Arabic is one of the most difficult languages to learn, with only Chinese and Georgian ranking higher in most charts. Yet, more and more people every year join the ranks of thousands of proud Arabic students around the world. But why, you might ask, are so many people interested in learning such a difficult language. We know, it is inexplicitly cool being able to read a book in the mirror but there surely must be lots of other reasons. We took the time to ask a bunch of students and have summarized the top five reasons of learning Arabic below.
1. Career Prospects
It is not surprising that in the current economic climate career prospects rang top of our list. Regardless of whether the job has anything to do with the Middle East or not, having Arabic on your CV really makes an applicant stand out. Not only is it the fifth most widely spoken languages, but it also speaks wonders about their personal qualities. Let’s face it- you cannot really master that languages if you are not determined, ambitious, persistent, logical…the list can go on forever. What employer wouldn’t love this?
2. Travel
It is really easy to travel. It is very difficult to do it the right way. The Middle East has some of the most beautiful sites in the world- from the natural wonders of the Sahara, the Mediterranean, the mountains and the Red Sea to the breathtaking beauty of the Pyramids, Petra, Carthage and the Kasbah. There is just something for everybody. However, it is really difficult appreciating it, if you are locked in an all-inclusive hotel with little opportunity to discover the country on your won. Truth is, even a few words and expressions in Arabic can do wonders- you will meet people, negotiate better prices and discover hidden treasures that few tourists know about.
3. Interaction with people
Arabic is the fourth most popular language in the world. It spoken by more than 420 million people around the world and is an official language in 24 countries around Asia and Africa. Knowing Arabic creates almost infinite possibilities to meet people, to socialize, make business and discuss various issues. It is a door that leads to discovering an entirely new university and creating more than a few life-long friendships.
4. Politics
Whether we like it or not, the Middle East is almost ever-present in the news headlines. However, few people actually understand the politics of the region. That means that most articles are over-simplified to fit the readers’ profile and contain little useful information. A better way to keep in touch with the current events is by all means following the Arabic Press. There are thousands of online Arabic sources on everything from Politics to Sports. Although they may not always be completely unbiased, they do have one great advantage- presenting events from local perspective. In many cases knowing what the people of the region think is almost as important as knowing what happened.
5. Culture
The culture of the Middle East is truly very peculiar. It is a balanced mixture of many ingredients- history, politic, religion, language. More often than not, they can’t really be separated from one another. They are so tightly connected that many have argued that they are one and the same. Thus, in order to fully understand the “Arabic culture”- from the Righteous Caliphs to Modern Days, you must learn the language. Not only in order to read texts. The whole structure of Arabic- its three root letter rules, its grammar and even writing style are a reflection of the Arabs worldview- the world is beautiful and organized in such a way that everything has its place and is not too much or too little of anything. Perfection, happiness and balance… Aren’t you already excited to start your journey?