Testimonial by Jeremy Allen

I initially signed up for ASPIRANTUM’s Persian Summer School with the anticipation that the program would function as a continuation of my University Persian course. I hoped that I would be able to solidify the material that I had learnt over the course of the winter while gaining some new insights as well into grammar and vocab. My expectations were not just met but vastly exceeded.

The course itself – I participated in the 3 week program – was led by an excellent qualified instructor. We were continuously provided feedback in class and on homework assignments. Besides lectures and covering workbook exercises, we also had the opportunity to work on our comprehension through listening to songs and poetry.

Coordinating travel to, from, and within Armenia was extremely easy thanks to the continually available assistance from the program coordinator Khachik. At one point, at the end of the program, I contacted Khachik in the middle night trying to find the best transit route between Stepanakert and Yerevan and he responded almost immediately.

Every weekend Khachik and the other ASPIRANTUM staff would set up an excursion for the students. These excursions were all excellent and provided a broad tour of Armenia’s rich history and culture. The classes and excursions were complemented by an amiable cohort of peers, whom I’m very fortunate to have met.

I would highly recommend ASPIRANTUM’s Persian Language summer school as well as the other language schools organized by them. While I may have stumbled across the program somewhat accidentally, I’m so glad I did. I look forward to perhaps one day taking part in another summer school in Yerevan.