[Unpad.ac.id, 3/09/2013] Ali Munawar, an Arabic department student Faculty of Arts (FIB), is to leave for Morocco on a scholarship program to take part in the Course of Standard Arabic in Wa Lawh Center for Arabic Studies, Rabat, Morocco, from September 9 to November 12.
“In the beginning I wasn’t so sure that I would get elected to represent Indonesia at the international event. What’s more, I was surprised to find that I would study Arabic together with 8 students coming from prominent universities worldwide,” said he. In addition to learning the language, Munawar will be given lessons on how to make Middle Eastern cuisines and to study its arts and traditions.
Munawar admitted that he almost missed the opportunity due to incomplete reference letters that he was supposed to send along with his application for the program. It was necessary that each applicant send three reference letters from his/her Arabic teachers or professors. But Munawar sent only two reference letters. However, it turned out that the reference letters he had sent were deemed sufficient by the committee. Munawar wanted to take the opportunity to find enough data for his upcoming thesis. He also wanted to study French since French is also widely spoken in the Morocco.
Stepping out of his comfort zone has become his very motivation to finally accomplish what he has been aiming. According to him, a student must be able to challenge him/herself to excel. “I always believed that I can always make my dream come true,” Munawar concluded.
