The Excellence Center

I've spontaneously decided to book the trip to Palestine during the European summer heat. I've been keeping tabs on the country and felt like it was now or never to come and visit. I was nervous at first. However, the center took care of me by organizing regular phone calls. In those calls I've gotten a lot of reassurance. Strenghtened by the people and the words, I was quiet positive coming here. Once I arrived all my previous flew right out of the window. I was welcomed with open arms. The women's dorm is wonderful and cozy. The center and the teachers are not only very qualified but also funny. Working felt like a warm ray of sunshine. As a teacher I have never experienced this type of appreciation for my work. Only in Hebron. The children carry gratitude and love wherever they go. I was lucky enough to feel their gratitude and love. I hope they felt mine as well. When I wasn't teaching I had informative tours that showed me the life of Palestinians. On each tour I met another kind heart. I cannot count how many lovely human being I've encountered here. I think it is of importance to show up and see with your own eyes the situation. Educate yourself. Build your opinion. Talk to the people. The thought of leaving hurts me deeply. But I know this is not a goodbye. It's a see you soon. Oxala.

I stayed two months at the Excellence Center between June and July, which was perfect timing between large cohorts. Everybody who works at the center is lovely. Rafat is welcoming, friendly, and diplomatic, and does everything to help volunteers enjoy their experience and for refugees and migrants to settle safely. Doushan handles background operations, and is a hilarious, cheerful person. It's truly a pleasure when he joins everyone for lunch or subs in for Rafat. Muaz was my Arabic teacher and helps to run just about everything in the Center. He's a well-known figure in the local community thanks to providing free translation help for refugees and migrants between German, Arabic, and English, and supports legislative change for anti-racism in Halle. He introduced me to some wonderful, kind people who became good friends, and was a phenomenal Arabic teacher. I arrived with a bare knowledge of the alphabet, and Muaz taught me everything until I passed the A2 level in about 5 weeks. I enjoyed teaching English so much, though I loved my Arabic classes more. I taught three students from ages 8 to 30 with varying English proficiency. A lot of people are intimidated by choosing what to teach and how, but I liked making up lessons and games for my students. My advice is to use lots of color-coding, prioritize conversation (at the correct level), and try to enjoy the experience. People learn best when they're connecting with you, rather than being lectured. The accommodations are nice enough for a short stay or an able bodied person, but they get somewhat cramped during July and August, when the majority of people visit. I recommend spending at least a month at the Center if you're able to, though I truly wanted upwards of three months. We went on trips to Leipzig, Berlin, or nearby cities, toured Halle, had picnics, and spent a day with a class of international art students. A local Syrian gentleman taught us basics of violin, Rafat taught us how to cook some Palestinian, Syrian, or Saudi Arabian meals, and another friend tried teaching us Dabke (traditional Palestinian dance). You'll spend a lot of time outside in Halle, and hopefully a lot of time meeting new people. Give this experience as much as you can (and go see Muaz's concerts!)
(Doushan, if you're seeing this, hello! I did the review! Sorry it took so long!!!!)

I came to the Excellence Center as a volunteer Photographer and was amazed to see how an establishment that started from humble beginnings has become a safe space for refugees with community and compassion at the forefront of its daily operations. You can learn either Arabic, English or German here without feeling embarrassed about any language barriers. The center provides weekly community activities in which you get to experience cultures and customs and in the end you most likely make a new friend. The staff here is amazing, very friendly, inviting, supportive and best of all, flexible! I studied Beginner Arabic here and loved the fact that the classes ranged from single to small group settings only, make the learning curve feel easier to overcome. There were opportunities to visit other German towns with a teacher as a tour guide and those were very fun and exciting to be able to join. I definitely recommend this center for anyone wanting to learn either of the languages mentioned above. The teachers here are excellent and provided so many immersion opportunities!!!

Prior to arriving in Halle, I had experience living abroad for extended periods of time in Poland and France, and I was so excited to expand my worldview further by spending one month in Halle! I was unsure of what to expect at the Excellence Center, and was welcomed into a close, encouraging, and above all, kind community as soon as I walked in. Fostering a strong community, full of compassion and curiosity, was a key priority at the Center. This was evidenced by shared meals, friendships, and a learning environment that extended beyond language lessons, delving into complex realities with open minds and hearts. This experience was beautiful to witness, and even more meaningful to engage in. Additionally, I felt fully supported by all of the staff, who exhibited an incredible amount of care in making every single individual feel included and encouraged.

Beyond the team, teaching English was a wonderful experience from both a professional and interpersonal standpoint: I had the unique opportunity to lead and build lesson plans individually, while having access to incredible and experienced language teachers for advice, and I was able to create friendships with the people I was teaching (aged from 4-28).

As mentioned in multiple reviews, the other volunteers involved at the Center are genuinely incredible people, and it was an absolute joy to become good friends so quickly and share bonding experiences with them.

I recommend anyone eager to develop their understanding, fuel their curiosity, and cultivate truly life-long friendships to join the mission of service and cross-cultural understanding at the Excellence Center in Germany. Regardless of your traveling history, whether you've never left your country or have been abroad for years, you can learn an incredible amount about the world, people, and yourself at the Center.

My time here was amazing. It was important to me to see first-hand how life is lived in the occupied West Bank. Through the Excellence Center I was able to visit with human rights activists, attorneys, NGOs, and locals to learn more about the ever-changing situation here. The experience was well-rounded, the Arabic instruction was exceptional, and the program is customizable - I was able to ask for specific visits and Osama would help arrange them. The accommodations were also great and I felt safe the whole time. I would love to come back!