Bahrain residents have fun learning new languages and cultures!

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Julia Cassano  

With the expat community in Bahrain growing every day, popularity is rising for a weekly cultural and language exchange programme named Hablo!—Bahrain Language Exchange, where participants get the chance to pick up a new language as well as meet new people.

It was in 2021 that the programme’s creators, Yusuf Mukhtar and Murtadha Alhejairi, from Bahrain, got the idea to launch an online site where users could practise Arabic and Spanish.

Yusuf then participated in a local language programme in Vienna a year later and then created Hablo in collaboration with Yusuf Mukhtar, Kai Miethig, who is a resident of Bahrain from Germany, and Elizabeth Jimenez from Colombia.

Every Saturday, participants in the exchange programme get together to practise their Chinese, Spanish, German, and other languages. And while the programme aims to teach people new languages, it is also a place where people can socialise and indulge in new cultures.

Additionally, once a month there is a special event where the community comes together to plan different activities like international picnics or prepare various dishes together.

"Learning new languages with others with similar interests is great," Salman, a 26-year-old Bahraini learning Italian and teaching Arabic in the programme, told The Daily Tribune.

"The whole experience has been exciting, and the best part is meeting people from different cultural backgrounds who are willing to both teach and learn from you," he said. A bilingual woman who is learning Arabic and Spanish told The Daily Tribune that the programme is a wonderful place to meet new people and get to know the country better.

"Each person can use their own language to teach new learners and exchange news with other people from countries of the same origin," she said. And while teaching newcomers can be a fulfilling experience, she added that it’s also a great chance to talk in your mother tongue, as if you don’t use it frequently, you risk losing it. On top of this, such groups allow expats to get a better feel for Bahrain.

"Trying different coffee shops and interacting with Bahrainis helped me get to know Bahrain better," she added. Yasser, a 16-year-old Syrian who is learning German, expressed his delight for the programme, noting that since starting it, he has learned how to welcome and bid farewell in Spanish, Italian, and Chinese.

Thoroughly enjoying the social aspect of the programme, Yasser said that meeting people from diverse backgrounds and engaging in various cultural activities has been the highlight of his experience.

While learning German, Taima Ahmed, a 23-year-old Yemeni, had the opportunity to expand her social circle, and the weekly meetups became part of her routine. "I had the chance to improve my existing languages like English, German, and Arabic. It’s a very fun occasion as we try a new café or restaurant every week—a nice break from things," Taima said. While the group has motivated her to learn more, she hopes to make the time to learn a new language and wishes for more people to join the fun group!