Arabic Learning: Visit and converse with an Egyptian family

The legacy of Egypt precedes its name because of its ancient-rooted culture. Yet, the Arab nation’s heritage has naturally evolved to include more contemporary values and ideas. When you want to learn about the culture of a country or a region, there’s nothing better than interacting with the people of the land. During this session, on behalf of our host, we invite you to visit the home of a native Egyptian who shows us around his house and introduces us to his family. 

Although the country has a size of roughly 1 million sq. km, only 3% of Egypt is inhabited, the remaining 93% is desert. Which is probably why the nation seems overpopulated with a population of 100 million. Yet, Egyptian family sizes can be quite varied. Large families, sometimes with 10 children, were common during the reign of President Nasser. In 1956, he redistributed the land among the Egyptian people, who then wanted to retain the land within their families. But eventually, such land holdings reduced and with it, family sizes too. Nevertheless, it’s not uncommon for grown individuals to continue staying with their parents until marriage, and sometimes after too.

Our host begins the tour in his expansive backyard where he grows a variety of produce throughout the year including maize, molokhia (a local leaf used in their soups), clover and guava. Such farmland, he says, is popular among many families living in the villages of Greater Cairo. As he welcomes us to his cosy home, we are welcomed by his family and children who seem excited to meet us. We are shown around the reception or what is typically called the living room, the kitchen, the dining area and the bedrooms. 

Along with learning about Egyptian culture and heritage, this session is a wonderful opportunity for children to test their Arabic skills and ask plenty of questions to the host and his family about the significance of various things seen around his snug little home.