U.S. Naval Academy Students Study Arabic, Tour Egypt
STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students from the U.S. Naval Academy studied Arabic at AUC this summer, including Modern Standard Arabic and colloquial Egyptian Arabic. In addition to the Arabic classes, they went on excursions around Cairo and a one-day trip to Alexandria. Describing their stay as “phenomenal, delightful and welcoming,” the students not only enhanced their Arabic-language skills but also got a taste of Egypt's rich culture and history, engaging in an immersive, cross-cultural experience.
“My favorite surprise of the trip was all the great people I met along the way. It's not that I hadn't heard about the hospitality of people in Egypt; however, I wasn't really ready for it. On the many excursions I went on, we ran into problems as we navigated an unfamiliar language, culture and environment. At every step of the way, strangers along would go out of their way to help us when we were in need.”
Winston Maa
Robotics and Control Engineering
" was able to strengthen my language skills by learning the Egyptian dialect and practicing it in an Arabic-speaking country. The campus is beautiful, and the facilities are great."
“The most pleasant part of the trip was getting to see my Egyptian friend from back home and spending time with his family. That was a really great experience, and I was able to see Egypt through a different lens.”
Miguel Paz
Math
"I had a phenomenal experience with the program at AUC. Professor Sayeed Alwakeel was one of the best language teachers I have ever had and his teaching style was both entertaining and informative."
"The most pleasant surprise in Egypt, was how friendly and welcoming Egyptians are to foreigners, especially at AUC, where the community was very kind and understanding. My favorite part was definitely traveling around Heliopolis, Nasr City, and Khan El Khalili to and try different foods like kofta, mombar and basbousa."
Andrew Hong
Ocean Engineering
" had a phenomenal experience with the program at AUC. Professor Sayeed Alwakeel was one of the best language teachers I have ever had and his teaching style was both entertaining and informative."
"My most pleasant surprise was the Egyptian people. They are extremely friendly and polite and love to make new friends. They are always smiling and telling jokes."
