My amazing experience at the Excellence Center in Hebron

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!