Posted on June 14, 2010 - by mira
SIAL, where Abdul-Mutallab studied Arabic, Old Sanaa, Yemen
Photo by Mira Baz
First appeared in Yemen Today
The study of foreign languages has been growing steadily in the United States since 1998, with increasing interest in the Arabic language after the 9/11 attacks. Between 2002 and 2006, the number of American institutions offering Arabic language studies almost doubled, according to the Modern Language Association. Enrollments went up by 127%, placing Arabic for the first time in the top 10 list of most studied languages.
An increasing number of Western students have also been traveling to Arab countries, such as Egypt and Syria, to study Arabic as well as learn about the Arab culture. Egypt remains the most popular destination for students, according to Washington’s National Foreign Language Center, with Syria not far behind.
Yemen is able to compete to attract language students and may even have a competitive advantage. It has a well-preserved Arab cultural tradition, a low cost of living, and a wide variety of tourist attractions that include historical and ecotourism sites. In addition, Yemenis are hospitable to guests in the Arab tribal tradition, taking a genuine interest in getting to know non-Yemenis, particularly Westerners.
But above all, Yemen is especially appealing to language learners for one important reason: few Yemenis speak English or other foreign languages, as is the case in most Arab countries. For students, being immersed in a language with no other option but to speak it is the fastest way to learn.
“Yemen is a perfect place for studying Arabic,” said a student who did not wish to be identified. “First, it has a rich culture, and second, because most people can’t speak English, you have to learn to communicate in Arabic from the start.”
However, Arabic language institutes have been hit hard recently. The worldwide recession has not only had an economic impact locally, but it has also meant fewer students from Western countries that are struggling with the economic meltdown.
To make matters worse for institutes, last December’s attempted attack on a US transatlantic airliner by Nigerian Omar Farouq Abdul-Mutallab put Yemen’s al-Qaeda presence back in the international spotlight. Abdul-Mutallab studied Arabic at the Sanaa Institute for Arabic Language (SIAL) and claimed to have received training by the local al-Qaeda branch, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
That attack, as well as the failed attempt on the British ambassador more recently, frightened off tourists and prompted some countries to renew their travel warnings for Yemen.
“In the last two years, we’ve had very few European students,” said Mohammed al-Anisi, director of SIAL. “Not more than you can count on your fingers. These warnings hurt a lot. How can we promote tourism in light of these warnings?”
To counter the damage done by Abdul-Mutallab and AQAP, the ministry of tourism has hired international public relations firms to improve the country’s image abroad. In addition, it launched a one-billion-dollar, five-year series of projects in order to attract investors, lure tourists and improve the economy by supplementing the government’s oil revenues. The goal is that, by 2015, the new coastal tourist sites will generate $2 billion in government revenues, attract 1.5 million tourists and create 375,000 new job opportunities.
“The projects are spread in coastal areas as well as in all the governorates,” said Omar Babelgheith, deputy minister for tourism development. “The purpose is to develop the economy in these governorates, support people, and raise awareness that tourism is a trade, an industry.”
He said that the promotion of tourism has been coupled with tighter security measures to ensure the safety of tourists.
But at the same time that the government is trying to draw more tourists, it has also tightened its visa procedures. Starting earlier this year, entry visas were no longer being issued upon arrival at the airport but had to be obtained through Yemeni embassies. Student visa procedures also became stricter after it became known that Abdul-Mutallab had studied Arabic in Yemen. According to al-Anisi, students applying at SIAL were refused visas in recent months.
“The biggest effect of the Abdul-Mutallab issue,” said Hamoud al-Hobaishi, director of Saba Institute for Arabic Language and Eastern Studies, “was that they stopped issuing visas at the airport. Now all students applying from abroad say that the embassies are asking them to get a letter of invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is not sent except through a visa from the Immigration Office. The Immigration Office is refusing visas to institutes and only issuing them to universities, because they think this would help prevent terrorism. But a person who wants to enter the country will do so whether through an institute or a university.”
With summer approaching – the high season for language study – Arabic language institutes are scrambling for solutions. Institutes used to be able to enroll between 350 and 400 students in one summer, according to al-Hobaishi. With the combined effects of the recession and terrorism, they are currently operating at less than half capacity. For example, SIAL, which had 90 students in December, now has fewer than 40. Saba Institute suffered 80 cancellations for upcoming summer courses, and some of the applicants told al-Hobaishi they were traveling to Egypt or Syria instead.
“Entry visas are being issued,” said Babelgheith, “but through the Yemeni embassies. If you apply, it’s a matter of time. If you apply anywhere else, you have to wait a month or more, whereas here it’s not that long. The whole thing is that we want to know exactly who is coming to the country. We’re going to issue visas at all Yemeni entry ports. It’s a matter of time, only.”
In the meantime, to cut its losses, SIAL, once one of the larger language institutes, has been downsizing by not renewing leases on its student housing buildings. To further cut down on cost, al-Anisi is considering relocating the institute from the Old City to his residence near the airport road, where he is turning rooms into classrooms. He has also been targeting Asian markets such as Malaysia, whose nationals don’t require visas to Yemen.
Al-Hobaishi argues that institutes can play a greater role in tourism promotion.
“Our work falls under educational tourism,” said al-Hobaishi. “Students tell others about Yemen, and this changes the perceptions of Yemen. Our work is cultural, but unfortunately, no one appreciates this.”
“There was an opportunity to promote Yemen in terms of educational tourism,” al-Anisi agreed. “The students can come and study and be a tourist at the same time, and now this has been affected by the visas.”
He says that the future will be difficult.
“I’m optimistic,” he added, “but I’m also realistic. So I dream, and then I tailor the dream to fit the reality.”
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