The Excellence Center Reviews

This has been an incredible experience, I have stayed here for nearly 3 months and wish I could stay longer, so have no doubts I will try to be back soon! I have learnt so much, most of all the real meaning of resilience as well as experiencing so much kindness, hospitability, brotherhood (&sisterhood) and generosity. The people here are so warm and welcoming, I'm referring to my host family, all the staff at the center as well as the people of the city of Al Khalil (Hebron) and the nearby cities, camps and villages, such al Al Arub camp, Al Fawar camp, Um Al Hair village, Ben Enam village, Yatta city, Dura city and basically every place I've visited.
The possibility to volunteer with the kids from the camp has been so fulfilling as they are really engaged and enthusiastic in learning English in every activity I have proposed and I think the most beautiful thing is that they have also taught me so much, which I was not really expecting but are very grateful for.
I have never been very studious, but I must say that my Arabic lessons with Jomana, at the Excellence center have been wonderful! She has managed to make it so fun and actually got me to look forward to my lessons, thanks to her patience and bubbly attitude that she has brought to each and every class we have had.
I'm so thankful to Osama from the excellence center for having made my schedule every day and ensured that I had great places to visit, wonderful people to meet, classes full of lovely children to teach as well as shown me around his beautiful homeland and the situation and difficulties they experience on daily basis as well as detailed stories and personal insights on all of it and always with a positive attitude and big smile on his face.
Thanks to the center for making me feel at home here, to Marwa for taking care of me like a sister, as well as Khatam, that made breakfast for me and my volunteer colleagues every day, as well as cooking many other delicious meals for us, I have felt like I have created such strong bond with them all that I now have a Palestinian family in my heart that I will never forget.
Thanks to all of this mentioned above I have always felt safe and under no threat at any moment though this country lives under the occupation forces, so I wish to emphasize to not hold back from coming due to fear of the complicated situation they live under, I have felt safe here than many other countries I have visited.
There are not enough word to express how thankful I am to all the family and to friends I have made here. I will you miss you all so much!

I had the pleasure of staying in Palestine through the Excellence Center and it was amazing. Seeing the country and learning about everything was something I consider so important in my life. I had the wonderful opportunity to have Ms. Haya as my teacher. She’s incredible! As are the many teachers the organization has that will help you with your Arabic. They are thorough, patient, and fun. The people of Palestine are so warm and welcoming too. The organizers of the Excellence Center give a great balance of walking you through while letting you be on your own. I can’t stress my love for the Excellence Center and the country. May I visit a million times

I absolutely loved every hour I spent last year at the Excellence Center, unfortunately it was for a very short time. I studied Arabic with Haya and learned about humanitarian issues facing Palestinians, especially women, from Osama. I had an unusual background in Arabic-- I studied the Levantine dialect in Jordan many years ago and took a semester of Modern Standard Arabic five or six years ago. Haya was able to develop what felt like a curriculum especially for me-- first online and then at the Excellence Center. The Center provides the perfect Palestine experience-- I hope to spend at least two weeks there soon.

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.