Bloggers

  • Abbadi Sawsan


  • Jordan: First Gate of our Biblical Pilgrimage!

    Jordan: First Gate of our Biblical Pilgrimage!

    March 25th, 2022

    by Abbadi Sawsan

    My name is Jacob Habib and I’m majoring in Film& Media Studies and learning Arabic at Loyola. I got the chance to spend three wonderful days in Jordan, in Wadi Rum and Petra, as a connection to my family’s religious pilgrimage trip to Palestine as we were following in the footsteps of the Bible. Please […]


    “Not Just Another Tourist!

    “Not Just Another Tourist!

    March 1st, 2022

    by Abbadi Sawsan

    My time here in Egypt was definitely one to remember. My name is Jacob Habib and I’m majoring in Film and learning Arabic at Loyola. My father is originally from “sporting”, a suburb of Alexandria in Egypt. I got the opportunity to go with my family to explore my heritage and experience the country. My […]


    A Gym of Egypt: Muhammad Ali Mosque!

    A Gym of Egypt: Muhammad Ali Mosque!

    April 23rd, 2021

    by Abbadi Sawsan

    marHaba! My name is Taha Din and I am currently a second semester senior majoring in History with minors in both Classical Studies and Arabic. I am super grateful for my time at Loyola and I learned so much. Cherish it all because it will fly by! Just over a year ago, I was lucky […]


    A Ferry to the Blue City: Chefchaouen, Morocco

    A Ferry to the Blue City: Chefchaouen, Morocco

    February 26th, 2021

    by Abbadi Sawsan

    My name is Myah Wells and I am a rising junior at Loyola. I am a double major in psychology and Spanish and a double minor in psychology of crime and justice and Arabic. One of my favorite parts of my second study abroad experience was spending a weekend in Morocco with one of my […]


    Perspective Shift: Tranquility & Trust in Tunisia

    Perspective Shift: Tranquility & Trust in Tunisia

    September 1st, 2020

    by Abbadi Sawsan

    Aslema! My name is Katie James and I just recently graduated from Loyola with a BA in Political Science and a BA in Global and International Studies, and minors in Arabic and Islamic World Studies. In the spring of 2019, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Tunisia through the School for International Training. […]


    Volunteering with “Youth for Jordan”: A Chance to Connect!

    Volunteering with “Youth for Jordan”: A Chance to Connect!

    April 28th, 2020

    by Abbadi Sawsan

    My name is Nabil Ahmed, and I’m a sophomore at Loyola studying Neuroscience on the pre-med track. Two summers ago, I traveled to Jordan with an organization called Helping Hand, through the program “Youth for Jordan”. Through this, I got to spend one week in Jordan to help and interact with Syrian refugees and orphans, […]


    Arabic, Qur’an and Civic Engagement: A Case from WISE!

    Arabic, Qur’an and Civic Engagement: A Case from WISE!

    January 24th, 2020

    by Abbadi Sawsan

    With appreciation to the generous support of Modern Languages and Literatures at Loyola University Chicago, it was a pleasure to be invited to participate as a guest in Qur’anic Arabic lessons and activities at World Islamic Sciences and Education University (WISE) in Amman, Jordan.  Arabic is one of the formally recognized languages of the UN and […]


    Arabic and Turkish: Tidbits of Excellence, Gratitude & Humility

    Arabic and Turkish: Tidbits of Excellence, Gratitude & Humility

    June 20th, 2019

    by Abbadi Sawsan

    With deep gratitude to Liebentritt Faculty Development Award last year that funded my visit to Istanbul- a gateway to a magical spiritual, linguistic, and sociocultural beautiful city, I’m following up in this blog with a few reflections. Our Arabic program at Loyola takes pride in synthesizing the micro and macro worlds of the teacher and […]


    Arabic and Jesuits: Encounters in Egypt

    Arabic and Jesuits: Encounters in Egypt

    January 17th, 2019

    by Abbadi Sawsan

    My name is William Manaker, and I’m a Jesuit studying in the English MA program at Loyola. This past summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Egypt and spend six weeks doing intensive Arabic study. I arrived in Cairo just after the Eid al-Fitr at the close of Ramadan. During my time in Cairo, I […]


    Ibn Haldun University: Arabic Immersion In Istanbul

    Ibn Haldun University: Arabic Immersion In Istanbul

    November 7th, 2018

    by Abbadi Sawsan

    With deep gratitude to Liebentritt Faculty Development Award, I was able to visit a rising intensive Arabic program in Istanbul Turkey, rooted within a vibrant city rich in centuries old religious, cultural, and linguistic heritage.  This blog shares a few insights about the Arabic Program at Ibn Haldun University; a rigorous program for Arabic language […]