This is a qualitative inquiry focusing on the perceptions and reflections of five Muslim-Canadians who studied Arabic as a second language in Egypt or Syria. This study stems from my view that language provides an insightful representation of a culture and is people (Bosher, 1997; Geertz, 1973; Norton, 1997). My aim is to draw on the connections between language and identity (Cummins, 1996; Gee, 2001; Maguire & Graves, 2001).