Program Reviews

I absolutely loved taking online Arabic classes with Haya. As a complete beginner, it was intimidating to start from scratch but Haya was so welcoming, accommodating and fun and I really looked forward to our lessons each week. She is a fantastic teacher and I was so happy with what I achieved under her guidance over the course. The classes were very good value for money too and being online meant that I could learn from my own home. I can’t recommend her and The Excellence Centre enough and I can’t wait to return to classes again in the future!

Everyone at the Excellence Centre made me feel so welcome. My lessons were really fun, and I learnt a lot - both about Arabic and about Palestine. My teacher was very knowledgeable and supportive. She spoke perfect English, and always found a way to make the lessons accessible and interesting. We worked at my own pace, and I was able to ask questions and direct content to whatever interested me.

Although the situation in Palestine is very sad, I felt completely safe in Al Khalil/Hebron. The people here were very welcoming, and everyone was keen to show me the best that Palestine had to offer. I was comfortable walking around by myself, even in the evenings. There would always be someone from the centre available to help me if I needed, and I've made friends for life. The food is amazing, and I've even learnt to cook whilst here!

If I could give any advice to someone reading this, it is to just book it and come! Yes, it is expensive. But Palestine is such a beautiful country, and the centre is a very safe way to experience it. I was guided to see the best sites, and I have met the absolute best people here. My Arabic has improved so much in a relatively short time (one month), and I'm now confident speaking to people in Arabic. All of this is thanks to the Excellence Centre, and their wonderful staff and volunteers.

I had an absolutely amazing time teaching English and learning German at my time here at the Excellence Center. I did the 3 week program and wish I would have stayed for longer. I usually taught 3 or 4 English lessons a weeks and had 3 hours of German class. I loved my German lessons with Muaz because he made them very interactive and fun. Everyone I met at the Center is so incredibly nice and care about all the people involved in the programs. My favorite part of the program was connecting and hanging out with the other volunteers. We really bonded together and had a great time sharing our cultures. I 100% recommend this program to anyone!

I stayed at the Excellence Centre for two weeks and had a wonderful time. It was a deep learning experience, and I was fortunate to meet so many amazing people during my time there. At the centre, when we weren't out and about, I took Arabic language classes with another student under the tutelage of Haya. Haya is a wonderful teacher and person, and I learnt an abundance of Arabic in such a short period, from starting as a complete beginner. I still retain my notes from the classes and much of the Arabic I learnt. I look forward to returning to the Excellence Centre in the near future to continue building relationships, learning, and speaking Arabic.

My experience with the Excellence Centre was great. I did 20 hours online with Haya, she was an excellent teacher, friendly, and it was a fantastic experience all round. Communication and organisation of lessons was flexible, and payment was straightforward. I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a professional, accessible online approach to learning Arabic. Unfortunately my schedule means further lessons are not currently an option for me but I certainly hope to come back to Excellence Centre some time in the future.

I had the pleasure of having Haya as my Arabic teacher. She’s a bright teacher with a great and helping personality that really wants to see you succeed. As well as the other teachers I have seen. I honestly don’t believe they could have picked a team of better teachers.

Whether you learn how to speak or write in Arabic, the group of teachers are very patient and adaptive to your learning style. Success is the key thing they want to see with you. I love this center with all my heart. And I hope they continue having more and more students and volunteers

The Excellence Centre is a welcoming place to volunteer and leave a lasting, meaningful impact on your students. From the moment you arrive, the kind and attentive staff make you feel instantly at home. While the volunteer experience itself is unparalleled, the connections you make with fellow volunteers and the dedicated team are what truly make it worthwhile. Every morning, we shared breakfast and discuss our teaching schedules, bond, and share a few laughs. I also had the opportunity to study German with Muaz, who was an outstanding and patient teacher. A longer stay will greatly improve your language skills, but even a short visit equips you with the conversational basics. Rafat, the Centre’s manager, is incredibly helpful in organizing your teaching schedule and always fun to chat with. Ultimately, a journey here is a fantastic opportunity to help others learn English while becoming part of a caring, tight-knit community.

I am Costa Rican and I was at The Excellence Center for one month, which was an overall great experience. I’m so glad to have found it, because there are not many options of an internship in Germany for people over 50. I was able to improve my German and to help others learn English, along with other volunteers that became dear friends. Rafat, Dušan and Muaz help you in those first days, when everything is new. They are wonderful, kind people, who want to help others. During each of the 3-day-long weekends, I visited other cities: Berlin, Leipzig, Erfurt, Munich, Postdam, Merseburg and others. Plus, Halle is a beautiful city as well. Germany has amazing places that are all worth visiting. The shared accommodation was very convenient and nice. I fully recommend coming to The Excellence Center in Europe.

I had a wonderful experience with the Excellence Center in Hebron for 2 weeks, and honestly I wish I was able to stay longer. I did both the English teaching programme and the intensive Arabic course (6h/week). As soon as I arrived I felt both really welcomed by Osama and Marwa (and their family) and the people in Hebron/Al Khalil. What was special about the Excellence Center for me, is that they could provide a range of activities for free (I would have not been able to have accessed on my own as they rely on a wide network) related to the teaching programme, in order to get to know Palestine, Hebron and its neighbouring communities in a more profound way. To give some examples: I had a tour in the city of Hebron where the traces of occupation are clearly seen and pointed out and according to your own interests they might try to show you particular places that you might like. It's something that is harder to explore on your own as they provide you with info and special access to certain sites.
Secondly, I really liked and valued the teaching programme a lot. Especially because they provide a variety of educational contexts where you can teach English and visit the different schools. To give you a slight idea of the places I was able to teach in or visit in just 2 weeks: twice a week teaching in the Excellence Center itself, another two times in two different camps (Al Fawar and Al Aroub), and even a visit to the orphan school and the school for blind pupils.
Besides that, the breakfasts they provide every weekday are a nice way to be together with the family and the other volunteers, the cooking class is a nice way to learn about the Palestinian cuisine, and even some evenings we were invited at their place to have dinner on the terrace.
Next on, I was happy to have followed the 6h/week Arabic classes. Usually they were in the mornings after breakfast until noon. I felt that they matched me with a teacher that was able to work with my (basic) level of Arabic. My teacher (Haya) was very motivated to learn me to read and write the Arabic alphabet, and after 1 or 2 weeks I managed to do so.
Next on I was very happy to see that they gave me the freedom to organize two activities I wanted to do with the children of the Center: one was a (virtual) classroom exchange with some of my students in Belgium and another one is an Ultimate Frisbee training.
I'm eternally grateful to the Excellence Center for having been able to have experienced all these different sides and aspects of Palestine and Hebron - thank you!!! All the best and hope to see you soon, Thomas.

I only came for a week so my experience will be different from those who stay for longer. Having been to The Excellence Center before it was wonderful to be welcomed back by Marwa and Osama. I stayed in a shared apartment with other international visitors and felt safe and comfortable. I think it is better to wander about with others as not everyone responds the same way to foreigners, particularly women. For the most part, the people of Hebron are very welcoming and hospitable and will go out of their way to make you feel welcome. You may run into someone here or there who is less welcoming (more so children you bump into on the street, interestingly). My advice is to work hard at learning the language so that people can see that you care about the people and their culture.

As far as the program itself, each day began with shared breakfast, Arabic lesson, and then an outing to learn more about human rights issues that are affecting Palestinians in Hebron and other areas of the West Bank. Each day offered something new that was eye-opening. I think it is especially important given the state of things currently to see for yourself what the people of Hebron face every day; most of them are eager to share and be heard. I hope to visit again soon and know that I will be welcomed back.