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The Arab language lecturer who "broke the ice" at the University of Timişoara
Alexandra Mănăilă - Reporter
15 December 2014
Ahmed Rashidi Hassan is an assistant professor of Arabic language and culture at West University in Timişoara and a teacher at the Arab School and the Romanian - Arab Cultural Centre. Thus he works with Romanian students willing to discover the Arab universe, as well as with children of Arab immigrants whom he helps recover the school subjects they missed and keep pace with school, although they had to start a new life far from their countries of origin. How has a university professor from an Arab country managed to obtain a similar position at a university in Romania? He admits himself that he managed to break the ice, given his experience in this field.
According to some ladies, he looks like an American soldier, because he is tall, handsome and speaks good English. According to others, he looks like an appealing Frenchman, charming by his way of being, speaking and behaving. Actually Ahmed is Egyptian. He is a professor, a culture lover, speaker of foreign languages, a graduate of the Arabic Language and Philology Department in the University of Cairo. He worked for four years in the university that educated him, as a professor of Arabic language for foreigners. He thus had the opportunity to meet students from 32 countries, including Romania, Albania, Bosnia, Italy, Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, South Korea. Then, being regarded as an expert in teaching Arabic language, he was sent by the Egyptian Ministry of the Exterior to go to the Republic of Moldova and teach there.
When you speak to him you are surprised to see how well he speaks Romanian, what a rich vocabulary and elevated words he uses. There is a reason for this, he is a language teacher, some might grumble from a side. Not necessarily. Other foreigners might have better reasons... Particularly those who come to study Romanian here, at the Medicine or Polytechnic universities. Yes, perhaps you would expect such students to speak very well, particularly as many of them even want to profess in Romania. But an Arabic language professor... Well, it is possible, and yes, he even has a reason for learning Romanian, which perhaps you have not even thought of...
Reporter (Rep.): How have you got to Timişoara?
Ahmed Rashidi Hassan (A.R.H.): I stayed 4 years in the Republic of Moldova, since October 2005 and during this period I had contacts with universities in Romania: in Iaşi, Bucharest and Timişoara. Why I moved to Timişoara? I found openness from Prof. Maria Luiza Mohamed, president of the Romanian - Arab Cultural Centre in Timişoara and through this centre we managed to open an Arabic language professorship at the West University in 2008.
Rep.: How have you accommodated to people in Banat region?
A.R.H.: It was not difficult, it was not my first visit to Romania, I had been in Bucharest too before. I managed to "break the ice" everywhere, first of all due to my experience in my field. I now have 15 years experience in teaching Arabic language. And for students it is a good opportunity to have a lecturer who is a native speaker of the language.
Rep.: Do you have many students in your course?
A.R.H.: The Arabic language course is optional at the University, there is no chair yet, but I have around 20 students. There are however many more Romanians who attend the private courses at the Romanian - Arab Cultural Centre. They want to study Arab for various reasons: either they consider it a rare language, or they want to work in the field of translations, or they are physicians and they want to go to Dubai, Qatar. Here in Timişoara we have a small philology department as compared to the Philology Department in Cairo, with 1,200 – 1.300 students per year, of which 300-400 only for Arabic language. Egyptians are attracted by foreign languages, while Romanians are attracted by international relations, accounting, economic sciences. Egypt is a large tourist country and it's a trend now to study foreign languages. For instance, if Russian is doing better this year, let's open a Russian language department, or if we have many tourists from China, let's study Chinese. That is how we do in Cairo.
Rep.: Do you think the Arabic language will be a success in Romania?
A.R.H.: Yes, the Arabic language has a future because there is a very intense communication between Romania and the Arab world, particularly with oil companies. Physicians also look for well paid jobs in Dubai, Qatar, so there is a high interest for the Arabic language.
Rep.: Professor, give me three arguments to convince me to learn Arab...
A.R.H.: Firstly, Arabic is the fifth language in the world by the number of speakers. If you, as a Romanian, speak Arabic, you will be able to travel easily and you will be understood in 22 countries in this world, where Arabic is a national language. The second argument: for Romanians Arabic is a rare language, so it is a great advantage to learn a rare language these days. Thirdly, if you know this language you can work in the field of translations, of companies from the Arab world, you have many advantages.
Rep.: How have you learned Romanian so well?
A.R.H.: I started to learn Romanian in the winter of 2007 at the "Romanian Language House" in Chişinău. My professor was Axan Alexei, I can't forget his name and particularly the fact that he spoke no English, and when he was explaining something he was doing it in Russian. So that's how I learned Russian as well. It was very good and very nice, because I also had comparative examples: a word in accusative case in Romanian was in the dative case in Russian. I took the courses particularly in order to learn Romanian grammar.
Rep.: You said the first words you learned were: "cămin, 16, mulţumesc" ("dormitory, 16, thank you"). Why these words?
A.R.H.: Yes, 16. It was very difficult for me to pronounce "şaisprezece" (16). The University of Chişinău offered me accommodation at the professors' dormitory no. 16, "cămin" was easy to pronounce but with "16" I had a hard time. I wrote it on a paper, in case I would get lost somehow and I would no longer be able to say it. Another word I learned at the beginning was "mulţumesc" ("thank you").
Rep.: How would you describe Romanian language, as compared to Arabic?
A.R.H.: Romanian is more difficult than Arabic...
Rep.: You are subjective. You say this because you are a native speaker of Arabic...
A.R.H.: Not at all, I speak now from the point of view of a professor, the grammar system, the verb conjugation, the genders, they are difficult to learn. You have masculine, feminine and neutral, in Arabic there is only masculine and feminine. I believe you have to learn the culture as well, you cannot learn just the language alone, but rather in parallel with the culture. The language is key to the culture, the culture is the door opened to the world.
Rep.: Have you opened this door on which it's written Romanian?
A.R.H.: Yes, and I discovered a very nice world (editor's note: please note the regionalism "fain" instead of "frumos" (nice)) and I thank the Romanian people who welcomed us warm-heartedly. I feel good here, like in a second home, and I enjoy it a lot. Romania is for me the second home. It was my last stop, here in Romania. At least so far. I came alone and I married here a Romanian woman and we live well together, in peace and understanding. My wife studied economic sciences and she works as a beautician, but we also have an association dedicated to children and minor mothers, Ama Association. She enjoys working with children and helping minor mothers from single parent families with all they need, starting with diapers, milk powder, clothes, scholarships for continuing their studies. Because we have in our records more than 100 minor mothers, next spring we'll open a family-type house for them, where they can live and manage by themselves, and where they can also have small businesses which could provide them with a secure revenue. However we need many volunteers and many people to support us for the proper fulfilment of our plans.
Rep.: You match very well. You also enjoy working with children, particularly with immigrants' children...
A.R.H.: I am also a social intercultural mediator at the Romanian - Arab Centre in Timişoara (editor's note: I actually met him in this position of intercultural mediator, participating in the course for journalists organised in Cluj between 30 October - 1 November 2014 by the Intercultural Institute in Timişoara, in a partnership with Asociaţia pentru Apărarea Drepturilor şi Integrare Socială (the Association for the Protection of Rights and Social Integration) in Bucharest, Centrul pentru Resurse Civice (the Centre for Civic Resources) in Constanta and Liga pentru Apărarea Drepturilor Omului – Filiala Cluj (the League for the Defence of Human Rights - Cluj Branch). I deal not only with Egyptian immigrants, but also with other immigrants from the Arab world. The biggest problem for Iraqi and Syrians coming from the conflict area is integration. It all comes from language barriers, from education, employment, qualification. At the same time, as a teacher at the Arab School in Timişoara, I also deal with children from mixed families: Arab father, Romanian mother, or children with both parents Arab. In the case of migrants' children from Syria or Iraq who missed school for at least 7 months, their first problem is integration in the community, and the second is to recover the school subjects they lost, and for this we have a kind of after school to help them. We provide books for them and we fight against time so that they can recover the subjects.
Rep.: Which would be the first lesson you would teach Romanians about immigrants?
A.R.H.: We rely on the idea that we are all equals. We are humans, we deserve a life in peace, far from conflict and war. We want to get on well together, to collaborate, to get closer to each other and know each other better. Knowing each other leads to respecting each other.
According to some ladies, he looks like an American soldier, because he is tall, handsome and speaks good English. According to others, he looks like an appealing Frenchman, charming by his way of being, speaking and behaving. Actually Ahmed is Egyptian. He is a professor, a culture lover, speaker of foreign languages, a graduate of the Arabic Language and Philology Department in the University of Cairo. He worked for four years in the university that educated him, as a professor of Arabic language for foreigners. He thus had the opportunity to meet students from 32 countries, including Romania, Albania, Bosnia, Italy, Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, South Korea. Then, being regarded as an expert in teaching Arabic language, he was sent by the Egyptian Ministry of the Exterior to go to the Republic of Moldova and teach there.
When you speak to him you are surprised to see how well he speaks Romanian, what a rich vocabulary and elevated words he uses. There is a reason for this, he is a language teacher, some might grumble from a side. Not necessarily. Other foreigners might have better reasons... Particularly those who come to study Romanian here, at the Medicine or Polytechnic universities. Yes, perhaps you would expect such students to speak very well, particularly as many of them even want to profess in Romania. But an Arabic language professor... Well, it is possible, and yes, he even has a reason for learning Romanian, which perhaps you have not even thought of...
Reporter (Rep.): How have you got to Timişoara?
Ahmed Rashidi Hassan (A.R.H.): I stayed 4 years in the Republic of Moldova, since October 2005 and during this period I had contacts with universities in Romania: in Iaşi, Bucharest and Timişoara. Why I moved to Timişoara? I found openness from Prof. Maria Luiza Mohamed, president of the Romanian - Arab Cultural Centre in Timişoara and through this centre we managed to open an Arabic language professorship at the West University in 2008.
Rep.: How have you accommodated to people in Banat region?
A.R.H.: It was not difficult, it was not my first visit to Romania, I had been in Bucharest too before. I managed to "break the ice" everywhere, first of all due to my experience in my field. I now have 15 years experience in teaching Arabic language. And for students it is a good opportunity to have a lecturer who is a native speaker of the language.
Rep.: Do you have many students in your course?
A.R.H.: The Arabic language course is optional at the University, there is no chair yet, but I have around 20 students. There are however many more Romanians who attend the private courses at the Romanian - Arab Cultural Centre. They want to study Arab for various reasons: either they consider it a rare language, or they want to work in the field of translations, or they are physicians and they want to go to Dubai, Qatar. Here in Timişoara we have a small philology department as compared to the Philology Department in Cairo, with 1,200 – 1.300 students per year, of which 300-400 only for Arabic language. Egyptians are attracted by foreign languages, while Romanians are attracted by international relations, accounting, economic sciences. Egypt is a large tourist country and it's a trend now to study foreign languages. For instance, if Russian is doing better this year, let's open a Russian language department, or if we have many tourists from China, let's study Chinese. That is how we do in Cairo.
Rep.: Do you think the Arabic language will be a success in Romania?
A.R.H.: Yes, the Arabic language has a future because there is a very intense communication between Romania and the Arab world, particularly with oil companies. Physicians also look for well paid jobs in Dubai, Qatar, so there is a high interest for the Arabic language.
Rep.: Professor, give me three arguments to convince me to learn Arab...
A.R.H.: Firstly, Arabic is the fifth language in the world by the number of speakers. If you, as a Romanian, speak Arabic, you will be able to travel easily and you will be understood in 22 countries in this world, where Arabic is a national language. The second argument: for Romanians Arabic is a rare language, so it is a great advantage to learn a rare language these days. Thirdly, if you know this language you can work in the field of translations, of companies from the Arab world, you have many advantages.
Rep.: How have you learned Romanian so well?
A.R.H.: I started to learn Romanian in the winter of 2007 at the "Romanian Language House" in Chişinău. My professor was Axan Alexei, I can't forget his name and particularly the fact that he spoke no English, and when he was explaining something he was doing it in Russian. So that's how I learned Russian as well. It was very good and very nice, because I also had comparative examples: a word in accusative case in Romanian was in the dative case in Russian. I took the courses particularly in order to learn Romanian grammar.
Rep.: You said the first words you learned were: "cămin, 16, mulţumesc" ("dormitory, 16, thank you"). Why these words?
A.R.H.: Yes, 16. It was very difficult for me to pronounce "şaisprezece" (16). The University of Chişinău offered me accommodation at the professors' dormitory no. 16, "cămin" was easy to pronounce but with "16" I had a hard time. I wrote it on a paper, in case I would get lost somehow and I would no longer be able to say it. Another word I learned at the beginning was "mulţumesc" ("thank you").
Rep.: How would you describe Romanian language, as compared to Arabic?
A.R.H.: Romanian is more difficult than Arabic...
Rep.: You are subjective. You say this because you are a native speaker of Arabic...
A.R.H.: Not at all, I speak now from the point of view of a professor, the grammar system, the verb conjugation, the genders, they are difficult to learn. You have masculine, feminine and neutral, in Arabic there is only masculine and feminine. I believe you have to learn the culture as well, you cannot learn just the language alone, but rather in parallel with the culture. The language is key to the culture, the culture is the door opened to the world.
Rep.: Have you opened this door on which it's written Romanian?
A.R.H.: Yes, and I discovered a very nice world (editor's note: please note the regionalism "fain" instead of "frumos" (nice)) and I thank the Romanian people who welcomed us warm-heartedly. I feel good here, like in a second home, and I enjoy it a lot. Romania is for me the second home. It was my last stop, here in Romania. At least so far. I came alone and I married here a Romanian woman and we live well together, in peace and understanding. My wife studied economic sciences and she works as a beautician, but we also have an association dedicated to children and minor mothers, Ama Association. She enjoys working with children and helping minor mothers from single parent families with all they need, starting with diapers, milk powder, clothes, scholarships for continuing their studies. Because we have in our records more than 100 minor mothers, next spring we'll open a family-type house for them, where they can live and manage by themselves, and where they can also have small businesses which could provide them with a secure revenue. However we need many volunteers and many people to support us for the proper fulfilment of our plans.
Rep.: You match very well. You also enjoy working with children, particularly with immigrants' children...
A.R.H.: I am also a social intercultural mediator at the Romanian - Arab Centre in Timişoara (editor's note: I actually met him in this position of intercultural mediator, participating in the course for journalists organised in Cluj between 30 October - 1 November 2014 by the Intercultural Institute in Timişoara, in a partnership with Asociaţia pentru Apărarea Drepturilor şi Integrare Socială (the Association for the Protection of Rights and Social Integration) in Bucharest, Centrul pentru Resurse Civice (the Centre for Civic Resources) in Constanta and Liga pentru Apărarea Drepturilor Omului – Filiala Cluj (the League for the Defence of Human Rights - Cluj Branch). I deal not only with Egyptian immigrants, but also with other immigrants from the Arab world. The biggest problem for Iraqi and Syrians coming from the conflict area is integration. It all comes from language barriers, from education, employment, qualification. At the same time, as a teacher at the Arab School in Timişoara, I also deal with children from mixed families: Arab father, Romanian mother, or children with both parents Arab. In the case of migrants' children from Syria or Iraq who missed school for at least 7 months, their first problem is integration in the community, and the second is to recover the school subjects they lost, and for this we have a kind of after school to help them. We provide books for them and we fight against time so that they can recover the subjects.
Rep.: Which would be the first lesson you would teach Romanians about immigrants?
A.R.H.: We rely on the idea that we are all equals. We are humans, we deserve a life in peace, far from conflict and war. We want to get on well together, to collaborate, to get closer to each other and know each other better. Knowing each other leads to respecting each other.
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