Cooking in Hebron

I didn't know anything about the Excellence Center before I found it online 10 days ago. I signed up for a week long cooking class of the local cuisine. I was pleased that they said that I could come anytime for however many days that I desired. The communication was good and I felt very welcomed when I arrived. I really had no idea what to expect and was pleasantly surprised that I would have private cooking lessons at the center with the delightful young woman Khitam.
Together we prepared breakfast for the other volunteers and staff. The rest of the morning I had a chance to go on field trips, have meaningful conversations with the staff and other internationals, and have a few Arabic lessons. Khitam and I would then go to the market for ingredients for that day's menu. I had a great time learning the words for the food items and seeing how the dishes were made. Khitam loves cooking and was a fun teacher. When the dishes were ready, everyone eagerly gathered around to share in the meal.
I've learned so much more than simply a few Palestinian recipes, I have been welcomed into their lives and received their delightful hospitality. It was challenging at times to not be able to speak Arabic, but everyone was so nice and made me feel welcomed. I will never forget the lovely people that I have met here and all of the experiences of this week.