Coach story: Alaa

Introducing Alaa: software developer, Arabic language coach and backgammon champion. 

“It's not only about teaching, it's also about meeting new people and building connections.” 

Alaa is a software developer from Syria. He started his career working for an IT company whilst still completing his BA at Damascus University.

At the start of the war, Alaa stayed in Syria, but eventually, he had to move to Istanbul. He continued working remotely, but it was an isolated life. Not speaking Turkish made it difficult to build up a network, and his mental health suffered. 

So, Alaa started teaching Arabic. First to friends of friends, then to others – and now, as a coach on Chatterbox.

It was a revelation. He discovered a talent for mentoring learners – a collaborative, fulfilling career where he could build connections. 

He also started volunteering for an education charity that helps Syrian children living in Istanbul. He tutored maths and biology, and also translated English-speaking volunteers’ messages into Arabic. Here’s a happy plot twist: Alaa fell in love with a Swedish woman who was volunteering for the same NGO as a storyteller. Three years later, he is moving to Stockholm to be with her. 

In his spare time, Alaa likes long cycles along the coast of the black sea, reading and swimming. He's now looking to reignite his career in software development. 

Alaa is a warm and friendly Arabic coach, with a host of lovely reviews from students to his name. He has also advised Chatterbox’s product team on the barriers refugees face to reentering the job market, and how a platform could help to mitigate them.

Alaa, we’re so very grateful to have you on the team.


Chatterbox’s language coaches are an inspiring pool of individuals who are marginalised in the job market by no fault of their own, including refugees, older professionals, and career re-starters.