Refugee Program

My experience at the Excellence Center has been amazing. The people at the center are patient and very accommodating to the things you are trying to accomplish. It is also a good way to immerse yourself in Palestinian culture and understand the occupation as well. Being able to have conversations about standing for justice with other like minded people is very encouraging. That is also another way in which this experience was very helpful.

Each day I’d walk to the center and it was a good way to connect with people around the community and practice the Arabic I was learning. It also helped me to understand where these people are coming from and the daily struggles they have as a result of the occupation and the effects it has in their lives. There were a couple boys I’d greet each morning on my way to the center, and by the time I’d leave the center in the mid afternoon, they were just finishing up their work. These are children and should have more educational opportunities but as a result of the regulated life here in Palestine, these opportunities can be hard to find.

In little moments such as my walk to the center, or as big moments as meeting lawyers and going to refugee camps, the center provided tangible ways to understand what life is like here. This is exactly what I was hoping to get out of the trip, as I know it will help better inform me for my future efforts in my career. It is so important as a future career woman to make these connections, so I can be the best I can be for the people I will encounter at work. I have learned to be a better advocate and speak for what is right.