Study Arabic in Palestine (1-13 Weeks)

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!!

I came to the center to develop my skills in MSA and Palestinian dialect. I registered for a 2 weeks intensive prgram, which means 4h of courses and some more for homework. Not much time to get bored, but some freetime to go around tozn on your own.

If you feel a little doubtful about discovering Hebron by your own, the center often organizes visits or meetings with local NGOs.

The staff is welcomingm dedicated and very fun. Part of the pleasure comes from being a groupd from various background, and progressing as a team

I got an individual programme adapted to my level of knowledge. That was perfect. The staff was very helpfull and the teacher was perfect. I loved my stay in this Palestine city. I had no problem and went through the town walking. Taking a taxi or a bus was no problem. I took a taxi to Bethelem. This was a nice visit. We went to a refugee camp,\. This was very interesting.The old city is worthwhile visiting,

I recommend the excellence center for young and old. It is realy a chance to study arabic n al khaliel.

My name is Hattie Langdon, I am from the UK and I participated in the Intensive Arabic Programme. I really enjoyed my Arabic lessons with Maryum, they were a lot of fun and I learnt a lot for 1 month of studying. I have learnt the fundamentals of reading and writing and I can hold a basic conversation on a range of topics. I would highly recommend the excellence centre for students like me, who have never studied Arabic before. The environment at the centre is bustling, with a lot of people from all over the world and lots to do. Everyone has been incredibly kind and welcoming. Alongside my Arabic course I have also been taken on tours to the old city of Hebron, AL Fawwar Refugee Camp as well as meeting some local artists. On the weekends I got the chance to visit Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jerrico, Ramallah and Nablus. My favourite trips has been to Jerrico to visit the dead sea and hike Wadi Qelt. I have also had the opportunity to live with two different local families who have been amazingly generous and have made me feel at home in Hebron. Living with local families has allowed me to practice and improve my Arabic every evening. I also join them for dinner in the evenings which has meant I have had the privilege of trying many local cuisines. Despite tensions in Palestine, I have always felt safe on trips with the Excellence Centre. Palestine has been a truly beautiful country to visit with amazing food and the kindest people. The people I have met here is what will stick with me the most. Their generosity and the stories they are happy to share has really amazed me and I am leaving Palestine much more informed on it’s history and current political situation.

A unique experience full of knowledge and interesting people. People are welcoming from the very first day and surpisingly the situation around is not really affecting your daily life as a foreigner. Yet again you get to see things from both sides being as objective an observer as possible. For anyone who wants to either learn arabic, volunteer or even learn about the conflict and get a different perspective I highly recommend the Excellence Centre for a stay as quite all side needs - accomodation, some travel support and help from other volunteers are beeing taken care of.

Really a nice program. Teachers good. You are provided with textbooks - but the teachers are very flexible about that. Everybody in the center are very kind and helpful. You will meet a lot of students from UK, EU, US and Australia. Accomodation is good and together with other students. There will be excurtions with the center and the other students around Hebron. In the weekends it is possible to discover the hole Palestine by yourself or with the other students. Palestine and Israel is a very interesting place full of history.

The intensive arabic teaching excellent and you have to be prepared to put a lot in if you really want to make the most of your time. You need to follow up the classes with independant study. The standard of teaching is very high and personalised to your needs which is brilliant. There is also so much to learn about the situation here and the Centre are great at arranging trips. I also really enjoyed meeting and mixing with other students and colleagues on the human rights and teaching English programmes and sharing our awareness and experiences. It's been a really special time and I do hope to return . I would recommend the Center as a great place to learn Arabic and to get to know Hebron and someof the extraordinary people here who work peacefully and with creativity in spite of the huge challenges of living under the occupation.

I went on many excursions to various places around and outside of Al Khalil. Including a cutting edge art workshop the only of its kind in Al Khalil as well as a trip to Masafer Yatta where we spoke to local residents.
I was doing the intensive Arabic course. Aided by my brilliant teacher I was able to make considerable progress in my Arabic, improving all facets including reading, speaking and writing. My teacher also prepared immersive lessons where we visited different shops and cafes so I was able to practise my arabic with locals. This helped to boost my confidence and make the learning process more exciting.
The staff at the excellence centre have managed to cultivate a very warm and inviting environment where a lot of concerns someone may hold when travelling to Al khalil are quickly dispensed on arrival as volunteers are instantly put at ease and made to feel at home.

The excellence centre is a great environment because it attracts an interesting mix of volunteers and students, who come from all other the world for a multitude of reasons, be that to improve their Arabic, to explore Palestinian culture, or to learn more about the political situation in the region.
There’s lots I have loved about Palestine. I loved the food, the array of cosy coffee shops but most of all I loved the people I met here. From the people at the centre to people I met on the streets. Most people were friendly and hospitable and some exhibited incredible kindness and warmth.
Despite the complex political situation that overshadows the region it manages to sustain a vibrant culture and the people here exhibit an incredible spirit and willingness to entertain foreigners and make them feel welcome.
Overall experience has been incredibly positive. The cultural excursions along with the quality of teaching and the environment at the centre have made for an unforgettable experience that I will cherish for a long time.