The Excellence Center Reviews

I was able to join the program only for 2 weeks, and was afraid it would not be long enough to learn much. It was certainly not long enough, but it was still very rich experience, and I feel I learned a lot through the stay. I was very warmly welcomed by the staff at the center as well as the host family, and the team tried to make my stay comfortable and meaningful. I was able to visit various organizations, sites, and had some time to do tourist visits as well, and the whole time I felt very safe. I am really glad I came, even if it was only for two weeks.

My time in Palestine has been absolutely wonderful. Even though I was the teacher, the stundents taught me more than I could have ever imgined and learing with them was a blessing. It will be something that I will be always grateful for. Whenever I needed help,
I could be sure that the center would do everything in order to help me. I can really recommend the excellence center to other people thinking about going to Palestine. You will be learing arabic, meeting great people and always have people to help you anywhere and anytime. It was an insightful journey!

My time at the Excellence Centre has been one of the best experience I ever had.
Osama and Marwha are so welcoming and make sure you are set up for success from the first day you walk through the centre door.

My host family were absolutley amazing and I consider them part of my own family.

We participated in various activities, we visitied a school for blind children, we visited refugee camps and we were taken to see the wonderful views around Hebron.

An experience that stood out most to me was meeting with lawyer, Osayd Awawada, he was a really Informative source in explaining about the history of Palestine. Having a legal background myself this was really surreal for me.

Saja and Duha were amazing Arabic teachers and now my friends for life, there teaching methods for Arabic made it super easy to pick up and I found myself engaging in conversation within a couple of days.

I made great friends in and around the centre, I already cant wait to return for an even longer visit to the Excellence Centre.

I love my palestenian family here in Hebron, Palestine and I will miss them all so much!!

I was very excited to visit the Excellence center after deciding I wanted to go to Palestine to see what is going on first hand. I was not dissapointed, Upon arrival my friends and I were made feel extremely welcome by everyone in the Center, I felt immediatley at home.
Having completed the Human Rights program I feel really satisfied with the course.
Osama was amazing from day one, every trip he orgainsied for us was well thought out and gave a great insight into the stuggle facing the people in Palestine. From meeting activists and visiting refugee camps to sampleing the local food and culture. We were even lucky enough to attend a Hebron wedding, something I will never forget. I found the Arabic lessons with Duha to be extremley engaging, informative and certainly helped us get around.
I can not fault me experience at the Excellence Center and have every intention on returning in the future.

My name is Conor, I am a 24 year old International Affairs graduate from Ireland and I have completed the Human Rights programme at the Excellence Center. I have had a great time during my stay in Hebron, participating in many engaging activities such as visits to local activists, refugee camps, governmental departments and local schools all the while learning about the situation in Palestine. I also got the chance to teach English to local students and had a great experience learning Arabic with the fantastic teachers at the Center. There is also an amazing atmosphere at the Center and all the staff and students are so welcoming, creating a really fun environment every day. During our stay we also got to visit many amazing places such as Bethlehem, the Dead Sea and Jerusalem to name a few. I also found our accomodation was perfect for our my here and we were helped with everything we needed from our landlord and were made to feel so welcome. Furthermore, not once did I feel unsafe in Hebron, with a very calm and peaceful atmosphere around the city. It is difficult to say what I enjoyed the most, as the food, people, culture and general hospitality were unparralled and like nothing I have ever experienced before. Some of my favourite times here were actually just hanging around the Center and having a laugh and fun with students and staff alike. My lasting impression of Palestine is that it is a place filled with beautiful people with such a rich and vibrant culture and something that I believe anyone would be lucky to experience and I can't wait to come back again.

I am just coming to the end of a 5 week Human Rights Internship with the Excellence Center. It has been a fantastic experience from start to finish. The center was extremely welcoming and efficient in helping us get setup with regards our arrival and accomadation. The course consisted of several lectures on the human rights sitaution on the ground here in the West Bank. These classes were highly informative and helped us get a better understanding of the plight of the Palestinian people. We are regularly brought out on trips to refugee camps, hospitals, schools and elsewhere which has provided futher important insight into what is going on in the ground. My favourite trips were into the Old City of Hebron which gave us an 'up-close' look at Al-Shuhada Street and the Tel Rumeida settlement, a historical but tense area of the city. The course also included numerous Arabic classes throughout each week which really helped me with the basics of the language and made it easier for me to get around the city by myself. Overall, the experience has been second to none, and I will most certainly be back.

i spent the last 6 weeks doing the Human Rights program with the excellence centre Palestine, over the 6 weeks we learned about the history of Palestine Maamoun i found it very interesting and moving to learn about the horrific history the Palestinian people have delt with. The irish history is quite similer as asides to being colonized by a foreign power, This is why i found the histories classes to be one of the most interesting part of my stay here.
We also learned Arabic with our teacher Duha , we had 3 one hour classes and week and very it very helpful with day to day interactions with the locals and we are all considing to continue our lessons online with excellence centre after our stay.
Our course coordinator Osama had daly trips organized for us we had trips all around the WestBank it was amazing way to see the city and get to know the very welcoming people of Palestine. It was also very eye opening as you see the struggle the people have to endure by the Israeli soldiers.
Over all i had an amazing experience here at the excellence centre, Meeting some of the nicest people of my life who I will never forget. I would highly recommend the excellence centre for anyone considering travelling to Palestine.

First Days

When I first arrived in Halle in early October 2022, I had taken a bit of a leap of faith. While I had experience traveling abroad, this was my first time doing so alone; in a new place for three months. I knew what to expect to an extent. I had an address to reach, program dates and details, and a basic understanding of how to purchase train tickets. After more than 30 hours of international transit and trying to speak German with my sleep deprived, over caffeinated brain, I found myself in the apartment I would come to call home. Although the physical journey had ended, my real journey had only just begun.

Any and all anxieties I had before arriving in Halle were resolved incredibly quickly. My roommates, fellow Excellence Center folks, were incredibly welcoming and helped me settle in with little difficulty. I still remember my first evening after landing, chatting and having tea, and gradually feeling more and more at ease. I slept like a rock that night, and in the morning I had the first of many communal breakfasts at the Excellence Center. The entire environment at the Center was (and still is) incredibly warm and welcoming, and I knew I had made a good decision in choosing to come.

Branching Out

After my first few days, I began to settle in. I established a routine, met with my first students, and began to feel at ease with the major change. I took one of my first weekends to explore the cities of Leipzig and Berlin, just by booking train tickets and spending hours walking in the foreign cities. I saw famous tourist sights and tried authentic and classic German foods. It was amazing to just immerse myself in a culture and environment so different from my hometown in the United States.

I didn’t stop at neighboring cities, however. I’d always wanted to see Sweden, and within a couple of weeks I made plans to visit Stockholm. Before that, however, I experienced more of Halle. My new friends and I explored the Salle, ate döner and schnitzel, and went to a disco club in the dungeon of a castle from the middle ages. I started to get the hang of teaching, and felt like I was finding my place. By the time my plane took off towards Stockholm, I almost felt as though I’d lived in Halle for years.

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm was another significant change. I found out upon arrival that although Sweden is in the European Union, they are not in the EuroZone, and thus the currency is the Swedish Krona. To make things even more difficult, I had not called my bank to tell them that I would be traveling, and I was worried my debit card would be frozen. Eventually, I managed to buy a train ticket from the airport to the city center, and arrived at my first ever youth hostel after midnight, long after the reception desk had closed. I still feel bad for the hostel owner, who I had to call three times to figure everything out. I was incredibly grateful that my phone had cell service, it wasn’t until a few weeks later that I really understood how much of a privilege reliable internet can be.

After the first night, I took the day to explore Stockholm, much like Leipzig and Berlin, but not before meeting and chatting with a friendly Slovenian man whose name I never got. During my long walk, I saw a sign for a boat tour with an included brunch, and I was sure to book a spot for the next outing. I walked along the water, in parks, past a few churches, and through downtown. I went to a bar near my hostel for dinner, and was served some of the best grilled salmon I’ve ever had. On the boat tour the following day, I enjoyed more amazing food and was helped by an incredible server who’s name I also never got. He was incredibly kind and paid me the same attention as everyone else, even though I had come alone. After the brunch, I was able to go on deck and take lots of photos of the beautiful archipelago. Though I had to rush to get to the airport right after, it was an incredible experience and I will save those photos forever.

Parties in Prague

Coming back to Halle, I spent some more time appreciating what was here. I took the next weekend to chill out and not travel, but soon I was hungry for more. I booked a train ticket to Prague, at the recommendation of my father, and soon I found myself in another hostel. This time, however, my debit card was frozen as soon as I entered the Czech Republic, and the SIM card for my cell phone ran out of credit. It definitely didn’t help that the Wi-Fi on the train did not work whatsoever. By the time I got to my Hostel, I was stressed, confused, and pretty overwhelmed. I needed cell service to call my bank to unfreeze my debit card and pay for my hostel, and I needed my debit card to recharge my SIM card and regain cell service. Not to mention the fact that my previous attempt to recharge my SIM card had burned €20 to no avail and I wasn’t sure why. To make matters worse, my bank’s servers took the opportunity to crash, and I wasn’t able to access any online banking information.

The amazing staff at my hostel were super understanding. They gave me a free drink and allowed me to go to my room under a handshake agreement that I would pay for the room in the morning. Two hours later, everything finally fell into place and I was able to breathe again after the stressful day. At this point I was ready to call it a night, but my roommates at the hostel struck up a conversation and the next thing I knew we were having a blast at the rooftop bar. Everyone was again super friendly, and I really wish I had thought to exchange social media information with them. Five of us, myself included, later decided to hit the town, and I spent the night having an amazing time in one of Prague’s famous nightclubs. We got back around 3 or 4 AM, and at this point I could have slept for years. I stuck with them for the rest of the trip, and we went out for breakfast the next morning. We did some sightseeing and of course I took a million pictures, and we spent our second night on the rooftop bar again. Unfortunately the next day was checkout, and we had to say goodbye. I spent some more time seeing Prague on my own, and my train pulled out that night.

Settling in, in Brussels?

After Prague, I spent a few weeks in Halle without traveling far. My friends from the Center and I hung out a lot, and good times were had by all. I gained a few students, and it felt more like I was living in Germany, not just visiting. The Halle Christmas market had also opened, and it was great to experience such a famous and classic event. Being from Colorado, I started to miss the sun a little (with only about 7 hours of daylight daily, including lots of snow and rain), but overall things were still great.

Most recently, however, I took another trip. I took a flight to Brussels, which was delayed so much that I spent more time on the tarmac in Berlin than in the air, but getting there was great. My hostel was amazing and the Christmas lights were beautiful. I spent my days exploring on foot as usual, all over Brussels, and nights were spent watching football (soccer, for my fellow Americans) in the hostel bar. I was able to practice my limited skills in French and Dutch, and had a few fun interactions with strangers. I mistimed my bus to the airport, and ended up spending 6 hours in the concourse, but I made it to Berlin in one piece.

Cold Station, Warm Hearts

It was at this point that I realized the DeutscheBahn had yet to reopen the ICE line from Berlin to Leipzig, even after 3 days, and I found myself stranded in Berlin South Station at midnight. There were no trains until 4:30, no buses until even later, and it was over 170 km by taxi, which would have cost me almost €400. I ended up taking the S-Bahn to Berlin Central, and then just waiting around for almost four hours. I never realized how cold train stations are, and I also found out that they get slightly warmer when you get to lower platforms. I found the one restaurant that was still open, and so was able to eat, but other than that there was a lot of time sitting and walking around. However, I was actually incredibly grateful for the experience by the end.

You see, because I was so cold, I was looking for any source of heat. I found one of those standing heaters, which had a few people gathered around. There was an older man telling stories in either Russian or Ukrainian, and people were laughing and joking. I tentatively joined the circle, and began to warm up, in terms of heat as well as socially. Eventually, I became part of the conversation (through English and German), and I ended up making two good friends. I chatted and joked with these people until the early morning, and I actually had the same train as one of them, so I was able to talk to her for even longer. We all traded WhatsApp numbers, and the good times have continued up to now. Had the DeutscheBahn not closed the ICE line, I would never have met these amazing people, which is a great example of how blessings can come in all forms. The next day was tough, having arrived home at 7 AM without sleep, but I am still incredibly grateful for the strange circumstances that brought us together.

Sad Goodbyes

And that brings us to today. I only have about 11 days left at the Center, a fact that makes me very sad. I don’t think I will do much traveling as I want to spend as much time as possible with the folks at the Center. This entire experience has been absolutely amazing and I could fill a book with the things I’ve learned (it was hard enough to fit all this into only these few pages). Everyone I’ve met has been incredible, and these are friends I will have for a very long time. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything, and I’m so glad to have taken a small leap of faith and landed where I have. I hope to be able to return at some point in the future, either as a volunteer or just to visit. But at the same time, I of course also look forward to seeing colorful Colorado again.

I spent the last three months as a Human Rights volunteer/intern with The Excellence Center, and will depart with one of my most significant life experiences. I came to Palestine,with a special interest in the political situation, both on a personal level, and a national level, coming from Ireland - a country that strongly criticises the human rights violations committed by Israel upon the Palestinian people.

I am grateful to the dedicated coordinators of The Excellence Center Marwa and Osama, for making my time here so valuable by providing many opportunities, and catering to my requests so that I could I have a vastly informative experience about the Israeli occupation, from the local to the national level, as well as an insight into the bureaucratic, legal, economic, social, healthcare systems; and the media.

The first week, Ma’moon hosted the Human Rights in Palestine Lecture, and he covered everything from memory. He recalled specific dates, and intricate details from memory. Ma’moon is a very skilled teacher, as well as a wonderful person, with whom I became very good friends.

The inclusion of Arabic lessons in the programme is a vital aspect, and my teacher Marwa made the classes very enjoyable and easy to learn. Marwa was patient, and always so kind even when I was struggling with the alphabet at the beginning, because I found it tedious to study! I was fortunate enough to have one on one classes, and so we tailored my classes to learn as much vocabulary and language as possible according to my learning capacity. Marwa is really open minded and approachable, I could confide in her about anything, and have definitely made a friend for life!

There is always a relaxed, easygoing, fun, vibrant environment in the Center. With such a diverse, international family from Palestinian to Irish, British, Australian, German, Norwegian, Danish, Filipino/a, everybody was so kind and friendly.

During my time in Hebron, I travelled around the West Bank, visiting Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho, Jerusalem, Nablus and Masafer Yatta.

I always felt very safe in Palestine. Palestinian people are one of the kindest and hospitable I have ever met, I was surprised to see that Osama even leaves his car unlocked! During my first week, I also lost my phone temporarily in a “service” and the taxi driver went completely out of his way to track it down and retrieve it for me.

I stayed with a Palestinian host family, who are so generous, kind and hospitable. However, as I am thirty years old, and used to being very independent, I found it hard to really mix with the family, as it is not in my nature to stay home all the time. I enjoyed being involved with other local human rights organizations, so while I was fairly independent, I did not feel as quite independent as I would do, when I am usually abroad. I think it would be worthwhile to stay with a host family for possibly one month, however I think it would be in The Center’s advantage to open a shared accommodation for female volunteers, perhaps from age twenty-five upwards. As a vegetarian/vegan living with a host family, particularly a very traditional one, it was awkward for me to cook hot food.

I personally have forged a very strong bond with Palestine, and am very sad to leave. I would really like to come back in the future and possibly stay for at least six months. Palestine is one of the most beautiful, culturally rich places I have ever visited, with the most incredible, kind, funny, resilient people, and I wish to continue learning Arabic so I can return and converse like a Hebronite!

My favourite experience to date is visiting Masafer Yatta. Thanks to The Excellence Center, I was introduced to this enriching place, with breathtaking scenery, and some of the most sorrowful situations I’ve seen, where houses and schools are being demolished. After I returned more than five times, to stay with the local people and their children, appreciate the magnificent landscape and document their stories that so desperately need to be heard and broadcast.

I truly had one of the most enriching, enlightening and productive three months of my life, and I’m so thankful to my Excellence Center family for giving me this opportunity. I know it will not be the last time that we shall cross paths!

شكراً كتير

Rachel Farrelly

I stayed at the centre for 3 weeks while participating in Human Rights Program since I wanted to learn about the current situation in Palestine, its culture and people in the most authentic way possible. Moreover, I got the chance to learn Arabic as well and my experience overall was surreal, fullfiling and very humbling.
Excellence centre personel was very kind and helpfull and regarding the safety in Hebron, I personally never felt in danger or unsafe in any way.
Would definitely recommend!!