LANGUAGE LEARNING PROGRAM

Languages Learning in High Atlas Mountains, Morocco.

Ahansal Cultural Programs provides intensive standard Arabic, Moroccan Arabic and Berber language courses and cross-cultural education to international students, volunteers, learners, researchers, travelers…etc.  As an institution, we strive for excellence in an environment where languages and culture are valued and respected.

ACP lessons:

Classical Arabic (Fosha)

Ahansal Cultural Programs is committed to teaching standard Arabic language (Fosha) as a foreign language in order to open a window to the culture of any Arabic-speaking country. In details, Arabic Language is the 4th most widely spoken language in the world with over 400 million speakers (native and non-native). It’s an instrument to understand Islamic culture and the society of 14 countries.

Moroccan Arabic (Darija)

Studying Moroccan Arabic or Darija in with Ahansal Cultural Programs, the learner will learn some basic expressions needed on a daily basis, as well as some easy grammar tips. So whether going to Morocco for holidays, a business trip, or just intending to impress Moroccan friends, our program is what everyone are looking for.

WHAT IS DARIJA?

Dar­ija is the vari­ety of Ara­bic spo­ken in the Maghreb, North Africa; more specif­i­cally though, it refers to the dialect spo­ken in Morocco, referred to as Moroc­can Ara­bic. It is derived from Classical Arabic, Berber, French, Spanish and, more recently, English in both vocabulary and pronunciation. It is the composition of Darija, which gives its appeal to the student of linguistics and offers a unique and insightful perspective into Moroccan culture.  You would want to learn Moroc­can Ara­bic to com­mu­ni­cate with the locals in the mar­ket, shops, and cafés. How­ever, it’s hard to use Moroc­can Ara­bic Dar­ija in a busi­ness con­text or in for­mal let­ters.

Is MOROC­CAN ARA­BIC A WRIT­TEN LANGUAGE?

Not offi­cially though! But you can learn to chat in Moroc­can Ara­bic either in Roman let­ters or Ara­bic let­ters (if you already know Ara­bic). Most of Moroc­cans type Moroc­can Ara­bic in Roman let­ters though. So you can just learn how to write or type in Moroc­can Ara­bic with Roman letters.

Berber language (Tamazight)

By learning Berber language with Ahansal Cultural Programs, there is a big possibility to understand and be engaged with Berber societies and cultures in the whole Berber villages, valley, mountains, oasis, towns, and cities. They are 20 to 25 million Berber speakers in Morocco, about 60 to 80% of the population.

History of Berber Language

The Berber languages (or Tamazight) are a group of closely related languages mainly spoken in Morocco and Algeria. A very sparse population extends into the whole Sahara and the northern part of the Sahel. They belong to the Afro-Asiatic languages phylum. There is a strong movement among Berbers to unify the closely related northern Berber languages into a single standard, Tamazight.

Cultural experience and self-development.

By getting involved in languages learning program with ACP, you will be provided with the opportunity to experience rural life and participate in community development programs in the remote Zawiya Ahansal region of the Central High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. You will have an impact on yourself. You will feel connected to a new culture. You will learn, and you will teach. You will discover, understand, and grow. You will go home different person than when you left. Gaining new experiences and insights, creating connections with people, a sense of accomplishment and building career options are main goals of our learners and students. Moreover, our team will help you to:

• Expose to diversity and multiculturalism.
• Build relationships and “social connectedness” with peers, adults, and activists sharing a cause.
• Improve communication and critical thinking skills.
• Gain great skills to solve problems.
• Experience an increased sense of self-efficacy.
• Become attractive to potential employers.
• Enjoy excellent networking opportunities.
• Find a sense of responsibility and pride.

1. Program Highlights

• Placement and Location: Zawiya Ahansal, High Atlas Mountains, Morocco.
• Local NGO: Association Amezray SMNID.
• Role: student, independent scholar or learner, teacher, volunteer… at ACP.
• Requirements: Interested in our lessons and willing to learn
• Accomodation: Dar Ahansal, a Berber beautiful guest house. http://www.darahansal.com
• Length of placement: From one month. Our program runs all year around, if you would like to arrange your start and end dates around the local holidays, please contact us at ahansalculturalprograms@gmail.com

Program includes also other opportunities to volunteer and participate in one of Association Amezray Smnid‘s sustainable development projects.

• Program Prices include:
• Accommodation
• Food
• airport pick up and drop off
• Necessary work-related transportation
• In-country induction with a staff member upon arrival
• Pre-departure support fromACP by email and phone
• Orientations
• Translators: English / French – Arabic / Berber, available 24/7
• Excursions with a Moroccan licensed mountain guide in surrounding villages.
• One night camping in Taghia, 12 KM from the service location.
• Arabic and Berber Lessons with Our trained teachers.
• Historical Tours and visit the saints Houses of Zawiyat Ahansal.
• Tradional berber music, Henna party, feast at the end of the program.
• (Contact us for program prices)
• Prices do not include:
• Flights
• Visas
• Travel insurance
• Medical insurance

1. Country Info

Morocco is a North African country that has a coastline on both the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It has borders with Mauritania to the south, Algeria to the east and the Spanish North African territories of Ceuta and Melilla on the Mediterranean coast in the north.

Ethnically speaking, Morocco is composed mainly of Arabs and Berbers or a mixture of the two. Sizeable numbers of Berbers live mainly in the country’s mountainous regions, long areas of refuge where they have preserved their language and culture. Berber or Imazighen are indigenous people of Morocco.

The High Atlas is a region in Morocco covering the mountain range and surrounding destinations such as Marrakech. It’s a regular destination for mountain hikers, ski enthusiasts, or travelers interested in the indigenous Berber culture found throughout its many peaks and valleys.

Zawiya Ahansal is a beautiful valley and rural commune in Azilal Province of the Tadla-Azilal region of Morocco. At the time of the 2004 census, the commune had a total population of 10435 people living in 1554 households. Zawiya Ahansal was founded in the 13^th Located in the central High Atlas Mountains, around 360 KM from Marrakech; Zawiya Ahansal Valley is unspoiled nature at its best. It has been compared to the majesty of the Himalayan Mountains, its lush orchards and green pastures surrounded by snow-capped mountains being quite different from the usual images of barren beauty readily associated with Morocco. The small towns with their mud brick and stony houses scattered throughout the valley enhance its unspoiled atmosphere.

1. Arrival Procedure
2. Volunteers fly into Marrakech airport which is about half-an-hour’s drive away from the hotel where our volunteers spent the night before leaving to Zawiya Ahansal.
3. You will be met at the airport by a member of our local staff who will usually take you to the hotel and accompany you to Zawiya Ahansal.
4. Orientation at the hotel by ACP staff.
5. The next day, you will be driven to Zawiya Ahansal with a private minibus or 4*4.
6. A general orientation in the guest house Dar Ahansal, Safety, the valley, the history, the culture, show rooms, answer questions and explain the program in details.
7. Next days, ACP courses, services, hiking, historical tours, interviews, evaluations, excursions, other projects, cultural activities…

Contact us for more details: ahansalculturalprograms@gmail.com

http://www.ahansalculturalprograms.com/en/