Eman Al-Salem learned Turkish starting from the beginner level all the way to fluent

Eman Al-Salem          -Photo by Abdullah Al-Sherif

KUWAIT: Salwa's public library hosted a Turkish course Sunday evening. Instructor Imrah Orhan offered attendees an introductory lesson on the Turkish alphabet and basic grammar. Turkish is a popular language to learn in Kuwait, with many locals and expatriates traveling to the nearby Middle Eastern country for holidays all year round. Turkish entertainment, especially serials, are widely popular with Arab audiences and knowing a bit of the language helps further that enjoyment.

During the workshop, I had the pleasure of meeting a young, tenacious Kuwaiti woman named Eman Al-Salem who has assiduously worked her way up the six levels of Turkish - from beginner to fluent. She attended the Salwa library event, arriving before anyone else to get a good seat and prepare for the lesson. The young lady even enrolled herself in a special language course in Turkey in order to improve her skills and earn certification officially as a Turkish speaker. The following are excerpts from my interview with her:

Kuwait Times: What attracted you to learn Turkish?

Eman: The language is beautiful! It is so close to Arabic ears. It is not far from our language. We share a lot of common words and phrases. Given the fact that it is very much used in social media, I can say that learning it will be a piece of cake.

KT: Was learning Turkish in Turkey a difficult challenge?

Eman: No, it is quite the opposite. It was really fun and educational at the same time. And I would like to thank my teacher and my colleagues from all different ethnicities. We all had a common goal and that it is to learn Turkish. Also, I am grateful for the hospitality of the Turkish people.

KT: Did your view of the Turkish society change after you learned the language?

Eman: They are highly educated and civilized and very proud of their language, that they will assist everyone who wants to learn their mother tongue.

KT: Do you advise Kuwaiti women to learn in Turkey? Or is it enough that they learn it in Kuwait?

Eman: Kuwait's education is no less important than Turkey's, however it is more powerful to learn a language in its own country of origin.

KT: What is your response to the stereotypical views about racism in Turkey for Arabic ethnicities?

Eman: As I have said before, everyone is responsible for their action and attitude. There is no country that it a utopia.

by Jeri Al-Jeri