The Excellence Center

Before I came to the Excellence Center, I was somewhat concerned. It was the first solo trip I would take, the first time I would be alone in a country, and many other ‘firsts’ of an anxiety provoking nature. Nearly all of this anxiety was done away with the moment I entered
my shared accommodation and met my fellow volunteers, and it was fully put to bed the next morning, when I walked into the Center for the first time.
My time at The Excellence Center has been a real joy, a sentiment originating from every part of the program. The Center’s staff are all super. They were incredibly kind and welcoming to me from before I even got to Halle, to when I landed in Germany and Rafat reached out to help me get to my flat (even on an early Sunday morning), and then every subsequent day. The Excellence Center does not suffer from a large gap between the volunteers and the staff; we all eat breakfast together every morning, we talk throughout the day, and we have regular group activities, like lunches, trips, and even music lessons. These activities are a wonder for
developing an incredibly close community; even though many of the volunteers before me had
known each other for weeks or months, within fifteen minutes I was talking to them as though I had not just gotten off the airplane. The Center feels incredibly intertwined with the community; people from in and around Halle regularly come in to receive (or in some cases, give) lessons. The staff are all remarkably well connected and seem to know the entire city by name, always giving a wave or a hello when they walk by.
Teaching at the Center was a great experience. All of my students were kind, intelligent, engaged, funny, and happy to be there. The Center provides a very nice balance between structure and freedom: on the one hand, we have endless resources in the form of the
experienced teachers at the center who can always give advice when it is requested. On the other hand, we have the freedom to build and run our own lessons, a task that, while daunting, was
interesting and fun.
The relationships built with the other volunteers really held the program together. We all became very close: many hours were spent playing card games or trying riddles or magic tricks
to fool each other. We ate meals together all the time; once a week, we would do a meal swap, where one apartment would cook a meal for the other. The extreme closeness made for a certain amount of sadness when inevitably someone would have to leave; but the constant arrivals made sure that there was always a steady stream of wonderful people to meet.
The Excellence Center has truly been a wonderful experience; from the staff to the students to the volunteers to the city itself, I have enjoyed every moment of my time here.

I spent 2 of the best months of my life at the Excellence Centre in Halle. Firstly, the centre is such a wonderful and welcoming place - everyone is made to feel so valued and loved and it’s such a joy eating together, making jokes or playing games. Teaching English is such a genuinely rewarding experience, even with no prior experience, and you really do get out of it what you put in. Secondly, I have had the privilege to get to know some of the kindest and most interesting people I’ve ever met. From the staff at the centre to the other volunteers to local uni students, I never would have imagined forming such strong bonds in such a short amount of time, but I am leaving Halle with lifelong friends and memories. I would highly recommend this program to absolutely anyone, it will easily be one of the best experiences of your life! Thank you for everything habibis, I miss you all and I hope with all my heart that we will meet again!

Osama and Marwa provide a wonderful experience for all volunteers, teachers and students. The center is a real community that brings people into an authentic and fulfilling experience in Palestine.

Hebron itself is a very welcoming city, where I and the other volunteers were perfectly safe and always warmly greeted by everyone. The apartment provided by the center is of very high quality.

Overall an unforgettable experience which I hope to repeat some time in future. Would recommend to anyone

My time in Palestine was incredibly fulfilling and eye-opening. I think that every person should visit Palestine to get a true idea of how life is for Palestinians. Everyone at the center is very kind and welcoming, and they act as amazing guides throughout the city. I volunteered with refugees, which involved me visiting camps near Hebron and teaching English to the students. The students were lovely, eager to learn, and so kind. I additionally enjoyed participating in Arabic lessons, which helped me communicate with locals, who are also very welcoming. While safety was a slight concern before I arrived, I quickly realized that I was very safe here in Hebron and that the people of the center would ensure that I was not in harms way. The apartment I was placed in was very nice and comfortable, and it was located very close to the center, which made coming to volunteer very easy and convenient. There are also many restaurants and shops a very short walk away. Overall, I had a very enriching and inspiring experience. I am eager to come back to continue working with the Palestinian people in the future. Many thanks to everyone at The Excellence Center who works so hard to create a positive environment for all.

I spent one week volunteering at the Excellence Center in Hebron as an English teacher, and it was an amazing experience. From the moment I arrived, I felt incredibly welcome. The accommodations were great, everything was well organized, and I felt safe throughout my stay.

A big thank you to the directors, Marwa and Osama, for their kindness and support. The excursions with Osama were a real highlight and gave me a much better understanding of Hebron and Palestinian culture. It was also a pleasure working with Jomana, the teacher I assisted, and learning Arabic with Haya, whose lessons were engaging and very enjoyable.

I met wonderful people, had a fantastic cultural experience, and made memories I’ll always keep. I highly recommend the Excellence Center to anyone interested in volunteering, learning Arabic, or experiencing life in Palestine.