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

My name is Maddy and I’m a 19 year old student from the USA. At university I study political science, Middle Eastern affairs, and Arabic. I participated in the Human Rights volunteer program here in Hebron, Palestine for 2 weeks, while additionally receiving Arabic lessons to help me continue improving my Arabic. I had a fantastic Arabic teacher who worked with me one-on-one several times a week, and I also was able to pick up many colloquial phrases from speaking to local Palestinians during my time here.

With the Excellence Center I was able to visit refugee camps, speak with Palestinian families living next to Israeli settlements, interview human rights activists, and learn about aspects of media and journalism in Palestine. We visited Al-Shuhada Street and the Al Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron’s Old City, which was a fascinating and eye-opening experience. Additionally I taught several workshops about the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a group of 25 students ages 14-17. The students were respectful, attentive, and eager participants. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the Human Rights program and consistently found myself being challenged to hear from different perspectives. I would definitely recommend this program in particular for anyone who wants to learn more about the realities of life under occupation from Palestinians themselves.

5 days of the week I was at the Excellence Center where every morning we’d prepare a delicious traditional Palestinian breakfast. The community at the Center is extremely friendly and welcoming. There I had the opportunity to interact with international volunteers from all around the world as well as Palestinian students from local universities who came to the Center to teach Arabic or English. On my days off I was able to travel around Palestine and I went to Jerusalem as well as Bethlehem to see Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel and the artwork on the Separation Wall. Hostels and transportation here are very affordable and it is quite easy to get around between cities.

Living in Hebron definitely has been an incredible experience and has given me the chance to learn an immense amount about Palestinian culture and traditions. I absolutely loved the host family I lived with and I was always invited to join for large family meals and tea or coffee. One of my favorite things about Hebron is its hospitality and how welcoming people are, even if you just passed someone in the street. The food here is also delicious! There are many different spots to explore in Hebron and I would often go places with the Palestinians who worked at the Center. I always felt safe here and would walk some places alone during the daytime, though I did prefer to be with at least another person or a group. Generally, however, I felt no concerns during my time here over my personal safety.

Overall, I am so grateful for my experience at the Excellence Center. I have learned so much about life in Palestine and always felt welcomed by the people here in Hebron. Not only has my Arabic and knowledge of Palestinian culture improved, but the conversations I’ve had and places I’ve visited in and outside of Hebron have been extremely eye-opening. I can’t thank the Center enough for allowing me to step outside my comfort zone and be welcomed into a new community!

I’ve absolutely loved every minute of my time here at the center, from teaching at the center or in the neighboring village of Dura, to my extremely helpful lessons with my amazing teacher, Marwa. Throughout my time here, I’ve experienced tremendous growth in my conversational Arabic skills. The atmosphere at the center is great for learning and contains all of the necessary tools to improve in Arabic. While it can oftentimes be busy at the center, there is always a quiet coffee shop with WiFi just a short walk away.
In addition to the program I participated in, I was also fortunate enough to go around and visit many places around Palestine. I was fortunate enough to visit just about every big spot there is in the West Bank, from Ramallah to Jericho I saw them all. The center is very flexible with your schedule and would love for you to go around and tour the country, I was even able to take a couple days to go and visit my family in Amman, Jordan.
From the amazing family I was blessed to live next to, to the food I’ve been able to eat here in Palestine, there hasn’t been one unpleasurable experience during my stay here. Being able to see beautiful nature spots, such as the natural beauty outside of Jericho that is Wadi Qelt, to indulging myself with Kanafe in Nablus (the best in the world, may I add), my time here has been absolutely incredible. To anybody that is looking to advance there Arabic through immersion, and be able to experience a beautiful place at the same time, I highly recommend them to come to the Excellence Center in Hebron, Palestine.

My name is Eli. I am from the United States, and I am currently pursuing a double-major in Spanish and Arabic at my university in the U.S. This summer I had an opportunity to participate in the Excellence Center’s Teach English-Study Arabic program, which involved taking private lessons at the Excellence Center, as well as teaching classes both at the Center and at the municipality in various villages and camps in the Hebron Governate.
I found my experience at the Excellence Center enriching in multiple ways. First of all, I was able to achieve my primary goal in travelling to Palestine, which was to gain practical conversational skills in spoken Arabic. Between my lessons and the informal experience I acquired interacting with people both within and outside of the Center, I have noticed an unmistakable growth in my ability to comfortably listen and communicate in the Palestinian dialect. Furthermore, I was able to immerse myself in the culture via time with my Palestinian host family, as well as through the various site visits that I participated in over the course of my three month stay.
During my time in Palestine, I was lucky enough to visit various cities both inside and outside the West Bank, including Hebron, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, Tel-Aviv, and Acre. Travel between cities was relatively cheap by American standards (the bus to Bethlehem, for example, costs 6 shekels or less than 2 American dollars), and Palestinian locals were generally happy to help whenever I was in need of directions or help.
As far as safety and security were concerned, I never once felt particularly unsafe in any part of Palestine. In fact, I was more comfortable going out at night and travelling to unknown places than I would be in the United States. If you have reservations about travelling to Palestine on the basis of safety, just reach out to any of the volunteers who have worked here—nearly all of them share my feelings on the matter.
My overall impression of Palestine was very positive. In all matters personal, professional, and academic, the people of the Excellence Center and Palestine in general helped me achieve my goals without ever feeling overwhelmed or out of place. I certainly recommend travel to Palestine and a stay at the Excellence Center to anyone with the opportunity. I have never travelled anywhere as rich in culture, history, or hospitality.

Ahlan wa Sahlan! My name is David. I am from the U.S, but I came to Palestine after finishing my studies in the UK. I spent my month here studying Arabic and teaching English. These pursuits, I believe, have been mutually beneficial; I spend a few hours a week studying Arabic and practicing with my teacher and with friends, and then take several hours to help local students with their English. My language skills have improved drastically during this process. Arabic is an inherently challenging language for English speakers, but thankfully, the excellence c enter adheres to a strategy of pragmatic language learning. I learned “ ‘ammiyya”, the local Palestinian dialect, and was able to start having basic conversations with people that I met in the old city, on the streets, and in shops. My improvement in Arabic was undoubtedly gratifying, and I hope to continue to build upon my progress.
The environment of the center is extremely friendly and supportive. The teachers, managers, and staff are unforgettable. The other volunteers are equally curious and interested in the culture of Palestine and are equally committed to sharing their beliefs and skills with the community. In other words, the atmosphere of the center was completely conducive to learning and growing. Much like the Excellence Center, Palestine is a welcoming and vibrant place. My favorite part of my experience was the friendliness and seemingly innate curiosity of the people (especially my students). It is almost impossible to avoid talking with people over coffee and tea, and eventually becoming friends.
I’ve had so many amazing experiences here; however, my favorite experiences have been in the classroom. Learning to teach has been an incredibly intense and challenging process. However, as time has gone on, I have become more confident and capable in the classroom. On my second day in the class, my students in the village of Sirra asked about my religion. I told them that I was Jewish. I think that this lead to a beneficial conversation in the class and I have grown very close to the students there.
My time here was not only spent in the classroom. I also had the privilege of going on several trips in Palestine. In addition to exploring Hebron, I have been to Jerusalem, Jenin, Nablus, Bethlehem and Akka, among others.
Living in Hebron was an amazing experience. I lived in a dormitory with other male volunteers. At first I was apprehensive about not living with a host family, have been really happy at the dormitory. As I have mentioned, the other volunteers like to speak in Arabic and the local family who owns the apartment played a large part in my immersion in Arabic.
At the end of my stay here, I am feeling incredibly grateful to have experienced Palestine through the Excellence Centre. I highly recommend this experience for those people looking not only to learn Arabic but to learn about Palestinian life in the West Bank and to contribute to the local community. I believe that I will continue to benefit from the valuable connections I have made and experiences that I have had.

My name is Abby, and I am from the United States. I am currently studying International Relations and Public Health at a college in Massachusetts. At The Excellence Center, I have been a part of the Teach English, Study Arabic (TESA) program for the past two months. For most of my time here, I taught in Dura, Palestine for half of the week, and at the center in Hebron for the other half. Dura is a city about twenty minutes south of Hebron. Although some students from Dura come to Hebron for classes, a few volunteers and I went to Dura to teach those who could not come to Hebron to learn English. In Dura, we taught the three beginning levels of The Excellence Center’s English curriculum to an energetic group of students ranging from 8 to 30 years old. At The Excellence Center, I was an assistant teacher to a few of the extremely qualified, bilingual, local teachers based in Hebron. From these local teachers, I learned effective teaching strategies that I then applied to my classes in Dura.
Before coming to Palestine, I had never taken an Arabic class. Thus, I was quite overwhelmed when I first arrived, and most of the volunteers could converse with the local staff in Arabic. However, being immersed for two months has definitely helped me practice the bit of Arabic I’ve learned. When your taxi driver or host family’s guests don’t speak any English, any Arabic is better than none! Although I still cannot have a conversation in Arabic, I definitely can understand more than I expected I would be able to.
The environment at the center has been constantly changing as volunteers and students come and go. The Excellence Center’s local staff and teachers are unbelievably warm and welcoming, and truly care about each and every person that walks through their doors. As for the international staff, being all together most of the day has been a really great way to make connections with like minded peers, as well as meet people from around the world. I now have friends in Norway, the Netherlands, Canada, and the UK! It’s sometimes difficult to maintain a comfortable group dynamic since people are constantly coming and going. Summer time is extremely busy, and although the crowding can be overwhelming, summer internationals get to interact with so many more people!
I visited Hebron’s Old City, Ibrahimi Mosque, a glass & ceramic factory, a kufiyeh factory, the Lebananese border, Acre, and Nahariyya on Excellence Center excursions. In Hebron, we were able to take a “political tour” from a local Palestinian, which was a unique opportunity to hear local opinions about the occupation. Many locals refrain from discussing the occupation, for it is a both traumatizing and depressing topic. This tour was also assisted by an Excellence Center student, who is using her new English skills and studying to become a tour guide! The Excellence Center also organized a day trip to the north, where we were able to see many sites and cities efficiently and at a reasonable price.
On my own and with other internationals, I have visited many places in and outside of Hebron. Many people at The Excellence Center are activists at home or in Palestine, so we want to see as much of Palestine as we can in case this is the last visa we’re allowed! I traveled to and around Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho, Aqbat Jaber, the Dead Sea, and Al Quds in the past few weeks, and hope to visit Nazareth, Nablus, Tiberias, and Jenin before I leave. To most of the places within the West Bank, I take a servees, or large shared taxi. Israeli transport is faster, cheaper, and often more convenient, but my peers and I do our best to avoid financially supporting the occupation. In order to get to places outside of the West Bank, we take Palestinian transport to Al Quds (Jerusalem), and then take an Israeli bus from there. Hebron is wonderful, yet it is still nice to take a break from the area and travel to other places in Palestine. There is so much to see in such a small country!
Living in Hebron City can be cheap, safe, and easy, if you put your mind to it. Falafel sandwiches are 3-4 shekels (~1 USD), locally sourced groceries are very reasonably priced, and you can get to the center of Hebron from nearly anywhere in the area for just 2.5 shekels. Hebron is much, much safer than the media describes it to be. The only place violence would ever occur is in H2, the occupied area of Hebron, and only from Israeli soldiers “protecting” the settlers. Thus, I feel most safe in Area A places such as Hebron and Bethlehem, for Israeli settlers and soldiers are not allowed in these areas. I have occasionally received unwanted and inappropriate comments from local men, but rarely in Hebron. I walk alone frequently, and mostly just experience harmless yet persistent “How are you!”s. Living with a host family in Hebron is definitely a growing experience. Depending on the family, there are varying levels of English fluency and knowledge of Western living style. This has led to conflict for some. However, host families are known to include internationals in family parties, celebrations, and events, as well as for being warm and welcoming.
I loved my daily routine in Palestine. Enough people know English in Palestine that I can get around by myself and have much more independence than I am used to having outside of the Western world. No matter how lost I’ve gotten, I’m always able to find my way home eventually, with the help of local Palestinians of course! The falafel and hummus are delicious, and it is literally always sunny. I have so appreciated the kindness and generosity of the Palestinian people in my time here. There is so much to see and do in Palestine, and so many wonderful people to meet! The Palestinian people are strong, independent, loving, and motivated. They certainly do not need to be pitied, but rather supported and encouraged to continue the amazing things they are already doing!
I had a wonderful experience at The Excellence Center in Palestine. Enshallah, I will come back soon!

My name is Jack and I am from the United States. I have a bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA. I did a little over a month at the excellence center doing the human rights program. Everyday consisted of meeting with Palestinian human rights activists from all aspects of society. I met with women’s rights activists, anti-occupation activists, professors from Hebron University, members of the chamber of commerce, and many other people. I learned so much about human rights in Palestine during my stay here.

In Hebron I lived in the male apartment. It is located in the perfect location, a fifteen minute walk to the center and a 5 minute walk to the old city. The apartment is surrounded by a very nice and hospitable Palestinian family, with very nice kids of love to have fun and play soccer. I spent a lot of my time with a family that I met in the old city, and in many ways they became a host family to me as well.

The excellence center is filled with really great staff and people. Every day Osama organized extremely educational trips for us and if we wanted to see something or meet someone, Osama would help arrange it. I also learned Arabic from Doha at the center. I really enjoyed my classes with Doha. She is very sweet and smart, and during my time with her my Arabic improved greatly. I will miss her very much.

During my time in Palestine I also visited Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Haifa, and Akka, but by far my favorite city is Hebron. The people are the warmest, kindest, most generous, and strong people I have ever met. I made so many Palestinian friends here and I will cherish the memories I have with all of them. In Hebron I always felt safe. For me, even walking at night felt totally fine.

My time in Palestine has been life changing. The people I have met and experiences I’ve had have impacted me in the most positive way possible. I am very sad to leave here but I am already planning my next trip back. I would highly recommend the excellence center to anyone looking to visit Palestine. It truly is a trip of a lifetime.

My name is Nadia and I am a professor in the Humanities in the United States. I arrived at the Excellence Center in Hebron in May 2019 and stayed for two months. It was my first trip to the Middle East and I can honestly say that these two months spent in the region have been one of the most enriching time of my life. Not only did I discover a fascinating culture and an incredibly hospitable people but I also had the rare opportunity to actually share the daily life of my host family and learn Arabic at my own pace with children, guests, and all the members of this beautiful and generous family.
As a volunteer teaching English at the Excellence Center, I also met the most interesting people and made friends for life. They came from all over the world and took part in one of the many programs offered by the Excellence Center and all sharing a common interest for the region and its history. The opportunities offered by the Excellence Center include political tours and guided visits of some of the most important places in Palestine.
In fact, one of the many advantages to come to the Excellence Center as a volunteer and/or a student is that you have an anchor—a home! — from where to come and go and travel around as you please. I personally took advantage of my time in Palestine to visit Bethlehem, Nablus, and Ramallah. I also traveled to Ein Gedi, Haifa, Akko and visited Jerusalem several times. Transportation is safe, easy, and affordable. From Hebron, you can go anywhere!
However, the highlights of my stay in Palestine was my life at the Excellence Center and the remarkable students I met and their eagerness to learn. They were the most studious, respectful, and kind people I have ever met. And I have met a lot of students in my career as a professor! What I learned is that education for Palestinians is as fundamental as hospitality. And at the Excellence Center, I had the opportunity to meet genuinely kind people, spend time with them, and, maybe more importantly, learn from them.
I will come back to Palestine and the Excellence Center soon, inshallah!

At the Excellence Center, I took part in the Teach For Palestine Program and completed a Media and Communications Internship with Go Palestine. I spent the majority of my two months writing informative articles about Palestinian history, people, and culture. The goal of these articles was to increase knowledge and international interest in Palestine, and hopefully the number of foreign volunteers, interns, and tourists to the region. Additionally, I taught conversational English language classes to individuals and groups both at the Center in Hebron and in local villages. Lastly, I took introductory level Arabic courses at the Center with a native Arabic speaker. I was able to learn the Arabic alphabet and the basics of conversational Ammiya arabic. Arabic is certainly a difficult language and I would recommend that, in order to have a more fruitful experience, future volunteers begin learning the basics of Shammi Arabic and the alphabet before coming to Palestine. Doing so would make the lessons much more effective.

Outside of my responsibilities at the Center, I formed a Hebron-based collective of musicians and artists known as “Al-Khalil Arts Collective.” We hosted our first DIY community, art, and music event at the Center, which featured the work of local visual artists and showcased live musical performances. The purpose of establishing this collective was to provide local creatives and community members with an outlet for creative expression with the goal of affecting social change through events that are low-cost, replicable, and inclusive. Al-Khalil Arts Collective intends to continue hosting creative community events in Hebron in the future. Throughout the process, the staff of the Excellence Center was incredibly supportive and willing to work with me to turn my ideas into a reality.

I really enjoyed volunteering and interning at the Excellence Center in Hebron. The staff and teachers were incredibly accommodating and kind. I specifically enjoyed working with Marwa, Khitem, and Osama, who made it a priority to make me and other internationals feel comfortable, welcome, and successful at the Center. The students I taught at the Center were also very respectful, hardworking, and engaged in all of my classes. Outside of the classroom, Marwa and Khitem arrange cultural trips and dinners for volunteers and interns at the center. I highly recommend coming to the West Bank to experience the warmth, hospitality, and sense of community of the Palestinian people, as well as Khitem’s delicious home-cooking. Iktir zekki!

Furthermore, living with the other male volunteers in the Sheikh Abed residence was one of the highlights of my trip. Not only did I become close with all of the other international volunteers, I was also able to develop long-lasting relationships with Sheikh, his children, and the rest of the Hijazi family. Sheikh is an incredibly warm-hearted, caring, and funny man who really loves hosting internationals, sharing his experiences, and planning various events for the volunteers. From family BBQs to nights playing football in Dura, Sheikh and his family took me in as one of their own and truly made my experience in Palestine memorable.

Lastly, I want to add a note about safety and security in Palestine. When I first decided to volunteer and intern in the West Bank, many of my friends, family, and acquaintances raised concerns about my personal safety—believing that I had signed-up to enter a war zone. These concerns were largely based in misinformation, preconceived notions, and ignorance about the region and conflict, perpetuated by sensationalist, fear-based Western media outlets. In reality, the two months I spent living and volunteering in the West Bank were incredibly safe and could not have been further from their expectations. On a daily basis, I was welcomed with open arms by Palestinians eager to share more about their history, culture, and experiences—Palestinians hoping to both alter the narrative told by foreigners and influence international perceptions of Palestine and its people. While I entered Palestine with an open mind, the hospitality and kindness that I experienced on behalf of the Palestinian people exceeded that of all the other countries I have had the privilege of traveling through. My experience volunteering and interning in the West Bank was remarkably positive and reaffirmed my belief that people are people and we are all far more similar than we are different. I urge you to turn off your television sets and come to Palestine to form your own opinions. You will be all the better for it!