SUMMER COURSE “LEARN ARABIC AND DISCOVER JORDAN” – Looking back
Three weeks full of lessons, activities, meetings and late nights. The summer course “Learn Arabic and Discover Jordan”, organized by the International Office, has successfully come to an end.
Around 40 students from different partner universities in Germany and Europe, like Hochschule Osnabrück, Universität Leipzig, Hochschule Niederrhein, Universität Mainz, Hochschule Darmstadt, TH Brandenburg, Universität Freiburg and many more participated in the course.
Kicking off the course with a welcome meeting on August 1, followed by a visit to Mount Nebo, the students faced three weeks of an intensive language course in Arabic from absolute beginners to advanced B2-level students, held by four teachers.
Besides the language classes, the International Office hosted several events and activities, including trips to Umm Qais, Jerash, Wadi Mujib and the Shawmari Wildlife Reserve in Azraq. The highlight of the course was an overnight stay in Wadi Rum, including stargazing and enjoying the Perseids meteor shower. To complete the list of Jordan’s most famous sites, the students explored the ruins of ancient Petra a day later.
Next to these activities, we welcomed various socio-political institutions and foundations at the GJU SABE Campus to present their work and hold discussions on topics like youth participation, waste management and energy usage in the MENA region.
Lastly, the possibility to interact with local Jordanians was given by an Intercultural Training on the GJU Main Campus in Madaba and informal gatherings between the Summer Course and GJU students.
We hope that the International Office was able to give the participating students a deeper insight into the Hashemite Kinddom of Jordan, the Arabic culture and language, local communities, the GJU and the diverse nature and historical heritage this beautiful region has to offer.
We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the course for their support and work and are looking forward to an ever more fruitful cooperation with our partner universities in Germany and Europe and hope to see many of their students again on our campus next year.
