Address: Azzumar St. Old Sana'a Yemen

Located within the heart of Old Sana’a close to Souq al-Melh, a warren of ancient streets with everything from traditional smithies to stalls piled high with exotic spices. Bab al-Yemen, the imposing entrance to the Old City and the symbolic gateway into Yemen itself, is less than five minutes walk from our school.

You can reach the Great Mosque (built in the time of the Prophet Muhammad) and museum housing priceless Islamic artifacts, including one of the earliest known copies of the Qura’an...within 2 minutes walk.

Arabic school facilities include:
:: Large classrooms
:: Shop
:: Lounge + libary
:: Internet cafes are nearby
:: Information desk: sells tours, excursions, etc

For more detailed information / options please refer to price page
click here

Class Schedule
Lessons are based on an integrated approach to language teaching using communicative and natural learning methods predominate. We rely on linguistic specialists and the latest research when developing our curricula and materials, and we keep all elements under constant review.

While all language skills are promoted, our teaching gives priority to spoken Arabic. We expect students to be able to speak simple Arabic after only one or two lessons and from day one you will be communicating with you teacher and classmates in Arabic.

Textbooks are supplemented by a wide range of materials including extracts from magazines, Arabic literature and books on history, economics and politics.

A comprehensive range of audio-visual and computer-based materials provide support to all facets of the course.

Activities & Excursions
Every week there are planned excursions to different tourist attractions and cultural places of interest around the area. For each excursion there is a tour guide who gives a thorough explanation of the site and a presentation to the students. Teachers give students an introduction to the site they will be visiting before the trip.

DRESS
Dress requirements for men and women are extremely important in Yemen, so it is indispensable that foreigners take as much care as possible when selecting clothes to bring to Yemen. Awareness of general sensitivities on the subject of dress is essential for relating to people without inadvertently causing offence, or inviting unwanted attention upon yourself. If you choose to wear Yemeni-style clothing, be aware that the way you move, sit, and carry yourself will certainly be different from any Yemeni person and may cause offence to Yemeni men or women. Wearing loud colours or fancy items should be avoided, as this without a doubt will make you "stick out" in public. Also, you should be aware especially of the manner in which you are sitting, say in a mafraj. The best advice is to look at a Yemeni as a model for appropriate decorum. Remember that your outward appearance is seen as a reflection of your private self, and that inappropriate clothing will discourage many Yemenis from attempting to communicate with you.

Men are expected to wear either pants or jeans, without holes. T-shirts are acceptable, although the sleeveless variety is inappropriate. Shorts are unacceptable at any time. Long hair (particularly on men who do not wear a beard or mustache) will elicit occasional puzzled looks or questions, and may invite some teasing or mildly provocative comments.

For women, pants or jeans should be covered by a long, full skirt especially when travelling in rural areas of the country. T-shirts are passable, although generally speaking any article of clothing, which might remotely be considered revealing is of questionable use in Yemen. Light, translucent materials, or tight clothing, which reveal much of a woman's form are also problematic.

Women are recommended therefore to bring long full skirts (no slits) and blouses as a practical complement to the T-shirts and jeans they might be accustomed to wearing at home. Foreign women are not expected to cover their hair, except when entering mosques or other religious places. Shorts, or short skirts, and sleeveless and/or form-fitting tops are altogether unacceptable and may cause a woman some trouble in public places. Heavy make-up is highly discouraged as most women, in Sana'a especially, go without any make-up. Some foreign women do choose to wear the Yemeni baltu, but if you choose to wear it, you should be aware that there is a certain way to carry yourself in public when wearing such clothing.

Should a woman choose to wear a baltu, she is still expected to dress conservatively underneath if she will be removing the outer cloak during class (shorts, sleeveless shirts, low necklines, etc. are considered inappropriate dress for class. When in the house, the students may choose to wear whatever they wish, but in public (including classrooms), conservative dress should be the fashion. The teachers at the Yemen Language Center are Yemenis, and while they do have experience with westerners, they nonetheless deserve the same respect as Yemenis you would run into in the street.

For men and women, generally speaking, clothing should be conservative and modest. If you are unsure as to the appropriateness of a particular article of clothing, the best advice is to leave it at home. Erring on the side of the cautious and conservative will serve you unfailingly. Proper dress will help you earn the respect of Yemenis who will understand that you have attempted to take notice of their social sensitivities and adapt yourself accordingly; improper clothing will have the opposite effect.