Volunteer & Study Arabic In Palestine (1-13 Weeks)

I spent two weeks in December in Hebron studying Arabic at the Excellence Center. The program with my teacher was very well structured. She has a degree in education and the Arabic language. We worked on grammar as well as on the spoken Palestinian dialect. I learned a lot in this two weeks.

I stayed with a Palestinian family during this time and experienced life as the locals do. It was wonderful to spend time with the family and get to know more about the culture. For anyone considering to visit in the winter I would highly recommend preparing for the cold. Don't let the weather forecast fool you, the temperature doesn't seem low but it is VERY cold here! There is no central heating in most of the buildings so come prepared with you warmest clothes.

The Excellence Center is a great place to learn Arabic and experience Hebron!

My name is Hannah and I am from Essex, England. I was volunteering at the Excellence Centre on the Teach for Palestine programme.

During my three months in Hebron, I had a wide range of teaching experiences. I delivered several workshops on CV writing and interview skills to university students and graduates, I had several private students; some were preparing to take the IELTS test and some wanted to improve their English language skills for work. I taught an Intermediate English Conversation course, and assisted as a native speaker in some beginners courses. I ran an English club for school students to practice their speaking and listening. I also ran four workshops for English teachers, and another for English graduates, focusing on how to promote creativity in the English language classroom. This range of experiences has been really useful for me, because up until my arrival in Hebron, I had only worked in a primary school.

I had several different Arabic teachers during my time at the Excellence Centre, they were all good in different ways, but it might have been better to have had one teacher. I definitely feel that my Arabic has improved a lot, by being in an Arabic speaking environment, particularly my receptive language. I am still not too confident about joining in conversations but I definitely understand a lot more and it has definitely given me the motivation to study further.

The environment at the centre has been a positive one for me, I have enjoyed the fact that the management trust the teachers and volunteers to deliver lessons or activities in whatever way suits them, and the students, best. As an experienced teacher, I have really enjoyed that freedom, but I understand that might be challenging for volunteers who don’t come from a teaching background. I have really loved working with the students- funny, clever, talented people of all ages and abilities. The staff have been friendly and helpful, and I feel really lucky to have met a really interesting group of international volunteers while I have been here.

I went on several visits organised by the Excellence Centre. I went to the Ibrahimi Mosque and to the Old City, to the Glass Factory and to Al Fawwar camp. I also went to a grape festival and a Food Exhibition.

I have visited Bethlehem several times, I went last night, in fact, to see the Christmas lights! I like to be in the countryside, so on my days off, I have gone on various hiking trips with different groups. That has really been a highlight of my stay. I went to Wadi Qelt a couple of times, it is really very beautiful, and I went on several valley walks near to Ramallah and Jericho. I had one particularly lovely walk in Wadi al-Qaf, which is very close to Hebron. It was olive picking time, so lots of families were out together working on their trees. One family invited us to sit and eat with them, and we had a lovely meal of stuffed vine leaves under the trees. A little bit further along the way another family invited us to have coffee with them. It was a really lovely day.

I have had a really good experience with my host family, they have been very friendly and hospitable and it has been lovely to get to know them. They have really helped me with my Arabic. I was really glad that there was a lovely garden to sit in and it was nice to have my own space too.

I felt as safe in Hebron as I would in any city, so I felt okay to walk around on my own, with the same kind of caution I would take in London, or anywhere else. I did feel self-conscious sometimes, as a woman, in what felt like very male-dominated public spaces, but had no real problems.

I have really enjoyed my time in Palestine, the countryside is beautiful, the food is great and the people have been really funny, friendly and kind. The Excellence Centre was a really good choice for me because it has given me really good teaching experiences, and the chance to meet and work with really interesting students and colleagues. I would recommend the Teach for Palestine programme at The Excellence Centre to any teachers who enjoy working flexibly, and would like to gain some different experiences while staying in this fascinating country.

From September to November 2019, I was a participant in the Teach English in Palestine Program of the Excellence Center in Hebron. Teaching and learning for three months, Maqluba and falafel with the host family, breakfast and football with international volunteers, hiking in Wadi Qaf and strolling in the old town.
I came to Palestine for an internship in the context of studying Arabic in Germany. The program offered convinced me with its combination of Arabic language practice and teaching the English language as a contribution to cultural exchange.
At the Excellence Center, I met a very friendly, relaxed atmosphere. I very much appreciated the interesting encounters with interns from all over the world and the diverse tasks. The teaching of different language levels, on my own or as an assistant, alone or in a team, workshops and guided tours to the attractions in Hebrew designed the weeks varied. What impressed me most was the great confidence in my work. I got the chance to independently plan, prepare and carry out lessons, always relying on motivational support. With much patience, humor and inexhaustible energy, my Arabic teacher helped me through the complex structures of the Arabic language.
During my stay I lived in a host family and was able to participate in family life. I was warmly received. The family always made me feel welcome and at the same time respected my private space. I was impressed by the close cohesion of the family. The Friday Makluba - gathering with the extended family I will keep in special memory.
This experience was particularly important to me because my prior knowledge of Palestine was limited to the news of the European media, where violence dominates the headlines. Here in Hebron I got a completely different picture of life in Palestine. In the family, I experienced a natural normality, in the city relaxed bustle. I felt absolutely safe throughout my entire stay in Hebron. However, the limitations of isolation were very noticeable as soon as I left the city.
We few "foreigners" stand out in Hebron and that is sometimes exhausting. However, it also makes clear how important the work of the Excellence Center is.

Auf Wiedersehen in Hebron!

My name’s Niall from London, England and I participated in the Human Rights Program over the month of October 2019 at the Excellence Centre.

I came to the Centre with a very open mind and a desire to learn about the conflict and overall situation in Palestine. The Program allowed me to learn first-hand by meeting and interviewing a large variety of people working in fascinating fields of Human Rights in Hebron. Those that I met were very open and frank with me, as were they very happy to speak of the situation and answer any questions that I might have. There were many trips to local sights and cultural activities within the city of Hebron, as well as slightly further afield as well. These ranged from refugee camps to the famous Ibrahimi Mosque.

During my time at the Centre I had three hours of Arabic lessons per week. These were really helpful in my day-to-day conduct around the city. I did not know any Arabic whatsoever upon arrival, but thanks to the classes, I was able to freely navigate around, ask directions, introduce myself, haggle in the markets. The classes have peaked my interest in furthering my studies of the language when I return to England.

The Excellence Centre has wonderful, very friendly and accommodating staff who make you feel at home from day one. The city of Hebron is also truly a remarkable place. The people are particularly kind and incredibly helpful should you require any assistance. The proximity of other wonderful nearby cities like Bethlehem and Jerusalem, put Hebron in a great location. It is very reasonably priced to get a shared taxi to visit these tourist destinations as a day trip or an overnight excursion. There are also really beautiful hiking spots not far by, with natural spring waters.

“Is it safe?” is a common question one hears when they tell people they are coming to Palestine. I am delighted to be able to go back to London able to say, it is absolutely safe. Hebron is a city that I feel more comfortable wandering around at night than many areas of London.

During my time in Hebron, I resided in the male dorm (which is actually an apartment) with a handful of other foreign volunteers. The dorm is centrally located and has everything one needs for a comfortable stay in the city, including a washing machine, which was particularly handy.

The food is a wonderful draw of Palestine. Schwarma and Falafel are very plentiful and very reasonably priced, picked up from most take-away outlets. Local restaurants are available for more sit-down meals, the best food though is at the events (weddings/birthdays) and at Palestinian family homes, which hopefully you’ll be fortunate enough to be invited to and sample.

I highly recommend anyone thinking of coming to Palestine to do so through the Excellence Centre. It was a thoroughly rewarding experience and provided me with a whole host of invaluable contacts. It was a truly unforgettable experience.

My name’s Niall, I’m thirty-one years and from London, England and I participated in the Human Rights Program over the month of October 2019 at the Excellence Centre.

I came to the Centre with a very open mind and a desire to learn about the conflict and overall situation in Palestine. The Program allowed me to learn first-hand by meeting and interviewing a large variety of people working in fascinating fields of Human Rights in Hebron. Those that I met were very open and frank with me, as were they very happy to speak of the situation and answer any questions that I might have. There were many trips to local sights and cultural activities within the city of Hebron, as well as slightly further afield as well. These ranged from refugee camps to the famous Ibrahimi Mosque.

During my time at the Centre I had three hours of Arabic lessons per week. These were really helpful in my day-to-day conduct around the city. I did not know any Arabic whatsoever upon arrival, but thanks to the classes, I was able to freely navigate around, ask directions, introduce myself, haggle in the markets. The classes have peaked my interest in furthering my studies of the language when I return to England.

The Excellence Centre has wonderful, very friendly and accommodating staff who make you feel at home from day one. The city of Hebron is also truly a remarkable place. The people are particularly kind and incredibly helpful should you require any assistance. The proximity of other wonderful nearby cities like Bethlehem and Jerusalem, put Hebron in a great location. It is very reasonably priced to get a shared taxi to visit these tourist destinations as a day trip or an overnight excursion. There are also really beautiful hiking spots not far by, with natural spring waters.

“Is it safe?” is a common question one hears when they tell people they are coming to Palestine. I am delighted to be able to go back to London able to say, it is absolutely safe. Hebron is a city that I feel more comfortable wandering around at night than many areas of London.

During my time in Hebron, I resided in the male dorm (which is actually an apartment) with a handful of other foreign volunteers. The dorm is centrally located and has everything one needs for a comfortable stay in the city, including a washing machine, which was particularly handy.

The food is a wonderful draw of Palestine. Schwarma and Falafel are very plentiful and very reasonably priced, picked up from most take-away outlets. Local restaurants are available for more sit-down meals, the best food though is at the events (weddings/birthdays) and at Palestinian family homes, which hopefully you’ll be fortunate enough to be invited to and sample.

I highly recommend anyone thinking of coming to Palestine to do so through the Excellence Centre. It was a thoroughly rewarding experience and provided me with a whole host of invaluable contacts. It was a truly unforgettable experience.

Hey,

I am 26 years old. I am French and work as an engineer in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. I participated in Excellence Center’s program to teach French and learn Palestinian accent for 2 weeks.
During my stay in Hebron with Excellence Center, I got the chance to know people who made my happiness everyday, to discover a culture rich in love, share and being simple in life. I got the opportunity to visit many historical places in Hebron like El Ibrahimi mosque and also other cities I visited with other volunteers like Beithlehm, Jerusalem and Ramallah.
The best memories I have of my program are all the breakfasts at 10 a.m with volunteers and organizers to discuss, laugh and share a moment of happiness around hummus and tea, also all my hours of French with passionate and smart people who wanted to learn while having fun, who became great friends, as well as my Arabic lessons to perfect my Palestinian accent.

During my stay in Hebron or any other city, I have always been welcomed by great people and organisers of the center who worked very hard to let me feel safe everyday. Palestine is a very rich country with a lot of history that should be known by all. The first step is sometimes hard but once you visit it, you will fall in love with it like me ;-)

My name is Ratmir Agliullin. I'm 28 years old, I am from Russia. I live in Innopolis, I'm a software developer.
At the Excellence Center, I studied the Arabic language, and I was an assistant for English teachers.
I found the Center on the Internet(excellencecenter.com). I have improved my vocabulary in Palestine.
In my opinion, the Center's atmosphere is very friendly. All the people in the Center and in Palestine are polite. Here I met new friends.
Moreover, I visited Bethlehem and Jerusalem. I felt safe in Palestine.
I was really impressed by the history of people, who live in “H2”. I have understood that all people around the world should know about the situation with human rights in Palestine and Hebron.
I really like the people in Palestine. Also, the food(falafel) and Arabic coffee are delicious.
I can recommend studying at the Center for people, who want to improve Arabic and know more about the culture in Palestine.
This trip is the most impressive experience for me. I am really motivated to carry on learning Arabic.

Hey everyone! My name is Sharan and I'm from Singapore, where I’m also currently in my third year of my Anthropology major. I was in the centre for the Teach English, Study Arabic Internship for 2 months.

I came to the centre with the intention of getting a foundation in Levantine Arabic while doing some meaningful work. In addition, I hoped to learn more about the socio-political situation in the immediate region by interacting with a whole range of people living here. And I did! I really really loved my time here, and am even coming back to Hebron for a while next year.

General advice:

Before arriving, I was scouring this site for any advice I could find! So I wanted to give a short write-up about the expectations you should have before arriving, so as to make your adjustment period a little easier.

If you come from an efficiency-centred culture as I do, you might need a while to adjust to the pace of living here. It’s a lot more relaxed, and there’s a lot less emphasis placed on planning (for example, I knew nothing about my homestay family before I arrived!) and scheduling. However, this gave the whole program a sort of flexibility that could really work to your benefit - during my time here, if I had a problem or needed anything, I always felt comfortable going to Marwa for assistance.

The homestay was a mixed situation for me - while I appreciated the generosity of my family, at times, I felt rather uncomfortable. That being said, as soon as Marwa found out about this, she even offered to take me into her own home! All in all, I highly recommend stating your living preferences before you come and that if you feel even slightly uncomfortable in your homestay situation when you arrive, to tell Marwa as soon as possible.

In general, travelling alone as a woman in the city does not typically put you in any immediate danger but can be rather unpleasant. Given that Hebron is the most conservative city in Palestine, men do not often approach you but will stare and maybe rather persistent in trying to speak to you. Moreover, I came without any Arabic, which made me feel more vulnerable as I was not able to communicate with taxi-drivers and did feel like I could express myself.

Once again, this is where the flexibility of the program can really benefit you! I front-loaded my Arabic classes, so I had 6 hours a week rather than the usual 3 and didn’t have classes for the second month here. By the end of that month, I felt a lot more comfortable communicating my needs and had fewer unpleasant experiences in cabs.

Moreover, I was unsure about how my experience as a brown woman would differ from the experiences written by other women in past reviews. I would say that I definitely got a lot less harassment on the street in comparison to some of my other foreign friends but sometimes gave me a bit of trouble when walking through the settlements (although this was mostly quickly resolved after showing my passport).

Final notes:

Hebron is an ideal place to be in if you’re interested in travelling across the region (which I highly recommend you do!) Palestine is ridiculously gorgeous and an entirely different landscape is typically no more than a 3-hour drive away.

I also really enjoyed getting to teach! My favourite class was one that I taught in Dura (a village in Hebron) full of intermediate students. I’ve never met a group of people, let alone students, who were so immediately loving and thoroughly excited to learn - by the end of this class, I was genuinely devastated to leave them. I learned a great deal from them.

Finally, the beauty of a program like this one is that it attracts a whole assortment of fascinating people. I am so grateful and so lucky to have met the people that I did, many of whom I would consider life-long friends. I am beyond grateful to leave this program with my own Palestinian family.