ALSA team from right: Majid Zailaee (ISU president), Hannah Yinger, Noah Hamlin-Darby, Bridget Coffey, Carol Sedgwick, Emily Wilson (ALSA President), and Dr. Mohamed Amira, the Arabic Language Program Coordinator.
The Arabic Language Student Association (ALSA) prepared a Middle Eastern dinner for the Athens community in April 2019, at the United Campus Ministry in Athens, as part of UCM’s weekly free meal program.
The Arabic language students cooked three dishes that are popular in many Arab and Middle East countries—Falafel, broad beans, and Shakshuka (scrambled eggs with onions and spices). Beta bread was offered, and the United Campus Ministry provided a green salad, desert, and drinks.
Integrating culture with language content learning is critical. In fact, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages includes culture as one of the basic 5 standards of World Learning Standards for Learning Languages. Being familiar with the popular food in the areas that speak the target language, in this case Arabic, is essential to understand some aspects of the cultures of native speakers of that language.
The students’ initiative to cook the Middle Eastern dinner for the community helped with achieving the center standard related to culture, and another standard related to community, which is based on taking the language usage and cultural understanding beyond the classroom.
Emily Wilson, President of the Arabic Language Student Association stirs spices for Shakshuka
Lacey Rogers, the Assistant Director of the United Campus Ministry is the person responsible for overseeing UCM’s weekly free meal programs: Thursday Supper and Saturday Lunch.
“It is important to me that we strive to promote community and expose those in attendance to a wide variety of flavor profiles, foods and traditional dishes that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to try,” she commented. “Collaborative opportunities such as these are in alignment with UCM’s mission and values, to promote diversity and increase awareness about different cultures, religions, etc. by bringing groups of people together that might not otherwise have these experiences. Opportunities such as these are important in creating space for different groups of people to come together and exchange ideas and learn from one another. I feel food is always a great way to allow for such conversations and cultural exchanges to occur.”
Majid Zailaee, the President of the International Student Union (ISU), helps with preparing “Foul” or broad beans the Saudi way
ALSA member Bridget Coffey felt that, “Working with the UCM volunteers was a fantastic time through every step. Everyone who joined us for the meal seemed to enjoy the food, and getting to share the Middle Eastern culture while serving the community was just the most rewarding experience. I don’t know what could have gone better.”
The students who are now in the intermediate level this Fall are interested in repeating the experience with new authentic Arab dishes and inviting the new Arabic students to go through a similar experience. Such events will be announced on the ALSA social media pages: Facebook and Twitter.
For more information about the Arabic Program contact Dr. Mohamed Amira.
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