etiquette
One thing that you can’t help but notice when you visit an Arabic-speaking country is how the people take hospitality and generosity very seriously.
There are some simple words and phrases you can use around your home to start incorporating some of the traditional etiquette that you would find in the region. As you greet each other with these simple phrases, you’ll add a sense of immersion throughout your home.
You can even start following some simple etiquette guidelines at home. Simple things like using names in a formal way, not pointing at things, and making polite small talk.
A little bit of practice around the house can be fun, interesting, and help you really start to understand a little more about another culture.
