Study Arabic in Morocco (Tetouan)

  Morocco

Tetouan

Dates: Starts any Monday

Description: Learn Arabic Language in Morocco:
Located on the Mediterranean and surrounded by majestic mountains, Tetouan (pop. 335,000) is a popular Moroccan resort because of its excellent beaches. The city is well-situated less than 40 miles from Tangiers and only a one hour ferry ride from the Spanish coast. Tetouan is more than a beach resort because its history and identity is defined by the intersection of several religions and cultures. Arab poets refer to it as "The White Dove" while other cultures refer to it as "little Jerusalem" due to the large Jewish population living alongside a large Arabic population.

The Medina (old town) is on the World Heritage List by UNESCO and is dotted with squares, souks and buildings from its fifteenth-century founding by Andalusian refugees. The refugees, both Muslims and Jews, brought with them the most refined sophistication of Moorish Andalusia, an aristocratic tradition that is still reflected in the architecture of the Medina. Their houses, full of extravagant detail, are quite unlike those of other Moroccan towns; indeed, to the old Arab quarters of Cordoba, Granada and Sevilla. The Spanish connection was reinforced by colonization in the early years of the last century, Tetouan becoming a provincial capital of the Spanish northern protectorate, encompassing the Rif Mountains. Although French is the official second language (after Arabic) throughout Morocco, Spanish is widely spoken in Tetouan. There are also many reminders of mainland Spain, particularly in the cuisine and in el paseo - the summer evening stroll.

School Facilities: The school is located in the center of downtown, overlooking Place Moulay Mehdi, the city's most beautiful public square in the historic Spanish quarter of the city. Facilities are fully-equipped with the latest audio-visual equipment including television sets, VCR and DVD players, wireless headphones, and high-speed Internet connection. Capacity is 72 students/day.

Participants: Mostly university students and independent travelers who are under 30 years old. Wide variety of nationalities: 43% of students are from Europe, 29% from North America, 14% from South America, 7% from Asia, and 7% from Africa.

Highlights: Arabic Immersion Program (included in tuition):

    * 4 hrs/day classes (20 hrs/wk)
    * Group classes (max 6)
    * Private room in host family
    * 3 meals daily
    * Some organized activities
    * City tour of Tetouan
    * Airport pick-up in Tangiers
    * Emergency message service
    * Travel Assistance Program

Options (extra cost):

    * one-on-one classes
    * Weekend excursions

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European and Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Morocco Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

AmeriSpan Study Abroad's Mission Statement: Our mantra is "Every Language, Every Culture, Everywhere." AmeriSpan Study Abroad has over 15 years experience and over 30,000 past participants. Our staff has three passions: language, culture, and travel. Individually and as a group, we have accumulated experiences and knowledge related to these passions. AmeriSpan's staff has traveled to more than 65 countries, every continent except Antarctica, speak 10 languages, and we are happy to share this enormous amount of relevant knowledge with you. Every staff member has studied and/or lived abroad for extended periods of time. We are neither a language school nor a travel agent, we're a hybrid of the two: a language travel organization. AmeriSpan has evaluated hundreds of schools, host families and destinations to determine which programs to offer, and our independence allows us to give you unbiased evaluations of these programs. Our pledge to our participants is to make going abroad 'worry-free'. There is no risk in choosing an AmeriSpan program because you'll get the best program, best price and can cancel for any reason and get a full refund on every dollar we have received for your program.

Year Founded: 1993