Bolles upper school Arabic teacher Sara Phillips-Bourass hosted an interactive session for students in Arabic levels 1, 2 and 4 on December 11, connecting classroom learning with real-world conversation. The event was organized through Natakallam and supported by Teens of Color Abroad.

Students prepared questions in advance and practiced their Arabic skills during a video conference with Hadiya, a guest speaker originally from Syria who is now living in the Netherlands after resettling as a refugee. Following the virtual Q&A, Hadiya gave a presentation in English about her experience.

After her hometown of Qamishli was invaded by the Islamic State, she and her family fled to Erbil, Iraq, where they spent several years in a refugee camp. When plans to resettle elsewhere fell through, her husband made the journey alone to the Netherlands, successfully claimed asylum and later filed for family reunification. Hadiya and her two children were eventually able to join him. A former social worker with a degree in English Literature, she enjoys reading, basketball and Zumba and brings energy and compassion to her work as a teacher.

Level 2 student Zain Mujtaba ’26 called the experience “eye-opening,” adding that it reinforced the importance of gratitude and resilience. Level 4 student Charlotte Joseph ’26 said the session highlighted “how important learning languages can be when understanding new cultures and experiences.” #BollesGlobal