Program Reviews

This was the first solo trip of my entire life, and it became a deeply meaningful experience for me both as a human being and as a midwife. I had planned to enter Palestine by crossing the King Hussein Bridge, the border between Jordan and the West Bank. However, the Palestinian side is under Israeli control, and I was very nervous because I come from a Muslim-majority country, even though I hold an Italian passport.

When I arrived at the Israeli-controlled part of the border, the officers asked me several questions about my trip and kept me waiting for about thirty minutes. Then another officer asked me the same questions again. Eventually, I was allowed to cross.

Thankfully, I was well prepared. I had booked hotels and B&Bs in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with free cancellation, and I printed out my fake itinerary in case they asked for proof. So when the officers questioned me, I answered calmly, without hesitation, and without showing how nervous I really was.

Alhamdulillah, once I crossed the border, I took a bus to Jericho, where I had arranged a pick-up with the Excellence Center. Mohammed, the taxi driver, was waiting for me — he was the first Palestinian person I met on this beautiful journey. So, if you are wondering whether you can cross the border or not, don’t hesitate. Go. Despite the stress before crossing, I swear, it is worth it.

I was able to stay for only ten days, but they were enough for me to understand how magical and beautiful Hebron is. I felt part of a big family, surrounded by love, protection, and an incredible enthusiasm to share their life and culture. Osama and Marwa, who run the Center despite all the difficulties, made me feel truly welcomed.

I joined the health care program and had the opportunity to participate in the “Women 4 Women” project and I was deeply moved to see how women have so much power there to transform women’s healthcare.

I also had the chance to visit the hospital and speak with my midwives colleagues there. I admired them greatly. I met wonderful people who will remain in my heart forever. Even though I left almost two months ago, I still cry when I look at the photos because this experience changed my life. I realized that while I went there to help people as a volunteer, in many ways, they were the ones who helped and saved me.

Now, I cannot wait to return to my beloved Hebron.

The Excellence Center was very welcoming and assisted in navigating how to travel to Palestine safely. They are very flexible with arrival and departure times. I stayed in a shared dorm with a great group of friendly guys, which was in a good location close to the center. It was an incredible experience where you are immersed with the Palestinian people and have opportunities to travel all around Palestine. It was very eye opening to see the effects of the occupation on the locals daily lives, and the ways the army tries to make life harder for them through violence and apartheid.

I was blown away by the kindness and hospitality of every local I met in my time in Hebron. The staff at the excellence center is amazing and felt like friends immediately. I would love to come back someday and visit the staff at the center, it was an unforgettable experience. I learned a lot about Palestinian culture, food, and history. I always felt safe and very looked out for. Many people will say hello every time I walk down the street, but I never felt threatened or uncomfortable during any of these convocations. The apartment I stayed at was very nice and I always felt safe there. Seeing the occupation soldiers was the only thing that felt like a safety concern, but just mentally prepare yourself to be very respectful to soldiers and never put yourself in the middle when you see them. If your considering learning Arabic in Palestine, I highly recommend coming to stay with the excellence center!

My time in Hebron was an exciting time, I arrived with the intention of gaining perspective and insights into one of the most misunderstood and interesting countries on Earth. With the help of the Excellence Centre and the other volunteers who were present with me I gained a huge appreciation for the culture and history of this land, the people we met were friendly and kind with a joy for life and community that is difficult to find elsewhere.

At the end of my time here I do feel a though my perspective has been broadened, through challenges faced living daily life under an occupation to the culture shock of an Islamic country I have appreciated the things I have learnt through my time here.

I absolutely loved my three months in the intensive Arabic Program with the Excellence Center, and can't wait to return in the future. My teacher Haya was incredible. I couldn't read a single Arabic letter before my arrival here and never thought that by the end of my time here I would be reading and writing so well in Arabic! Haya pushed me and helped me believe in myself, even when the work felt difficult. I will miss seeing her every day, along with all the other incredible staff at the Center.

Osama and Marwa have been such amazing hosts and were always available when I needed guidance or assistance. They planned all kinds of incredible activities for us, and ensured that I was able to experience all that Al Khalil has to offer during my time here. They truly made me feel like a member of the family and I will miss them so much.

Coming to Palestine and spending three months at the Excellence Center was truly one of the best decisions I've ever made, and cannot recommend it highly enough. It's been a life-changing experience.

I had a fabulous time during my 4+ weeks at the Center. The staff was as friendly and supportive as one could wish. My teacher was wonderful, and I learned more Arabic than I would have imagined possible in such a short period of time. I also had ample teaching opportunities: at the Center itself, at a refugee camp, and at Hebron University. I found Hebron to be a very welcoming city, but I also developed a fuller understanding of the serious challenges the Palestinian people face in the cities and the countryside. My weeks at the Center were among the most satisfying and meaningful in my life.

Wow! What an incredible 9 weeks I've had with Engage in Palestine at the Excellence Center.

No one is a stranger in Palestine and experiencing the warmth and generosity I've felt everyday from the local people and the staff who have come to feel like a second family has been such a privilege.

Seeing firsthand the resilience and courage of Palestinian people, breaking bread with them and becoming a part of the daily routine has immediately felt like home.

The medical program organized through the centre here has enlightened me to the incredible work done through local NGOs and in hospitals. As a nurse, I love seeing health used as a force for connection and the introductions and connections I was able to make through the excellence center afforded many opportunities to witness health as peacebuilding and compassion in action.

I'm so grateful to have been hosted through this fantastic organization and the countless offers of kindness and generosity by Marwa and Osama, the team at the centre and my coworkers in action.

أنا ممتن للغاية للوقت الذي قضاه المركز في تنظيم دروس اللغة لي لتعزيز لغتي العربية!

Being in the west bank at such a precarious time in its history has been enlightening and humbling. I will forever cherish my time spent here and look forward to coming back again soon!

The staff at the Center was fantastic. My Arabic teacher helped me learn more Arabic in four weeks than I would have thought possible. The excursions into the city and the surrounding area gave me a feel for contemporary Palestine, and with the Center's help I was able to teach English at a refugee camp as well as at the Center itself. The Center also helped me make a connection with Hebron University where I was able to give several guest lectures. My time here has been among the most meaningful experiences in my life.

I had such a wonderful experience at the Engage with Palestine center. I was made to feel right at home and anything I needed was sorted. The local teachers I worked with are incredible people...I learned so much from them....so,thank you. The children are so eager to learn and have fun it made it very difficult to leave. During my time at the center I was made feel part of the family... everyone was so welcoming and generous with their time. I never thought that I would make so many friends in such a short period of time. From the people at the center to the people from other parts of the world I met I say thank you and we'll see other soon... Insha'Allah.

I joined the Super Intensive Palestinian Arabic for three weeks at the Excellence Center in Al-Khalil (Hebron), Palestine. I spent a lot of time concentrating on learning Palestinian Arabic with my great teacher Doha and all the friendly staff members at the center who also helped me improve my Arabic and some Khalili dialect.

Apart from the intensive learning of Arabic, I met many friends from Palestine and from around the world who were at the school to learn English/Arabic or to volunteer at the refugee camps. It was very nice to meet all these people who are interested in and committed to the Palestinian issue. We spent a lot of time discussing the cruel and sad reality in Palestinian as well as the strength and resilience of Palestinian people. It was also very fun to share rooms with some international friends, which reminded me of my student life!