UAE expats experience arabia at Eton Institute’s Free Arabic Cultural Evening

Visitors at Eton Institute’s free ‘Understanding Arabia’ cultural evening this Thursday 18th August experienced the flavours of the Middle East at this community event which aims to illuminate the customs and culture of the Arab world for expatriates and non-Arabs.

The cultural evening welcomed individuals into the Arabic culture through language, cuisine and immersion. Starting with an explanation of the Islamic call to prayer and a short iftar, attendees were then treated to a crash course in Arabic food where they sampled such authentic fare as dates, aromatic jallab, labneh, hummus, baklava and homemade stuffed vine leaves. An interactive tabbouleh-making tutorial followed with a volunteer showing off her culinary skills while learning useful Arabic vocabulary.

The evening covered a range of topics for discussion including traditional dress, the religion of Islam and the Islamic way of life, and dos and don’ts. Amid frequently asked questions and a quick Arabic lesson, attendees left the event with a number of cultural curiosities, including a particularly clever use for the agal and the Arab origin of Algebra as well as a better understanding of Arab society and customs.

Homma Masafumi, an attendee at the event, commented “I’ve got an insight into the life of the Arab people, and the dos and don’ts are really informative!”

Another attendee, Laura Dale added “The event had a friendly, informal atmosphere and was welcoming to people from a variety of cultures.”

Eton Institute, the largest language institute in the UAE, offers free cultural evenings and community events every month as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) aims. To find out more about Eton Institute’s services, visit www.eton.ac or call 800-Eton (800-3866) to speak with an adviser.