Marhaba Dubai! Global learning in a multicultural hub with over 200 nationalities

BBA 2017 Jaguar Vashish Roopun, who hails from Mauritius, writes what makes Dubai a great city for global learning and his student experience as part of the tri-city program and shares the top 10 Arabic survival phrases he picked up from his Arabic classes at SP Jain School of Global Management’s Dubai campus. Better read on and start practising!

Marhaba Dubai - Vashish Roopun

Submerged by the pride of being a Mauritian, an islander, after all, is an essence that cannot be lost even if you cross borders or fly miles away from. But having the right acceptance attitude towards other cultures is indeed one of our assets; to adapt and to rejoice the change of environments.

My first year in Singapore has, without a doubt, cropped a part of my heart. Delving into our second year is totally different to what I encountered before. Dubai is a city with its own stories. If you really want to go for the extravagant, for the unexpected, to go beyond the limits, Dubai is undoubtedly the right city. It’s one of the Middle Eastern cities that is quite liberal and tolerant of all cultures and regions. Home to over 205 nationalities, Dubai is indeed a global city, making it a cultural melting pot.

Marhaba for the locals, and a warm welcome for us foreigners, you’ll never realise how hospitable and friendly are the Emirati until you step into the city.

It’s a feel-home factor that’s going to really make you embrace the culture and the way of living. From our global learning visits and student life experiences, it is evident that despite its rapid modernisation, the Emiratis still hold on to their culture and traditions in their daily life. At SP Jain, we also got the opportunity to learn some Arabic, which is a beauty on its own as a language. I’ll be looking forward to living 2019 to the fullest in Dubai. I’m hoping that Dubai will also leave its footprints – the most memorable ones.

Arabic Survival Phrases

Here are the top 10 easy everyday Arabic phrases for a non-Arabic speaker which I learnt in our Arabic Language Club at SP Jain’s Dubai campus.

hal tataHaddath al'ingiliiziyya?- Do you speak English?
anaa ataHaddath faqaT qaliil min aläarabiyya.- I only speak a little Arabic.
maa ismuk?- What is your name?
ismii <insert name>.- My name is <insert name>.
kayfa Haluk?- How are you?
naäam. - Yes.
laa. - No.
min faDlik.- Please.
shukran.- Thank you
äafwan.- You're welcome.

About the author

Vashish Roopun (BBA Sep'17)

Vashish Roopun is a second-year undergraduate student (September 2017 intake) at SP Jain School of Global Management. He is a gold awardee of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the world's leading youth achievement honour. Besides exploring new adventures, Vashish is always looking forward to discovering different cultures and relating them to his passion for the world of business and politics.