Growing up in Tasmania, our choices of languages to study were quite limited so I was very excited when I found out the ANU offered Arabic. To me, it seemed like the most exciting language to learn and one that would provide me with a host of new opportunities. I could not wait to learn a whole new script and discover new cultures.
My degree is a Bachelor of International Relations with minors in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic. I have found studying a foreign language to be singularly the greatest asset to my major; not only do I have a greater understanding of the Middle East region and, most significantly, its culture, to which I can apply my International Relations skills, but it has also opened up so many possibilities of countries I can travel to and work in once I finish my degree. Arabic has also been an enormous help in my Middle Eastern studies courses too, especially in understanding the nuances of the Arabic language. I feel like I am beginning to have a very holistic understanding of the region, both in its overarching features and in its subtleties, and I cannot wait to travel there and utilise everything I have gained from my degree.
I also find learning Arabic extremely enjoyable. Having studied other languages in the past, nothing gives me more pleasure than feeling that I have really grasped a language. I have loved every minute from learning the letters of the alphabet to trying out my Arabic on native speakers and I hope to continue using it long into the future.