École Suisse de Langue Programs in Egypt, Morocco, and the UAE

ESL - Language Studies Abroad (note: ESL is for "École Suisse de Langue", not English as a Second Language), is a Swiss agency specialized in the planning of language study abroad for students, adults, professionals and children. Please note that we are not a regular travel agency, as we don't offer "vacation" packages: we are focused on long term (6-12 months) learning and studying in a foreign country. With a little fun on the side, of course...

 

Our Arabic language programs offer students the opportunity to live and learn in Egypt, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. We only work with renowned schools which we select with care, and language courses are often completed with cultural or sports activities, sometimes even by a paid job or volunteer work. 

 

The prestigious Arabic language...a language course to discover it, to improve your skills in it? Whatever your motivations, your level of Arabic, the time you have at your disposal for this Arabic language course, we certainly have a "tailor-made" language course for you. For an intensive Arabic course of a month, for example, or for an entire year of Arabic language courses, our partner school in Cairo or Rabat will certainly offer a perfectly adapted solution to what you expect from a language course for studying Arabic.

AMIDEAST/Egypt Study Abroad Updates

AMIDEAST is a leading American non-profit organization engaged in international education, training and development activities in the Middle East and North Africa. 

Because of the revolution and deteriorating security situation, AMIDEAST/Egypt evacuated all of its students from the Cairo program on January 31 and successfully transferred virtually all of them to other AMIDEAST program locations in Rabat, Morocco, and Amman, Jordan.  

Now we are planning for the reopening of the program here in the fall.  It should be a truly fascinating and opportune time for students to experience the “new Egypt” first hand.  Of course we continue to monitor the security situation very closely at all of our program sites in the region, and if conditions are not conducive to running the program here in the fall, we won’t.  The students who have been accepted for Cairo will be offered places in either Rabat or Amman (their choice, as was the case with the student evacuated in January). 

FALL 2011 DEADLINE April 1

Check out the different programs offered on their website: http://www.amideast.org/abroad/programs

Distinctive Features of AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World

AMIDEAST's Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World share a set of distinctive features:

• Arabic language instruction in both Modern Standard and Spoken Arabic
• Program-related excursions
• Facilitated dialogue discussions with students from local universities
• Activities to develop students' intercultural and global competence
• An AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program Manager familiar with the local environment to coordinate housing, orientation, excursions, issues discussions, and other program-related activities

Core Principles of AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World

AMIDEAST's Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World are built on a set of core principles. These are that all programs are

• student centered
• structured to maximize students'
  • acquisition of the Arabic language
  • development of knowledge of the host country and region
  • exposure to the host culture
  • development of intercultural sensitivity and global competence
• overseen by an Academic Consortium consisting of U.S. colleges and universities that jointly provide quality assurance for the programs through ongoing review and periodic site visits to meet with students, faculty and program staff
• large enough, in terms of student enrollment, to assure valuable discussion and diversity but not so large as to isolate students from the host society or become unwieldy and unmanageable

TUNISIA SUMMER 2011 TRAVEL COURSE

Loyola University, Chicago, Professor Peter J. Schraeder will be leading for the 6^th year in a row his 22-day interdisciplinary and experiential learning summer travel course to Tunisia, “Arab World, Islam and U.S. Foreign Policy,” May 22-June 11, 2011.  

Fifteen (15) spots are reserved for non-Loyola students. Please visit its website (http://luc.edu/studyabroad/summer_tunisia.shtml) to view a syllabus with a detailed daily itinerary of activities, and further information about costs. A flyer about the program with details/costs is available in the NELC Department. 

Please do not hesitate to contact Professor Schraeder (pschrae@luc.edu) if you have any questions.

 

Mailing Address:

Department of Political Science

Loyola University Chicago
1032 W. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL 60660  USA

Phone: 773-508-3070

Winter break Volunteer Opportunity in Kenya or Tanzania

Global Village Volunteer Network is offering an exciting volunteering opportunity this Winter break. This is a great way to have a once in a lifetime experience helping those in great need of help, while building close relationships with your fellow students. The dates for this trip are set for Dec 19 - Jan 9th, however the dates are flexible and you can arrange your own trip. During your stay, you will be volunteering for various projects in Kenya or Tanzania. Each volunteer will have a choice of the project they would like to be involved in. You can find a list of programs listed on our website. You will also be able to work on multiple projects, if you find yourself interested in more than one of the programs. You will be staying with host families, which will allow for complete cultural immersion. Multiple volunteers will stay with the same family and the host families will be in close approximation to each other, so you will always be in contact with your fellow volunteers.


You will have options of going on safaris in some of the most beautiful savannas of the world or travel around the country. The Program Fee is listed on our website which will cover, airport pickup in the host country, host family accommodations, 2 meals per day provided by your host family, program supervision and 24/7 support while in the country and government levies. The costs for any travel plan will be separate. It should be noted that traveling in Africa is very affordable and the costs will be shared amongst the entire group. You will be responsible for the Air-fare to the country. For more information on the costs and what the fees cover, visit our website: http://gvvnetwork.org/.
If you are unable to make this organized trip in Winter break, but still would like to experience such an opportunity, we have programs available all year round. Just check out our programs page and pick dates that work for you.

Volunteer in Kenya

Dear Students,
Global Village Volunteer Network is offering an exciting volunteering opportunity this upcoming August. This is a great way to have a once in a lifetime experience helping those in great need of help, while building close relationships with your fellow students and adding color to your resume/applications. We will be taking a trip with a group of about 30 volunteers to Nairobi, Kenya. The dates for this trip are set for August 2nd - August 23rd. During the first two weeks we will be volunteering for various projects in Nairobi and its surrounding slums of Kibera (Second largest urban slum in Africa). Each volunteer will have a choice of the project they would like to be involved in. You can find a list of programs listed on our website. You will also be able to work on multiple projects, if you find yourself interested in more than one of the programs. We will be staying with host families in Nairobi, which will allow for complete cultural immersion. Multiple volunteers will stay with the same family and the host families will be in close approximation to each other, so you will always be in contact with your fellow volunteers.

In the final week of the program, we will be touring different parts of Kenya, including Mombasa, the Maasai tribes of Kenya and taking medical supplies and food to an IDP camp. During this week, we will have options of going on safaris in some of the most beautiful savannas of the world, white-water rafting and more. The Program Fee is $400, which will cover, airport pickup and drop-off in Kenya, host family accommodations, 2 meals per day provided by your host family, program supervision and 24/7 support while in Kenya and government levies. The costs for the one week of travel will be separate and will be dependent on the activities we take part in and hotel accommodations. It should be noted that traveling in Kenya is very affordable and the costs will be shared amongst the entire group. In addition to the program fee, a registration fee of $200 is required from all participants. You will also be responsible for the Air-fare and travel costs in Kenya. For more information on the costs and what the fees cover, visit our Programs page.

We hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity while spots are still available and we look forward to working with you guys. As a note of assurance, we will have a experienced Kenya volunteer accompanying the volunteers during your entire stay. For more information, visit our website (http://www.gvvnetwork.org/ ) or contact us by email at volunteer@gvvnetwork.org 

If you are unable to make this organized trip in August, but still would like to experience such an opportunity, we have programs available all year round. Just check out our programs page and pick dates that work for you.

Best Regards,
GVVN Team

MOROCCO EXCHANGE

is a project of Crossing Borders Education (www.cb-education.org), a non-profit organization that has been developed in response to the current world political situation. Since 2003 Morocco Exchange has facilitated 220 programs with more than 3200 American college students and faculty. Morocco Exchange offers college and high school students the opportunity for both intensive personal growth and a monumental physical journey of discovery in Morocco.
At this time there is a critical need for a new generation of individuals and future leaders who not only understand the major challenges presented by cross-cultural conflicts but also possess the capabilities and determination to address them.

Morocco Exchange is committed to supporting this new generation by providing a variety of intercultural and academic programs. These have the potential to empower individuals to see the world from a different perspective, to fully realize their responsibilities, and to act upon the opportunities for global change.

AIMS of Morocco Exchange
• To bring American, European and Moroccan students together to build bridges of genuine human connection between the Muslim and Western worlds.

• To encourage and support self development and widening of perspectives through experiential learning activities.

• To provide a framework and create opportunities in which students can:

-Experience Islamic art, thought, and daily life, through visits, lectures and home stays.

-Discover Moroccan culture and history through academic discussions and presentations with professors from Casablanca, Fez, Ifrane, Marrakech, and Rabat.

-Experience international development projects, witnessing their impact on local communities.

-Gain inspiration for future career and volunteer choices. Vibrant examples are provided by our program leaders through their years of service as former Peace Corps volunteers.

• To build strong, lasting and beneficial partnerships with international organizations in the fields of education and development.

For a short introduction to the personal impact of our Morocco programs on students we invite you to watch the 13-minute short film at http://www.moroccoexchange.org/ (the link is in the top menu bar under “Video”).

ACADEMIC TOOLS
• The program will be adapted to the focus of the students’ program of study (e.g., International Studies, Multicultural Studies, Media Studies, Religious Studies, Art, Peace Studies).

• Special accreditation requirements of the university departments will be considered and we will work with you to accomodate your institution’s needs.

• Formal discussions will cover local history, customs and religion, and are based on a reading list.

• Question and answer sessions involve the participation of local students and lecturers from universities in Rabat, Fez, Ifrane, Tanger and Marrakech.

• Group sessions on cross-cultural issues (e.g. “culture shock“, “integration process”, “cross-cultural misunderstandings”) help students adapt to their surroundings.

• Reflective writing exercises help students integrate their experiences and synthesize their learning and personal development.

OUR PROGRAMS
Morocco Exchange organizes short term programs of one to four weeks with itineraries on a variety of subjects for students and faculty from American universities. Programs are custom-tailored to the academic focus and needs of each institution.

For details about aims, elements, partner institutions and logistics of the proposed program, please visit our website at http://www.moroccoexchange.org/

ITINERARIES
For an example of a seven day itinerary please visit our website at:
http://moroccoexchange.org/moex_intercultural.php

For examples of two and three week itineraries please visit our website at:
http://moroccoexchange.org/moex_academic.php

CONTACT US
For more information, please contact Amalia Herencia Grillo at: info@moroccoexchange.org
http://www.moroccoexchange.org/
http://www.cb-education.org/

America-Mideast Educational and Training Services

AMIDEAST (America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, a long-established US non-profit doing education and training work in the Middle East and North Africa) announced a new Honors Program in North African Studies run by its Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World. The program begins this coming fall semester and should be perfect for the kinds of students we all work with on our campuses who are interested in the Arab world. Here is the description:

The Honors Program in North African Studies combines semi-intensive Arabic language study with a research-, reading- and discussion-intensive approach under the guidance of Dr. Amal Rassam, professor emerita of anthropology at Queens College in New York.

Offered in collaboration with the American Institute for Maghrib Studies (AIMS), the Honors Program is intended for academically motivated students with a demonstrated interest in Middle East and North African studies who are prepared to undertake significant research. Participants must have completed at least one year of college-level Arabic, and preference in the admissions process will be given to students who also have some knowledge of French.

For full information about this exciting new option for students interested in studying abroad in the Arab world please visit AMIDEAST's Education Abroad website.

http://www.amideast.org/abroad/programs/morocco/honors_program.shtm

If you have further questions you may contact either Dr. Jerry Bookin-Weiner (AMIDEAST's Director of Study Abroad and Outreach at jbookinweiner@amideast.org or Ms. Laurie Monarch at lmonarch@amideast.org.

Sincerely,

Margaret Perkins
Fellowships Coordinator
Office of Fellowships and Scholar Programs
University of South Carolina
Legare College 220
Columbia, SC 29208
(803)-777-0958
(803) 777-0963 (Fax)
Drop In Hours in Legare 220
Monday & Tuesday 1:30 - 3:30
Wednesdays & Thursdays 10:30 - noon
Drop in Hours in Honors Residence Hall 110A
Thursdays 2:00-4:00 pm
Fridays and other times by appointment, please