The Excellence Center Reviews

My name is Leiko and I am from Japan. I did the program teaching English and learning Arabic at the Excellence Center for one month. I joined this program during my summer vacation of master's study.
At excellence center, besides Arabic lesson, I usually joined English club. There are two types of English club: for beginner and for advanced person. The center offers two days and three days a week respectively and while giving students informal English lesson with other volunteers, I could learn how to teach English effectively with fun. I also joined informal English lesson at Al-Arroud refugee camp. Al-Arroud refugee camp located between Hebron and Bethlehem. At the camp, I taught English with other volunteer twice a week to about 50 students at a local community centre, replacing a school that had closed due to a strike.
As part of my learning Arabic, I took Arabic lessons three hours a week, and my class had
usually two people, so it was based on our level and curiosity which was very helpful. All
teachers in here are so nice and kind, they teach and talk to participants during and outside of the class.
The environment is very good in terms of people, opportunities, and location. Not only the
people at the centre, but also the people of Hebron are very kind and welcoming. They help all the time, and they treat us as one part of their family. The location of center was also nice which is in a main street and the street has plenty of place to eat, cafes, stationaries, supermarkets, ATM, and so on.
The center offers us many short trips. I visited old city and went to historical mosque called Al-Ibrahimi Mosque, traditional Kufiya factory, and glass factory. Also, with other volunteers in the center, I’ve visited other cities in Palestine like Jericho and went to Dead Sea and Red Sea.
Host family which center arranged to us were also very nice. I live in a house 15 minutes’ walk from center which was nice location and host families and neighbors were so kind. They sometimes offer me traditional food and they showed me their job place and shared me with Arabic culture.
Before I came here, I was a little scary of safety because of many terrible news and severe political situation. However, Hebron is quite safe and peaceful town and there was no problem even I walked alone after 21 or 22 o’clock. During one month in Hebron, I’ve never felt fear or heard threaten situation from other volunteers as well.
The hospitality of the Palestinian people is what we like most about Palestine. They often
approached us on the street, and at small local shops they served us tea and coffee and told us many stories. It is a precious memory that not only on the street, but they invited us straight to their houses and served us food and tea.
My experience at the Excellence Centre made me realise how important it is to examine the current state of education in Palestine and the extent to which what is reported in the news is presenting the current situation. I highly recommend visiting the excellence centre, as there are many things you can't understand unless you are there.

I had an amazing week at the Excellence Center. I felt very welcomed and liked bonding with everyone at the common breakfast every morning, and I had a lot of fun overall with the activities (football game, city tour,...). The team was caring and made sure that I felt good at the center and in my host family.
It was very helpful to have classes with only one or two students that way we were able to go at our own path, and the classes were adapted to our level and expectations.
Would 100% recommend the intensive German Programm!

My name is Anna and I´m an English teacher from Russia. I volunteered at the Center for 2 weeks and I really enjoyed the time I spent there. What I loved the most is that Center not only gives you the opportunity to meet new people and study languages, but also provides you with plenty of extra activities!

We had parties, football games, city tours and many other things to do. All the volunteers also made a presentation about teaching methods and I it was really interesting to exchange experience and discuss things together. So, I really enjoyed everything! The only thing which makes me upset is the fact that the 2 weeks are over and I need to go home.

The other important aspect I would like to note is that the Center treats people like people and Rafat with his team help everyone as much as they can. I was happy to be the part of the team and I hope I helped some people too.

My name is Thomas and I am from the Netherlands. I have been at Excellence Center for six weeks and I followe the Intensive Arabic lessons. The lessons were way more varied than I would have expected and offered a broad approach. I thank my teacher Mamom for that with all my heart.In the Netherlands, I focused on speaking, but here also writing and reading were addressed. The lessons have really improved my understanding of the language and they also made me more conscious of what I saw on the streets when it comes to culture, history and habits. Last but not least: I also really have laughed a lot.

Already in the online contact with the Excellence Center, I got the impression that people here will see you as part of their family. That actually was how I experienced my time here. The minute you start to speak a bit of Arabic, you become their "habibi" right away.

In my weekends I have gone to Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem and Jericho. On Friday, I would do a long hike on the countryside, and Saturday I would go into the cities and experience life there. It is a suggestion I would gladly to give to you, because you will also need some rest from all the impressions you will experience. I also had the honour of going to families with interesting stories to tell about how their life is here. Palestine is a special place with so much richess that my six weeks will not be enough. The good thing is that that means I have to come back one day. I am looking foreward to that moment.

I have never felt so safe as I did in Palestine. When you are on the streets, people will offer you coffee or food. Everybody likes to have a fun experience with you, because you are from abroad. I remember occassions when children asked me ten times in a row where I am from. That is what I liked most: the kindness of the people. Some people were able to speak English with me, but most of the time we both had to find a way to communicate with each other. That is a very good way to learn a language by the way.

Palestine, but also its people and the Excellence Center team, all have found a special place in my heart. In order to get an everlasting impression of its richess, I would gladly advise you all to come as well. You surely will not regret it. Not in the least because of all the wonderful people that I have met here and I know you will meet here as well.

My name is Veronica. I am from America and I did the Teaching English and Studying Arabic program at the Excellence Centre for three months. On top of teaching, I cooked in the Center’s kitchen, led an English Club, participated in a few excursions, and made so many friends.

The staff at the center are friendly and hospitable, and I immediately felt like I was part of the family. I started teaching on my first day, helping another volunteer with an intermediate English class which I ended up taking over for the remainder of its run time. I quickly got to enjoy speaking with my students and learning more about their lives.

The daily breakfasts and group activities make it really easy to get to know the other volunteers well, and people plan excursions to explore Palestine outside Al Khalil almost every weekend. My first week I joined a group going on a day trip to the Dead Sea, and in the last three months I was able to see Jerusalem, Nablus, Ramallah, Tel Aviv, and Eilat too. On top of weekend trips I got to experience multiple excursions through the center such as teaching kids in Arroub refugee camp and speaking with Human Rights Defenders in the old city. One day we went on a very memorable day trip to Mar Saba Yatta; another we had a barbecue in beautiful Loza with some of the Arabic teachers on our day off. During Ramadan we had Iftar at the center at least once a week.

I learned Arabic with my amazing teacher Maryam, who I am really going to miss. The other Arabic teachers are lovely too and would always answer questions or help me if I needed, especially Ma’mon who let me join in a few of his lessons too. I am very happy with the amount of Arabic I was able to learn while I was here and got plenty of practice every day.

I lived with a host family near the Old City who were so kind and friendly. I had my own room and felt very comfortable and like I was part of the family too—I was able to get more Arabic practice and chat with my host sisters who speak English too. I felt very safe and happy here, even walking in the old city. Honestly, my favorite thing about my experience here has been the people. Hospitable does not even cover it; they are so welcoming and kind. Everywhere I went everyone was so kind and offered me food or help with anything I needed.

One day, I was walking while on a break from the center and stumbled upon a lovely garden, where a woman was sitting. She waved me over, and even though I hadn’t learned much Arabic yet, she sat me down and proceeded to feed me lunch complete with fruit grown in the garden and coffee afterwards. Two hours later, after showing me her daughter’s wedding photos, giving me her grandchild to hold, and giving me a tour of her garden, I had to go back to teach a class. We managed to communicate through the immense generosity that I have found in countless families here in Al Khalil. This is the number one thing I will remember about my time here.

I cannot recommend coming to Al Khalil enough. The Excellence Center provides invaluable help in getting here, connecting foreigners to the local community, and providing an environment where you can meet many many new people. It is a truly unique experience. The overall feeling here is of family, for better or worse, complete with some of the chaos that comes with it.

The hospitality I received from the Center and also all the people I have interacted with in Palestine has been so amazing. The warmth that I have received from Palestinians is something I know I will never get anywhere else and I am so grateful for the opportunity that the Center have given me. The teachers here are very willing and helpful, which makes learning here very comfortable.

The safety of the people here in Hebron is nothing like shown in the media. Walking in the streets here are really safe and there wasn't a time it feels risky or dangerous. More likely due to the respect of the people and the warmth from the people everywhere.

As an educator, researcher, and native speaker of the Maltese language, I have always had an interest in studying Arabic because it helps me better understand the origins of my mother tongue and allows me to make linguistic comparisons between these two Semitic languages. Having studied Modern Standard Arabic (Fusha) for years, I felt the urge to practice what I had learnt in class through an immersion experience in a real Arab community.

I learnt about The Excellence Center in Europe, which is located in the middle of the German city of Halle (Saale), a city that is home to many migrants, including Arabs. Such an environment offers a great opportunity for Arab language learners to immerse in both the Arabic language and culture while remaining within a European country.

I completed intensive training—which was tailor-made for my needs—in the Levantine Arabic dialect (Shami). The professional but flexible methods used during this training impressed me. The approach included one-on-one classroom instruction from a native Lebanese speaker; however, it also included several opportunities for real-life practice, such as communicating with Arabic restaurant staff, discussing various topics with Arab nationals, watching and discussing short Syrian and Lebanese films with native Levantine speakers.

I opted to live with a host family, sharing an apartment with an Arab national. This gave me first-hand experience receiving a warm welcome as a guest in an Arab community. I also received a warm welcome from Mr Rafat Shamir, one of the centre’s co-founders, who addresses the specific needs of every student at the centre. Every morning, learners and staff members have breakfast together in the Arabic way—a great way for people of different nationalities to share experiences and start the day.

My experience at the centre was enriching and fruitful. What’s my next step? Who knows? Perhaps a full immersion course at the Excellence Center’s facility in Hebron, Palestine.

Dr Charles Daniel Saliba, PhD (Sheffield, UK)
www.charlesdanielsaliba.com
19 May 2023

This experience was funded by the Erasmus accreditation in the field of education at Sir M. A. Refalo Sixth Form, An Institute for Further Education, located in Victoria, Gozo, Malta.

Having found the Excellence Center from just a Google search and a couple of review sites, I was excited but admittedly nervous when I showed up for my one-month stay in Halle. But the experiences and relationships that I cultivated in the following weeks were so impactful that I decided to extend my stay.

The teaching aspect of the program offers a chance to meaningfully help others while engaging with different cultures. Though I had no experience teaching ESL before coming to the center, the center’s staff did not train me to follow a rigid curriculum. Rather, they provided me with some initial resources and then encouraged me to develop my own unique teaching style. This type of freedom enabled a more creative and comfortable classroom environment for both me and my students.

This same teaching philosophy carried over into the German lessons I took with Muaz, who helped me to develop a more conversational vocabulary. His lessons kept me on my toes, ranging from interpreting music videos to going on excursions into the city.

Above all, my favorite part of my stay has been the people I have met and the sense of community that surrounds the center. Between other volunteers, local university students, and the long-term employees of the center (especially Ali), I felt incredibly welcomed and made friendships that will last a lifetime. I can’t recommend this program enough for someone who wants a unique experience abroad where you can teach, learn, and connect with people of all backgrounds.

I have loved my time at the Excellence Center and would definitely recommend this experience to anybody wanting to visit, embrace, celebrate and understand Palestine on a deeper level. You have the opportunity to build so many relationships – with the teenagers at the center you work with during workshops or classes (depending on your programme), the other volunteers at the Center, the lovely staff here, and then the many people you meet during trips throughout your days when not working. You get to meet Palestinians living at the nearby Al Fawwar Refugee Camp nearby, near the surrounding settlements, in Hebron's Old City itself – and giving them all a chance to tell their story and their reality is so important to understand as a whole the situation here in Hebron and more widely – so we can understand what we are best placed to do to help moving forward. It is also easy to visit parts of Palestine further away such as Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jerusalem – which we took advantage of. The center helps direct you and guide you for such trips.
I finished a BA in English Literature and Theatre before completing a Masters in Acting at the Guildford School of Acting. Due to my background, when I volunteered at the Center it was part of the arts programme here. Over 2 weeks a friend and I led theatre workshops with students aged 15-18. Over the sessions the girls developed songs, dances, images they created with their bodies, and their own speeches, using their own words. We created a safe space where they were able to express themselves creatively, with and without words, and over time build confidence in their own forms of communication. In the last session they performed the work we had created together and everyone as moved by the precision of their performance and the articulation of their own voices – so beautiful, eloquent and honest. Over the sessions they understood the importance of "play" in their lives, and of art. They also began to see the importance of relaxation in the body and working on breath to calm oneself – as many of the girls carried tension in their shoulders from the strains of everyday life. The first session proved difficult as theatre was such a new world for the girls – but by the end those who continued with us said they will try to continue this work in their futures, they loved the classes, and they now understand the importance of what we did as a group here. It was a moving, rewarding and empowering experience and I would certainly encourage anyone to volunteer here, for a sustained period of time, with the students so you can build strong bonds. Maria and I certainly intend to stay in touch with our students and hope we can return again.
Between our classes and many interesting trips we had the chance to learn Arabic at the center. I came with the most basic phrases and no knowledge of the alphabet at all. No matter what your level – you are taught how to introduce yourself, answer basic questions, learn the first few numbers – and build from there. The center supports the level you are at and you learn accordingly. It was a brilliant experience to have the chance to start learning Arabic and I intend to continue lessons when back in London where I am based currently.
I think it's important to say that you feel very safe in Hebron. The center and volunteers are warm and accommodating at all times – you are supported. Some of what you see is heartbreaking, and the first time you are faced with Israeli soldiers holding large guns is jarring – but it is so important to see this reality in my opinion, to witness with your own eyes the situation here.
We stayed with a host family – the Murad family. They live about a 20 minute walk from the Center. They are a warm, sweet family who welcomed us with open arms. Maria and I had two single beds in our own room, and shared a bathroom, kitchen and living room with one other volunteer. A few evenings we spent time with our host parents and their children – drinking the classic Palestinian nana tea, or eating delicious grilled food together as a large group. We were so glad we chose to do this rather than staying at an Airbnb or hotel – it was an authentic, personal, Palestinian experience with warm-hearted locals who have welcomed us back.
There were so many things we loved about our trip and it was a whirlwind of sights, experiences, food, music, culture – and so many lovely people. Overall we loved our time at the Center, we intend to come back, and we were so glad to have seen Palestine with our own eyes – through the words of locals here. The situation is heartbreaking but it's so important for people to visit, to listen, to help, and to witness what is going on. There's also many happy moments, things to celebrate, embrace and enjoy – the beauty of Palestine and its people. It has been a humbling, empowering, thought-provoking and life-enriching experience.

I'm Kiley from the US. I participated for 1 week in the intensive Arabic lanugage program. The program was great and my teacher Duha is fantastic! I stayed with a host family near the center. Being immersed at home and in the community helped a lot to make progress with the language. The staff, teachers, and community at the Excellence Center are so special and welcoming. After the first day of being here, I already didnt want to leave! The Center helped organize visits to the Kufiyah factory and the old town of Hebron. I was also able to visit Ramallah, Jericho, and Bethlehem during my week here. I felt safe everywhere I went! Palestine is an incredible place with amazing people! I highly recommend he Excellence Center. I hope to come back to spend more time learning the language and participating in other programs they have to offer!