Yusuf’s goal with learning Arabic was simple: to connect with his Tunisian family, who don’t speak any English. Yusuf was born in Britain to a Tunisian father, but growing up, they never spoke much Tunsi. Last year, at 19 years old, Yusuf decided to reconnect with his heritage and began taking Tunsi classes at WALI.
After shopping around for different schools, Yusuf liked that WALI was centrally located than the others. Additionally, WALI offered classes all summer, which other institutes did not. He pulled the trigger, and, after taking a month of classes in 2024, he came back for more.
One of the main reasons Yusuf returned to WALI is the extensive resources that the institute offers.
“As a dialect, Tunisian is not as organized, and there aren’t as many resources,” he says. “So the institute was very helpful in that regard.”
Additionally, he felt that the quality of teaching exceeded his expectations.
“The teachers are very personable—you can actually become friends with them,” he says.
Yusuf says the hardest part of learning Arabic wasn’t the language itself, but the fact that he had never studied a foreign language before.
“The English education system doesn’t force you to learn a second language like other European countries,” he says. “So Tunsi is the first language I’m actually trying to become fluent in.”
Although Tunsi’s novel alphabet and distinct sentence structure are challenging, Yusuf thoroughly enjoys their complexity.
“It’s a completely different system, but I think that makes it even more rewarding to learn,” he explains.
Through learning Tunsi, Yusuf has felt himself growing closer to his culture. Whereas before, he felt like an outsider, he identifies with Tunisia a bit more every day.
“Less and less people think I’m not Tunisian when I speak, which is a good feeling,” he says. “I feel like I blend in more.”
Additionally, Yusuf lives with his aunt and uncle, who he says often notice his progress more than he does.
“My family are the ones telling me how much I’ve progressed,” he says. “Even after just two weeks, they said they really noticed a difference.”
This year, Yusuf has especially enjoyed the social aspect of WALI. He found it easy to organize adventures with other students, like traditional barbecues and day trips in a rented car.
“Last year, there was just one person in my age range,” he says. “But this year there’s like a lot, which is great. It’s been really fun meeting new people and going on day trips.”
Yusuf is proud of his progress, and after just two summers of classes, he is forming personal connections with family members who were once near strangers. Looking ahead, Yusuf has ambitious plans for Tunsi.
“One day, I would like to live a period of my life here,” he says. “It’s really a great culture, great people.”
As for the challenges that await, Yusuf has one piece of advice for himself and others: “Go for it.”
“It’s going to take a while, but with the right teachers, you can definitely do it,” he says. “It’s very rewarding learning such a language that’s so different—you just have to go for it.”