Hebah Nigm takes us on her journey growing up in an Egyptian immigrant family in Vienna, Austria, and learning to speak 6 languages fluently by age 23. She explains how her passion for language learning developed through her interest in other cultures and world travel. She reflects on her own identity, being torn between cultures, and not being fully accepted in either Austria or Egypt. By contrast, she reflects on the stability and consistency of her Muslim identity, and her ability to connect with people across cultures, borders and languages through Islam. She then reflects on her international travels to Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ceuta in North Africa, Finland, Switzerland, Canada and the U.S. She shares on her safety precautions, the importance of travel planning, and provides tips for other Muslim women travelers. Hebah then talks about foreign language learning and why it’s important to begin with a self-assessment to understand what type of language learner you are. She explains the importance of exposing yourself to the language as much as possible and gives tips on how to refine your accent by carefully listening to the sounds, intonation and melody of the language. And, finally, she talks about her YouTube channel, “Hebah’s Rollercoaster”, where she shares language-learning tips, insights from her world travels, and reflections on race, gender and her Muslim identity. FULL SHOW NOTES AVAILABLE AT: www.TheMaverickShow.com
Episode #121: Hebah Nigm on Speaking 6 Languages Fluently by Age 23, Grounding Her Identity in Islam and Traveling the World as a Hijabi
Episode Summary
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About the Guest
Hebah Nigm
Hebah Nigm is a foreign language teacher, polyglot and world traveler. Born in Vienna, Austria to an Egyptian immigrant family, Hebah has a degree in translation and interpretation as well as a Master’s degree in teaching and education. She learned to speak 6 languages fluently by age 23—Arabic, Turkish, German, French, Spanish and English. Hebah also works in a program which aims at redressing inequalities in education and creating a path towards equal educational opportunities for all children and adolescents – regardless of their social status or family situation. Hebah has now traveled to over 20 countries and uses these experiences to encourage her students to be courageous and to go out and explore the world themselves. On her YouTube channel “Hebah’s Rollercoaster” she shares her insights from traveling the world as a practicing Muslim and hijabi, her tips on language learning, as well as her personal experiences growing up between cultures and her reflections on race, gender and her Muslim identity.
What You'll Learn
- How to learn languages faster by assessing what type of language learner you are
- How to refine your accent in various languages and speak more like a local
- Tips for traveling the world as a Muslim and a hijabi
Links From the Episode
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CHECK OUT HEBAH’S YOUTUBE CHANEL
#1 BOOK HEBAH RECOMMENDS
PEOPLE WITH WHOM HEBAH WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DINNER
LOCATION WHERE THE INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE
TOP 3 FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
TOP 3 BUCKET LIST DESTINATIONS
OTHER PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
CONTACT AND FOLLOW HEBAH
Time Stamped Show Notes
**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.
[4:01] Growing up in Vienna with Egyptian-Immigrant parents
- Growing up between cultures
- Developing her interest in foreign languages and world travel
[8:30] Learning 6 languages fluently by Age 23
- Learning languages both at school and outside of the classroom
- Surrounding herself with people who speak the language she is learning
- Desiring to communicate with Turkish immigrants in their native language
[12:50] Spending time in Turkey
- Immersing herself with locals and speaking with a native accent
[15:49] Reflections on cultural identity and going back to Egypt
- Being torn between cultures and not fully belonging in Egypt or Austria
[17:58] Hebah’s Muslim Identity
- Her ability to connect with people across cultures and languages through Islam
[20:00] Reflections on her pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina
[21:42] Spending time in Ceuta
- Historical context, cultural and religious diversity
[26:35] Learning more about yourself through travel
[27:32] Hebah’s experience in Finland
[29:42] Reflections on traveling the world as a Muslim women
- The importance of travel planning
- Hebah’s tips for other Muslim women travelers
- Hebah’s safety precautions when entering the US for the first time
[37:14] What travel means to Hebah
[39:12] Foreign Language Learning
- Hebah’s reflections on classroom learning
- Understanding the 4 learning types
- The importance of self-assessment and developing your own learning process
- Exposing yourself to the language as much as possible
- Accent refinement through listening to the sounds, intonation and melody of a language
[48:52] “Hebah’s Rollercoaster” YouTube Channel
- Hebah’s video content
- Hebah’s goals with her YouTube Channel
[51:20] The Lightning Round
- #1 Book Hebah Recommends
- Top 2 People with whom Hebah would like to have dinner
- Advice Hebah would give to her 18 year old self
- Top 3 favorite travel destinations
- Top 3 bucket list destinations
[55:25] Contact Hebah
