Program Reviews

My name is Siw. I am a Danish student with a bachelor’s degree in History. At the centre, I am in the human rights program, which I have been doing for four weeks. I did 12 hours of Arabic lessons, which I found extremely helpful. We started learning some introduction phrases and the alphabet, which helped me get by in Palestine. Other than that, my host family were happy to help me learn some new words and phrases. For four weeks, I lived with my Palestinian host family. They invited me to their family members’ graduation party and introduced me to the Palestinian culture, which I am thankful for.

During my stay at the centre, I participated in various visits to different sites, such as Masafer Yatta, a Beduin community in the southern West Bank, where we had the opportunity to speak with the inhabitants. I also visited the Hebron Municipality, refugee camps, local Palestinian families etc. The environment of the centre is very down to earth. The staff, teachers, and students are ready to help if a problem arises. Overall I will say that there is a positive atmosphere here at the centre.

On the weekends, together with other interns and volunteers, I visited Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jerico. I also had the opportunity to visit Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Safety was an essential question for me in my consideration of coming here. Palestine, I found, is more safe than I first assumed. I did not at any time feel unsafe or insecure, which is also what I like about Hebron. However, what I like most about Palestine is the friendliness of the people I have had the chance to meet during my time here. They have been overwhelmingly helpful and open-minded, and I have been treated as one of their own. Nature is also something I enjoy – the beauty is breathtaking. Even though I have many things that I like about Palestine, all the history embedded in the landscape here is mindblowing and has been something that I have had the chance to explore more in debt.

After my internship, my lasting impression of Palestine is how complicated everything is here and how many Palestinian lives, unfortunately, are affected by politics. However, they somehow seem to find strength beneath all the suffering. The environment of the centre is very down to earth. The staff, teachers and students are ready to help if a problem arises. Overall I will say that there is a positive atmosphere here at the centre. My overall experience at the Excellence Center and in Palestine is positive. I have enjoyed my time here and met some amazing people who has been so great in sharing their stories with us. I can wholeheartedly recommend this Excellence Center to others.

My name is Virginia and I am from the United States. I have a Bachelor's in International Studies with an emphasis on the Middle East and Africa. I am finishing a Master's in Conflict Anaylsis and Resolution and have wanted to come here for many years. I have has an amazing experience here in Palestine. I have gotten to meet so many people and hear various experiences, which has provided more insight on the situation. I have felt so welcomed and safe here The Staff at the center was incredible helpful and I am already planning my next trip. Over all it has been an incredible experience . I would love to come back again.

My name is Ashley, I have a Masters in International Relations and Middles Eastern Studies. I participated in the Human Rights program at the Excellence Center in Hebron and I thought the program provided me with an amazing and indepth experience. During my time with the center I was able to visit the surrounding Refugee Camps and meet the residence. I got to hear first hand the challanges that they face on a day to day basis. I also was fortunate enought to take in person Arabic courses through the center, the methods that they use to teacher were very successful and after just one week I was able to have basic conversations with the people I met in the city. Most importantly I was afforded the opprotunity to meet and bond with some of the most hospitable and resilent people I have ever met. The Staff at the center was incredible helpful and I am already planning my next trip. Over all it has been an incredible experience.

The frist thing i will like to share is that love eally make us see different, feel different, and grow different. During my time in Hebron with th Excellence Center I found love in so many ways... Every member of the staff support me in every moment, my host familly made me feel like in my home and I want to highlight the resilience that I noticed from every palestinian i met. It was a experience that changed my live.

I love my arabic lessons, the teachers and all the staff were very helpful and encoraged me to keep learning all the time.

I spent three weeks at the Excellent Center in Hebron, Palestine, and i took part in the Women's Right program. In the first week, I attended several arabic classes for beginner: my teacher was welcoming and patient, and helped me to learn basic conversation tools that were useful for the entire project. In the following two weeks, I met several people and organizations who deal with human and women's right in Palestine, and I also had the occasion to organize a few workshop about women's right and gender-based violence for adolescents, together with other volunteers.
With respect to security and safety issue, I think it is important to share that in Hebron and in Palestine overall I totally felt safe, even when travelling alone as a solo woman.
I learnt a lot and would recommend the experience!

My time at the Excellence Center was full of new experiences that I will be able to carry with me for years. I would recommend the center for anyone looking to study German or Arabic, and to those who are interested in teaching English. Four weeks wasn’t enough and I hope I will have the opportunity to participate in the center’s programs again in the future.

My coworkers acted as a network of people who could both help me prepare for lessons and who I could socialize with after work. It was really amazing being able to meet so many bright people from around the world and to learn from their experiences. Our shared love of foreign language and culture brought us together, and I was lucky to have countless conversations about shared interests with them. The shared experience of teaching also brought us together and made it easy to get to know the other volunteers. In the evenings, I enjoyed eating dinner and exploring Halle almost every night with my friends, as well as making weekend trips to Dresden and Thale. I was especially thankful to Ali and Lord who were very inclusive of us in their social circles in Halle. Thanks to them, I was able to meet some Halle locals and practice more German. They were also willing to answer any questions we had about the program or the area. Last, I appreciated having breakfast everyday together at the center. I’m going to miss the food!

The experience of teaching English to refugees was fulfilling and I learned a lot from the experience. As volunteer teachers are completely in control of their classes, I was able to decide on my own what content to teach. I liked this because it allowed me to practice planning my own lessons. Getting to know my students and hearing their stories was one of the best things that came out of the experience for me. The only thing I wish I could change was the number of classrooms in the center, as it can be difficult to teach lessons in the common area when there are no free classrooms. Also, expect to find your own teaching materials online (ask your coworkers if they have any good resources!).

Learning German was also a great experience with our teacher Muaz. Although I’ve studied German for years, Muaz is one of the best teachers (if not the best) I’ve learned from. He really has a knack for teaching and I enjoyed our one-on-one lessons. Whether you are in one-on-one or group lessons depends on your level and the level of the other participants at the time. I had one week of one-on-one (including a field trip) and two weeks of small group lessons (3-4 students).

My accommodation, organized by the center, was a room with a German-Syrian family and was very comfortable. I wasn’t sure what to expect until I arrived, but I was pleased. I had to share the room with another volunteer for the first week, but after that I had it all to myself which was nice. Overall, I definitely recommend the Excellence Center, and if you have any questions about the program, don’t hesitate to contact the staff. Rafat will do everything he can to make sure your stay in Halle is comfortable.

My name is Dylan, and I am from the United States. I graduated the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelors in Middle Eastern studies, and a minor in Political Science. I participated in the volunteer sports, and teaching English program at the Excellence Center. At the Excellence Center I participated in a wide array of activities including: Arabic classes, field trips, and English instruction for local youth.
The Arabic classes I participated in were colloquial Levantine Arabic. My teacher, Doha, was very informative, and she moved the class at a good pace. This allowed us to make the most out of each session. All the teachers & staff at the center are incredibly welcoming and ensure you're comfortable. In addition, fellow participants are like minded and friendly, which creates a great environment to be apart of.
As for field trips, the first one I went on was a walking town of Old Hebronted by Osama. This was a great way to learn the history of the city, and to get in touch with my surroundings. The second trip, we took a shuttle to two different Bedouin Villages to say it was eye opening is an understatement. The power of hearing the people first-hand is an unforgettable experience. My third trip was through the H2 side of Hebron where we met with a local woman who has suffered tragically from the occupation, and later in the day we spoke with a humanitarian organization to hear what actions they are taking to help the people of Hebron.
Living in Hebron has been a wonderful experience. Out of everywhere I have traveled the people here are by far the most welcoming. They will ask you in for tea or coffee after only speaking with you for five minutes on the street. Safety has never been a concern here. All the people of Hebron do their best to assist you if you're looking lost, and I have never been taken advantage of. My most memorable experience while living in Hebron was walking down in Old Hebron with a soccer ball and playing with all the kids as I made my way down the street. We may not have been able to conversate past simple greetings, but the enjoyment we shared through the sport was heart-warming.
I’ve certainly enjoyed my time here at the Excellence Center. The amount I’ve learned not only in Arabic, but about life in Palestine is vast in the short two weeks I’ve been here. I hope more people can experience life in Hebron, and hear the Palestinian’s people’s stories.

I am from the United States and I participated in the excellence center for two amazing months. As I am a political science major, I was so excited when I found that the excellence center offered a human rights internship. At the center I participated in a variety activities. We visited the municipality, Palestinian activists, the human rights organization, art galleries, factories, education centers, medical centers, villages, the old city and refugee camps. The most eye opening experience was when we visited various activists houses in the H2 area because we were able to see the real impact of the occupation in Palestine. At the excellence center I had the opportunity to help teach English classes, because of this I got to meet the most amazing people. All the students I had were a joy to be around and they really helped me understand Palestinian culture and engage in the culture. The first two weeks at the excellence center I participated in Arabic lessons every morning. These Arabic lessons were very helpful, because the Arabic that I studied at a University in the United States was not the dialect that is spoken in everyday life. So I found these lessons extremely helpful when getting around Palestine. Additionally, all the Arabic teachers are amazing and super friendly. I was able to have two different teachers and each one I loved. They made it fun to learn Arabic and they taught at challenging yet sustainable pace. The environment at the excellence center is like a family. Everyone is extremely welcoming when you first get to the center especially the staff. Marwa and Osama really care about the volunteers and if any concerns are raised, they quickly do anything they can to solve the problem. All the other volunteers are extremely friendly, and make you feel at home. Because of the amount of people from different countries at the center you also get to learn a lot about many other places and cultures not just Palestine, which was a really eye-opening experience. I met some people that I really enjoyed being with. The students taking English at the excellence center are so friendly and very sweet. They love starting conversations and practicing English with you and they are also a good source of practice when you want to practice the Arabic that you learned through your Arabic lessons at the Excellence center. Through my friendships with other volunteers I was able to visit many cities in the area I visited Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho, the and the Dead Sea. It was such a cool experience to be able to be so close to a variety of places with so much historical and religious significance. Living with a host family is different than what I expected, especially having been living on my own before I came here. It was definitely adjustment. But by living with host family you get to really see the culture and sometimes they will invite you to graduation parties or weddings, or to hang out with the family. I found Hebron to be very safe, walking home at night alone was not an issue, there was never any time here that I felt like I was in danger. In Hebron’s community, everyone acts as family and so it is a very trustworthy and friendly society.
> What I like most about Palestine is the people, everyone is so willing to get to know you and to help you if you ever need. Due to this I was able to make so many friends, and have so many connections in the area. I also really loved the food, especially when the excellence would have dinners and we would be able to experience traditional Palestinian dishes. After my time in Palestine, I can 100% say that every single person I met here was so genuine and so kind. I would recommend the excellence center to anyone who is thinking about it. People who take initiative and get very involved will be able to have an extreme amount of opportunities here. If you engage in the culture you will be able to have experiences that you will not be able to have anywhere else. It is a life changing experience.

My name is Glen Sellers. I am from the United States. I have been studying at the Excellence Center for 11 weeks. It has been a fantastic experience for me. I was concerned that my age (70) may be a problem with fitting in with the other students. Now that I am at the end of my program, I can say that I have fully enjoyed everyday and every activity that the center has done.
Almost every week the center has arranged a special presentation or a visit to an educational site. I have learned so much about the life of Palestinians and the struggles they have with Israel. I did not understand how the land was divided into A, B, and C areas and all the restrictions on travel and work that exist.
I also have learned how safe it is in Hebron. Never have I felt unsafe. The people are so friendly. Even the children greet you and try and talk with you in English. People like to make you feel welcome in Hebron and will help you in amazing ways.
I had the same teacher all 11 weeks. She was always professional and her English was easy to understand. She has a lot of patience and is very skillful as she teaches Arabic. Because of her excellent English skills, she is able to explain the differences between the two languages and how the grammar works. I have met all the teacher here, and they are all well qualified.
The apartment that I lived in was new. The final touches were finished while I lived there. It is a 10-minute walk to the center. The facilities were very nice. There is a kitchen with a fridge and a cooking top. It does have limited cooking pans. The washing machine worked very well. There is a drying rack on the balcony.
I travelled every weekend to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and some other cities. I have always felt safe and found helpful people whenever I needed directions or help with transportation. It is easy to get city to city.
The center has had weekly dinners for the students. It has been a great way to get to know the other students and experience Palestinian food.
The trips to refugee camps, Bedouin camps, and visiting Palestinians in a settlement all were very educational. These are things that seeing them in person has taught me much more than I could possibly learn by just learn by reading or watching a documentary on the topic.
I highly recommend this program. You won't regret your time spent studying Arabic at the Excellence Center. You will definitely love Palestine!

My name is Eli Gottfried. I am from the United States. For thirty years I worked as a soil scientist. Currently I work as a paraprofessional working with children with learning disabilities.
I was here at the Center of Excellence during the summer of 2023 for a period of 8 weeks (about 2 months). I was involved in the program Intensive Amiyah. I studied formally 4 hours per day, as well as an additional 4 hours of individual studies. Within this program, I participated in 6 tours of Hebron and surrounding communities. These included tours of a glass-blowing factory, the Old City of Hebron, the Ibrahimi Mosque, Bedouin settlements, a refugee camp, and a nature hike.
Prior to coming to Hebron and the Center of Excellence, I had studied Fus’ha for 6 years. My goal in coming here was to immerse myself in the language, people, and culture of Palestine, and to learn Amiyah. I feel that the Center provided excellent opportunities for me to achieve my goals. The teachers were skilled and dedicated. And provided very useful exercises for perfecting the language. In addition, they were available any time after class. The tours provided key insights into the culture, people, and problems faced by Palestinians and Palestine
My experiences at the Center were very positive. The teachers were enthusiastic, friendly, helpful, and dedicated. And there was ample opportunity to interact with other students and with staff.
As someone who walks every morning, I also had the opportunity to meet and interact with people in the community. I routinely met and talked to people coming and going from prayer, cab drivers at their taxi stands, and people just sitting outside their homes. Very often I was invited in for tea, coffee, some fruit. I felt very welcome in Hebron.
My memories of Hebron will always include the kind people I met and with whom I shared meals and good talk.