Does anyone have a source for Arabic classes in Damascus or somewhere in Syria. I went to Yemen last year and signed up for 2 weeks private classes, couple of hours a day in Sanaa. It allowed me to discover the city, make friends, and visit nearby places of interest in afternoons and during weekends. I don't remember that much, but it will come back (hopefully). The remaining 2 weeks were spent on inland travel. It was a great experience that I would like to repeat, this time in Syria. Anyone out there who needs info on Yemen, please ask!
Shukran!
camellady
camellady
1
robertjacobs
Hi,
Im headed to Damascus next week to study Arabic as well (Ive also studied in other countries).
Here is a list of places that offer Arabic courses in Damascus. Im gonna take a course at the Ma'had ('cause its cheapest and i heard its good).
http://www.ou.edu/ssa/learn.htm
Ma Assalama
2
thegrayrace
Most foreign students enroll in courses at the university. These courses seemed to get shorter and shorter and more and more expensive the longer I stayed in Syria, and I'm not sure they're really a good value anymore. 5-6 years ago they were around 6,000SP for a 2 month course, then they got cut to 6 weeks, then 4 weeks, and each time the price seemed to go up. Last time I checked, they were 18,000SP for a 4 week course, which is more expensive than hiring a private tutor for an equal number of hours.
I'd recommend, rather than a formal course, just renting a room with a family for a month, hiring a private tutor, and spending some time traveling around the countryside where few people speak English (the central and eastern parts of the country are better for this, many people in the coastal region speak English). Traveling in Syria is significantly safer than Yemen, with less planning necessary. Public transportation is excellent. You can find a lot of private Arabic teachers offering their services around Souq Sarouja and Bab Touma in Damascus.
Pro tip
Lonely Planet
trusted partner
trusted partner