Why did you choose this particular country/internship?
Morocco presented me with a unique opportunity as the local dialect of Arabic is a completely different from the Modern Standard and Palestinian dialect Arabic I have studied before. While I am still focusing on the Modern Standard Arabic while in Morocco, I have been able to pick up some of the local dialect (Darija) as well. Additionally, I have also been able to work on my French, as most people in Rabat do not speak English and rarely understand what I am saying in Arabic. Having lived in Israel for 6 years, I have travelled to several Middle Eastern countries including Jordan and Egypt. I saw the summer grant as an opportunity to continue my Arabic studies while simultaneously exploring a new country with a very different set of cultural norms. Finally, my Dad was born in Morocco and his family still maintains many of the traditional Moroccan customs. Having never been to Morocco before, I saw the summer grant as the perfect chance to explore my family’s heritage.
How will this experience help you in your job search and career?
Having a strong level of Arabic will help me further my goal of working in a career related to the Arab world and the Middle East. As I am already fluent in Hebrew, I have been working on honing my Arabic skills as I believe a strong understanding of Arabic is essential to being effective in any position pertaining to the Arab World/Middle East. Additionally, while an understanding of the language is important, I believe having a strong understanding of various cultures is equally as vital. Being able to live, eat, and fully experience Moroccan culture for five-weeks has provided me with a new appreciation for life in the MENA region.
Have you changed as a result of this experience? If so, how?
While my Arabic has improved over the course of my time in Morocco (or at least I hope it has), I also was able to better understand why I wanted to study Arabic and in what capacity I wanted to use it in my career. After completing my time studying in Morocco, I have decided to continue to study MSA (Modern Standard Arabic), while learning the Palestinian dialect as well. With the possibility of working one day in the Palestinian-Israeli field, I feel that although a grasp of MSA is important, a stronger understanding and the capacity to be conversational in the Palestinian dialect would make me even more attractive to prospective employers. I plan to learn the dialect through a program called Natakallam, which employs displaced persons predominately around the Middle East with people all over the world who want to improve their Arabic skills. To date, Natakallam has helped over 100 displaced people self-generate over $300,000 of income. For anyone considering learning Arabic, or wishing to practice their speaking skills, for a reasonable price while helping someone at the same time, you can find more information at https://natakallam.com/.