Year 2026
My NVICairo Experience - Eva Bremers (BA student, University of Amsterdam, NVIC student Spring 2026)
Introduce yourself! What did you study at your home university and what made you choose to come to NVIC for your study abroad?
I am a student of the Bachelor's programme in Arabic Language and Culture at the University of Amsterdam. After the first year of my bachelor's, I had two options: a major in Middle Eastern Studies or a major in Arabic Language. Although I already had a strong preference for the Arabic major beforehand, the including compulsory semester at NVIC was what ultimately decided it. Spending a semester following intensive classes at NVIC, sharing my passion for the Arabic language with fellow students, and being able to practise my speaking skills with locals outside of school seemed like a wonderful opportunity that I could not pass up!
Describe your average day as a student at NVIC
The teaching days at NVIC are fairly intensive, but the warm atmosphere in class keeps it from feeling like a long day filled with nothing but lessons. After surviving Cairo's morning traffic and arriving at the NVIC, where the amn (building caretakers or security guards) greet you with a friendly smile and "ṣabāḥ al-khayr" (good morning), you usually attend two to three classes a day. Between classes, there is always time for a cup of tea or a walk around the neighbourhood to pick up your favourite Egyptian sandwich. After class, you can easily get home by Uber or metro, unless you end up staying just a little too long petting the institute's adorable cats. It is also nice to get some exercise after an intensive day of classes, whether that means rowing lessons on the Nile or a pleasant walk along the Corniche. Of course, you also need to leave some time for homework, after which you can reward yourself with a nice dinner out with friends.
What was your favorite thing about being in Cairo for a semester? Did anything surprise you?
Some claim that New York is "the city that never sleeps"; they have probably never been to Cairo. Whereas shops in the Netherlands close at 5 pm, it seems as though shops in Cairo never close. You can always find a place open for a coffee, or something fun to do. I was surprised that a day in Cairo is never wasted, because everything stays open until late, the days never feel like they are only filled with obligations but there is also always room to do something enjoyable.
Cairo can also feel overwhelming at times, but believe me, there is a certain logic to it once you get used to it. You might feel a bit swept up at first by the chaos and the constant honking of traffic around you, but a few weeks later you barely notice it anymore, and you are almost surprised when an Uber driver does not honk at a red light.
What types of things did you learn in class?
Because of my major in Arabic Language, my classes consisted almost entirely of language skills. From reading to writing, listening, and speaking, but also media classes in which you learn useful terminology and suddenly find yourself able to follow Arabic news on TV. Whereas the UvA focuses on Modern Standard Arabic, it was great to have a strong focus at NVIC on mastering and speaking the Egyptian dialect. Through interactive lessons, you notice increasing progress. The teachers provide useful tools to help you formulate and use sentences more easily in daily life. Whereas at the beginning you might have struggled to talk about your weekend, by the end of the semester you can more fluently describe how you saw a man dressed in a giant gorilla suit jumping up and down, dancing in a square.
How do you think your time at NVIC will help you in your career path?
Aside from all the experiences you gain in Cairo that stay with you for life, you learn to think in terms of solutions, a skill that is valuable in any career. In a conversation where you cannot fully understand each other, where my Arabic is not good enough and the Egyptian I am speaking with does not speak English, that is no reason not to have a conversation. You learn to be resourceful and try to understand each other creatively. For instance, I try to express myself in my best Arabic, sometimes with gestures, or by imitating the sound of the object I am looking for. And the local will often give me plenty of compliments for my attempt at Arabic, even if he did not understand a word of it.
This kind of resourcefulness, learning to find a way even when the obvious path does not work, is, in my opinion, an important skill for your future career, and for life in general. The first obstacle you encounter is never a lost cause; there is always a solution or another way, even if it is not always what you expected.
Did you travel in Egypt? Where did you go and what was your favourite spot?
Egypt has many beautiful places! We went on a school trip to Alexandria, a magnificent city full of history, and of course the stunning blue sea, which offered a bit of calm in contrast to the bustle of Cairo. However, Siwa, an oasis town, surprised me enormously. A beautiful place full of nature, delicious food, and very friendly people. I went there with a few classmates during one of the breaks, and the vacation actually started already on the night bus. First driving through busy Cairo, gradually leaving the busy city behind, and after a few hours of travelling, watching the sunrise while driving in the middle of nowhere, with nothing and no one around you. Siwa has beautiful nature and mountains to explore, as well as a desert. We took a jeep trip through the desert. Driving down the sand dunes (at quite some speed…), and making several stops to go sandboarding or drink a cup of tea made by the driver at sunset. The oases in Siwa are also impressive, where you float effortlessly in the salt water.
I highly recommend visiting Siwa, it was one of the best times of my life!
Would you recommend this programme to other students? Why?
For sure! The programme at NVIC really offers a chance to improve your Arabic. Of course through the interactive classes, but also because the learning never stops outside the school walls. Since you find yourself in a country where the language is spoken and virtually everything is written in Arabic, you are constantly engaging with the language. Studying at NVIC is about much more than just improving your language skills; it introduces you to an entirely new culture and way of life. It is enriching not only for your language skills, but also for everyday life.
Do you have any tips for incoming students?
Do not let the hustle and bustle of Cairo overwhelm you too much. It might all feel a bit intense at first, but believe me, after a while you will get used to it, and secretly even come to love it a little.
