Student Testimonials

I absolutely loved the Arabic summer program. How could I not? I was speaking Arabic by the second week- and that is without any past experience in Arabic! The program was packed with activities that are conducive to Arabic speaking. We learned dabka (a traditional dance), we watched amazing movies, we ate almost all the time, we played a lot, we laughed, we studied and discussed, cooked, cleaned, went on trips- we did everything possible in the eight weeks, and all in Arabic.

In a nutshell, the Arabic summer program changed my life. From knowing no Arabic to being able to express myself fluently in this beautiful language, I am deeply content. I recommend the program to anyone who has a strong desire to learn Arabic. It is the best way to go about learning the language.

Starting with absolutely zero knowledge about Arabic, in just eight weeks over the summer I was able to leave the program with an extremely solid base in this difficult language. The program was organized wonderfully and comprised of an excellent staff who were there around the clock to facilitate our studies. I am extremely happy and satisfied that I decided to enroll in this immersion program, and recommend it to anyone who would like to learn Arabic in a fun and stimulating environment.

I can't imagine being in Damascus now without my great summer experience in La Crosse... it really has given me an edge on speaking and getting around that I know I wouldn't have had otherwise. Thank you!

I'm very pleased with my experience here and would consider coming back to study again in a few years.

It was fun, the curriculum was challenging and I know a lot of Arabic now.

La Crosse is an excellent site for the program. Its isolation is helpful, but it is a nice size, and has the good fortune of having a small Arabic-speaking community, which greatly added to the program.

I think UW-L is a wonderful site to hold the program due to its … population of those from the Middle East [so students] in the program have the opportunity to practice with native speakers.

I learned an amazing amount this summer and am happy I decided to come to the program. I arrived unable to speak beyond a few rudimentary phrases and now I am able to communicate with some fluency and I am able to discuss a wide range of complicated topics. I feel prepared to return to my university for 3 rd year in the fall.

Great experience to establish an Arabic foundation. Glad I came. Would recommend to anyone.

My professor was available almost 24/7 for extra help.

My teacher was excellent, organized and cared for us in terms of our learning experience and beyond.