Meet Stef from Germany
Stephanie studied with us for 3 years and currently works as a teacher in German school, Europa Sholla School.
What inspired you to start studying Arabic?
I started studying Arabic at University due to the fact that I had a lot of friends from the Middle East and since I studied Politics I was fascinated by the Middle East and its people in general and always dreamt of working there for a while.
What has your experience been like at UCAN?
Awesome. I am a teacher myself so I’m always reflecting the methods of teaching and learning and how successful they are. I can definitely say that without doubt, ucan is extremely professional when it comes to the teachers and the methods applied during the lessons. I have learned a lot and I’m so thankful for the time being there.
Tell us one of your favorite experiences or memories at UCAN?
There are a lot of special memories I can share like the positive atmosphere Mina spread among the class and the many times we laughed and had fun while learning a new language.however, the best outcome was starting from almost 0 knowledge and then seeing Yourself writing a long text and understanding complex stories.isn’t the fact that you have made progress in one of the most difficult languages (I guess) one of the best experiences one can make? For me it is. Especially that it was so much fun and entertaining at the same time.
How has this program impacted your daily life or career?
First example: I was working at a school in new Cairo, And of course it had an impact on how I was able to communicate with Egyptian colleagues at work in a more natural way and gaining insights into their lives.
Second example: I was definitely more independent solving dauly issues in my life living in Maadi when for example I had to go to supermarkets,take a taxi, talking to my bawab who only knew Arabic or a plumber and so on… I didn’t have to ask friends for help anymore and could handle my issues myself.
What would you tell someone who is considering studying at UCAN? What should other potential students know?
I would tell him or her that mean or she has just taking the perfect choice to start studying Arabic there. The amount of time that has to be invested for Arabic is manageable And after each level you can be so proud of yourself what you have achieved I’m telling you it’s gonna be so much fun. Anybody else who is foreign and lives in Cairo, I would definitely advise you to spend some time at Ucan and take lessons because I think it is a fundamental importance to learn at least the basics of a language that is used in a country where you’re living and I’m convinced that you will easily make progress and that the time invested will not be regretted.
