Like our host families, language partners play a huge role in students’ experiences on their Amideast programs. From showing them around their host cities, to helping them improve their target language, language partners are a big part of our programs!

To highlight them for the wonderful people they are, we asked some of them to speak a little about themselves and introduce us to their favorite things about their cities.

From Jordan

Alhareth Tweissi

Where are you from?
Wadi Musa/Petra
What do you do?
Computer information systems. I would like to run my own business in the future.
What are your hobbies?
I like music and cars. I play guitar in my spare time.
What is your favorite place in Jordan?
My favorite place in Amman is Manara Culture and Arts.
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
I love Led Zeppelin.
What is your favorite TV show?
My favorite TV show is “Community”.

Osama Rafiq Anees Daoud

Where are you from?
I’m from Zarqa, Jordan.
What do you do?
I work at JoAcademy for marketing. At the same time I study computer engineering at Jordan University. I deal with both the software and hardware side of things.
What is your favorite place in Jordan?
My favorite place in Jordan is Petra.
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
My favorite musician is Charlie Puth.
What is your favorite TV show?
My favorite TV show is “How I Met Your Mother”.

Ula Al Omari

Where are you from?
Al Zarqa, Jordan
What do you do?
I study business administration and philosophy in university, I want to be able to improve my hometown.
What are your hobbies?
I like music and drawing.
What is your favorite place in Amman?
Dimitri’s Lweibdeh
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
One of my new favorite artists is Belly.
What is your favorite TV show?
”Peaky Blinders”

Miriam Awwad

Where are you from?
Jordan
What do you do?
I’m a high-energy student volunteer currently finalizing a Bachelor’s degree in Orthotics and Prosthetics with an interest in youth development who’s prepared to contribute to organizational success while developing new skills and gaining real-world experience.
What are your hobbies?
Exploring new places, volunteer work.
What is your favorite place in Jordan?
Wild Jordan Café, Jabal Amman.
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
I don’t have a specific song, I listen to all types of music.
What is your favorite TV show?
”Friends”

Mirna Nabulsi

Where are you from?
Amman, Jordan
What do you do?
I’m a student in the German Jordanian University studying architecture. I’m very fascinated with the history of architecture and I loved the idea of being a part of people’s lives by helping them with designing and creating their homes.
What are your hobbies?
I love writing so much, I’ve been writing since I was in middle school and I love to read.
What is your favorite place in Amman?
It has to be Jabal Amman. I love how you can see the old architecture and the true essence of Amman.
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
My favorite singer is George Ezra and I was very lucky and was able to see him in Seattle, Washington during my exchange year.
What is your favorite TV show?
My favorite TV show is “Friends”. My best friend introduced it to me and I haven’t stopped watching it since.

Jawad

Where are you from?
I’m from Petra, Jordan
What do you do?
I’m a 3rd year architecture student at The University of Jordan.
What are your hobbies?
I love drawing and skateboarding but I don’t skateboard so often.
What is your favorite place in Amman?
My favorite place in Amman is this viewpoint in Abdoun, I mostly love it because not many people go there and the view is amazing.
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
I like listening to Arab Rap, one of my favorite artists is Shabjdeed.
What is your favorite TV show?
I’m not really into TV shows, but some of my favorite movies are “Interstellar” and “Capernaum”.

Sima Sweidat

Where are you from?
Amman, Jordan
What do you do?
I’m a fourth year law student at the University of Jordan.
What are your hobbies?
Making jewelry, watching movies, walking, reading.
What is your favorite place in Amman?
Downtown Amman
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
Lewis Capaldi
What is your favorite TV show?
”The Handmaiden’s Tale”

From Tunisia

Youssef Kanaan

Hello, I'm a student of Computer Science currently working at a Civil Society Organization focused on education and cultural exchange. My main interests are promoting educational opportunities, professional development, and public health. In my free time, I enjoy a good game of football, reading and learning about other countries and cultures. I had an amazing experience participating in Education Abroad programs because I got to learn new things and share my culture with other people.

From Morocco

Lamiaâ Semmar

Where are you from?
I'm from Morocco
What do you do?
I'm a student, activist, and freelancer. I received my BA in communications in 2020 and am currently pursuing my master's degree in the same field. I've spent the last two years volunteering with various non-profit organizations, particularly those focused on youth and women empowerment, and my long-term goal is to work as a communications manager in the non-profit sector.
What are your hobbies?
I enjoy painting, listening to music, and learning about different cultures, so I believe these are my hobbies.
What is your favorite place in Rabat?
My favorite spot in Rabat is the Loudaya Café, which has a stunning natural view. It's a lovely and tranquil setting in which to enjoy a cup of mint tea while reading a book or having a deep conversation with a close friend.
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
I enjoy a wide range of music styles, and my styles vary according to my mood, so I don't have a favorite musician or band.
What is your favorite TV show?
I don't have a favorite TV show.

Annas Eddiouri

Where are you from?
I'm from Morocco.
What do you do?
I am a student at Mohammed V University in Rabat. I study Arabic because I want to become a teacher in the future.
What are your hobbies?
My favorite hobbies are swimming and reading books.
What is your favorite place in Rabat?
My favorite places in Rabat are Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Chellah, Medina of Rabat, Hassan Tower.
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
My favorite song is Liberté and my favorite musician is Saed Elmjred.
What is your favorite TV show?
My favorite TV show is “Rachid Chow”.

Ismail Riteb

Where are you from?
I live in Morocco, Salé City.
What do you do?
I study English studies at University for the second year, and I work part-time as an exams administrator.
What are your hobbies?
I like playing guitar, listening to music and boxing.
What is your favorite place in Rabat?
El wdaya
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
Ya zina diri atay is one of my favorite songs.
What is your favorite TV show?
Stand up (Comedy)

Meriern El Qasry

Where are you from?
I'm from Morocco
What do you do?
I'm working towards a master’s degree in renewable energy
What are your hobbies?
Traveling, sports and reading books
What is your favorite place in Rabat?
I love both Cafe la Peniche and Chellah.
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
Ya zina
What is your favorite TV show?
”Catch Me if You Can”

Mouna Namane

Where are you from?
I'm from Morocco, and I live in Temara, Rabat.
What do you do?
I'm studying for a BA in English language at ENS (Ecole Normale Superieur) at Mohammed 5 University in Rabat. In other words, I'm training to be a teacher; however, my goals and dreams are more than that. I want to be a professor at university as well as have my own school. For that reason, I'm working smarter and harder.
What are your hobbies?
As far as my hobbies are concerned, I extremely love reading, not just in my free time, instead I free my time for it. Sometimes, I enjoy going jogging. And I absolutely love hanging out with my friends. I also adore cooking. It's a passion for me. In fact, it is my region of bliss and a sweet consoler, too. I like taking photos and making designs. I love travelling and learning about other cultures.
What is your favorite place in Rabat?
As I live in Rabat, I have many refuges and favorite places, which I can hardly choose from, but I dare say that my favorite place in Rabat is in front of the parliament because it brings to me calmness and I become able to refresh my mind, spirit and hope. I feel like it infuses me with the stamina to work harder on my goals and many other things that time doesn't allow me to mention.
What’s your favorite song or musician/band?
I'm not a music lover. That's why I don't have a very preferred song, but in general I like the classical Arabic ones and some modern ones.
What’s your favorite TV show?
My current favorite TV show is “The Ellen Show”.

Nourhanne Amine

Where are you from?
I’m Moroccan, I live in Temara.
What do you do?
I got my masters degree in chemistry in Rabat and I like teaching and sharing information, so I decided to be a teacher of physics and chemistry. I am particularly excited to see the glow on the student’s faces when they accomplish even the smallest task. I love to assist lower achieving students in gaining confidence and improving their academic performance and behavior.
What are your hobbies?
I like travelling and discovering a new place and culture, also music and swimming.
What is your favorite place in Rabat?
My favorite place in Rabat is Bourgrag and Restaurant Dar Naji, Dhow, Yamal Acham and Marina Salé.
What is your favorite song or musician/band?
My favorite song is Montero, My Heart Stereo and the Nights.
What is your favorite TV show?
I like “Descendants of the Sun”, “Forgotten” and “La Casa de Papel”.