My name is Jinanne, and until a few years ago, I wasn’t a big fan of Arabic. I grew up in Scotland, and just like every other Arab I’ve met who grew up overseas, learning Arabic was a struggle. I didn’t have access to fun Arabic books or cartoons. I didn’t have access to Arabic board games or video games. I did have access to a community-run Arabic school I attended every weekend, but let’s face it, giving up a weekend of play to learn intensive Arabic? Not fun!

During my high school years, my family moved to the gulf. Finally living in a world where my Arabic was put to use everyday made me thankful that my family and community back in Scotland had worked so hard to give me a foundation in the language. But I still struggled. Arabic was my least favorite class in school, I was embarrassed to read out loud and ashamed of my childish handwriting. I still find it funny that my work and passion today has stemmed from something I once disliked so much (and wasn’t very good at)!

I have made it my mission to try to change the way future generations experience and learn the Arabic language. I believe there is a need for the very best Arabic educational tools to be made available to every family living in non-Arab regions. I believe our children should feel proud to be Arab. I believe this has never been as important as it is today. As the world grows closer and boundaries disappear, it becomes increasingly important to understand our culture and our language.

I would love to hear your thoughts or your own stories. Email me at jinanne.tabra@araboh.com.