The Excellence Center Reviews

My name is Dana and I’m from Chicago, IL USA. At the excellence center, I was a participant in the field study and healthcare programs. I had a pretty good experience at the center because I myself am Palestinian and I got to see and learn so much about my country. I got to see first hand what life was like in Arroob and Fawar refugee camps, I got to go on some of the human rights trips and check out a rep productive and women’s rights center, talk to Palestinian families about their experiences, attend presentations and workshops about the Palestinian reality as it relates to human rights and healthcare, strengthen my Arabic, and also teach English. I had a marvelous time with my host family who are people I now consider family.
At the center itself, the teachers are fantastic and so fun to talk to and laugh with. They are so knowledgeable about Palestine and always willing to answer any questions I had and I really appreciate that. I also made some really great friends here from all around the world! I have friends in Japan, Holland, Britain, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Canada, Australia, and the US! It’s so cool to get to meet all these people with different experiences and ideas and have really cool conversations at the center and at coffee shops about anything and everything. In regards to safety, I generally felt very safe. There are definitely people who will stare because we are foreigners and sometimes there are small children who come up to you and want to talk to you, but they’re usually just very curious and excited.
One of my favorite memories in Palestine was when the Tawjihi results came out and for two days the whole country was celebrating with fireworks and music. I even got to attend one of the celebrations and got to see how everyone goes from house to house congratulating the students for succeeding on their exams. It was really beautiful to be a part of. The only suggestions I would make is maybe sending out a welcome packet or welcome call of some sort of everything a person should know before arriving like how to get there, the specific living arrangements, etc. Also things were a little day by day sometimes which is fine, but it’s something to keep in mind that you may not always know what you’ll be doing a few days in advance.
Overall, my experience at the excellence center was very positive! I learned so much about our family history and about what the daily experience is like with the occupation and apartheid. I can’t wait to come back to Palestine again and spend even more time here.

This programme gives you the opportunity to join on average about two field trips to organisations that work in occupied Palestine. Those range from international organisations like the UN or the ICRC to local activist groups. Furthermore, we visited factories producing local goods and businesses, as Hebron is the commercial centre of Hebron.

As part of the programme you participate in about a 3 hour Arabic lesson a week in a small group. While those lessons help to learn some basic Arabic don’t expect to get fluent… For that you should participate in the Intensive Arabic programme for at least two months and study hard! Don’t worry you will also have the opportunity to participate in some of the Human Rights activities.

As there are many international students at the centre, it is great place to find friends and exchange the experiences you made in Palestine. The staff at the centre is very helpful, albeit you might have to drive your one programme.

On the weekends you can go on self organised trips, with friends you made at centre or alone. Everything within Palestine is easily reachable and not too expensive. If you are here for a longer period, you can even go to Jordan and visit Petra and Wadi Rum.

In Hebron, I shared a modern apartment with under students from the excellence centre. The apartment was great and had everything we needed. Also, as Hebron is the economic hub, you can get anything you need from local shops.

Hebron and Palestine is extremely safe place to visit. While the idea of occasionally having to pass checkpoints might be frightening at first - it really isn’t. As a foreigner you most certainly will nicht face any problems.

My time in Palestine was great, I met many interesting people, had some really good food and was able to travel throughout the country. I can recommend the centre to someone who wants to learn about the situation in Palestine or who wants to learn and improve his Arabic speaking skills.

My name is Elizabeth and I joined the Excellence Center in July of 2022. I am 19 from the United States. I am going into my second year of college in the USA studying Communication and International Studies. I did the Media and Journalism program and the Teach English and Learn German program for two weeks. My experience was great, as I had many cross-cultural experiences at the center with the other volunteers and in the city of Halle. I created a video for the center for which I interviewed all the volunteers about their experiences. I also created a series of articles about Halle, the volunteers, and the refugee situation in Halle with Ukraine. I also took elementary German classes and taught English classes to Ukrainian refugees. All of the volunteers are extremely friendly and all so unique; the conversations we had at the center (at breakfast for example) definitely added to my experience immensely. Overall, the center atmosphere is welcoming and friendly, and the city of Halle is beautiful. Marktplatz was one of my favorite places to go for ice cream and fresh fruit. I would recommend the center to anyone who is looking to expand their world perspective, gain more practice with teaching, and learn about Arabic culture in Germany.

My name is Tereza. This summer I decided to participate in Law Internship provided by the Excellence Center in Hebron.
I was always interested in situation of Palestinian people, and I took this as an opportunity to practice and get better in Arabic and learn more about the applicable law in Palestine. When I considered possibilities to travel abroad and learn Levantine Arabic, I basically didn’t consider for visiting any other country than Palestine.
Palestinian people are very kind and hospitable. My stay with host family is amazing, all members of family are very caring and nice, keen to help me with Arabic and excited to practice English and get better in that. The one month stay allowed me to focus on Palestinian dialect more and get better in that, as well as travelling and attending various activities provided by the Center. I am very glad I could also visit various places and institutions (as a part of my program), as Hebron Governorate, UNRWA, Red Cross and many others. This part of my program in the Center was one of the most helpful regarding understanding the situation in Hebron, and at the same time making this experiment unique.
I really enjoyed my Arabic lessons. My teacher Mahmoud was the best teacher I have ever had for any foreign language, and I am leaving with the feeling I got much better in understanding and speaking Arabic.
During my stay, I had possibility to travel to Ramallah and Nabulus with my host family, to Jericho and Jerusalem on my own, and to Bethlehem, Batir and Mar Saba within the trip organized by the Center.
Regarding safety – Hebron is safe city. All the people around me, including the host family are making sure I feel comfortable and relaxed. I feel safe in this place and very welcomed. There are absolutely no concerns about my safety in Palestine as a foreigner.
During my stay in Hebron, I focused mainly on topics related to my studies, meaning law and Arabic language. There is no better place to improve my skills in Arabic language then around natives. Regarding my law internship – as many European lawyers and law students would agree with me, we have a very little knowledge of law systems outside our countries or Europe. I consider this as a unique possibility to understand better the sources of Palestinian law, its application, division, and have a possibility to talk with the local lawyers. The applicable law in Palestine is often a compound from different sources, including neighboring countries and Ottoman empire. During the lectures, I focused mainly on Sharia law, system of courts in Palestine and also the political situation here.
The Excellence Center is doing their best to provide all important information on their website beforehand, so once you arrived, you can already feel like in your second home. I would recommend to others to participate at any program provided by the Center.

I did the intensive Arabic course with the excellence center and I must begin by saying that the teaching quality for me was top notch. My teacher was brilliant and in the relatively short time that I studied at the center, I feel as though I have significantly advanced in my Arabic speaking skills. The social scene is great, most of the staff and students were very friendly. I should however make note of a few things to any prospective students. The price of admission is very high due to a number of factors the center's resources are limited. Before you sign up you need to be aware of a few things, for example, if you're a male then you will not be integrated into a host family in the same way that girls are. Hebron is after all, a conservative city. Aside from that the center's biggest issues are organization and transparency so I will say that in order to make the most of your time here, you need to use a lot of initiative such as exploring the city yourself and finding the time to talk to the people here.

I’m Jessica, I’m 20 years old and I’m from the UK. I studied Arabic and taught English in Halle at the Excellence centre for 4 weeks and really loved my time here!
I met so many inspiring and interesting people throughout from so many different backgrounds. The atmosphere

in the centre is always welcoming and generous spirited, you quickly feel part the family.
Halle is a really beautiful and open city to be in with lots of great parks and great public transport system.
I would definitely recommend the excellence centre to anyone thinking of coming, I have made some amazing memories and will miss it so much!
Thank you!!

Hi, my name is Nicholas. I’m 20 years old, studying Criminal Justice and Political Science at University, as well as Arabic. This summer I participated in the Intensive Arabic Program.

Activities that the Center holds - besides your program of choice - includes some day trips, dinner at the Center on occasion, and opportunity to participate in other programs - in my last week I help teach two English classes to students in a village and I wish I did it more.

On the topic of day trips, though the Center I visited the old city of Hebron and the settlements of Hebron to get a taste of reality for Palestinians in this ongoing conflict. I also was able to visit Der Mar Saba, Batir, and a local ceramics and kufia factory.

The Arabic lessons here at the center have been great. My teacher Maram was very good and I have learned a lot of new vocabulary and the opportunity to speak Arabic for many hours each day helps you get comfortable using what you know and what you have just learned.

Security in Hebron and Palestine is not an issue. Personally, I have felt safer walking through Palestine alone than I have in any city in the United States, my home country.

My overall experience of Palestine and the Center has been great. I was able to speak with locals in their native language, experience a new lifestyle and culture, try new things and meet new people.

Nicholas

Hello My name is Lord Dunmore, I'm from California and I found this program online. I've been with the Excellence Center of Europe for about 2 months, and in that time I've met so many incredible people and had an unforgettable experience! My time at the center was absolutely fantastic and full of opportunities to learn especially with my German instructor Muaz and all my classmates. During my time here, I instructed 4 students in English and 1 in Germany, coaching them with language and helping them become more confident in themselves when they speak. We have also Taken some trips to see Leipzig, Berlin, and Thalle, all very wonderful locations. All of the volunteers in Excellence Center were wonderful to meet and I enjoyed all of their company inside Center and outside as well, since Halle gives many chances to relax and find fun activities, it was always a pleasure to have them with and not be completely alone in a different country. The Excellence Center gives a very warm and welcoming environment. Everyone was so helpful and accepting and I never felt left out or alone, and I've made many very close and unforgettable friends that I hope to remain close to. Immediately when I arrived I met Ali, who guided me to the Center, showed me to my accommodation, and became one of my best friends since I've been here. All of the staff at the Excellence Center are phenomenal, Radwan is very helpful and outgoing. Though Radwan is more on the quiet side, he's very competitive when it comes to playing soccer and we always have a good time. Salma is absolutely amazing, she is so sweet and outgoing! As soon as I met her I felt so taken care of and appreciated and I immediately felt apart of the family. Rafat is one of the best managers I've worked with because the establishment and the environment he created is friendly, loving, welcoming, as well as professional and this made me want to come in and volunteer everyday. Halle is absolutely beautiful and coming from California, I can say one of the most convenient, and beautiful cities I've stayed in, and I would even consider living there. My students were wonderful and very eager to learn and teaching was on of the most enjoyable parts of the program. My German instructor Muaz was not only a very skilled, effective, professional teacher but a fantastic friend and added to my experience a great deal and I feel I have a much better grasp on the German language because of his efforts. I would definitely recommend this to people with a passion for German culture and language, Halle is a safe place to stay and the Excellence Center provides instructors who are dedicated and an environment that is encouraging. I also want to mention my fellow volunteers who became like family to me and gave me an unforgettable experience. The Excellence Center of Europe was an excellent choice for me and I hope any one considering this program will come to Halle and see for themselves what a wonderful group of people are waiting for them!

Hi! I’m a medical student from the UK and just spent the last 2 weeks in Hebron, Palestine with the Excellence Centre. I was involved with both the Teach English Study Arabic (TESA) and Medical Healthcare Programme.

On the TESA programme, I spent a week travelling to a nearby village (paid for by the centre) to teach 2 classes of around 20 kids aged 7-13. Although varying in levels, being able to build a bond with the kids and try and make their lessons as fun and useful as possible was very rewarding. Most of the kids were very eager to learn English which certainly helped make the class environment more fun. Teaching them basic words/phrases also gave me a chance to improve my own very basic conversational Arabic.

My Medical healthcare programme was shorter. In my 5 or so days, I was able to visit 2 hospitals, a nearby refugee camp and listen to a couple of presentations about the healthcare structure in Hebron and Palestine. The visit to the nearby Al-Alia public hospital was the most memorable experience of this programme. The hospital was rammed pack and was certainly in need of additional funds/staff and supplies. It was an eye opening experience but the doctors and staff from each ward were very friendly and happy to take time out to answer any Q’s we had.

The people in Palestine, particularly Hebron were super friendly. I read a lot of people say the same thing before I travelled to Palestine, but having been through it myself I cannot overstate how friendly Palestinians truly are. From teachers/students at the EC to taxi drivers to even street sweepers. Everyone was super happy to talk to foreigners and help out in any way possible. This also means a lot of coffee offerings and even 1 wedding invite from a particular taxi driver lol. Marwa and Osama (the people who run the centre) were extremely accommodating in my short time there. I felt reassured that I could raise any concerns with them at any time. Marwa even cooked a local favourite dish (Mansaf) for my flatmates and I - for which I am super grateful!

Due to the nature of the course and having weekends off, there is also a lot of scope to travel around Palestine which was something I really enjoyed. In just 2 weeks at the centre, I combined my free time and visited Jerusalem, Ramallah and Nablus with a few friends that I made from the centre.

One concern I had going into Palestine was safety. It’s completely understandable given the media portrayal but I am 100% convinced when I say Hebron is safer than London in every way possible. The people are incredibly funny and cannot remember coming across/witnessing anything confrontational at all. The only sense of tension I got was when visiting the occupied areas near Ibrahimi Mosque.

Some things I would tell volunteers to expect before they come would be to be prepared for the surprisingly high cost of living in Palestine. Due to the political and economic situation in Palestine, costs and prices alike have gone up. It’s not uncommon to pay £15-£20 for a meal. However, I would still urge to do so and help out the local communities who are still struggling very much. Another things would be not to expect a 5* hotel accommodation. I think I got quite lucky with a very nice apartment for my accommodation, but I heard of less fortunate situations. Do not have your expectations for living arrangements through the roof, especially considering the very reasonable price of the course. Lastly, if you are planning on coming it would be in your own best interest to learn as much Arabic as possible beforehand - this will make your lessons and interactions with locals a lot more enjoyable and fruitful.

Overall, I couldn’t recommend the Excellence Centre enough. If you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to see Palestine and visit the Excellence Centre - please do it!

I had an incredible time at the Excellence Center, where I did the intensive spoken Arabic course for a duration of six weeks. My Arabic improved considerably, and the instruction and staff support was unmatched. I wish I could have stayed longer, and I would say to anyone coming to the center that at least four weeks minimum is necessary if you are in an intensive language course here. The class sizes are very small, which is a huge plus!

I met the most generous, kind, and welcoming people at the Center, and one of the Center's greatest strengths is its small size - the result of it is that everyone knows everyone and it truly becomes a small family where everyone is made to feel they belong. I cannot recommend this program enough for those interested in a life-changing language learning experience!