Volunteer Projects in Palestine – West Bank Opportunities

If you are considering traveling to Palestine I can not recommend signing up with the Excellence Center enough. Being from Ireland and seeing many similarities between Irish history and current events in Palestine had been thinking about ways to travel and engage with people from Palestine for some time. While I had researched many different ways and different programs once I contacted the Excellence Center I felt very much at ease. Before confirming any travel plans I had a long Zoom call with Rafat who put many of my concerns to rest with advice on traveling to Palestine, the programs they offered, and the accommodation I would have for the duration of my program. I signed up for Media and Journalism as it is an area that I hope to expand on in the future. During my 10 days in Hebron, I was introduced to different journalists, was taken to refugee camps, given walking tours of the Old City, and got to visit different Mosques in the city. I'm embarrassed to say that as an Irish person, I've been trying to relearn the Irish language on Duolingo for the past year with very little success but after just four Arabic lessons while at the center I have already learned the basics of this beautiful language. Fridays and Saturdays are “days off” in Palestine so it gave me a chance to also travel to other cities such as Ramallah and Neblus with other volunteers at the center giving us an insight into different areas and also how the occupation makes traveling around so difficult for no reason other than to be an inconvenience and intimidation for the people of Palestine. The biggest takeaway I leave Palestine with is just how amazing the people of not just the center but of all Palestinians I was lucky enough to meet while there. The other volunteers and the staff at the center gave me a sense of family more than just a school/program. We were invited into people's homes for dinners, and introduced to their families, and seeing just how positive these people remain despite living under occupation was something that will stay with me for life. Thank you to Osama, Jomanna, and all the staff and volunteers for making this an experience that I will never forget. Read Less What is your advice to future travelers on this program? I can understand why you would be nervous to travel to Palestine but you will not regret com

I’m Emma from Scotland and I chose a one-week short-term course with the refugee program. It was all very last minute with me, less than a week before actually coming to the Centre, there are a few other Centres I had contacted, but I found this one to be the most responsive. I did a few Arabic lessons which were great as I’ve been to many Arabic-speaking countries before, but I wish I had longer to learn more as the experience was positive and the first time learning a new language in many years! I liked that we had something different activity-wise every day, whether it be getting a tour of the old city, going to the glass / ceramic factory or the Keffyiah factory among other things, as well as what was most important for me, was to visit the refugee camp, which was a truly humbling heartwarming and heartbreaking experience.. we basically went everywhere tourist wise that there is in Hebron and always got a good explanation from Osama. The staff was amazing and it all seemed like we were all just one big family all in it together, we would cook dinner together some evenings and breakfast was always at 10 am with the staff and the other volunteers. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere and everyone is very easygoing time-wise, it’s not a strict schedule and everyone is extremely flexible. The evenings were spent with other volunteers where we would head out for some tea and shisha and play cards or just chat and chill. I chose to stay with a host family which was really wonderful to just see how people live and go about day-to-day life here. I had only been in Jerusalem for a few days before I came here, so still have a lot to explore and hope to come back here again as it’s one of my more memorable travel experiences, especially with the warmth and kindness and if course hospitality of the Palestinian people. It certainly opened my eyes to the struggles they go through now and have been going through for many years. I taught conversational English to a young guy who just wanted to practice his English before applying for his USA visa to be a camp counselor, I have no teaching experience, but it really didn’t matter as he just wanted to talk and have me correct him on any mistakes. I really enjoyed that part, being able to help someone like this. I came in February and the weather was very cold which I didn’t really expect, so bring warm clothes if coming in winter! I just loved everything from the food, the people, just the whole vibe of the place. Everyone would say hi just walking down the street. I went out walking around alone a lot of the time and never once felt unsafe. I feel very passionate about Palestine and its people and hope to return again soon! I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to get into the culture and have a better understanding of what’s going on and how people actually live here. A time in my life I will never forget! Thanks to everyone who made this all possible and hope to be back soon!

My name is Dylan, and I am from the United States. I graduated the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelors in Middle Eastern studies, and a minor in Political Science. I participated in the volunteer sports, and teaching English program at the Excellence Center. At the Excellence Center I participated in a wide array of activities including: Arabic classes, field trips, and English instruction for local youth. The Arabic classes I participated in were colloquial Levantine Arabic. My teacher, Doha, was very informative, and she moved the class at a good pace. This allowed us to make the most out of each session. All the teachers & staff at the center are incredibly welcoming and ensure you're comfortable. In addition, fellow participants are like minded and friendly, which creates a great environment to be apart of. As for field trips, the first one I went on was a walking town of Old Hebronted by Osama. This was a great way to learn the history of the city, and to get in touch with my surroundings. The second trip, we took a shuttle to two different Bedouin Villages to say it was eye opening is an understatement. The power of hearing the people first-hand is an unforgettable experience. My third trip was through the H2 side of Hebron where we met with a local woman who has suffered tragically from the occupation, and later in the day we spoke with a humanitarian organization to hear what actions they are taking to help the people of Hebron. Living in Hebron has been a wonderful experience. Out of everywhere I have traveled the people here are by far the most welcoming. They will ask you in for tea or coffee after only speaking with you for five minutes on the street. Safety has never been a concern here. All the people of Hebron do their best to assist you if you're looking lost, and I have never been taken advantage of. My most memorable experience while living in Hebron was walking down in Old Hebron with a soccer ball and playing with all the kids as I made my way down the street. We may not have been able to conversate past simple greetings, but the enjoyment we shared through the sport was heart-warming. I’ve certainly enjoyed my time here at the Excellence Center. The amount I’ve learned not only in Arabic, but about life in Palestine is vast in the short two weeks I’ve been here. I hope more people can experience life in Hebron, and hear the Palestinian’s people’s stories.

My Name is Dayton. I have a Bachelors in Economics and I participated in the Media and Journalism internship at the Excellence Center in Palestine. During my time at the Excellence center I toured the city of Hebron. I was able to see many important place in the city as well as meet many members of media, the chamber of Commerce, the Municipal government, Law and activists. I also hade the opportunity to volunteer in English langue classes held at the center for Palestinian youth and take Arabic classes myself. My Arabic classes were rigorous, engaging and a lot of fun! My listening and reading comprehension greatly improved during my time at the center. I also developed the rudiments of conversation skills that I hope to build upon in the future. The Center is a very warm and inviting environment. I was able to meet volunteers from around the world as well as well as many Palestinians from the community of Hebron. People were full of advice about how to make the most of my internship and how best to navigate the West Bank and Hebron. During my stay, I participated in every site visit that was made available to me. I visited the Ibrahim Mosque, a Russian Orthodox Church, a Kafiyeh Factory, a School for the Blind, A radio station, a TV station, the Old City and to H2. I was also able to visit other cities in the West Bank such as Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho and Nablus. Living in Hebron was a very pleasant experience. The People are very curious, friendly and generous. People off the street would invite my to have dinner with them or just to strike up a conversation. I never worried about feeling unsafe. If ever crossed the street it was because I didn't want to accept a gift of coffee or some sweets! I most enjoyed and respected the resilient spirit of the Palestinian people and that despite the daily reality of the Occupation; very person that I met was positive about their future. My Favorite experience in the West Bank was all of it! I was able to learn so much not just about Arabic or Palestinian history but about world history. MY time in the West Bank and in Hebron has left a lasting impression that will affect where I travel and how I live for some time. I would recommend the Excellence center to anyone that wanted to learn more or who wanted an exciting experience.

The hospitality I received from the Center and also all the people I have interacted with in Palestine has been so amazing. The warmth that I have received from Palestinians is something I know I will never get anywhere else and I am so grateful for the opportunity that the Center have given me. The teachers here are very willing and helpful, which makes learning here very comfortable. The safety of the people here in Hebron is nothing like that shown in the media. Walking in the streets here are really safe and there wasn't a time it feels risky or dangerous. More likely due to the respect of the people and the warmth from the people everywhere.

I have loved my time at the Excellence Center and would definitely recommend this experience to anybody wanting to visit, embrace, celebrate and understand Palestine on a deeper level. You have the opportunity to build so many relationships – with the teenagers at the center you work with during workshops or classes (depending on your programme), the other volunteers at the Center, the lovely staff here, and then the many people you meet during trips throughout your days when not working. You get to meet Palestinians living at the nearby Al Fawwar Refugee Camp nearby, near the surrounding settlements, in Hebron's Old City itself – and giving them all a chance to tell their story and their reality is so important to understand as a whole the situation here in Hebron and more widely – so we can understand what we are best placed to do to help moving forward. It is also easy to visit parts of Palestine further away such as Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jerusalem – which we took advantage of. The center helps direct you and guide you for such trips. I finished a BA in English Literature and Theatre before completing a Masters in Acting at the Guildford School of Acting. Due to my background, when I volunteered at the Center it was part of the arts programme here. Over 2 weeks a friend and I led theatre workshops with students aged 15-18. Over the sessions the girls developed songs, dances, images they created with their bodies, and their own speeches, using their own words. We created a safe space where they were able to express themselves creatively, with and without words, and over time build confidence in their own forms of communication. In the last session they performed the work we had created together and everyone as moved by the precision of their performance and the articulation of their own voices – so beautiful, eloquent and honest. Over the sessions they understood the importance of "play" in their lives, and of art. They also began to see the importance of relaxation in the body and working on breath to calm oneself – as many of the girls carried tension in their shoulders from the strains of everyday life. The first session proved difficult as theatre was such a new world for the girls – but by the end those who continued with us said they will try to continue this work in their futures, they loved the classes, and they now understand the importance of what we did as a group here. It was a moving, rewarding and empowering experience and I would certainly encourage anyone to volunteer here, for a sustained period of time, with the students so you can build strong bonds. Maria and I certainly intend to stay in touch with our students and hope we can return again. Between our classes and many interesting trips we had the chance to learn Arabic at the center. I came with the most basic phrases and no knowledge of the alphabet at all. No matter what your level – you are taught how to introduce yourself, answer basic questions, learn the first few numbers – and build from there. The center supports the level you are at and you learn accordingly. It was a brilliant experience to have the chance to start learning Arabic and I intend to continue lessons when back in London where I am based currently. I think it's important to say that you feel very safe in Hebron. The center and volunteers are warm and accommodating at all times – you are supported. Some of what you see is heartbreaking, and the first time you are faced with Israeli soldiers holding large guns is jarring – but it is so important to see this reality in my opinion, to witness with your own eyes the situation here. We stayed with a host family – the Murad family. They live about a 20 minute walk from the Center. They are a warm, sweet family who welcomed us with open arms. Maria and I had two single beds in our own room, and shared a bathroom, kitchen and living room with one other volunteer. A few evenings we spent time with our host parents and their children – drinking the classic Palestinian nana tea, or eating delicious grilled food together as a large group. We were so glad we chose to do this rather than staying at an Airbnb or hotel – it was an authentic, personal, Palestinian experience with warm-hearted locals who have welcomed us back. There were so many things we loved about our trip and it was a whirlwind of sights, experiences, food, music, culture – and so many lovely people. Overall we loved our time at the Center, we intend to come back, and we were so glad to have seen Palestine with our own eyes – through the words of locals here. The situation is heartbreaking but it's so important for people to visit, to listen, to help, and to witness what is going on. There's also many happy moments, things to celebrate, embrace and enjoy – the beauty of Palestine and its people. It has been a humbling, empowering, thought-provoking and life-enriching experience.

Hello! My name is Anne, I am 19, and I am from the Netherlands. During my gap year I decided to stay with The Excellence Center in Hebron, Palestine, for a month. The programme I participated in was the Human Rights Programme and I helped out with English Club. I stayed here in April and the beginning of May. During my time in Hebron there were about 10 other volunteers and internationals, and I got to experience the second half of Ramadan and Eid. My hostfamily was super welcoming and warm. I arrived with 0 arabic, and the family barely spoke English. Nonetheless, my host mom put ‘we are one family now’ in google translate when I arrived, which made me feel at home from the start. I found it to be special to have Iftar with my family and to be brought along to family visits during Eid. Having community breakfast with other volunteers and staff at the center was always a nice way to start the day. After that I would have Arabic class, go on excursions to special sites or people, or have English club. Most days the schedule was quite chill, I’d often spend my late afternoons in one of the local cafes with my friends to study Arabic together and have a nice hangout. During the weekends, which were Fridays and Saturdays, I definitely recommend visiting other cities in Palestine. There are so many historical sites to see, like 8th century mosaic floors of a historical palace in Jericho or the nativity church in Bethlehem. Seeing other places has shown me the rich culture and different atmospheres across the West bank. While visiting Banksy or even just driving on the roads and seeing the settlements teaches you the reality of occupation. One thing that, from my experience, the different places in Palestine all have in common is the warmth and kindness of the people. Before coming here, most of my friends and family were worried about my safety and and asked me why I had to go to Palestine, of all places. However, from arrival onwards everyone has been so nice, and I have not had a moment when I felt unsafe. Everywhere you go people will greet you, say ‘welcome to Palestine!’ and help you when needed. I think I will experience a bit of a culture shock when I am back home, as Dutch people in general are much more cold, and there won’t be coffee handed out in the supermarket. My overall experience with the Excellence Center has been excellent. The staff and Arabic teachers are kind and flexible. Hebron is a big city with lots of shops and stores and market places. I got to try all kinds of new food, my personal favorite is knafeh. I hope to be able to come back to Palestine soon in the future!

Hello everyone, I’m Adam from the UK and I have had the absolute pleasure of volunteering at the excellence centre for the past three weeks. During this time I have been able to tick many boxes off my list. Not only have I been able to visit Palestine, I have been able to engage with the community and be truly immersed in the culture. The daily struggle of the Palestinian people is one I hold dear to my heart having grown up watching the situation, so to have the opportunity to volunteer here has been amazing. During my three weeks I have visited Jerusalem, Bethlehem, refugee camps and also the Bediun areas where we got to see and talk to people who had built caves underground to live because the IDF were destroying whatever structures they made above ground. It was very important for me to not just come to Palestine as a tourist but to volunteer and help the community any way I could. At the excellence centre I was able to participate in English classes, which allowed me to interact with Palestinian youths, to laugh and organize games as well as other fun lesson activities. This was an extremely rewarding activity and as this was my first time teaching… anything. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect or even do. The other volunteers here and the staff were so supportive and I managed to pick it up and roll with it. I also did the Arabic study option, as a beginner in Arabic the classes were very informative and gave me enough to have a conversation which is an added bonus. The excellence centre is an extremely welcoming place, where everyone is more than happy to help. I guess this just reflects the overall Palestinian culture and the vibe I got in the west bank. From the moment I arrived by bus late at night I had already been driven to the centre by a lovely family and brought up stairs by another family to have coffee and cake whilst waiting for staff to come back. This was my first glimpse into what I could expect in Palestine and over the last 3 weeks, moments like this where I have been shown extreme generosity are very common, actually. My experience here has been filled with special moments due to coming during Ramadan. The feeling of sitting around at a table with new friends whilst waiting for the aathan to start is a something I won’t forget. Coming during this time period also meant we got the chance to be invited to local people’s houses and experience a true Palestinian iftar which, if I’m being honest with you guys. The food itself is enough to make me want to come back. The falafel and hummus will forever haunt my dreams and the rice and chicken dishes are second to none. But back to a more serious note, my time here living in the West bank has been an experience full of firsts and hopefully not the lasts. Until next time.

My time at the Excellence Center has been an experience I will never forget. From beginning to end, the people of Palestine have been the most genuine and hospitable. My host family, students, volunteers, even the local merchants welcomed me with open arms into their culture and daily life. For the short time that I was here, I participated in English Club, took Arabic class, volunteered at refugee camp Fawwar, and got to explore the city of Hebron. English club was my favorite activity I participated in. Not only did I get to witness ten- to sixteen-year-old children become more confident in their English-speaking abilities, but I got to build authentic connections with the students. The Excellence Center expresses that it “brings people together,” and that is exactly what happened this week. I am leaving with a lifetime of friendships and memories. Thank you to everyone who made this week what it was. The Excellence Center is a magical place, and I will be back inshallah!!

During my week at the Excellence Center, I began learning Arabic, I worked with Palestinian kids in an English club, and got the chance to go to a refugee camp and talk with some students about their experiences. I honestly could not recommend this program enough. The community of volunteers and workers here are fantastic. When working with Rafat and Osama, the leaders of the program while I was there, I always felt as though my best interests were taken into account and they both went out of their way to make my week the best it could be. Also, the other volunteers are some of the nicest people I have met. I immediately felt comfortable around everyone and was able to make friends and build community. Two of the nights I was here, we were able to have iftar at the center and it is one of my many highlights to my week in Hebron. Being able to learn about Palestine more, and doing it by engaging with and talking to Palestianians was so incredible and I could not recommend doing something like this with any other organization. My week here was so memorable and I cannot wait to come back.

I was thoroughly impressed with the Centre's organisation and how well they planned a personalised iternary for me. I was able to see and do a lot of the things I wanted to do for instance, going to the Blind School or visiting the camps. However, Osama also planned a few addditional activities that were extremely enlightening such as seeing a local artist. I didn't know what to expect coming here as it isn't your typical holiday, but nontheless I was blown away by the hospitality of my host. Her family were so warm and welcoming, it almost felt as if I had known them from before. They were extremely accomadating, cooking food, giving us towels and creating a comfortable environment. They tried to get to know me even with their lack of English which was so lovely. The Arabic classes dramatically helped in acclimatising to the culture and enabling even the smallest of conversations to take place. When out and about, a lot of the locals would want to converse creating a greater sense of warmth towards the people. Though you would assume it is extremely unsafe due to a particular portrayl of the country, actually at times I forgot this was the case. The Centre did a brilliant job of making us aware of potential dangers if there were any. When we went to Shahada Street, we were told to take our passports for the security check point and allowed to visit a Palestianian family from this area. The entire experience consisted of tears of happiness and sadness. There were moments of thought provoking discussions that enabled us to gain a better understanding of things from the eyes of the people. A genuine perspective of the reality of the situation. I would highly recommend you make the visit to come here and see first hand how the country is like. It will be far from how you expect it to be and will truly blow you away with it's warmth. It is safe and hosts a great atnosphere. An experience of a lifetime! Things we did: Arabic classes Taught English Visitied Shahada Street Met Nisreen and heard her story under the occupation Visitied Al - Fawar campsite Visited the Blind School Visited a local Artist - Rani Sharbaati Visited a Professor from the University of Hebron Vistied Ibrahim Mosque and Mosque of Younus Visited Jericho/Bethlehem.

My name is Alicia, I am 22 years old from the United Kingdom and I came to the excellence center to participate in the healthcare programme for 5 weeks, however I went on to extend it to 7 weeks. During my 7 weeks at the center, I did healthcare specific visits such as visits to hospitals, meeting healthcare professionals, went to a women’s rights clinics which had a healthcare center attached, visited the al fawwar camp where I visited the health center and went to 2 different nursing colleges. Additionally, I did a 3-part nursing workshop with nursing students. I also did other activities which were specific to other programs such as going to the tourism office, going to the human rights defenders office, meeting a lawyer, going to the special educational needs school, the blind school, the art gallery, the palmotion office, went to the H2 area, had a tour of the old city, went to the ceramic factory, the kafiya factory, the Bedouin villages, a children’s center, the women’s kitchen and finally I also had some opportunities to help the teachers at the center in their lessons. Throughout my time here I had weekly Arabic lessons, I didn’t know any Arabic before arriving, but I know I have now progressed with the alphabet and being able to read. I have found all the staff, other volunteers, and students at the center to be incredible. I knew before coming that it was going to be an amazing experience, but nothing could prepare me for how kind and welcoming everyone would be. During my free time I also visited other cities such as Ramallah, Jericho, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. Living with my host family has been one of the greatest experiences I have ever had, my host mum, host dad and their children are a beautiful and kind family and made me feel welcome and part of their family as soon as I arrived. Their extended family have also been so welcoming and have included me in everything they have done. I am so lucky to have met them all and truly feel like I now have a second family here in Hebron and I am already planning to come back and visit them, any volunteer who has the chance to stay with this family are incredibly blessed. Hebron is a beautiful city, and its people are so kind, and the 7 weeks here has gone incredibly fast. For the majority of the time, I felt safe in Palestine and the staff were always willing to assist with whatever questions or help you need There are so many things I loved about my stay here so it is hard to choose one specific aspect, however, the thing I will cherish the most when I go home will be the people I have met and the hospitality shown, the host family, the teachers, the other foreigners, and everybody else I have met have shown me a kindness I have never been shown before! The most important thing I wanted to mention about the center are the incredible teachers, I think they truly make the centre and without them the experience would not have even been half of what it has been. They are the greatest group of people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting- Amani, Anas, Duha, Ibrahi, Isaac, Khitam, Mahmoud, Mamon, Marwa and Saja are so kind, caring, compassionate and never fail to put a smile on our faces! Getting to know them has been one of the greatest experiences and they are an absolute credit to the centre and anyone who has the oppurtunity to meet them will be very lucky.

My name is Esther Pérez, I am twenty-five years old and I am from Spain. I have studied the Degree in Journalism at the University of Valencia, and later I have done the Master’s Degree in Culture of Peace, Conflicts and Human Rights at the University of Granada. Currently, I have been collaborating for a year as a volunteer in Red Cross organization, as an external communication reference. I have done the Journalism program at the Excellence Center. I arrived at the Excellence Center in Palestine a month ago, on September 15, 2022. I am a journalist for human rights, and in recent years I have been studying in depth the historical and current situation of Palestine, so I wanted to come to see first-hand this situation of colonization. I discovered the excellence center by chance, looking for different centers with which to collaborate on the internet. This center caught my attention because of the different programs they have, as well as the opportunity to learn Arabic, because that could help me to explore new stories around the world. During this month I have visited many sites and had the opportunity to meet workers and human rights activists in Hebron, as well as local Palestinians, in the context of occupation. I attended the Grape Festival, made visits to the ancient city of Hebron and the Ibrahimi Mosque, went to a Bedouin Camp, visited the Hebron Chamber of Industry and Commerce, a tourism agency, the Hebron pension center, different agencies and media, such as the WAFA communication agency and a radio station. I have also visited human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Defenders. In terms of education, I have visited schools: such as a school of art and culture, the Al-Hussein school, and a school of autism and for blind students. All these visits have given me extensive knowledge about the current situation of Palestinians in Hebron, from different perspectives: communication, education, health, politics or the economy. It is a great opportunity to be able to know first-hand how the context of occupation affects the Palestinian people living here in Hebron, due to the numerous checkpoints, Israeli military control and settlers. On the other hand, about the Arabic classes, I have received during this month three hours each week. During this time, I have learned to have a basic conversation as well as introduce myself. Basic knowledge that we need in our day to day: numbers, days of the week, months of the year, adjectives, pronouns, determinants, some verbs and basic words. Now I am able to introduce myself: what my name is, how old I am, where I live and with whom, what I did yesterday or what I will do tomorrow, or what I study. All this knowledge in Arabic language I have been able to put into practice in my day to day, on the one hand, with the staff and other volunteers of the center, and on the other hand, with my host family. Throughout my stay I have felt very safe in Palestine. I arrived with fear and something insecure, because the great number of news that comes through the media in Spain are quite negative, and only talk about violence and conflict. Also quite unsure by the questions on my arrival at Ben Gurion airport. But when I got here, everything went well. And little by little I got to know the lot of positive and life things that the city of Hebron has, as well as the hospitality and kindness of all people. Shops, restaurants, cafes, shopping centers, shops, the beauty of the old city... the city of Hebron, despite its complicated circumstances due to the occupation, is full of life and joy. Another of my fears is my English, it is the first time I have had to express and communicate in English. And I was afraid because of my limitations. However, all the staff of the center and the rest of the volunteers have always been very kind to me, and have made me feel very well when I have expressed myself in English. All the staff of the center is always ready to help you, and welcomes you every morning with a big smile. As for the rest of the volunteers, I return to Spain with great friendships. I have been able to learn a lot from them and their perspectives. And we've had great times together. It is very nice to learn from people from different parts of the world. In addition we have made several trips together, we have practically been able to know all of Palestine: Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, Ramallah and Nablus. I think these have been the best times I've ever had here in Palestine. It has been very good to be able to know the different cities of Palestine, and the circumstances they live due the occupation. In this paragraph I would like to talk about my host family, since the first day I have felt at home. And I have had the opportunity to try a lot of Palestinian dishes, I love Palestinian gastronomy! Both the parents and the children have made me feel like one more in the family. In addition, I have shared a room with Rachel another volunteer of the center, and I have been able to enjoy a lot with her. Definitely, I recommend everyone to come to the center to do the communication and journalism program. Palestine needs ethical journalism, and it is a great opportunity to learn about the occupation situation firsthand, and then to be able to communicate and give a voice to the Palestinians globally.

My name is Monika and I am a final year Biomedicine student. I am 28 years old. I come from Poland but I live in London. I also work as a senior healthcare assistant. In my job I provide clinical assistance to healthcare professionals. I decided to participate in the Volunteer in Medicine & Healthcare at the Excellence Centre in Hebron, Palestine. The short time at the Centre was filled with interesting and fun activities. The staff was incredibly helpful and accommodating. They went above and beyond making sure I utilised my time in Palestine. Thanks to them I learned more about the culture, history, everyday struggles of people living here and how the healthcare system operates in Palestine. I visited two hospitals – public and private – and talked to medical and laboratory staff. The centre also organised two meetings with science students during which we could discuss differences between education in UK, Poland, and Palestine. I was impressed by the students knowledge. Together with other volunteers, we went to the Old City and Al Ibrahimi Mosque. We witnessed the difficulty of people living here, who have to go through numerous checkpoints. We talked to so many people from different professionals – from shoe makers, business owners, teachers to healthcare professionals. We also visited Al Fawwar refugee camp where we talked to UN workers. During my short time at the Excellence Centre I learned some very useful Arabic phrases, words and numbers. These have already helped me communicate with locals and the expressions I was taught, will be very useful while talking to patients at work. The staff at the Excellence Centre is professional, kind and always smiling. They have created a wonderful, friendly environment for the volunteers from all over the world. The atmosphere is very welcoming and a discussion is always encouraged. As I only came for a week, I will also visit Bethlehem to see more of Palestine. Living with a Palestinian family has been an incredible experience. This was a great insight into the life of people here, who welcomed me with open arms. We bonded quickly, exchange few stories, cooked for each other and I went to my host mum’s beauty salon to use her service. Talking to people here, who are incredibly kind and friendly has definitely been a highlight of this experience. I felt very safe and comfortable in Palestine. As a single woman I never felt uneasy. Every time I struggled to communicate with locals, a stranger would join and help. People are very hospitable and proud of their culture – I really admire them. This has been one of the best cultural, educational and travel experiences I have ever had. It was a great time with plenty of opportunities to gain insight into Palestine. I highly recommend to everyone to come here and participate in the programme. The mission and hard work of the staff at the Excellence Centre to educate – that is both Palestinians and foreigners – is truly remarkable and amazing. Everyone, from staff, locals to volunteers was smiling and had a positive attitude. Palestine is a great country with amazing people.

My name is Joshua Boyes, I am a doctor in the UK about to start training as a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. I chose to come to the Excellence Centre to do the Medical and Healthcare Programme for 3 weeks. For me, this involved visits to various hospitals in the Al-Khalil including a government hospital, a private hospital and a newly built but non-functioning hospital. On these visits I was able to meet with and discuss healthcare in Palestine with doctors and other healthcare professionals. I was surprised to learn that the main barrier to improved healthcare is the allocation of equipment to the hospital. There are plenty of very competent doctors that I met throughout my time and their main complaint was not having the resources to do their job. The other challenge was the sheer volume of patients in a cramped government hospital, while the new hospital struggle to exist at capacity due to the lack of equipment. After learning a bit about the healthcare situation in Palestine, I was then able to provide some lessons to students at the local Hebron University. For me this was the best part of the whole programme. The students came from a wide range of disciplines including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, midwifery, lab science and biology. In these sessions I was able to share with them some of my own clinical experiences and provide some training on communication skills, medical ethics and academic writing. The students were very engaging and asked lots of good questions, I was impressed with their knowledge and enthusiasm. They were incredibly grateful for the information I shared with them. Through this teaching I was also able to learn a lot about them and asked many questions about the healthcare system in Palestine. We discussed life at university, what they think of the doctor-patient relationship in Palestine as well as ethical issues in both the UK and Palestine. My favourite moment was seeing the students debate real ethical cases and present their arguments for and against. Alongside the Medical and Healthcare, I also received Arabic lessons from one the of the brilliant teachers at the session, Saja. The lessons were really fun and interactive, and I learnt lots of useful phrases that I could then use in daily conversations. The overall environment of the centre was equally conducive to speaking Arabic, as there were constant opportunities to speak with others and ask questions. To be honest, there were definitely times when I wish I was studying Arabic at the centre full time rather than teaching medicine. Furthermore, this experience has given me a great boost and inspired me to continue to learn Arabic so that I can hopefully come back and explore the Middle East some more. As for Palestine itself, there is so much that I could say or write. It is difficult to put fully in to words all that I have experienced in Palestine and all the emotions that I have felt whilst here. Whilst initially I was worried about what the situation might be like, I have had no concerns during my time here. In all my interactions with Palestinian people I have felt welcomed and a desire to connect. People have been incredibly kind and generous and approach life with a great joy. This has been true of the Palestinians I have met but also the other volunteers. I cannot speak highly enough of this experience and programme. On a slightly lighter note, the food has also been a definite highlight. Every single dish that I have tried here has been delicious and full of flavour. My particular favourite was eating fresh figs for breakfast, one day I managed to get through about 12! When I applied to the programme at the Excellence Centre, I did so without any particular enthusiasm or excitement. I was simply looking for something interesting to do whilst awaiting to start my new job. However, the time here has far exceeded my expectations. Whilst it hasn’t all been easy and there have definitely been challenges, I have really loved my time at the centre, and I truly hope that I can come back some day.

Hi, I'm Hisham, originally Moroccan but born in Spain. I'm a pharmacy graduate from the University of Barcelona, currently studying a PhD in cancer sciences at the University of Southampton, UK. I joined the Arabic Immersion Intensive programme for the month of August at the Excellence center in Hebron. I must say that after spending a whole month in Palestine, I can feel that my Arabic has greatly improved. I've been taught by two different wonderful teachers who were very attentive and supportive, and taught us not only about the Arabic language but also about the Palestinian culture and heritage which is something that unfortunately we don't know much about. Upon arriving I had my mind set on continuing to study Modern Standard Arabic or Fusha, but after speaking with Marwa and the teachers I realized that even if Fusha is used widely in mainstream media and studies, no one speaks it in the streets. Hence, I changed my mind and started studing the Levantine Dialect, with just a couple weeks of classes in the center I was able to understand the most common words the locals used and communicate with them easily. I've been able to interact with plenty of locals, people in Palestine are extremely friendly, open and welcoming, they're willing to help you out in whatever it is that you need, and this has probably been the thing that has struck me the most. I've been invited over by a taxi driver to have maqloubah at his house, I've been invited by strangers to join them at restaurants, and I've been offered plenty of cups of tea and coffee for free! I've been able to visit Ramallah, Jericho, the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, Bethlem, Jerusalem and Aqqah, all beautiul places with plenty of history. The center took us on trips to the old city with a guide which were very insightful and we managed to learn about the daily struggle Palestinians live when having to deal with the occupation. My mom was quite worried when I told her I was going to Palestine, she was scared and didn't want me to go out of fear. Upon arriving in Palestine, I also had some misconceptions but after living in Palestine myself, I can say that it's all lies. I've never felt safer when travelling, when I got lost I asked a guy for indications and he took me in his own car and drove me to the spot I needed to go. My overall experience has been fantastic, from the Palestinian people, to the teachers, and to the other students, I've enjoyed every single moment that I've been here and I can't recommed it enough!! So don't hesitate, and come to the Excellence Center in Hebron!

Excellence Center Review My name is Dana and I’m from Chicago, IL USA. At the excellence center, I was a participant in the field study and healthcare programs. I had a pretty good experience at the center because I myself am Palestinian and I got to see and learn so much about my country. I got to see first hand what life was like in Arroob and Fawar refugee camps, I got to go on some of the human rights trips and check out a rep productive and women’s rights center, talk to Palestinian families about their experiences, attend presentations and workshops about the Palestinian reality as it relates to human rights and healthcare, strengthen my Arabic, and also teach English. I had a marvelous time with my host family who are people I now consider family. At the center itself, the teachers are fantastic and so fun to talk to and laugh with. They are so knowledgeable about Palestine and always willing to answer any questions I had and I really appreciate that. I also made some really great friends here from all around the world! I have friends in Japan, Holland, Britain, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Canada, Australia, and the US! It’s so cool to get to meet all these people with different experiences and ideas and have really cool conversations at the center and at coffee shops about anything and everything. In regards to safety, I generally felt very safe. There are definitely people who will stare because we are foreigners and sometimes there are small children who come up to you and want to talk to you, but they’re usually just very curious and excited. One of my favorite memories in Palestine was when the Tawjihi results came out and for two days the whole country was celebrating with fireworks and music. I even got to attend one of the celebrations and got to see how everyone goes from house to house congratulating the students for succeeding on their exams. It was really beautiful to be a part of. The only suggestions I would make is maybe sending out a welcome packet or welcome call of some sort of everything a person should know before arriving like how to get there, the specific living arrangements, etc. Also things were a little day by day sometimes which is fine, but it’s something to keep in mind that you may not always know what you’ll be doing a few days in advance. Overall, my experience at the excellence center was very positive! I learned so much about our family history and about what the daily experience is like with the occupation and apartheid. I can’t wait to come back to Palestine again and spend even more time here.

Although, I could stay only for a week, I’ve learned some useful phrases, could engage in the culture. Everyone was very kind and helpful and welcomed friendly. Whenever I had a question, I always could fine someone who could help me out, answer for my questions. Before my arrival to Hebron, I’ve spent one day in Jerusalem and I have attended to a trip to Bethlehem with the center, which was amazing. Many times, I walked home alone during the night. Even though I wasn’t familiar in the city, I felt safer than in the city I live. Besides, anytime I got lost I always found someone who could help me out or drop me. I can’t emphasize one specific part, because I have enjoyed my entire staying. However, I gained a lot of experience about the happenings in Palestine. If someone wants to learn about Palestine, I would recommend the program for the first.

As an English teacher you will have either one or two lessons per day. This can be one-on-one lessons or classes. The Center places a lot of trust in its teachers and you are really given an opportunity to bring your own benefits and styles. Arabic lessons would be 90 minutes every day in the morning. There is a range of levels to suit you, and it they are either two or one-to-one and so very productive. The Center is very accommodating to people of different backgrounds and skillsets. The fulltime staff here are welcoming, and the longer term volunteers become good friends with them and also amongst each other. Regardless of your exact role, you will have the opportunity to go on visits organised by the Center to engage with local activists and learn more about the situation in Palestine. The situation in Palestine and Hebron is extremely safe for foreign volunteers. Locals are hospitable and go out of their way to welcome you. This is helped by the good reputation the Center enjoys in the city. Do not let negative and false stereotypes stop you from coming here. I had the time to visit Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Nablus, Ramallah and other places - which I would recommend any volunteer to do.

My time in Palestine was unforgettable experience and the people I met made the entire trip, from the Palestinians to the other volunteers at the centre. While the accommodation was basic and there were a few problems they were fixed quickly and the hospitality of the people easily makes up for it. My experience teaching and studying Arabic were excellent, especially as someone who has never learnt any Arabic before coming to Palestine. Overall a great experience

The feelings of nerves, curiosity and excitement were all present the way they had been during my first week of school, at my first job and the first time I moved away from home. Everything was brand new. The streets, the food, the people, I didn't know what to expect and had no idea what my time is going to be like in Khalil. I had done plenty of research on the Excellence Centre website, read a lot of reviews, watched a lot of their videos, and the message of safety was always conveyed, but hearing from someone else and experiencing it yourself are two very different things. I arrived to Khalil in the late evening. Having asked around a bit and got some help from the locals, I found the Excellence Centre and waited for Osama and Marwa to arrive as it the Centre was already closed and having had no internet I couldn't inform them until I got there. They welcomed me, gave me tea, showed me around the centre and took me to my host family. I was greeted with the famous Arab hospitality. I was fed well and shown where I was going to stay. It was the middle of February and bitterly cold, especially indoors. I was fortunate to be given my own room and my own bathroom however the cleanliness was definitely not up to standard. As I had arrived on a Thursday evening I had the next day off as Friday is part of the weekend. Having completed Friday prayers my host family invited me to a barbeque in their garden. It was delicious and we spoke at great length, with all of them having a lot of questions about my background, my reasons for coming to Palestine, what I thought of it so far, and it was great to watch them all together being a family I have grown real affection for. Saturday was my first day at the centre and it was very active. Students of all ages were going in and out of different classes and I was invited to one of the English classes with students ageing 10 to 15. Soon enough I was asked to take over and I introduced myself, answered a lot of questions and in turn asked a few myself about their daily routines and interests. I was then introduced to my Arabic teacher Doha and we had our first Arabic lesson which was followed by joining another teacher in the centre, Annas, in helping him teach his English class. I arrived on time for breakfast the second day and enjoyed a spread of hummus, baba gunush, falafel, salad, bread, tea and coffee. I was introduced to the rest of the members of staff of the centre and the visitors who joined us for breakfast on that day. Every day different friends of the centre would join us for breakfast or drop by to say hello and all would make the effort to converse and welcome me. The second day I sat in on an English class and then got taken to Fawar Camp. The refugee camp I came to work and teach in. The journey took half an hour and Osama took drove myself, Alicia, a Swiss volunteer, and Doha. The camp was drastically different to Hebron city. A dirt bumpy road spit a deteriorating encampment. Shops selling the basics had hoards of men sitting outside of them, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee. We arrived to where the lesson would be taught and were greeted by 30 Fawar camp students. Happy and excited to see us, and eager to learn but struggling with being disciplined and paying attention. Though they were receiving an education, it was clear to see the difference between them and the students of similar ages who would come to the Excellence Centre in the city. Good kids, but severely lacking attention and opportunity. After the class I was shown the rest of the camp and saw the environment thousands were forced to call home. All the people I interacted with, whether young students or adults, within the Excellence Centre or out on the street, everyone welcomed me to Palestine and Hebron with open arms. People were genuinely happy to see an 'ajnabee' (foreigner) in their city. Shopkeepers and restaurants refused to accept money when realising I wasn't a local. I asked one why he, like others before him, insisted on not taking payment and he told me that it was important to the people of Hebron, and Palestine, that when a foreigner leaves they leave with the best possible impression of their country. So they tell their own people about the positivity and spread the message on their rich, hospitable culture. Over the next few following days I found myself teaching a number of classes, answering a lot of questions about who I was, why I came to Palestine and what I my experience was like so far. My first week was a blend of teaching English classes, receiving Arabic classes, going to Fawar Camp and receiving tours of the city. Being taken to the old city of Hebron, a beautiful historic place, with thousands of years worth of stories and culture embedded in its stone walls. Everyone in the Excellence Centre ensured I was taken care of and welcomed. Marwa and Osama checked up on me everyday to make sure I did not need anything, as did my host family. When I did ask for something, they made sure I got it straight away. Where I lived lacked cooking equipment and when I told Marwa about it she made a bag full of utensils, plates, pans etc and gave it to me so that I could cook for myself. My first week was a blur. It was intense, I saw a lot of faces, shook a lot of hands, ate a lot of food and was thrown into the Palestinian culture with support behind me.

My name is Conor, and I spent little over a month in Hebron, Palestine studying Levantine Arabic and Teaching English. The Excellence Center made this task, which was initially very daunting, painless and an experience to remember. I can't illustrate enough how much I'm going to miss the Center, the people in it, and the city of Hebron - but more importantly, I'm so incredibly grateful for my time here. I'll begin with talking about the people of the center. The administrators and Palestinian teachers at the Center are some of the kindest, most compassionate, and helpful people I've had the pleasure of meeting in my entire life. They go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable, happy, and able to fully enjoy Hebron and Palestine. The teachers are incredibly kind, and eager to help would-be teachers in adjusting to teaching in Hebron. The students themselves are smart, almost too smart for their own good, and made every day of teaching challenging - but in a fun way that maximizes the experience and helps the teacher to get the most out of their classes. The city of Hebron itself is outstanding. The sense of community and how welcoming the people are made me feel right at home. From bodega owners to clothing store clerks, every single person I interacted with in Hebron was incredibly kind and helpful, even if we couldn't communicate fully. It really does feel like a family at the Excellence Center. Everyone looks out for each other, and you are provided with an outstanding amount of structural support that makes the transition from whatever your home country is to Palestine incredibly easy and painless. The memories of the people I have in Palestine are memories that I will hold dear to my heart, and I can't wait to come back to the Center later on, where I know I'll be welcomed back as an old friend. I highly, highly recommend the Excellence Center in Palestine and I urge anyone who has an interest in Palestine, Arabic, or TESA to seriously consider the Teach English and Study Arabic Program in Palestine.

My name is Celene and I am from Canada. I arrived in Hebron in January 2020 and spent four weeks here. That was my entry into Palestine. I came here as a volunteer at the Excellence Center in Palestine. I took 3 hours of Arabic lessons a week with Marwa. I was a total beginner but I learned a lot with her. She was a good, encouraging and patient teacher and I was able to make some good progress. As a volunteer, I helped with English either at the Center or at local primary schools. I met many kind, warm and motivated students. In general, I found the people in Hebron very friendly and always ready to help. I also enjoyed a variety of outings organized by the Center, particularly the visit at the glass and ceramic factory, the old city and a very informative visit to the refugee camp. I was also moved when we went to visit at her house a Palestinian woman who still is in H2 where the old market was, refusing to leave her home despite the pressure from the Israelis. I felt and still feel very safe in Palestine despite the negative press that it sometimes gets abroad. I feel safer here than I would in some parts of the United States! This visit to Palestine allowed me to witness the struggles of the people who are constantly harassed by Israeli soldiers, having to go through checkpoints and being severely restricted with their right to move around freely.

My motivation to come to Palestine was mostly political and in part from cultural curiosity which I have had as I study anthropology. It was my dream to live with Muslim people and see how they spend their daily lives, while Palestine has been the most attractive destination among other Arab countries because of my political interest. I have read good amounts of books on Palestinian-Israeli conflict and my image of staying in Palestine was, not that I was thinking here is dangerous, which is totally incorrect, but that it can be hard and I would probably face harsh realities. In short, I imagined Palestine as a place with its specificity. My assumption was partly true. I got to hear bunch of sad stories and those examples showed me that people living here are suffering daily from things I already knew from the books. When we have conversations, they suddenly jump into the topic of the occupation, sometimes even do not intend to, and they show me subtle, but clear anger for what they are talking about. Then they switch to brighter topics or daily conversations and the shadow I felt inside their voice disappears. Whenever you hear each of the stories, I assure you will feel so depressed that you need to stay away from it for a little moment. At the same time, contrary to what most of the people in the world who never visited Palestine think, which was kind of same for me before, these people are having daily lives as normal as people do in other parts of the world. It is stupid enough to inform you, “Hey, there is life in Palestine. People are living there just like us”. Honestly, though, I have never watched media, which introduces the aspect of Palestinian culture and life. Everything is about the conflict, the violence and the number of deaths. It makes the image of Palestine ugly and prevents people from coming here. Because of that, I needed some time to tell my parents that I was going to apply for this program. How political it is. How we are not aware of it! I assume this situation on media or whatever information available for people is more or less same in other countries. I cannot even summarize what I have got from this experience because it was not just knowledge on its culture and the politic, but it was something alive which I can see and feel from people and Hebron itself. Culturally, it was an amazing opportunity to live with my host family, through which I got to know their way of thinking as Muslims and as Palestinians. I cannot think of anything better than spending time with them throughout this whole month. If there was much space here, I would write about their hospitality, willingness to teach me Arabic and supports on everything. Politically, I found it much more difficult to solve the problem since I had a closer look on the situation, while at the same time, it motivated me to think of any possibility to work for it in the future. During the month in Hebron, Palestine, I learned so much, made a ton of new friends and gained once in a lifetime experience. It was amazing. I already miss Palestine and the people of Palestine.

My name is Steven Webber, I am 24 years old from the U.S. and I participated in the Volunteer to Teach English Study Arabic program in Hebron, Palestine. I chose to visit this beautiful country in order to further my Arabic skills and be able to speak the Palestinian dialect. During my stay in Hebron, West Bank, I’ve been welcomed with open arms by many people within the Palestinian community and have had quality time with other international students here at the Excellence Center in Palestine as well. My experiences participating in this program allowed me to acquire a great deal of proficiency in the Arabic language and helped me reclaim some of my lost Palestinian culture. I believe that the combination of me trying to learn Arabic while teaching English proved to be very beneficial as the combination of the two allowed me to fill in missing blanks when trying to teach the students and vice versa. Many thanks to the Excellence Center's staff and I will come back to Palestine Inshallah

My experience first began when I travelled to Bangladesh to help the orphans, and it was the best experience of my life. I’ve always wanted to try and help make the world a better place, experience the struggles that those misfortune go through. Also I want to help the poor and see them smile through the hardships knowing that I’ve helped them live a better life.

My name is Luciana, I am from Santiago, Chile. Recently, I spent almost two weeks in the West Bank, where I volunteered in the Excellence Center for a little over a week. Even though my time in Hebron was short, I definitely made the most out of the experience, having one of the best and most intense weeks of my life. Upon my arrival to Hebron I was immediately treated in the most welcoming manner; I could not help but to feel I was among family. I was greeted in the Center by part of the staff with delicious local food, great conversation and even an invitation to the wedding of Rafat’s sister! I was very impressed by the hospitality and friendliness of everyone in Hebron. The Center’s staff was no exception, they were all very attentive, flexible and helpful, and I could tell they really wanted me to enjoy my time in Palestine. Osama and Mohammad made my experience in the Center everything I wanted it to be and more, by accommodating all the activities I wanted to do in my limited time frame, and always providing a friendly, fun and caring environment. I really enjoyed having breakfast every morning with everyone in the Center, which allowed us to catch up over some delicious food, and start the day full of positive energy. Since I was not staying for long, I wanted to keep busy, so I told Osama I was interested in participating in as many activities as possible. My volunteer program consisted in doing English lessons, which was appealing to me because, as Ibrahim -one of the teachers in Center- explained to me, English language is a tool Palestinians can use to spread their message and let the world know what is happening to them, hence being a form of resistance. It was very exciting to see that my motivation to teach and help was reciprocated with interest and participation on behalf of the students. I taught lessons to small children, school and University students and adults, individually and in groups of different sizes, and in places such as the Center, a public school for girls, the Palestinian Polytechnic University, Hebron University and a Women’s Organization. I also assisted in some lessons of the Human and Women’s Rights course, which was also a great chance for me to help students with their English while learning their perspectives and opinions on very important issues. I enjoyed planning the activities and carrying them out; the students were attentive, cooperative and showed they were very appreciative of the classes and wanted to make the most out of them. Furthermore, they expressed how happy they were to have us there, and were very interested in getting to know us and learning about our countries.

During my stay in Hebron, I stayed with a host family not too far from the Center. They were extremely accommodating, and I was truly spoiled, receiving home cooked meals every day etc. I felt very comfortable and relaxed. Living with a host family provided me with some insight as to how the locals live their daily lives. This has been an interesting experience and has enriched my stay here. With regards to safety, I don’t really see an issue with coming to Palestine or to Hebron. Although I didn’t really have any concerns before I arrived, my stay in Hebron has shown me that it is usually better to make up your own mind about a place rather than relying solely on what the media portrays. As a white woman, you will have many people stare at you and you will get some rude comments from teenage boys on the streets, but that’s as far as it goes, at least in my experience. Apart from that, Palestinian hospitality is one of kind. Be prepared to be invited to drink tea or coffee or spend the night by total strangers. Coming from a country that is rather formal and guarded this has been a pleasant contrast for me and it is probably what I appreciate most about Palestine. And then there’s the food…which is divine. Overall my experience in Hebron with the Center has been great. I met some very interesting people there and I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere in the old and new Center. I feel sad leaving the Center but I will no doubt come back and visit the people I met there. I recommend the Excellence Center to anyone who wishes to get a one of a kind experience in a conflict-ridden area while studying Arabic and/or volunteering.

My name's Pam and I'm from England. I was volunteering teaching English at Excellence Center for 2 weeks, as well as writing some online articles about recent developments and events at the Center. I found the environment at Excellence to be perfect in every way: volunteers were all extremely friendly and easy to socialize with, and the students I taught were so sociable and welcoming that I met up with many of them outside of classes to play PlayStation, smoke shisha, jam with some guitars etc. The local staff were fantastic in every way too, and I simply could not have asked for a more amazing group of people to help oversee my volunteering experience. My view of the staff was also certainly aided by the extremely kind and inspiring teacher Ahlam, whose classes I sometimes assisted and whose friendly and caring attitude both meant that I had a wonderful time assisting and that the students in the classes were always delightfully engaged in the subject at hand. I went with Excellence Center to the keffiyeh factory in Hebron, and to the glass and ceramics factory too. I also visited a couple of schools in the area, and went on tours of the Old City and al-Ibrahimi mosque. Before I spent a couple of weeks at the Center I spent time in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Bethlehem as well, and the small size of the region makes travelling between areas (as a foreigner) reasonably quick, cheap and easy. Living in Hebron was fascinating in so many ways, and the location of the house the male volunteers were in meant that we were extremely close to so many of the major places in Hebron. If I'm being honest, I did certainly have some pretty dangerous experiences in Palestine and I won't say that it was always safe for me. Nonetheless, all dangerous situations (whether in Hebron or anywhere else in the nation) are in my opinion the inevitable result of choosing to be in specific areas where it is well-known that there might be some risk of danger, and which you accept in some sense by being there. Most problems are usually very localised, meaning that unless one wishes to look for danger or has chosen to be in less-safe areas, it is certainly possible to avoid virtually all issues quite easily. My favourite elements of Palestine would have to be the food, the hospitality of many of the people, and the depth of culture and history. I have dozens of wonderful stories from my time in the country too. I would say one of my favorite ones came when I was watching a demonstration, and I saw a soldier fire a tear gas canister from a rooftop onto the street below. As I watched, a young teenager picked up the canister from the middle of the street and successfully threw it back right onto the rooftop, landing directly amongst the soldiers who had just fired it. Some people around applauded, and I felt that even when putting aside all the politics of the situation, the sheer audacity, bravery and luck involved made it a somewhat unique moment without a doubt. After volunteering, my lasting impressions about Palestine are that it is a nation of breathtaking cultural, historical and religious significance, and that its people are usually extremely hospitable and welcoming in so many truly indescribable ways. Sadly there is definitely a level of street harassment and a dislike of outsiders from a small proportion of the population, but the truly astounding amount of friendliness and warmth from the vast majority of people clearly dominates, and provides for a wonderful overall experience. My overall experience of Palestine is of an extremely fascinating and different place to travel, and of Excellence Center as being a wonderful organisation run by lovely people that provides volunteers with genuinely meaningful work and a plethora of contacts in the city, thus ensuring a fantastic time. I would therefore recommend it without a shadow of a doubt. My only suggestion would be from the fact that, having heard many volunteers discuss it throughout my time here, there appears to be a consensus amongst them that the money required to be able to volunteer seems somewhat substantial when there are many nearby organisations desperately trying to find any volunteers whatsoever. I also know of people who would love to have spent half a year or more helping people out at the Center long-term, but instead reduced it to a month or so due to the financial element. I have no complaints whatsoever personally, but I do believe that the Center would benefit enormously from a major rethink of the financial element, because the potential to have a very large supply of long-term volunteers helping the community is certainly somewhat constrained in present circumstances.

I have been at the Excellence Center for nearly a month, and in that time have take trips alone to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and to the small village of Nabi Saleh, which is north of Ramallah. As an opening statement to this article, I can say it is surprisingly easy to get around on public transportation in Palestine, it is inexpensive, it is safe, and I have had no problems traveling alone. There may be a general impression among westerners that it is dangerous to visit Palestine. I have had several messages from friends back in the United States urging me to be careful and 'stay safe.' My impression at this time is that for foreigners, Palestine is safer than many other travel destinations, and certainly safer than many large American cities, especially at night. The only predictable danger here that I am aware of for foreigners is finding oneself involved in an altercation between Palestinian protesters and Israel soldiers. Generally, protest actions build over time, and while foreigners are often curious to observe a confrontation, one almost always has the option of walking away from such a gathering storm. Public transportation in Palestine is very good, and in fact it is certainly much better than where I live in Washington state. There is large bus service between all medium and large-sized cities at very low cost, often less than one dollar American. In addition, there is a huge fleet of yellow vans called sheruts or seervice, which roam throughout the cities and between cities. The cost of traveling from Hebron to Bethlehem, which is about a half hour drive, has been 9 sheckels, or two dollars, during my stay here. Lastly, there are taxis everywhere, and they too will take you anywhere within a city for a few dollars, or to another city for a higher price than a bus or sherut, but they will get there much faster. I have never had an unfriendly or negative interaction with anyone while traveling in Palestine. While I would say most Palestinians do not speak English (except for 'welcome' and 'where you from?'), everyone is willing to help, and if necessary an English speaker can usually be found. The one problem I did have was trying to get from Hebron to Jerusalem on a time schedule, to meet a tour given by the group 'Breaking the Silence' (former Israeli soldiers speaking out against the occupation). In a taxi or sherut the trip takes about an hour. My mistake was getting on a bus when I had to change vehicles in Bethlehem; the buses are quite slow, because they stop so often. That trip took two hours and I missed the tour. So, to sum up, traveling alone and volunteering in Palestine is very easy and as safe as traveling anywhere in the world. You can impress your friends back home with how brave you are while actually being more secure than in many places in the USA.

My name is Sophia, I am from the United States and I have spent the last three months volunteering with the Excellence Center in Hebron, Palestine. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Middle East Studies with a minor in Arabic so my participation in the “Volunteer to Write about Palestine” program at the Excellence Center fit right in with my previous experience. My main task each day at the Excellence Center was to write two articles that would be put up on the EC website or distributed to other travel and volunteer information sites. I covered a range of different topics in my articles. I interviewed other international volunteers and wrote about their experiences and the work they were doing at the center. I got the chance to sit down with the director of the center for a discussion of which I later wrote about. Cultural and social norms of Palestinian society was also a topic I touched on regularly, these articles were important because they let prospective foreign volunteers get a sense of what Palestinian life is really like from the perspective of an international volunteer on the ground. Additionally, I wrote about practical subjects for future volunteers such as what to expect from security at the airport, how to navigate travel from the airport in Tel Aviv to Hebron, items current volunteers wish they had packed and items they packed but did not need, how to stay in touch with loved ones at home and how to dress in Hebron. My Arabic lessons at the center were an enormous help and definitely one of the highlights of my week. Having studied Arabic before my modern standard Arabic was already pretty solid but I was completely unfamiliar with Palestinian dialect, so that was what my lessons focused on. My Palestinian Arabic teacher at the center was certainly the best Arabic teacher I have ever had. Fairly regularly the EC would gather up all the international volunteers and take us to site visits around Hebron or in the surrounding area. During my time at the center I got to visit: a kufiyah factory, watch glassblowers in their workshop, see ceramics artisans molding and hand painting pottery, visit Bethlehem, eat traditional Palestinian food at the house of a student at the EC, walk through the old city and enter the Ibrahimi mosque. On my own time I went to Jericho and swam in the dead sea as well as visiting Bethlehem and Jerusalem several times I also greatly enjoyed visiting Ramallah. Living with a Palestinian host family was one of the most important aspects of my time volunteering in Hebron. I was immediately taken in as one of the family and I never ceased to be amazed by their hospitality. I would never understand the Palestinian culture and people as I do now without my homestay experience. I will never forget my time living with my Palestinian family. Secondly, my Arabic improved leaps as most of my family spoke little to no English. My Palestinian family gave me a sense of safety and security, I knew I had people here who cared and would look out for me. During my time volunteering in Hebron I have not once felt my safety was I danger. Knowing I must leave Palestine and the Excellence Center in just a couple days it is hard not to think of everything I am going to miss. I think the hardest part will be saying goodbye to my host family. Leaving the special aspects of Palestinian culture such has their welcoming and inclusive spirit will certainly be a huge culture shock when returning to the west. Lastly, I would not be truthful if I did not mention the food in Palestine. It is so delicious that I do not even want to think about being without it in just a couple days. Overall, I had a great experience volunteering with the Excellence Center and I would definitely recommend this program to any who are interested. The more people we have come to Palestine and see the true day to day life, feel their open , and witness their love for life and their fellow humans, the better.

This summer I participated in the Teach English Learn Arabic volunteer program at the Excellence Center for a little less than two months. At the center I taught English and studied Arabic with my amazing teacher Marwa. I also participated in a lot of trips and got to see Ramallah, Bethlehem and the Dead sea amongst other things. My time here has least to say been fantastic and I feel that I’ve went from knowing near to nothing about Palestine to knowing a great deal. I leave Hebron with many great memories. One of my best ones is from when I held an English summer camp for Palestinian children. In some ways it was a hard and demanding period but in the end the camp was really rewarding. We had a great time with the kids and I would like to meet some of them again when I come back to Palestine. Also since I and the other volunteers had the freedom to plan the camp by ourselves, we could fill it up with the acitvities that we found interesting. For example I started teaching Swedish to some kids and to my surprise they got really into it. I even kept on giving private Swedish classes to some of the kids for the remainder of my time here. I also made a lot of great friends from outside of the center. Palestinians are so hospitable and I often got invited to have coffee or shisha. One of my favorite experiences is from when I went barbecuing with some guys my age at the local swimming pool. Everything was planned very meticulously with us going back and forth to different butchers to find the perfect meat the day before. Next day we met early in the morning and traveled to the outskirts of the city where we found the swimming pool. Once there we had a great time swimming and playing around. Later we had shisha and grilled together in the sun, it was so nice! Also, I didn’t find this out until later, but apparently some of the meat we grilled was from camel which is pretty cool. All in all my experience in Palestine was unforgettable and I will miss the place a lot and all the friends I made here. I will especially miss all the wonderful persons at the center who helped me practice my Arabic with them. I am forever thankful. I wish to continue my Arabic studies and get even better after this. I would warmly recommend this program to anyone that is interested in Palestine or the Middle East. Of course volunteering isn’t always a walk on roses but I would glady participate in this program again, and hopefully I will next year or the year after that.

I was fortunate enough to participate in a variety of classes at the center. I provided assistance to the Beginner English Classes on numerous occasions, taught Intermediate English II, gave independent lessons, and led several workshops. All of the different opportunities to teach were very rewarding. In addition to teaching English, I was also able to further study Arabic while at the center. I enjoyed the Arabic lessons as they provided a unique chance to learn and use the local Palestinian dialect and not another or MSA. The staff and local teachers at the center are all exceptional people. From the moment you arrive, they treat you with the warmest hospitality. They all provide a piece of the great personality that the center has, and I greatly miss all of them. Teaching English to the local students will be the most rewarding experiences of your time spent in Palestine. Most of the students have a deep interest in studying English for various reasons. Rarely some will arrive and be wholly unmotivated to participate in class or complete any work between sessions, but the enthusiasm of the rest of the students more than makes up for it. There wasn’t a class that I taught or assisted with that did not have at least a few students show up significantly late. Don’t let that bother you because, rest assured, students don’t show up late as a personal slight to you. Punctuality will probably be one of the most obvious cultural differences you experience during your stay in Palestine. I was also able to participate in the majority of the site visits that the center offers. The normal trips in the city of Hebron are very fun and are guided so you are able to get a little more out of them than just walking by or through important locations. They also provide the chance to see a side of Hebron that mosts visitors will not see. The center also provided the opportunity to visit the bedouin village Susiya and the refugee town of al-Fawwar that provided a rare glimpse into the lives of other Palestinians. Apart from the center, I was also able to visit other parts of Palestine like East Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho and the Golan Heights. Hebron is a very unique city and visiting other Palestinian locations may give you a better understanding of what life in Palestine can mean. Hebron is a historic city with religious importance Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Being here will give you the chance to see these important sites and walk around the Old City. Most evenings are filled with smoking hookah, drinking coffee, and possibly playing billiards. There isn’t too much to do as far as recreation goes in Hebron, but you will be able to find the occasional pick-up football game and you’ll have plenty of time to read and hang out. Living at the center’s accommodations will not be the most pleasant part of your time in Palestine. It is a space appropriate for maybe four adults, but you may find it occupied by six volunteers. Be prepared to not have water at times and to share the small space with its few commodities with other, possibly less hygienic, foreigners. It will meet your needs, but you may find it a bit cramped. Security is a concern in Palestine. In most cases, You will notice security measures as they can make traveling here difficult. While arriving to and moving around the Palestinian territories, you will undoubtedly encounter Israeli checkpoints. For most, especially Western, visitors, these are often superficial inspections. Having said that, it is always advised to keep your passport and Israeli-issued entry document with you will moving throughout the area. If you are heading through checkpoints on foot, especially near religious or historic landmarks of Jewish importance, the soldiers may simply ask if you are Muslim or not. As for safety, the most dangerous activity you will partake in here is riding in taxis and busses. Outside of that, there is a small chance you may catch an errant stone or tear gas canister if you find yourself near a protest, but generally the situation is very safe here for foreigners. You will, however, attract a lot of attention as a foreigner in Palestine. For the most part it will be innocent. From time to time you will encounter Palestinians that may not be especially fond of foreigners. You may be walking down the street or through the market and be called a Jew or an Israeli, and some Palestinians will make other explicit comments. While that is not the most unsafe experience, it does register somewhere on the scale, but it is definitely the exception and not the rule. I would love to return to the Excellence Center and would recommend it to others looking to volunteer in the West Bank. The center is very different even from my arrival and is always headed in the right direction. The work that the staff and volunteers do for the community is needed and appreciated. Overall, it was a wonderful experience getting to teach English and study Arabic at the Excellence Center.

Hebron is a very unexpected place. When I first arrived, I am not sure exactly what I was expecting, but what met me here was a city full of kind, friendly and welcoming people. This is my first visit to Palestine, and upon arrival, I immediately felt comfortable and welcome. It is impossible to walk down the street without constantly hearing ‘Welcome to Hebron!’ or ‘You are welcome in Palestine!’. For a woman from the Western world, normally you learn to ignore anyone who yells out to you as you walk down the street, but here in Hebron I very quickly learned to appreciate the constant polite welcomes and hellos that I received. Perhaps the thing that made me feel most welcome is my host family. They immediately went out of their way to make me feel as though their home is my home, including taking me to dinner and introducing me to their (very large!) extended family. It truly felt as though I belonged there, and that Hebron would always be a place where I would find friends and a second home. Of course, there are cultural differences that take some getting used to. First, arriving in the middle of Ramadan, I must continually remind myself that drinking water outside during the day will lead to an awful lot of angry stares. Similarly, one must always be careful to cover your knees, elbows, and collar bone when walking around the city. However, once you get used to these simple customs, fitting into the local culture becomes quite easy. One thing that is very easy to get used to is the food. It is different from the sort I am used to, but it is delicious. A lot of rice, meat, and vegetables cooked in a variety of spices and sauces. There are a lot of interesting things to see as well. The Old City, the glass factory, and a variety of museums and cultural centers that locals are always eager to tell you about. As a general rule, many people you meet on the street will offer to show you around, tell you about things to do or see in Hebron, and ask you if you are enjoying yourself in their city. It is a kind of friendliness largely absent from big cities in the Western world. Overall, my experience during in Hebron has been incredible. I have never felt such a warm welcome to a place of which I am a perfect stranger, and I already feel very comfortable in my unfamiliar surroundings. The next few weeks promise to hold even more experiences in getting to know my new temporary home, and I am excited to see what will come.

At the Excellence Center I participated in three major types of activities. I organised professional workshops for university students, helping them refine skills such as academic writing and interview tactics and also ran activities sessions for younger students based on topics like Ramadan. Finally, I assisted in lessons for Beginners English. The Center also offers around three hours of Arabic classes per week. I really enjoyed these, and feel that they improved my confidence with Palestinian dialect. It would have been great if I had been here for longer and got more of a chance to practice the language, but I only stayed for a month. The environment at the Center is very relaxed and friendly, both among local teachers and international volunteers. Things can be a little chaotic and disorganised, but I think some of that can be ascribed to the timing of my visit – Ramadan is a very hard month to arrange lessons in, and student attendance is hard to enforce. I very much felt that the staff at the Center would help me with any problems I might be having, to the extent of lending me money when my card broke - a level of kindness I by no means expected. I went on site visits to Ibrahim’s Oak, the Old City and the Camel Sandal’s factory. All of these were incredibly interesting. It would have been nice to have the opportunity to visit and support more Palestinian businesses! In my spare time at the Excellence Center, I also visited the Dead Sea, Jericho, Tel Aviv and Nazareth. As transport in the West Bank is so easy to use, it was relatively simple to see a huge amount of the country, even though I wasn’t here for very long. I really loved exploring different parts of the region, and learning more about life here from the people I met. Life in Hebron is very different to life in a European city, but not totally alien. You can find most things in shops in the city, and in general it’s an easy city to get around, despite the lack of reliable street signs. Palestinian people are welcoming and interested in visitors to a degree that I found surprising at first. It is generally a wonderful thing to experience though – a simple walk home can lead to you gaining a new friend, which would never happen in Britain. I personally felt very secure while living in Hebron, to the point that I was perfectly comfortable walking around at night. However this might have been because I was here during Ramadan, so the streets always felt friendly and crowded. My one complaint would be that by the end of my stay, I was fed up with the male attention. I felt that there was a perception among a minority of men that I would welcome their advances, whereas in reality, it was always uncomfortable and occasionally a real invasion of my boundaries. My favourite thing about Palestine is a mixture of the landscape and the people. Travelling around by bus or taxi, I never got tired of looking out of the window and dreaming of all the things this land has seen throughout the centuries. One memory I particularly treasure from my time here is my arrival at the Damascus Gate on my first day in the country. I was tired and lost, and a very kind man not only showed me the way to the bus station, but bought me breakfast for the journey. Nothing could have given me a better demonstration of the kind of hospitality I could expect from my stay here. Overall my time in the West Bank has been extraordinary. I feel like I have been offered so much during my stay: people have shared their stories, their time and their food in the most unimaginably generous way. I feel honoured to have experienced all I have experienced.

My name is Emmy. Next year, I am also going to attempt the courses of Conflict Studies. With my study my interest was more focused on the religion of Islam and the Middle East culture. How typical it could possibly sound, I am a fervent believer that every one should be treated with respect and integrity no matter what his religion, origin or thoughts are. The choice of Palestine as first journey to a new world felt directly right for me. As much I could tell or remember from my classes, nothing compares with the experience self of meeting a culture, people and a country. The Excellence Center proposed a volunteering of helping Palestinians of every age with their English in exchange of the guarantee life experience. The reason I chose for the Excellence Center is also because I am more than aware of the chances I have as a young woman born and raised in a context where everything is just a matter of choosing between the opportunities. I am thankful everyday that I can attempt classes and learn. I wanted to share the knowledge I had right chance in Palestine and Hebron, people are very friendly, food is tasty and the city is safe as a women to travel. I could only admit that this experience taught me more lessons than I gave.

As a general rule of thumb, the further you move east, the less things make sense. However, and this is important, it works, and the more you engage yourself with the culture, it’ll start to make sense to you too. For example, it is considered rude to eat straight away after you’ve been served; the opposite is true in Arabic culture. In Hebron, there are no pedestrian crossings, you just walk across the road wherever seems appropriate and cars will stop for you. Learning these idiosyncrasies and cultural differences is important and you must be open, flexible, and adaptable to these cultural norms in Palestine. Palestinians are always willing to talk: Strangers in the street, vendors and shop owners. It’s a great opportunity to practice their English and your Arabic. Coffee, tea, cigarettes and shisha are consumed in vast quantities, perhaps to offset the cultural ban on Alcohol in the city. If you’re hankering for a drink, you can head to Bethlehem. To be honest, if no one else around you is consuming alcohol you’ll get used to it pretty quickly. It’s nice to take a day trip to Bethlehem and Jerusalem to see something different, or to see the occupied section of Hebron (do take precautions when you go to this section of the city). I wish I could stay longer and I hope to back, but who knows!

My name is Sara, I'm from the north of Spain. Now I'm living in Madrid where I study Economy and International Relations at Rey Juan Carlos University. I'm very interested in the Middle East and I'd like to work here one day. At the beginning of this month I lived with a host family in Tabaqa, Dura. I've lived there for two weeks and then I moved to another host family in Hebron. With my first family I was very happy, it was a big family and they lived in the same street so I was always having tea with my cousins or playing with the children outside, etc. However, one day my host father told me that I had to move to Hebron but I didn't expect that so it was difficult for me. My second host family is smaller, the parents are very young and they only have two sons, but I'm very happy too, they are very nice and I feel very comfortable with them. I think that staying with a host family you receive a full immersion in the Palestinian culture and society. I arrived in the last week of Ramadan so I had a lot of Iftar meals, and the final party of Eidl; I was part of the Palestinian society for this week. I also went to two Palestinian parties where I danced and ate with the women. Here in Palestine it's easy to be involved in their culture because everybody invites you to their homes or their parties, Palestinian people are characterized for their hospitality. I've been studying Arabic this last year at university and I arrived here knowing the letters and the numbers so I could read and write, this way is easier to learn. The problem is that the Arabic countries speak their own dialect and I learnt the formal Arabic that it's a little different. Arabic it's a difficult language and it requires time so I suggest to come here with a little notion of the language. I saw here everything I read in the news and in my history books, but by myself. Actually it was my first motivation to come here, to know and see all what I was told about this country. In Hebron there are almost every day confrontations between the settlers and the locals and if you are interested you can learn and listen stories about people and about what happened since 1948, for me it was very interesting. I have visited Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, the Dead Sea, Haifa, Acre and Ramallah, I've discovered the differences within this country and its people by travelling. So I recommend to visit the most you can and learn the most you can from this beautiful country.

Living in Hebron, I feel that I've gained a much more dynamic and nuanced understanding of the occupation and its political, cumy students and my observations of the H2 territories, I've learned so much more than I could have through my studies. I arrived here with no idea what to expect, but I've learned that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view. I'm sad to leave Palestine, but I feel now like the circle is complete and I know I'll return to the U.S. with a much deeper understanding of Palestinian life and I'm so gratefulltural and daily consequences. Through my conversations with my host family, my discussions with for the experiences and the friends that I've made

My name is Juana and I am from Mexico City. For the last 7 years I have been involved in volunteering. This time I chose Palestine not only because I have some friends whose families are Palestinian but also because I strongly believe in helping people in any way that might be possible. For years I have heard about the Palestinian situation, as so I have heard and read from other conflicts in the world, but for me it was important coming here because I wanted to see and experience how things are going over here. More important, try to do something in order to let know that there are people around the world who care for what is going on here, and who will be glad to help in any possible way. So, with everything that is going on not only here but in the world, I thought it would be nice to work with children as they are not only the future but they are also the ones who will be able to change their world and improve it. And if we want that to happen, we need to support their education, their happiness and their lives. We must help them to believe in themselves and empower them so they can reach their full potential. And as an important part of education, I think imagination comes as an important tool, because it will help them dream of better opportunities and a better world. For me, it has been really important to express not only my feelings but my thoughts by drawing, that is why I chose to work with children in a creative way. That is what I want to be my contribution, make them confident so they can dare to dream and express what they are feeling and what they really want in life regardless of what other people say they can or cannot do. They must know they are capable not only to dream but to achieve. That is the important aspect for me, making sure the kids know they are entitled to a better future, to a good life and to achieve every single dream they have for themselves, their families and friends. I want them to go out and let the world know they are here and that they will not be defeated by those who are trying to oppress them. Just by being in Palestine I feel have already obtained a benefit, because some are always telling why you should not get here, why it is not worthy, why it is dangerous, but they speak out of ignorance and I was not going to live like that. Even if I am not staying here for as long as I wanted, this has already helped me to discover new places, people and experiences. And I am sure I will be back. That is why I am so glad places like this exist and I am really happy that so many people from different places around the world get here to be with the kids and families. I am proud of every single person that has ever come here, because even if not everyone in the world knows this is happening, volunteering at the Excellence Center is actually happening and I am sure it has been making the difference as so the people coming here. Maybe we do not get to see nice actions in the media just as we see wars, killings and problems, but I am sure these actions done by volunteers are way stronger than that, so I just want people to keep coming, helping, learning and making the difference so kids can have a better world.

I stayed in a Palestinian host family. The family has a mother, father and three sons. The father is a doctor and the mother has a part time job on top of being a housewife. The children were 4, 7 and 12 years old. Almost everyone in the family spoke very good English, which is why I very much enjoyed our conversations. You can learn a lot about Palestinians and their culture and traditions from your host family. Of course, it was fascinating to discuss and learn how the occupation affects the life of Palestinians and how my host family felt about it. During the whole time I was in Palestine I felt very safe. This is somewhat strange, because I expected that I would have to be alert all the time for potential danger. From the first moment that I arrived to Palestine I learned that the locals are very welcoming and helpful. In a strange country, you must learn to trust the people. So, even as a woman I felt I could walk around the city without concern. However, one should make sure to respect the local culture and dress appropriately, because then foreign women attract less attention and can walk in peace. Further, there are certain places in Hebron where it is not wise to go during certain times, especially at night, because there are clashes between the IDF soldiers and Palestinians. So, common sense and knowing where to go and not go keeps internationals very safe in Hebron. My typical day in Hebron can be divided into two parts; in the mornings I would go to the center and teach English or have my Arabic lessons. During the breaks from these activities I would hang out with the other volunteers in the kitchen reserved for us, or on the roof enjoying the sun. After the class activities I would normally go to my host family, my home, and spend the evening with them eating dinner or discussing about cultural differences of Finland and Palestine. The Center and the Hebron traditions expect girls and women to return home at a certain time as it is not common for girls to walk alone at night, so that is why on most evenings the female volunteers go home to spend time with their host families. However, this is negotiable with the host family and very much depends on how conservative they are. I feel I gained a lot from my experience in Palestine. I now better understand the Palestinian culture and traditions, especially those of Hebron. I have learned cultural sensitivity, however sometimes getting disappointed that some people expect it only from foreigners and were not willing to meet in the middle. Hebron is a very conservative city and especially women need to give away certain rights we have gotten used to in the west. My objective to come to Palestine was to see what is happening in the occupied territories and how Palestinians lead their lives under occupation. I feel I have now a better understanding of the struggles Palestinians need to go through on daily basis, and I feel I have the responsibility to share their stories now with the people in my home country. I wish one day Palestine will be free.

I am involved with the’ Volunteer in Palestine’ program and stayed in Palestine for one month. I chose Palestine, because I have been interested in the region and wanted to come here and see it with my own eyes and experience it with Palestinians. One can learn by reading and following the news only so far, so I wanted to learn and understand more so I thought coming here would allow me to do that. Also, I wanted to learn more Arabic and thought Palestine is a good place to learn that. I have wanted to come here for a long time now and finally my life situation allowed me to take the break and come here. During my stay at the excellence center I contributed in facilitating interactive and engaging English classes for the students. I also provided different workshops, for example, for writing CVs and cover letters or job applications. I work as a Management Consultant, which means I have a good knowledge and background in giving these types of instructions. Also, on my days off, travelled around Palestine. I contributed to the Excellence Centers work by being a motivating teacher and giving fun and memorable lessons for the students. This experience helps my future aspirations in trying to work for a non-governmental organization in the future. I am now a business consultant, but I would like to leave business life and have a job where I can make real difference and help people. Having the experience and learnings from Palestine makes me a better candidate to such organizations, for example for the Red Cross. Also, I work for the Red Cross in Sweden as a volunteer where I really need Arabic skills often, so learning Arabic skills here helps me in doing that volunteer work in Sweden with refugees. I hope my work made a difference. I hoped that my presence and my motivating teaching attitude would spark the students’ self confidence in learning and actively using English language. I really also enjoyed my time in Palestine and I learnt a lot, I would recommend volunteer in Palestine to anyone who would like to make a difference in his life and well as others Greetings from Sweden

Hello! My name is Alejandro., I am 22 years old and I live in Spain. I am studying Economics and International Relations (third year) at Rey Juan Carlos University. I have studied the conflict between Palestine and Israel at my university and I am very interested in it, as well as in the Middle East in general. That is why I wanted to come to Hebron, to see the conflict myself, face to face; and also because I am studying arabic in Madrid and I wanted to improve it. The program I am involved in is the volunteer program, so I gave English lessons to the local students and, at the same time, I spent some time learning Arabic. I taught English in classes with different levels. For example, I assisted to the Beginners class and we played some games so that they learned the vocabulary of working, the types of jobs This month allowed me to see the reality of the things in Palestine. I study at university and know the people behind it and the way they are living and, mostly, be able to help personally. I would like to work at the United Nations when I finish my studies, so this was a good opportunity to learn more about the Arabic world, which I find very interesting.

My name is Jonathan, I am 49 years old. At home in London I work in human resources for a large hospital. I have visited Hebron, Palestine, and the Excellence Center for Education & Training Services on three occasions, most recently in November 2016. I have helped young people with their English language and also with employability skills. The Excellence Center is welcoming and supportive. I was given a schedule involving supporting qualified English language teachers by providing the conversational input of a native English speaker, as well as designing and delivering the package of employability skills classes. I also had some Arabic classes in my schedule, to learn some basic conversational Arabic. I stayed with a host family who were lovely. Sharing a room with another English volunteer, we were given a warm welcome, delicious local food and interesting conversation. We were taken to visit the old city and the Ibrahimi mosque and given a special lunch on Fridays. The Excellence Center also organised additional activities including a visit to a refugee camp and to a local factory. The city of Hebron itself is friendly and bustling. It's easy enough to navigate the shops, cafes and taxis, and to find help if you get lost. For me, the best thing about volunteering at the Excellence Center is the rewarding feeling of helping young people to improve their life chances through developing their English language and employability skills. The best thing about Palestine is the warmth and positive spirit of the people, despite the disadvantages of their situation, in particular the emphasis on education and development.

I arrived in Palestine almost three months ago. I have had a wonderful time here and I have met a lot of wonderful people. The people and the feeling in Hebron is really good. Wherever you go people will welcome you and greet you. My host family was amazing. By now they feel like a real family. The staff at the center are very kind and helpful. They have helped me with transportation and general questions about the customs of Hebron. They also provided me with all the material I needed in order to teach my students. I have had so much fun teaching and the students are all very kind and eager to learn. They have taught me a lot about their society and their daily life. The country has a lot of amazing experiences to offer and you will have plenty of opportunities to visit factories, cities, the ocean and generally have a good time.

A lot of foreigners, of various stripes, eager and yearning for culture, come to volunteer in Hebron. I never understood the fascination internationals had with this city. Why do you come all the way from the U.S, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany etc.. to volunteer or learn in Hebron? Why don’t I, a Palestinian, have that same passion about volunteering in my home town? I have lived in Palestine for 19 years and it is only intermittently and very recently, I felt a genuine connection with this Land. It is when I became involved, when I travelled around Palestine, I understood why people cross the globe to come/volunteer here. In Hebron, but also in Palestine at large, people are often very hospitable and that is particularly true amongst the more traditional elements of society. Take a stroll in Ein Sara, a very busy street in Hebron, and you will be met with the most delightful smiles. People are not afraid to help you out, give you directions, free food, show you around and make you feel like you never want to leave. Volunteering for me, became more than a giving act. I receive the joys of exploring Hebron, the smiles on the students’ faces, the genuine respect they give you once they realise you are a Palestinian, seeking to help other Palestinians, and a better understanding and appreciation for my country. I get to make local and international friends, broaden my understanding of other cultures and traditions and generate friendships that extend further than Palestine. So come Palestinians, take the initiative to volunteer . Become the self-appointed cultural ambassadors, who introduce people to the Palestinian Arab culture with a personal touch and allow them to form their own experiences and viewpoints on the land we call home.

Volunteering with the Excellence Center in Palestine was a transformational and unforgettable experience. My program had two components, 1) teaching English as a volunteer and 2) learning Arabic from a native teacher. From day one I was treated as a member of the family, not just by the Center, but by all the people I met in Hebron. I was given all the support and assistance I needed, I was always well prepared for my classes and my Arabic teacher tailored the classes to my individual needs. I also felt totally safe during my time in Palestine, it completely confounded my expectations. For anyone considering enrolling on this program I just have one word of advice-go!

I volunteered at the Excellence Center in Palestine for two weeks in 2015. it was a great experience. I met many Palestinians und I was able to participate in a lot of different activities I felt very safe in Hebron and Palestinian are very hospitable und always welcome internationals. All in all was a great experience that I made and I would recommend this to anyone who would like to visit Palestine und meet Palestinians.

My overall experience with the Excellence Center has been wonderful. I spent two months volunteering at the Center in Hebron. My students were of different age groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and genders which made the classroom setting both a learning experience for me and the students. It was a cultural exchange in every sense of that phrase. The Center also provides for a “lived” experience of Palestinian reality in political, economic, and social sense. You’ll get the opportunity to meet with local business and community leaders. You’ll have an opportunity to meet with locals and hear their testimonies of life under a military occupation. It’s a perspective worth listening. I know safety is a concern for many contemplating about making this trip. In my experience, I did not encounter anything that I would deem dangerous or life threatening. Being a responsible adult is always advisable wherever one may travel and Palestine is no exception to that rule. I strongly recommend the Excellence Center!