Al-Otaibi Dialect with Dr. Wafa Al-Otaibi! اللهجة العتيبية

https://youtu.be/2neD9l9w3RU Let's chat about another Saudi dialect! Hello everyone! As some of you may know, my Arabic nickname is "Hessah Al-Otaibi" (حصة العتيبي).In this video, we chat about nuances that set apart Al-Otaibi "dialect" from other Najdi dialects of Arabic. For those of you new to Arabic--know that there are many, many different dialects and "Najdi" refers to a family of dialects in a region of Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and the surrounding areas). It's not easy…

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Eastern Saudi Dialect with Khaled! اللهجة الشرقاوية

https://youtu.be/Ik1cWJ2hYVA Let's chat about Saudi dialects! Hello everyone!   Happy Friday! I was fortunate to sit down with my friend Khaled for another chat -- this time about a particular Saudi dialect- Sharqawi (اللهجة الشرقاوية). As some of you know, there are many, many different Arabic dialects. Even within a single country you're likely to find multiple dialects/regional accents/cool idioms and proverbs. I'm hoping this dialect vid is the first of many--partly because I geek out at…

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Arabic Keyboards for Mac and PC–which layout do you choose?

https://youtu.be/L0jv-yKXzKs Last week I finally gave in and got more RAM Hello everyone!   Happy Friday! In this video, we talk about Arabic keyboards. I recently got a new desktop computer and decided to put Arabic letters on the keys.Fortunately, Amazon helps us out with lots of options for different computer types and keyboard layout options. Here are the two I refer to in the vid:Arabic keyboard stickers: https://amzn.to/3eTBiPXMacbook overlay I used: https://amzn.to/3vFJtFt Hope you enjoy! As always,…

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Learning Arabic in the Middle East: chat with Emily Naz

  • Post category:Video

https://youtu.be/k-9u8OiQpq4 I initially met Emily Naz a few months ago. She reached out to me on Instagram to ask if I'd be okay doing an Insta Live session about Arabic, my experience in Dubai, etc. etc. -- I had a blast and was impressed by her enthusiasm for the language...so much so that I knew we had to sit down for another session.Emily Naz is a grad student from upstate NY. She is currently enrolled…

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Arabic Tattoos, Poetry, Dialects, and Tips for Learners! With Dr. Kevin Blankinship

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https://youtu.be/MF4TRoNyFX8 I tend to get excited about other non-native Arabic speakers. Today's guest was no exception!  I actually discovered Dr. Kevin Blankinship when I Googled "Arabic tattoos" (just checking how my video was doing)...an article from The Atlantic came up about the topic, I found him on Twitter, and the rest is...well, in the video above! In this chat we discuss Arabic tattoos, poetry, travel in the Middle East, the poet Al-Mutanabbi, and so much MORE!…

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The Arabic Quotes in my Home and What They Mean

The 40 Rules of Love by Elif Shafak is one of my all-time favorite books.  I read it in Arabic & English and cried both times. So much wisdom in there...and when you read the title "40 Rules of Love" - it may sound like a sappy romance novel. It's not that kind of love...(to quote Oprah's talk at Stanford) "but the kind of love that really counts, the kind of love that when everything…

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“I Want Be Your Dog” and Other WEIRD Messages I’ve Received

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https://youtu.be/KoQ62PF8i4o Over the years, I've accumulated a number of interesting messages from Snapchat/Instagram viewers. Today I'm going to share some of my favorite/noteworthy messages with you. I'm grateful for the admiration, humbled by the poetry, and nonplussed at the multiple requests to be my dog. Hope you enjoy!  As always, please LIKE and SUB <3  Love, Shannon Liked the vid? Subscribe to my Youtube Channel here! Reading one of these gems Comments? Questions? Tips for…

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Want to Work ABROAD? Check out my chat with Arjoon Bose of General Mills

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https://youtu.be/_glCqv0VR9k Arjoon Bose has a very cool job.... As the head of Marketing-Culture and Brand Experience (Europe & Australasia) at General Mills, he works out of London but liaises with teams all over the region. He kindly agreed to chat with us about his journey working abroad--from L'Oreal in India to Paris to London to General Mills, Bose has gone from face creams to ice creams and everything in between.  Some takeaways for those hoping to…

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Addressing the Backlash re: Sara’s Story

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As an ex-Mormon, I can relate... Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well!As some of you may know (if you follow my personal instagram), yesterday's video led to a few interesting comments:The one in Arabic reads (roughly): You too? Don't talk, no one cares. I also got this message: Clearly, some people were upset that I posted a video that included a conversation about divorce rules in Saudi Arabia. I got a sense that they felt…

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