Yesterday my Arabic 101 class had a trip to the Al-Iman School and the Islamic Association of Raleigh and I really enjoyed both.

I was lucky to be able to go, my lifetime fitness instructor was understanding and allowed me to attend another section of the class to do the scheduled lab.

First, we met with the principal of the school and took a tour, where we were able to meet with the principal and some of the teachers, talked a little with some of the children in the younger classes (Pre-K, Kindergarden, and 1st Graders).. who we found out were all far more advanced in Arabic than we are at this point.. and their books have better pictures too!

The school meets all of the NC standards requirements as far as curriculum, etc, but in addition it teaches the students how to read and write in Arabic, and as many Christian schools do, incorporates religion into their curriculum. Overall it seemed like a positive experience for the children.. The class sizes were small and each had more than one instructor, ensuring that each student would have plenty of personal attention.

The school was decorated by artwork made by the various classes, much of which was about Ramadan.

Afterward, we walked to the Islamic Center of Raleigh and were given a presentation on Islam, what it means to be Muslim, how they incorporate Islamic principles into their every day life, culture, and were able to ask questions. We were given assurances that our questions wouldn't offend anyone and we shouldn't hold back if there was anything we ever wanted to ask a Muslim or wanted to know about Islam..

Both were interesting and informative experiences and I'm definitely glad I was able to attend. I'll be posting pictures in the Gallery soon.

We have another event coming up, where we'll attend Iftar at Professor Isleem's house this Thursday.. which I'm excited about.