Past Students

Many students at the Yemen Language Center choose to stay in Sana'a for an extended period of time to improve their Arabic. One of those is Nate Christensen, an American student currently working towards a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and Arabic at the University of Georgia. Mr. Christensen arrived at the YLC in June and countinued studying in Yemen until December.

Yemen Language Center: Why did you choose to come study in Yemen?

Nate Christensen: As I’m majoring in Arabic, I decided to enroll in the YLC here over the summer in order to get a lot of hands-on experience learning the Arabic language. I had also been told by some of my friends who studied at the YCMES previously that it was a really great place to learn Arabic.

YLC: What was your impression of Yemen before your arrival here?

NC: I enjoy keeping up to date with current events, so I had heard about, for instance, the insurgency in Sa’ada before I arrived in Yemen. Honestly my parents were more worried about it that I was. I had also gained some insight into Yemeni culture thanks to my friends who had studied here previously. That being said, I was blown away in a good way when I arrived. Yemen is completely different from any place I’ve been to in the past, but that’s why I like it so much. The differences aren’t overwhelming, quite the opposite, they’re actually quite comforting, especially in the way you learn to recognize the similarities between you and your Yemeni friends despite the cultural gap. Everything is so different that you just accept it and go with the flow, and you make real connections doing so.

YLC: Have you tried Qat? If so, what are your impressions?

NC: Yes. I really enjoy chewing Qat. I think it’s an absolutely fantastic opportunity for speaking Arabic. I’ve seen some students here who study Arabic very hard in a classroom setting, but I feel that they’re missing out on a crucial part of their studies if they don’t speak outside of class. Qat chews are great for that, but also the environment of a Qat chew is just a great way to take a break from the unnecessary stresses of life. I’ve had very deep conversations in both Arabic and English with friends and strangers during Qat chews. Of course, I realize that Qat has a negative side as well and that it does cause problems for Yemen both economically and socially. However, as a student of Arabic, I can’t think of a better or more interesting way to speak Arabic in a casual setting.

YLC: What are your opinions on the security situation in Yemen given the recent expansion of the Houthi insurgency into Saudi Arabia?

NC: Frankly I feel perfectly safe in Sana’a. Of course, we all hear about the situation in Sa’ada, the violent bombings and the refugee crisis, so it is always in the back of my mind, but I’ve never been really worried about it. I’ve never felt unsafe, especially in the area of Sana’a where the college is. The College too does a fine job of providing security, and I can tell that they really care about student safety.

YLC: Do you have any regrets regarding your time spent with the YLC?

NC: Now that I’m at the end of my time here I’ll occasionally think, “I really wish I had studied more in class rather than going to Yemeni weddings or going to Qat chews,” only to think the following week that “I really wish I had spent more time chewing Qat and experiencing Yemeni culture and less time studying in class.” Ultimately though I think I’m just regretful that I’m leaving at all. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very excited to be heading back to the US to see friends and family and show off my new Arabic skills, but I also have a lot of friends here I don’t want to leave.

YLC: In your opinion, what are some of the highlights of your time in Yemen?

NC: I could point out to you a bunch of specific events that were particularly incredible, culturally, visually, etc. Many of the trips we took were stunning in that sense. However, ultimately I think what I’ll remember most about Yemen are the times when I was simply sitting around with the guards or some of my Yemeni friends, just talking and exchanging thoughts and ideas in a foreign language. I’ll always cherish the moments when I’m talking to someone in Arabic and I realize that I can relate to them in their native language in the same way that I would relate to my friends in the US. That’s what really opens up Yemeni culture and hospitality to you.

YLC: Would you consider returning to Yemen in the future? Why or why not?

NC: I would definitely consider it. I plan on returning. After taking advantage of the language opportunities Yemen provides and becoming really close friends with people here, how could I not? Similarly, I really enjoy living in an international environment like the YCMES provides. It’s very easy to immediately begin making lasting connections with people from different walks of life. I will definitely be returning to Yemen in the future.

Jessica Tibbets is a 22-year-old American student originally from Kansas. After finishing her BA in International Studies, Jessica recieved a Fulbright scholarship to study the lives and languages of the deaf community in Yemen.

YCMES: So what brought you to Yemen?

Jessica: I first came to Yemen two years ago to study Arabic and teach English in Aden. There I met some people of the Yemeni deaf community. In the states, I had learned American Sign Language, and thought working with the deaf community would make for a great research project. I applied for the Fulbright scholarship, and al-humdu-allah! here I am, back in Yemen working with the deaf community.

YCMES: What brought you to the YCMES/PAL?

Jessica: My boyfriend studied in Sana'a before, and even though he didn't study at the PAL, he told me this was the best place to come. He said the facilities were beautiful and the teachers were the best in Yemen. Also, when we were studying Arabic in Aden, we had a teacher who had been trained at the PAL. He was extremely well organized and knew my coursework from the State really well (Al-Kitaab). I was so impressed by him that I knew it had to be PAL.

YCMES: Would you say that studying in Yemen has been beneficial to you?

Jessica: Aya-wah! The people here are so friendly and hospitable, and really help me apply the Arabic I've learned in the classroom, as well as teach me other things not covered in my books. I've been to lunches and dinners with families, and iftars during Ramadan, where I felt not like a foreigner, but like a distant cousin. I really feel a part of the larger community here, which as been indispensable to my Arabic and understanding of Yemeni culture. And Yemeni Arabic is great because it's really close to the fusHa we learn in class.

YCMES: What's it like studying as a woman in Yemen? Do you feel safe?

Jessica: Being a Western woman in Yemen allows me to live as a "third sex". I can sit and chew qat with men where we discuss politics and current events, but it also allows me to sit and drink tea with women, an interaction not afforded to male students. I feel being a woman in Yemen is better than being a man because I can see all sides of the culture, and I feel absolutely safe. I've learnt a few phrases to say when men on the street aren't being respectufl to me, when they assume I don't know Arabic and think it'd be funny to say something to their friends as I walk past. Luckily though, most of the time I don't have to use these phrases.

YMCES: What's your most memorable moment so far?

Jessica: This might sound silly, but I've really loved exercising at a women's gym hwhere my aerobics teacher wears a button-down silk blouse with shoulder pads! She's hilarious as she motivates us to "feel the burn," and even invited me over to dinner at her house

YCMES: What do you do outside of studying at PAL? Do you find Sana'a and Yemen to be accessible?

Jessica: I take sign language classes at a deaf association three days a week with other hearing women from Sana'a University, and I have observed classes at school for deaf children. This is essential to my research even though it's still in its nascent stage. I plan to document and videotape scenes of deaf life and compile it into a documentary which I hope to use to inspire local reform and international assistance. So yes, Yemen has been extremely welcoming and accessible to me, and this doesn't even say anything about the beautiful places I've visited accross the country.

During his eight-week stay in Sana'a, sophomore Andrew Simon from Duke University resided across the street from an abandoned, gravel parking lot covered in glass and the occasional debris from nearby construction. This area served as the soccer field for around 30 children who played day in and day out. He wanted to provide the children a means of experiencing soccer on a soccer field under the guidance of coaches and trainers. However, this goal became secondary as he learned about children's rights issues in Yemen through an internship with the Democracy School that he participated in through the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies internship program. During his internship at this NGO he attended several meetings discussing children's rights and the problems encountered when organizing projects to help children, as well as visiting the Ministry of the Interior, juvenile prisons, and attending human rights workshops. He wanted to establish an event that would place information about human rights, in the form of a pamphlet produced by the Democracy School, directly into the hands of children. He realized that he could accomplish this goal by organizing a soccer event that would emphasize Human Rights. After a lot of hard work organizing the event Andrew was elated by the positive response he received from both the children and the media; many Yemeni children approached him afterwards and thanked him for organizing such a wonderful and informational tournament. Nothing like the Human Rights Soccer Tournament had ever taken place anywhere in the country and the event drew attention from two major newspapers: The Yemeni Observer and Al-Thawra. Due to attracting positive publicity, the event is going to become as annual affair.

Organizing the tournament was one of the most positive experiences Andrew had while in Yemen and he recommends that other students coming to YCMES consider also participating in the internship program: "my one recommendation would be to partner with an NGO that has several connections throughout the city". Doing so made organizing his event easier and offered him the opportunity to connect with the local children and make lasting friendships with the Democracy School employees who helped him. He states: "the major reason I am taking Arabic is the fact that I strongly believe in cross-cultural dialogue leading to understanding. Yemen was a great place to form lasting friendships with people that may have appeared very different from me in the beginning, but not so much by the end."

Click here for the Yemen Observer's article on Andrew

As soon as Anoush, a junior at Pomona College, arrived inYemen, she inquired at the Yemen Language Center after an 'oud (lute) teacher. She was skeptical about finding a suitable teacher not only because she was a foreign woman, but because her Arabic was very limited. Within two weeks the PAL put her in touch with the Health and Culture Center, an NGO that gives music lessons in addition to providing social services and encouraging activism in the local community. Anoush studied at the HCC with a Yemeni teacher for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week. She loved learning the oud and her skills advanced very quickly. As part of her repertoire Anoush learned to play and sing traditional Sana'ani music. The Yemenis for whom she played were extremely encouraging and enthusiastic, and numerous reporters interviewed her for newspaper articles and television programs. Anoush was also very happy to have learned a skill that she could share with friends and family upon returning home: "not only did I bring back gifts of jambiyas and saffron, but the ability to play Yemeni music for my family as well!"

In addition to studying the 'oud, Anoush volunteered at the HCC with a number of other PAL students. She helped modernize their facilities, brainstormed and planned fundraising events, and helped train their employees in various skills, especially computer skills, to help the organization run more smoothly. She spent a great deal of time with the local Yemeni volunteers at the HCC and she says, "eventually they became like a family to me!" Anoush urges future students at the PAL to "go out into the community and get involved! There are a lot of NGOs working in many different fields, so if you are willing to look, there's probably something out there that will inspire you."

"As a second year student of Arabic and Russian at Cambridge University, I came to Yemen this summer to improve my Arabic and gain some experience of living and working in the Middle East. I was in my room one day when I got a call from Matthew, a worker for the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies, who told me I had an early Birthday present. I foolishly thought I was about to receive a Yemeni scarf or something, when he asked if I would be interested in playing a role on Yemen’s Ramadan series Keeny Meeny. Prior to this I had no idea that Ramadan series even existed, yet alone in Yemen! Intrigued, I went downstairs to meet a man from the show, who explained I would be required for one day's filming. I decided to throw my inhibitions aside and take part in the ultimate cross cultural experience. As I went to meet the director that week, I wondered what I had let myself in for. A qat chew later I had a vague handle on the plot, and understood that I would be playing a rich foreign aid worker. I arrived on the first day of filming where I was ushered into hair and make up and given a very unique take on Western fashion. The filming continued at a characteristically Yemeni pace, and having filmed 5 minutes in the first day I soon realised that this was going to take longer than I had originally hypothesised. Ramadan was fast approaching, and with half the series yet to film and every afternoon devoted to qat, we decided we would have to start filming at night. The production of Keeny Meeny was utterly unique; no scripts were used and the director preferring to give the general gist of the scene to the actors directly before filming and allow them to improvise round it. It is easy to see why I had actually left Yemen before they had officially finished filming my episode! It was hard to understand him speaking in full speed Yemeni dialect at times, but I inserted some lines where I thought they seemed appropriate and managed to pull it off. If it hadn’t been for my classes at the PAL there is no way I’d have been able to even greet the cast, let alone speak with them in front of the camera. I even started to insert some of the less ridiculous lines into my presentations in class, which nobody knew at the time! The students all thought it was great I was a ‘Yemeni Star,’ and are all desperate to see the final footage. To be honest, my limited understanding of the proceedings made the whole experience ever funnier. I still cannot quite explain to you just what part of the story involved me dressed in ancient Yemeni costume in a pool house handing a fake bag of money over to a the winner of a pool tournament. Needless to say every Yemeni I told leaped for joy at the thought of someone they knew on their favourite television series, and as soon as it aired my telephone and inbox were bombarded with my Yemeni friends wanting to congratulate me. Back in the UK, my friends and family are still desperate to see me in a Yemeni soap. I’m still waiting for the DVD, but we’re on Yemeni time, so it could be a while…"

Sarah Walters & Katie Moore, Converse College, PAL Alums 2007
Articles published in The Newsletter of the Carolinas Committee on U.S.-Arab Relations

Devin Day, Knox College, PAL Alum 2007

Jennifer Bland, The University of Texas-Pan America, PAL Alum 2007

DukeEngage Student Blog, Duke University, PAL Alums 2007

Chris Kay, Bowling Green State University, PAL Alum 2007 (half way down page)

Jessica Rowan, University of Oregon, PAL Alum 2005 (see page 6)