The Excellence Center

I spent 4 weeks at the Excellence Center teaching English and studying German. I'm currently on a gap year and graduated with my Bachelor's in Psychology last December. I had gotten a TEFL certificate a while ago and wanted to put it to use, and I felt like this program was a good opportunity to practice teaching in a comfortable and flexible environment, and I was right. Rafat was incredibly welcoming and the environment was very relaxed. Even in the off-season, there were several volunteers at the center who all came from a range of backgrounds and ages. I took German lessons with Muaz which were always engaging and entertaining. You are responsible for your lessons and schedule, so I would come into this program with a self-motivated and open-minded mindset. Beyond just language learning, you will find so much cultural exchange here as well. During my time here, the center moved to a new beautiful location which is a perfect representation of the continued growth and improvement of the program. All the staff, volunteers, and students are like a small family and you can tell that this experience leaves an impression on everyone involved.

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, and Public Policy. I was born in India and spent most of my life in the United States. I participated in the Volunteer and Study Arabic program at the Excellence Center.
At the Excellence Center I engaged in activities to teach students English, to learn Arabic, and to understand the culture and life here by visiting places, camps, and engaging with local community.
I found a lot of value in my Arabic lessons and I feel like I have a beginner level understanding of the language and will continue my studies to improve further.
I found the Excellence Center’s environment very conducive for learning, teaching, and with the most amazing leaders and staff.
In my time here I was able to visit the various factories for local crafts, the Old City, multiple refugee camps, holy/religious sites, and even a wedding.
During my time here I took trips to Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
I really enjoyed living in Hebron City, it is a full of the nicest people I have ever met.
During my whole time here I felt very safe in Hebron City and during my trips to other cities.
My favorite thing about Palestine is definitely the people – the kindest and most inviting.
I loved just walking down the street and random people invite me to sit for coffee or tea and just chatting away for hours.
I will definitely be back – it is great place to visit and volunteer opportunity full of beautiful people.
I highly recommend the Excellence Center to interested in this opportunity – The team here is amazing!

I wasn't sure what to exactly expect when I signed up for 2 weeks of learning German and Teaching English at the Excellence Center in Halle. Being a slower season, the program wasn't as intensive as I had anticipated in either learning or teaching, but what I hadn't anticipated was how enriching it turned out to be in other ways. I did love the German lessons with Muaz and the other volunteers, knowing what I know now I definitely would have signed up for extra hours. I also absolutely loved working one-on-one with the students teaching English and wish I could have continued to see their progress!

Most surprising was how I was able to bond with the other volunteers, even with such an age difference, I found getting to know them, and sharing my stories, as well as the connections we made with Rafat and the staff at the Excellence Center helped to make me feel like a part of something special and in such a short amount of time!

And, Halle! What a beautiful city! Great people, food and culture. It is a warm and diverse city, with many great museums and historical sights to fill any extra time I may have had.

The program and the city have a special place in my heart and I hope to return one day.

This was such an amazing experience. Not only was it fun, but it was extremely educational. There was so much to learn and do even in just the two weeks I was here. The people were so friendly, so exciting. The food is the best. Shawerma everyday. The culture is unique. The energy is lively. There's no question on if I'm coming back or not. I am. And thank you to everyone involved here. I don't know if the experience here could have been any friendlier. The kindness here challenges Canada to be honest. I truly wish I could have stayed longer but I am so glad to come back some time soon!

I didn't know what to expect when I signed up with the Excellence Center. I was going to travel halfway around the world to a place where I didn't speak the language and every day brought alarming news.
The past 3 months volunteering for them have been one of the best experiences of my life.
From the start they welcomed me in like a member of the family. Anything I had trouble with, they were there to help me. Hebron was very different from my hometown of Seattle but thanks to their hospitality within a couple weeks it felt like a second home.
The Center arranged trips throughout Palestine so I could learn more about the situation firsthand. Besides these trips there was always something going on with the other volunteers. On top of that there were the Arabic lessons from a local instructor, and the volunteer activity itself tutoring children in English. Every day was full but it never felt overwhelming.
The political situation here had its ups and downs during my stay but I never felt personally in danger. Hebron is safe. The Excellence Center keeps close watch on the situation to make sure nothing happens to its volunteers.