Human Rights internship at the Excellence Center in Hebron

My name is Hayden and I am a university student from the United States. I participated in the Human rights internship program at the Excellence Center for three weeks this summer. During this time we had the opportunity to meet with many people from the West Bank. From families living in H2 under Israeli authority to the Ministry of Education I was able to learn about a vast number of perspectives and experiences. I have been studying Arabic throughout high school and university and was eager to advance my fluency during my time here. The center provided us with an intensive Arabic class our first week to refresh our knowledge and accustom us to the local dialect. The classes were super helpful with a focus on speaking and ended with individual presentations in Arabic on a topic of your choice, mine being the scarcity of water in the West Bank.

A highlight of my time in Hebron has been the people that I have met, specifically at the center. Our host family, teachers, staff members, and other volunteers have been so nice and welcoming, making sure to check in on me and how I am doing and invite me to a lot of different events. The hospitality and kindness I have received here is like no other I have ever experienced.

Throughout my time here I was able to see many cities in Palestine including Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Jericho. Traveling around the country was very easy and I never felt unsafe or in a dangerous position. Having an American passport brings one a lot of privileges in this country and allows me to never have to worry about my safety.

In the three weeks I have spent here I have learned so much about Palestinian culture and their struggle living under an occupation as well as their hope and determination. The center provides a safe, welcoming environment to get to learn about Palestine and I recommend coming here to anyone. I wish I was able to stay for longer.