The program is managed by AMIDEAST/Egypt in conjunction with AMIDEAST headquarters in Washington, D.C. AMIDEAST works collaboratively with Arab Academy to oversee the academic curriculum and implementation of the program. It also manages all logistical elements of the program, including the on-site orientation, student accommodations, arrangements for excursions, and the planning of special events and extra-curricular activities. Finally, AMIDEAST provides comprehensive support to both participants and administrators in the event of any problems or unusual circumstances.

Orientation

Upon arrival in Cairo, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program students participate in an in-depth, week-long orientation designed to introduce them to Egyptian culture and daily life and familiarize them with the logistics of the program. Students move to their accommodation for the semester immediately and begin their on-site orientation, which combines structured informational sessions with organized activities and free time to familiarize participants with Cairo. Topics such as safety and health, cultural adjustment, program regulations, participant responsibilities and other essential information are all discussed during orientation. During the on-site orientation students also meet their professors, take language placement tests, and become familiar with the program’s IT environment.

Dr. Dina Shehata (Academic Coordinator & Professor, Contemporary Egyptian Politics)

Pharaonic, Coptic, & Modern Egypt: Culture and Religion from Ancient to Modern Times (Anthropology 350; 3 credits)

What makes contemporary Egyptian culture and religious practice distinct from that of other Middle Eastern countries? This course will explore the role that Pharaonic Egypt played in shaping Egyptian folklore and social customs until today and the way in which Muslim and Christian traditions have been interwoven with the ancient culture and changed or reinforced it.

Arabic Courses on AMIDEAST Programs

Arabic is a diglossic language. That is, there are two varieties of Arabic, one for reading and writing and another for speaking. The textbook series used in Arabic courses in all AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World, Al Kitaab fii Taallum al Arabiyya, introduces both from the beginning to help students engage easily in their host country and learn the language as its native speakers learn it. However, in the AMIDEAST programs separate courses address two the different varieties of Arabic – Modern Standard Arabic and the local dialect.

Nestled in the Middle Atlas Mountains, the Province of Ifrane is home to the largest cedar forest in North Africa and is the most biologically diverse area in Morocco.  Because of the year-round beauty of Ifrane’s natural surroundings, the town’s population of 12,000 swells to nearly 100,000 on weekends, holidays and in the summer. Both Fez, the intellectual capital of Morocco, and the imperial city of Meknes are approximately an hour away.  The capital city of Rabat is two hours from Ifrane; the Sahara desert is just six.

Rabat is one of Morocco’s “imperial cities,” and its modern capital.  It is home to the leading educational institutions in the country and offers students opportunities to move from the shops and cafes of the “European” city to the winding alleys and exciting markets of the old “medina” in a few minutes’ walk.  The AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Rabat offers a Summer Intensive Arabic Program that focuses on Modern Standard Arabic at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels.  Students in the program live with Arabic-speaking Moroccan families and attend classes at AMIDEAST’s facilities in the bustling Agdal area of the city.

Located on the Atlantic Coast, Rabat is one of Morocco’s imperial cities as well as its political capital. Rabat exemplifies Morocco’s unique cultural blend of Arab, the indigenous Amazigh (Berber), and European influences. While downtown Rabat is home to the austere Parliament building and the King’s Palace, just a few blocks away is the old medina; a fortressed city with labarinth alleys, markets, shops, and restaurants. Further down the road is the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Kasbah of the Udayas and the Bou Regreg River, with some of the best views of Rabat and the neighboring city of Salé. Al-Maghrib is a language enthusiast's dream as Moroccans speak multiple languages-typically including Moroccan Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, and French, as well as possibly an indigenous language (such as Tamazight, Tashleheit, or Tarifit), English, or Spanish.

Amman, capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is an ancient city facing distinct modern challenges. Built on seven hills, Amman has expanded in size and population from a quaint sleepy town at the close of World War II, to the bustling, multicultural metropolis it is today. Jordan is deeply enmeshed in the international relations of the region, sharing land borders with Iraq, Israel, Palestine and Saudi Arabia. It is one of only two Arab countries to have open borders with Israel, thus it remains a key player in Arab-Israeli affairs. Over the past several decades it has absorbed refugees from Palestine, Kuwaitis who left Kuwait after the Iraqi invasion in 1990 and most recently, Iraqi refugees. These new inhabitants have transformed Amman and brought new life to its local culture.