Reports | 17 11 2016
The Syrian refugee "Hady Ahmed" was able to learn the English language in Jordan, through the Language Exchange with an American partner.
Hady said to Rozana: "my experience in the language exchange was very rich, now I can speak English fluently, it was better than reading books and learning through videos, or having courses at the language centers, where you may need a year or two to learn English well."
How to do this?
The Syrian refugees in Jordan prefer the language exchange with other partners came from different nationalities, who have the same desire in learning a new language, that may open new opportunity for them in the host country.
The Syrian refugee "Hady Ahmed" is learning Arabic language to an American partner, who is teaching him the English language in turn, he said to Rozana:
"We were meeting for two hours a week, one hour for learning Arabic, and the other hour for English, and we were discussing one subject or more about work, education, or different aspects of life."
On his part, "Fadi Omera", who is the founder of the center of Jadal, said about the language exchange meetings: "the center of )Jadal( is an open space for different people who come here to exchange their experiences and cultures, usually they are Syrians, Europeans, or Jordanians, but all of them come spontaneously and without any prior coordinating or arrangement by the center, where two persons agree on exchanging two certain languages, according to the desire of each of them."
The benefit of the Language Exchange
The benefit is not only limited to learning languages, according to the American young man "Jaison", who became speaking Arabic fluently after her learnt it with the help of a Syrian refugee in Jordan, he said: "The Language Exchange is very important, not only for learning languages, but also it makes you capable to learn about other cultures and religions in the world, and make new friends."
"Jack", American man, is learning Arabic with the help of Hady Ahmed, and he is teaching him English in exchange. About his experience he said to Rozana:
"The language exchange was very useful to me on many levels, especially on the personal level, where I was able to identify new cultures and religions, and I made new friends."
Fadi Omera explained to Rozana:
"A Syrian young man met a Swedish girl here in the center, learnt English with her help, married here, and they are living in Sweden now with their baby girl."
Under hard circumstances experienced by Syrians in Jordan, the language exchange was a very good way to learn new languages and cultures. and for refugees, it was an opportunity to immigrate to Europe.