Coming to university as a mature-age student after several years backpacking and volunteering overseas was - to say the least - a shock. But the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies was like a second home to me over my four years at ANU. In my time abroad I had developed a great passion for the Middle East; its culture, people, and languages and the CAIS provided me with an amazing opportunity expand my knowledge and passion for this remarkable region. I chose to come to ANU as it was not only one of the few Australian universities to offer world-renowned degrees in Middle Eastern and Central Asian studies, but it was also the only university in Australia to teach Persian language alongside an amazing Arabic language program.
At ANU, the Persian teachers are passionate about what they do; happily spending hours with their small, close-knit classes to work through the intricacies of this language.  The readings and class discussion give fascinating insights into the culture and history of Iran, while regular Persian cooking classes and movie nights help to blend the love of language with delicious Persian delicacies.
The Arabic program is perfectly designed to make what can be an intimidating and difficult language into a thrilling and enjoyable adventure. The program well-designed and reasonably-paced, with devoted and knowledgable teaching staff. The teachers in both programs also ensure that we learn not only the language, but also the stories, cultural insights, and the history of the people of Middle East. I strongly recommend students consider taking part in the Applied Arabic program overseas.
Studying these two beautiful languages was one of the hardest intellectual challenges of my life, but also an incredibly rewarding experience. My studies at the CAIS, both in languages and political studies, positioned me well to take up a position at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I have already had several opportunities to apply the knowledge gained in my time at ANU, and to put my language skills to the test.