Arabic crash course: Learning a new language to help refugees

Many Syrian refugees have already arrived and more are coming to the Waterloo Region, leading some to wonder about what we can doto make these people feel at home in a new country.

• LISTEN: Melanie Ferrier visits a Kitchener crash course in Arabic

In Waterloo Region, a crash course in conversational Arabic isavailable to residents and several have leaped at the opportunity to learn new language whilebecoming more useful to those arriving.The workshop is meant to teach private refugee sponsors and volunteers.

An organization known asBring Back Hope, which was founded by Iman Arab, is working in association with Muslim Social Services to put together the four-hour course.The sessions are facilitated by Dr. Amir Al-Azraki, who teaches Arabic at the University of Waterloo and is also a lecturer and playwright.

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LeanneBrown works withCarizonFamily and Community Services as a school mental healthco-ordinatorand toldCBC'sMelanieFerrierthat the opportunity to help others makes her feel really good.

"I'm here to learn Arabic because of the new refugees coming into our city and just to know how to make them feel welcome," Brown said."It's pretty easy, actually. And I guess for me, learning a new language is very exciting."

We want to show that we respect their culture and language and are trying to learn it even if we look foolish.- Tom O'Connor

SergianeFernandesisa computer database developer atManulifewho said she would like tovolunteerwith refugees and figured knowing a few words would be a good way of expressing kindness.

"They will have to learn so many things about Canada, I think it's just a little thing to do that we can do to make them feel better here," she said.

"Learning a little bit of Arabic to say 'hi' to a refugee means that they count, they're not just a number. They are somebody that you're there to meet. They're a person. And we are taking a little bit of effort to make them welcome," Fernandes continued.

John Lochead said he is attending the course at 65 Hanson Dr. in Kitchener because he is sponsoring a family that has been in Canada since Oct. 22, 2015.

"I'm here to pick up useful Arabic phrases," Lochead said.

The more he learns, the easier he can make life for those he is supporting. Plus, he said that when he speaks Arabic, the newcomers definitely appreciate it.

"They're very happy and they make replies that are sometimes difficult to understand," he added.

'Respect their culture'

Tom O'Connor, who is now retired but used to teach at Wilfred Laurier University, is also attending the course.

"I'm taking this because our parish is sponsoring a Syrian refugee family and we want to learn some Arabic words," O'Connor said, admitting thathe is having someissues with pronunciation and is just trying to learn the basics.

"This is a challenging language,I just find it hard to say the words," O'Connor said.

"We want to show that we respect their culture and language and are trying to learn it, even if we look foolish," he continued before breaking into a laugh.

"I'm sure they're going to feelfoolish learningEnglish, too."