Wearing Printed T-Shirts In Cairo

Tuesday 24th of August 2010 02:27:42 PM

American students have always attended foreign schools around the world. In 2007 there were over 33,000 Americans who attended universities in the United Kingdom alone. But there is a slow change going on as more and more students choose to attend schools in places like Cairo to study Arabic for at least a portion of their school careers. In 2007, there were 3,399 American students studying in Arabic-speaking nations. That may not seem like a lot until you learn that in 2002 the number was only 562.

Wearing the iconic printed t-shirts many of these students are participating in the U.S. government sponsored Critical Language Scholarship Program that was created in 2006. The program was designed to encourage more students to learn Arabic and other mid-eastern languages.

Students are students though. Look at their pictures as they attend the American University in Cairo or tour Beirut, Lebanon and they are wearing the same clothes they wear at home – polo shirts and t-shirts. Women must dress modestly and once again a nice loose fitting t-shirt or polo shirt works well. Many of them have a career goal that involves the Middle East whether it is working for government or an international business. Some have lofty goals include becoming involved in helping to establish peace in the Mid-East.

While visiting the Arabic speaking countries, the students travel the region. During their travels they get a lesson in political turmoil with their passport stamps from Lebanon and Syria leading to a cross-examination by officials while travelling from Jordan into the West Bank.

Of course, many parents of these students are not happy about their children’s decisions to attend school in such a volatile region of the world. But the universities sponsoring the students work diligently to keep them safe. In addition, these stints at the Mid-East located universities lead to coveted internships and eventually jobs. The students talk about how their view of the region is changed after spending time living among its citizens. As it turns out, people are people no matter where they live. The most frequent topics of discussion were not about war and politics. They were about family, sports and finances which are the same topics people all over the world are discussing.

(c)Image by Fred Delgado, www.sxc.hu/

Related Stories: Promotional T-Shirts Make You the Go-To Brand, The Perfectly Fitting T-Shirt, Bright Colours Reflect Hopes for the Economy

Bookmark this article: