Program Reviews

The teaching style of the center is incredibly engaging, with history lessons embedded in the language acquisition experience. Student excursions to Syrian shops, tours of Halle, and Arabic exposure beyond the classroom has improved my conversational abilities and introduced me to phrases and sentiments I would not otherwise learn. I was also able to participate in an Eid festival, where I helped with face painting and balloon art for the children. The music, food, dancing, and conversation was beautiful, and I was greeted warmly by every individual. Furthermore, teaching English introduced me to new friends, who have been so kind. Together, we learned from each other, improving their English and my Arabic in mutually beneficial lessons. Teaching has improved my organizational skills and encouraged me to research and collaborate with my students to produce tailored, creative lesson plans. From music, to baking, to medical assessments, my lessons have been incredibly rewarding to produce.

I have formed friendships that I believe will last a lifetime. Thank you to the Excellence Center, for the memories and adventures I will carry with me. From football, to my flatmates, to cliff jumping, it has pushed me out of my comfort zone, and built my confidence.

Internship in Germany Program

My experience this summer at the Excellence Center in Europe has easily been one of the best decisions I have made in my lifetime. During my time at the Excellence Center, I volunteered to teach English and had German courses throughout each week. My students for English included refugees from Syria and Ukraine. The Excellence Center’s German courses and objectives for the refugee community in Halle initially attracted me to this program, however the necessity to travel alone to a place where I knew nobody kept me from immediately making the decision to apply. Through my experience, I’ve found that this internship is one of the best ways to acclimatize yourself to travelling alone. This is because the center almost always places you in housing where other people live, which gave me the chance to immediately bond with the other participants and get to know an unfamiliar city in a unique way. Also, the center’s daily routine is very structured, and during the week you always have a place to go in the morning for breakfast, conversation, and bonding. After breakfast, I felt that I had so much freedom to do work, complete tasks for the center, and lesson plan for students. Lesson planning for students was a special experience because I was given the opportunity to get to know students on a deeper level, and then tailor lessons to what they would like to get out of English language learning.
There is a huge sense of community at the Excellence Center, and the bonds I have made with volunteers and students are ones that will last a lifetime. The Center’s director and main teachers do an amazing job at fostering this sense of community. First, learning German at the Center was always fun and interactive with learning strategies such as creative games and improv. It’s different from papers and lectures, and more aimed at connecting with each other through a foreign language. Also, the Center’s weekly football games and cookouts gave us all a chance to unwind from the week and have fun with each other.
The immediate welcome, sense of safety, and care I felt from the Excellence Center was an irreplaceable feeling. I consider the city of Halle a new home, and because of this and the amazing people I’ve met, I will always look for this feeling in my future travels.

I was only at the Excellence Centre Europe for a very short period, but the time I did spend there had a huge impact on me.

There is a lot of time and energy invested in making the volunteers feel welcome, included and part of one big family. Which, as a solo traveller for the past 3 months, was something I really valued. Rafat cooks breakfast each morning and everyone is invited to sit in the park and join in the meal. There were also weekly football (soccer!) games and other activities organised, which were so much fun and a great way to connect with people. Everyone is friendly and willing to help each other out. The timetable is very relaxed and your schedule is flexible, which means you have plenty of time for sightseeing, socialising and exploring the area if you choose to do so.

I did the learn German, teach English program. There are some teaching guidelines provided, but resources are limited, so be prepared to get creative with your lessons! I highly recommend bringing your own lap top. Don't stress though, overall, your teaching and learning obligations are not onerous. The language teachers at the centre are knowledgeable and I found my German lessons to be beneficial. I liked the fact that you were encouraged to speak German and when you slipped into English, you were redirected back. It wasn't that you weren't "allowed" to speak English (I resorted to English a lot, especially if there was something I didn't understand or needed clarification on), but it was more that using the language that you were learning and hearing spoken was a better, more immersive way to learn. The students I taught already possessed some English foundations and had good conversational skills. In our lessons we focussed more on fine tuning pronunciation and building greater confidence with speaking.

Overall, I do highly recommend this program! Was the perfect balance between work, study and holiday.

Cannot thank Rafat, Dusan, Ali, Muaz and all the other staff and volunteers enough! Was a very memorable experience and something that will look great on my CV :).

Pros:
- Fun, friendly, welcoming atmosphere.
- Felt like one big family.
- Many weekly activities and social outings organised through the centre that you can get involved with.
- Delicious, authentic breakfast provided. Good kitchen facilities.
- Great location, close to public transport and city centre.
- Immersive language lessons.
- Flexible schedule.
- Clean, colourful and inviting working spaces. Lots of indoor plants and natural light.
- They take a lot of photos, so your memories and time at the centre is well documented.

Cons:
- My host family lived far away from the centre and I had to rely heavily on public transport each day. I didn't mind the commute, but felt restricted in terms of socialising with the others. Many of the other volunteers stayed in the city and were able to move more freely.
- Rafat's cooking was too delcious, I ate my bodyweight in hommus.
- Ali is too attractive for his own good.
- Dusan is so much of a gentleman that he makes everyone else look bad.
- Muaz has better hair than me.
- I only got to spend 2 weeks with these beautiful people.

My time at the Excellence Center was truly rewarding. It expanded my perspectives, improved my German, and enhanced my cultural understanding. I am so thankful for the experience. I was lucky to work with three amazing students: two teenagers from Syria and one adult from Ukraine. I helped them learn English, and though they were at varying levels, I still helped them on their journey to proficiency. They shared with me their stories and aspirations, and I wish the best for them in all of their future endeavors. The flexibility afforded by all of the Center staff makes the experience quite enjoyable. People are free to travel and see the sights, and as long as good communication is maintained, one’s schedule remains relatively amenable.
My language skills also improved! With three hours of German instruction per week, I gained a better understanding of the language and culture. Plus, my German skills came in handy when communicating with my students and the surrounding Halle community. I will definitely return to school next semester with a stronger grasp of the language.
I also met so many people from around the world! Who knew all of our paths would cross in Halle? Beginning every morning with a shared breakfast was such a special time. Gathering together over a meal is a surefire way to build community and share stories with one another. It is a great opportunity to chat with friends and meet new faces. Additionally, the weekly Center soccer games bring friendly competition and lots of laughter to our community (albeit with a few bruises on the legs). The community outside of the center is great, too. I was lucky enough to get to know many friendly international students from the local University who had plenty of fun stories and great tips to share. I hope to remain in contact with all of the wonderful folks I met here, and I hope to visit Halle again in the future!

This was an incredible experience for anyone. I have been out of school for about 5 years, and I was nervous about not being able to keep up in class. I didn’t need to worry at all – the class was an absolute blast. Most days the 3 hours of instruction passed before I realized it and I was able to let go of any worry of not being able to speak perfectly and just speak as much as I could in Arabic. My class was the perfect size, about 5 students and the teacher managed to adjust to each of our various levels. I spent 3 weeks of my work time off at the center learning Arabic and not only has my grasp of the language improved greatly, but so has my understanding of the culture and I will be walking away with wonderful friendships as well.
I cannot recommend this program enough – you will experience more than a museum or walking around a city could ever show you. Everyone is there to help – it is a space where people look out for each other both inside and outside the class room. Additionally, we had class outside, we traveled about, talked about the history of Germany and the region. You will never be bored.
One thing I really appreciated was that you can sign up for as many weeks as you have time for. This was perfect for me, as someone who works full time. I ended up getting my own accommodations because I was traveling with my wife who was not doing the program, but I still ate breakfast with the group each morning which was a really special time. The flexibility of the program along with its excellent instruction (I cannot speak highly enough of my teach Moaz – very patient, very kind, very funny) is a wonderful combination.

Hello, My name is Pearl and I am a University student from the United States. I have spent the last 3 weeks in Hebron, West Bank with the Excellence Center and absolutely loved my experience. The level of hospitality that I have received is unmatched by any other country I have been to. The Palestinians are so friendly and eager to share their food and culture with you.
With the Excellence Center I received a week of intensive Arabic class that really helped me improve my speaking skills. After the week we transitioned into our Human Rights focus of the program where we meet with various people in the area who shared their experiences with us.
In regards to safety, as a foreigner it is quite safe for your here. within Hebron there are no issues of safety. Within the Israel you will need to pass checkpoints and see guards with large guns, but again, for foreigners it is no issue.

My name is Hayden and I am a university student from the United States. I participated in the Human rights internship program at the Excellence Center for three weeks this summer. During this time we had the opportunity to meet with many people from the West Bank. From families living in H2 under Israeli authority to the Ministry of Education I was able to learn about a vast number of perspectives and experiences. I have been studying Arabic throughout high school and university and was eager to advance my fluency during my time here. The center provided us with an intensive Arabic class our first week to refresh our knowledge and accustom us to the local dialect. The classes were super helpful with a focus on speaking and ended with individual presentations in Arabic on a topic of your choice, mine being the scarcity of water in the West Bank.

A highlight of my time in Hebron has been the people that I have met, specifically at the center. Our host family, teachers, staff members, and other volunteers have been so nice and welcoming, making sure to check in on me and how I am doing and invite me to a lot of different events. The hospitality and kindness I have received here is like no other I have ever experienced.

Throughout my time here I was able to see many cities in Palestine including Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Jericho. Traveling around the country was very easy and I never felt unsafe or in a dangerous position. Having an American passport brings one a lot of privileges in this country and allows me to never have to worry about my safety.

In the three weeks I have spent here I have learned so much about Palestinian culture and their struggle living under an occupation as well as their hope and determination. The center provides a safe, welcoming environment to get to learn about Palestine and I recommend coming here to anyone. I wish I was able to stay for longer.

being with the Excellence Center helped me a lot in many ways. with coming here, i hoped to get in touch with many palestinians, see many places and learn about the ongoing conflict. the Excellence Center made it possible for me to do all that and opened new doors. focusing on journalism, the Excellence Center introduced me to multiple journalists who could teach me about the situation and work of journalists.
within the Center i always felt comfortable. the staff as well as the other volunteers made me feel very comfortable and at home already after very few days.
to my surprise, i felt very safe. the Excellence Center made sure to minimize possible dangers and taught us about what to do and what not to do or where not to go. there are dangers of course, it is a conflict area, but the staff makes sure you don't get in trouble. i felt safe all the time.

I really enjoyed my time at Excellence Centre. I came from London and was a bit wary of how safe it would be, but upon getting here all my worries disappeared. Hebron is a really vibrant city with lots of nice shops, big mosques, and really friendly people. The call to prayer resonates beautifully around the centre where I teach as well as the apartment where I am staying.

The centre itself is really clean and well laid out. All the teachers were really friendly and keen to know more about me. It was really easy to get into a daily schedule of first, breakfast with other volunteers, then me teaching an English lesson to some delightful students. I liked the fact that the schedule allowed plenty of free time to plan lessons as well as do anything I wanted to leisure-wise.

I also really liked how the centre gave us a tour of the old city and the visit to Ibrahimi Mosque. The community dinners were amazing.

The apartment was really clean and nicely laid out. I enjoyed the experience of sharing it with other volunteers. That turned out to be a real highlight of my experience.

My name is Albert Kim. I’m 39 years old. I was born in Seoul, South Korea and have lived in the New York City area since moving there at age two. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Technological Entrepreneurship & Management from Arizona State University. I’ve worked in tech, pastry arts, tutoring, and as a traveling monastic. I participated in the Volunteering with Refugees program in May of 2024.

Palestine was a life-changing experience for me in many ways. Number one, I was able to experience first-hand some semblance of what it’s like to live as a Palestinian. The plight of the Palestinian people has been dear to my heart for many years. To actually be here on the ground with the people, be immersed in the culture and in everyday life, to listen to people’s stories and struggles and to participate in these struggles myself at times was an honor and a blessing. My perspective on the Palestinian-Israeli situation has been imbued with much richness and depth.

I lived in a nicely-appointment apartment in Hebron, roughly thirty minutes walking from the Excellence Center. I regularly encountered friendly and curious locals who inquired into my origins, the reason for my stay in Hebron and so forth. The Palestinian people, in Hebron in particular, are the most welcoming and loving I’ve come across in the twenty countries I’ve traveled to. I lost count long ago of the number of complimentary coffees, teas, sweets, dinners and other gifts I received simply for my presence.

I was typically told by others to be careful when mentioning my trip to Palestine. Very sensical response especially in the current climate. However, I found myself feeling safe and secure in Palestine overall, whether in the touristy parts of Bethlehem or in the back alleys of late-night Hebron. Highlights of my travels outside of Hebron include the Wall in Bethlehem and Martyr’s Square in Nablus.

The Excellence Center is well-run by Osama and Marwa, offering numerous programs to suit the different needs and desires of prospective volunteers and students. I appreciated their flexibility in tailoring their programs for each volunteer. I found the tours and visits I participated in to be valuable. My visits to Al-Fawwar Refugee Camp stood out as particularly noteworthy. I had the most delicious Palestinian food during a visit with a refugee family there, then was guided on a tour of the camp and its history. I was also able to teach English to women and children at the girls’ school on a few occasions which I enjoyed.

Coming to the center everyday at 10am for group breakfast was a wonderful part of the daily routine. Everyone had the chance to mingle, bond, and plan their day together before going off on their individual schedules. I enjoyed swapping stories and perspectives and working and playing together with my cohort of fellow volunteers and students.
My Arabic tutor Duha was very competent and professional. I was able to hit the ground running, speaking with locals in Arabic on the day of our very first lesson together. When she asked whether I wanted the lessons to focus on the alphabet or conversation for our twelve hours, I replied “both”, and she accommodated well, providing me a foundation on which I feel confident learning on my own. I’m now able to read and write Arabic and have basic conversations.

Osama and Marwa are friendly and loving and helped make my stint with the Center a fruitful one. There’s a real family feel to the place, with friends and relatives regularly stopping in, saying hello, sharing meals. Frequently while speaking with locals around town I mentioned the Center and people were familiar.

The students I taught English to were so great. They were such enthusiastic learners, especially from someone like me! It was cool to be greeted by a student speaking Korean to me. My interactions with my students were likely my favorite part of my journey here. There’s so much life, love, joy, hope, and wonder in them. They are the future of Palestine and I believe this future will be bright. I’d like to stay in contact with them — helping them with English, maybe improving my Arabic, hearing about their lives, supporting them where I can.

I was asked if I’d return to Palestine one day. I do my best not to make promises I’m unable to keep. However, after my experience here — and especially with the children of Palestine — I can say that if I had to return to one country I’ve visited, Palestine would be near the top of my list. The hearts of the Palestinian people are open and my heart is open to them.