An illuminating ECE Experience!

I made many unforgettable memories at the Excellence Center in Halle. Although I thoroughly enjoyed both learning German and teaching English, the real treasure was the friends that I made and the new experiences I had. The Excellence Center is a place to enrich oneself both academically and socially.

Muaz was an amazing German teacher. Each lesson with him was full of energy and insights into the German language. Whenever someone didn’t understand something, he would take the time to explain things while also staying in German. The class was small, so every student got lots of attention. Muaz also organized a super fun trip to Berlin for the entire center. We went to see lots of popular sights, like the Berlin TV tower and the Brandenburg Gate, but being with friends was probably the most fun.

I taught English both solo and with a partner, both in-person and online. While the online lessons definitely posed challenges, watching a student get excited to use English made me happy no matter what. I would usually split lessons into two sections: one a bit more technical and the other doing something more gamelike. As long as I kept my student smiling and using English, however, the lesson was on track! Knowing a bit of German as well as a tiny bit of Arabic also helped in the lessons.

During your time at the Excellence Center, you’ll also attend some presentations and probably give some yourself! The presentations were great opportunities not only to learn more about fellow volunteers, but also to give opinions about teaching and learning language.

Breakfast is made daily at the center, often incorporating scrambled eggs, hummus and pita, or both! For lunch however, you’ll be exploring Halle, a wonderful, small city. There are some great lunch places near the center, and if you're willing to take the short walk to Marktplatz, there are even more delicious (and cheap) options. I always felt very safe in Halle, and because the public transportation is great, exploring the city with friends is made even easier.

There's a great sense of camaraderie at the Excellence Center with both students and teachers supporting each other, and this makes making new friends super easy. Being on the younger side, the Excellence Center gave me independence like I really haven’t experienced before, and I won’t forget the experiences that resulted from that. The center also holds weekly football matches which are always enjoyable; as a member of the winning team, you can even earn prizes like a box of chocolates!

My host family was incredibly nice. They took me to pick strawberries in their garden, and afterwards, we either ate them with ice cream or turned them into scrumptious, fresh jam! I was also accompanied on a lovely bike ride around town where they showed me the beautiful fields in the area. On particularly hot days, we would also go to a nearby lake to cool off and have an evening picnic. They also had two endearing cats which could make disturbingly human noises! At the end of my stay, they brought me to a dance performance in Halle which I found compelling. I always felt very welcome in their home and am super lucky to have met such kind people.

I am so glad I came to the Excellence Center!