Once in a lifetime, once in Palestine

Once in a lifetime, once in Palestine -
A land of olives, grapes and people

I am Celmah Cecily Yim from Hong Kong. It is my second time to come back to Palestine and I decided to spend two weeks doing intensive private Arabic lesson with Excellence Center in Hebron.

It is really my fortune to have studied Arabic with ustadha Shayma who is highly skillful and experienced in teaching this beautiful language to foreign students. Personally I have been studying spoken Arabic in Hong Kong for 3 years but I wanted to dedicate some time to practise and focus on the fluency. Alhamdulillah ustadha Shayma is very detailed and knows exactly how far I can reach and what objectives I aim for. All the materials provided have been extremely helpful and relevant. Simply a short two week has improved significantly my Arabic in terms of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Works like magic ! I am now feeling much more confident and comfortable in this language.

Excellence Center is like my home base in Hebron. Everyone including the staff and the volunteers are so welcoming and friendly. It is like a family. I am grateful for Rafat, Marwa, Khitam and Abu Mohannad for taking care of me in every aspect. In just two weeks, I am able to get to know the Palestinian culture, local industry and society in a deep level.

During my stay, I am living with a Palestinian host family. Before arrival, I was a bit hesitated about this idea but alhamdulullah, the family is very very good. I am becoming part of the family and now we feel how strange it will be when I am back to Hong Kong ... leaving them alone at home. I am extremely thankful for the Natsheh family, especially Shaza, Safwat, baby Zayna, Yosra, little uncle Yahia, Mustafa and Khitam. Everyday I have been spoiled with wonderful food, either local Palestinian crops or hand picked right from their yard ... lemon, almond, rosemary, potatoes... as if the concept of diet was left behind in Hong Kong.

One of the highlight in this journey is to be able to pray in Masjid Al Aqsa in Jerusalem. Alhamdulullah. As a Muslim revert, this is such a rewarding experience and I wish Allah SWT will accept all our duaas.

As for safety, being a single woman traveller, I feel completely safe, even safer than in Hong Kong and in the U.S. I am perfectly at ease walking alone or wandering around the town by myself. There is no problem at all. The Palestinians in Hebron are the nicest, the most passionate kind I have ever met in my life. There must be someone coming to help you whenever you look in doubt in the street. The owners in the falafel shop, spice shop, fruit shop, sweets shop etc surprisingly can remember everything you told them and admire your level of Arabic in the public. This little episode not only made me feel welcome but also motivated me to speak even better Arabic !

A city where "everyone is doing business with China", Hebron has everything I want and everything I have been looking for : food, people, local industry, a perfect environment to practise Arabic, an accessible balad to walk from here to there, a tradition of family always together, a safe neighborhood for children to run free, a time to slow down and a space to stimulate my intellectual thinking etc etc. The conversation with the local people about their life under Israeli occupation, for example, what they think about it, how they cope with it every day, what are their worries and how do they want to solve it etc is the most amazing moment in this adventure. It's worth every minute and more to listen to their story, their attachment to this land, their determination to protect the homeland.
I highly regard the Palestinians, in spite of the occupation, they remain proud, resistant and resilient.

Open a window to new country and you will be glad you did. On a personal note, immediately after I had embraced Islam in 2012, there was always a voice in my heart calling me to come to Palestine. Alhamdulillah for everything, Allah made it easy for me to follow the heart map. InshaAllah I will definitely come back to Palestine again, come back to Hebron which has become my important home base in The Middle East.
God bless and protect Palestine.
I am always with you !

الف الف !