Middle East Studies

Apply for Jiran: the Arabic Community Action Summer

February 14, 2019

About

Jiran: The Arabic Community Action Summer is a Middlebury College Arabic summer program focused on colloquial Levantine Arabic learning, intercultural competence development, and refugee resettlement/immigrant issues in the United States. Jiran pairs Arabic students with underserved Arabic-speaking families in New Britain, Connecticut for an intensive linguistic and intercultural learning experience. The goal of the program is to empower Arabic-speaking populations and their neighbors through community organization and education while providing Arabic learners with a holistic view of refugee and immigrant issues in the US as well as an intensive Arabic instruction. 

Jiran student participants receive intensive daily Colloquial Arabic classes, work directly with recently-arrived Arabic-speaking families, volunteer teaching English, sports, or another activity, and attend guest lectures. Jiran is an incredible opportunity to be on the frontlines of refugee resettlement and immigration today while learning from experts on forced migration and immersing yourself in Levantine Arabic.

Logistics

The participation fee is $2,000 and includes lodging, on-site program transport, and food during the program. Jiran also requires participants to do a fundraising component of the community organizing curriculum that will help you to raise an additional $500. Jiran 2019 will run from June 24-July 27, 2019. Applications are due on March 8, 2019. To learn more about the program, including how to apply, please visit the website or follow Jiran on Facebook! Interested parties should apply online. Please email jiran@middlebury.edu with any questions.