A Truly Valuable and Fulfulling Experience
I volunteered here after visiting the Gaza Camp in Jerash, but given the current situation in Hebron, I had no idea what to expect when I arrived in the city. Any worries were instantly squashed upon arrival. Mr. Muhanned (the project coordinator) met me on the street, showed me around HQ and my accommodation which was very comfortable and had everything you could need. After some rest, I went out to walk the streets of Hebron and had fallen in love with the place within the hour. The kindness and hospitality of the locals was overwhelming. They were beyond friendly, and I had soon been bought dinner, two desserts and even had my grocery shop paid for (these offers were impossible to refuse). I made multiple friends on night one, friends I've continued to see all week. Days here begin with a good breakfast with welcoming smiles. The staff here are incredible, and you instantly feel at home. On the first day we went to a nearby refugee camp, both a heartbreaking and incredibly valuable experience. I spoke with and answered questions to an elderly long-term resident who taught me so much. But given the fact that all the staff here have lived under this occupation their whole lives, they are all a wealth of knowledge and have so many stories to tell. For a curious mind, you will never stop learning. Dalia's Arabic classes (usually at the end of the day) were always a highlight. She is a lovely human and a great teacher. The English classes and cultural exchanges were an incredible experience for me, a great exercise in human connection and skill building (and of course more knowledge gathering). Everybody I met taught me something new, and everybody was so excited to learn about Australia and the cultural differences. This program is a wonderful opportunity for those who want to volunteer in Palestine without putting themselves at risk. I have not felt unsafe a single moment in Hebron while surrounded by the wonderful Palestinian's. In fact, I have never felt safer than I do here with these beautiful people. They consider your safety and comfort their duty to ensure. You will make life-long friends, learn so much and have your heart filled, broken and filled again dozens of times a day. I consider this to be perhaps the greatest experience of my life so far. I love it here, and you will too.



































