Congrats on finishing language school! That’s quite an accomplishment. As you go out into the wide world, keep these things in mind:

(1) Use it or Lose it. If you don’t put in effort to maintain your Arabic, it will fade. Spend time practicing, learning new things, talking to locals. There are many ideas on this site for how to do so, but be creative in finding ways to grow!

(2) This is only the beginning. Spending a year or two at a language institute or program really just gives you the basis to be able to continue learning. There are many aspects of Arabic that you still need to learn. Think through what topics you might be less comfortable in (Hospitals? Work environment emails and communication? Discussing parenting?) and intentionally work on getting practice in those. Learning Arabic is a lifelong pursuit. 

(3) Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking. These are the four basic aspects of language… All four of these skills have a place in helping you grow, so it’s helpful to focus on each one. Reading and Listening are passive skills, meaning you take them in and aren’t producing language. They are good for learning how a native speaker would phrase things, learning vocab in context, and expanding your knowledge. They are really powerful ways to get better. Writing and Speaking are active skills, meaning you have to synthesize everything you know and actually produce language. These are good for testing what you know, for finding your limits (so you know what to work on), and for making sure head knowledge doesn’t stay head knowledge. As you practice and work with a tutor, work on all four.

(4) It may be hard to see progress, but don’t give up! I guarantee that if you are spending even a bit of time daily in Arabic, you’re growing. It’s harder to see improvement, but you are. One idea to track your own growth is to record yourself saying something, or write it down, and then record yourself saying the same thing or writing on a similar subject a month or two later. You should notice improvement if you’ve spent time in Arabic.

(5) Find opportunities to stretch yourself. There are many opportunities to stretch your Arabic, from joining an Arabic Toastmasters club (most cities in the Arab world have one) to finding friends who don’t speak any English. Put yourself out of your comfort zone and you’ll go far.