Arabic Schools and Courses in Tunisia - Learn Arabic in Tunisia

With its, desert landscapes, ancient culture, beaches and chic hotels, Tunisia is a culturally enlightening place to learn Arabic.

Nestled between Algeria and Libya, Tunisia has managed -through far-sighted government policies and help from EU trading partners - to distance itself from the turmoil of its neighbours.

Lots of money is spent on education, which means the country has a literacy rate almost as high as Britain's. There's a good state pension, a national health service and a low crime rate, thanks to traditional close family ties.

In the North, small villages lie on the gently rolling hills. Behind golden-sand beaches rest leafy boulevards lined with French restaurants and chic bars.

Fields of golden corn are surrounded by forests of oak trees and deep blue lakes. You can catch a glimpse of distant mountains covered with a dusting of snow in winter. In addition, it's all around a two-and-a-half hour flight from the UK.

The ruins of ancient Carthage and other Roman sites offer an abundance of archaeological interest, while the capital, Tunis, is a charming cosmopolitan city with a Western vibrancy due to its French colonial influence.

On the east coast, resorts such as Monastir, Hammamet and Port el Kantoui cater to family holidays. Travelling further south, the landscape becomes more and more exotic and Arabian. You'll drive past traditional Berber towns and villages, desert oases and the enchanting island resort of Djerba.

Tunisia - History

At the beginning of recorded history, Tunisia was inhabited by Berber tribes. Its coast was settled by Phoenicians starting as early as the 10th century BC. The city of Carthage was founded in the 8th Century B.C. by settlers from Tyre. Legend says that Queen Dido founded the city, as retold in the Roman Epic Aeneid. The settlers of Carthage brought their culture and religion from the Phoenicians and Canaanites.

After a series of wars with Greece in the 6th century BC, Carthage rose to power and eventually became the dominant civilization in the Mediterranean. The people of Carthage worshiped a pantheon of Middle Eastern gods including Baal and Tanit. The symbol of Tanit's, a female figure with extended arms and long dress, is a popular icon found in ancient sites. The founders of Carthage also established a Tophet, which was altered in Roman times.

However, the Romans referred to the new empire growing in the city of Carthage as Punic or Phoenician the empire built around Carthage was an independent political entity from the other Phoenician settlements in the Western Mediterranean.

A Carthaginian invasion of Italy led by Hannibal during the Second Punic War, one of a series of wars with Rome, nearly crippled the rise of the Roman Empire. Carthage was eventually conquered by Rome in the 2nd century BC, a turning point that led to ancient Mediterranean civilization having been influenced mainly by European instead of African cultures. At the end of the Roman conquest, the region became one of the granaries of Rome. It was conquered by the Vandals in the 5th century AD and reconquered by the commander Belisarius in the 6th century during the rule of Byzantine emperor Justinian.

In the 7th century the region was conquered by Arab Muslims, who founded the city of Kairouan.

The coasts were held briefly by the Normans of Sicily in the 12th century. In the late 16th Century the coast became a pirate stronghold. In the last years of the Hafsids, Spain seized many of the coastal cities, but these were recovered by the Ottoman Empire. Under its Turkish governors, the Beys, Tunisia attained virtual independence. The Hussein dynasty of Beys, established in 1705, lasted until 1957.

Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib Bourguiba established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation.

In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to diffuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Arabic Schools - Tunisia Geography

Tunisia is in northern Africa, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert. Algeria borders it to the west and Libya to the south-east. Much of the land is semi-arid and desert. The north of the country is mountainous, with a climate that is temperate with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The south of the country is dominated by the Sahara desert.

Arabic Courses - Tunisia Economy

Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism. Better rains in 2003 through 2005, however, helped push GDP growth to about 5% for these years. Tourism also improved after the end of combat operations in Iraq. Tunisia is gradually phasing out barriers to trade with the EU. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.

Tunisian Food

Tunisian cuisine is very much in the Northern African Maghreb tradition, with couscous and tajine stews forming the backbone of most meals. The most notable characteristic is the fiery harissa chili sauce and the use of tiny olives, which are plentiful in the country. Lamb is the meat used in most dishes. Local seafood is also plentiful.

• Shorba Frik - lamb soup
• Coucha - shoulder of lamb cooked with turmeric and cayenne pepper
• Tabouna - traditional oven baked bread
• Brik - very crispy thin pastry with a whole egg (Brik à l'oeuf), parsley and onions and minced lamb or flakes of tuna. A delicious and inexpensive starter. This can be eaten with your fingers.
• Berber Lamb - Lamb cooked with potatoes and carrots in a clay pot.
• Merguez - tiny spicy sausages.
• Salade Tunisienne - lettuce, tomato, onions, green pepper, olives, and radishes mixed with tuna.
• Tunisian cakes - sweets closely resembling Baklava.

Tunisia - Climate

Temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south.

Learn Arabic in Tunisia - Advice

At our Arabic schools and courses in Tunisia our advice can really be summed up with one simple word - practice! The kind of study materials you use is not quite as important as how or how often you use them. Your hard work and determination will be one of the biggest factors in successful language learning.

The Arabic school and course you choose in Tunisia is going to be the core of your Arabic study, so make sure you choose an Arabic language course that gives you structured lessons and lots of opportunity to practice your new language skills. Our Arabic courses at our Arabic schools in Tunisia, will give you the perfect opportunity to study, learn, and practice Arabic in a supportive, well planned and friendly environments.

You must work at your new Arabic language skills every day. Ideally, you should study Arabic an extra hour or more every day. If you can get at least an extra half-hour of study time, that's pretty good too. Try to at least get a little review and study, learn and practice Arabic every single day.

If you attend one of our Arabic courses in Tunisia and you learn Arabic everyday, you will have a good basic knowledge of the Arabic language in a reasonable amount of time. Your knowledge and ability will increase and improve depending upon what other tools you use and what kind of experiences you have using the Arabic language.

Grammar book. A good old-fashioned grammar book may be boring but they are a great way to really get to grips with the details of the language.

Phrase Book

These are extremely helpful books that you can carry with you. They can be useful for practicing pronunciation, or for quickly finding a lot of more commonly used phrases, words and idioms. Phrase books are always a nice supplement to learn Arabic and they are convenient and cheap.

Dictionary. Absolutely necessary in the long run. You must have a dictionary if you wish to expand your vocabulary, and you will need one in order to take full advantage of many of the Arabic language learning tips set out here. Make sure you get one that translates both ways e.g. Spanish to Arabic AND Arabic to Spanish. It is also helpful to find a dictionary that contains idioms - the phrases particular to the language which you are studying - as well as phrases that are commonly used in the Arabic language, but may be difficult to translate.

Flashcards

A simple Arabic language learning tip, but a very effective way to review, refresh your memory and expand your vocabulary. There are pre-made flashcards that can be purchased, or for extra help, you can create your own. Keep them with you at all times, in your pocket or in your car, and look at them for a quick review or language lesson at every opportunity. They are very convenient.

Talk to yourself

It may be obvious, but the best way to learn Arabic in Tunisia is to speak Arabic in Tunisia ! This convenient method can be use at all times, as you can even talk to yourself. Even if you are in public and don't feel comfortable talking to yourself out loud, you can make it your habit to practice Arabic by thinking Arabic. Throughout the day, think of the Arabic words for everything you pass - objects in your house, things you pass when you are traveling, things you use at work or school, etc. Learn basic Arabic phrases like - ‘it is cold today' or ‘it is sunny today' and use whichever is appropriate when you first look out the window. By putting this tip into use on a regular basis, the vocabulary and phrases will become more routine and automatic.

Practice with friends

Taking it even further than talking to yourself, you can practice with your friends. Even if they don't speak Arabic, talk to the people you know by using your new language. Warn them in advance that you are practicing your new knowledge and they'll know what's coming. Even a simple 'good morning' or'see you later' in Arabic will make those phrases more natural to you. Your friends may even begin to learn a few words and join in the fun too!

Listen to music

Listen to Arabic music. You'll hear the Arabic language used in a real context and this will help you pick out the rhythm and pronunciation even better. This method will also give you a further understanding of, and appreciation for, the culture and customs of the people. Music in Arabic might be easier to find than others, but Amazon or eBay and many other global websites will enable you to find music in Arabic and many different languages.