Program Reviews

I participated in a 7 week intensive study of Levantine Arabic at the Excellence Center in Halle, Germany. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life. As an Arab-American, it felt in many ways to be a deep dive into my identity. My father spoke Arabic to me growing up but I always responded in English and never learned to read or write. Upon learning the alphabet and all of the forms of each letter, piecing together basic words and sentences (through writing and reading) was a deeply meaningful privilege. I loved learning the Arabic language, it felt like slowly working towards solving a puzzle. I love the inherent artistic qualities of the language which allow for individual creativity in writing and ease with constructing poetic phrases with double meanings and the like.

My teacher Muaz created a rich learning environment filled with numerous methods to cement classroom concepts such as studying Arabic songs, delivering comical presentations, acting in everyday scenarios and ordering food from local restaurants in Arabic. Furthermore, I particularly liked the well-rounded education we received because there were many opportunities to learn about Arab and Levantine history, culture, food, customs, and music to name a few. I believe that this circular style of teaching encouraged a more lively learning environment because we could see the practicality of the language in real-life scenarios instead of just rote memorization from a textbook (though there was some of this traditional style learning as well).

As for the center itself, I became very fond of Rafat Shantir’s innovative idea to bring together people from all over the globe in a highly participatory and communal manner. If you sign up for language study (Arabic or German) you will have ample opportunities to meet local Germans and/or Arab immigrants/refugees, and you will become part of the Excellence Center global community. There are many activities such as weekly soccer games, social outings, visits to neighboring cities and chances to interact with others at the center, most notably the daily delicious group breakfasts which I always looked forward to. If you haven’t finalized your decision yet, as I hadn’t in spring of 2024, I encourage you to go ahead and apply. It was truly one of my favorite life experiences where I met some amazing people, got to experience a small German town with delicious food, parks/green spaces, cultural events and made some life-long friendships. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Rafat, Muaz, Ali and all of the other employees, volunteers and others I met and interacted with at the center!

I just finished a two week intensive course for colloquial levantine arabic with Muaz. The classes were extremely helpful and tailored to my level. Not only did I learn new words, phrases, even street slang, Muaz also shared a lot of stories with me, helping me better understand the situation of the Syrian diaspora here in Germany and experience the wealth of culture that can be found in even the smallest falafel-shop. I would definitely recommend the excellence center to anyone interested in learning arabic in Germany

I came to the Excellence Center wanting to improve my German and help others adjusting to life in Germany, and I got all of that plus so much more. It is a lovely, ultra inclusive environment where participants share stories and learn about each others’ experiences. Though I was only there a week, I feel genuine connections with everyone at the center and I’ve left the experience with a lot of valuable perspective.

The volunteer schedule is quite flexible, which I loved as it gave me lots of time to explore Halle and the surrounding region. The language instruction is super engaging and really personalized to the students’ interests, which was a huge plus for me. And all of the Excellence Center staff are extremely kind and genuine. They have made my experience wonderful.

The fact that I feel so much like I am part of a community after just a few short days is a testament to the high quality of the center and how hard Rafat and his team have worked to create an engaging and truly special experience. I hope to come back soon!

My 2 week stay in Halle as an ESL volunteer and language student at the Excellence Centre was very pleasant.
The director Rafat and his staff including Enrico (my German language teacher), Ali and Moaz were all very welcoming and from the get go I knew that I will gel well with the team.
My program was a lot more flexible than I had anticipated but the flexibility allowed me to explore the beautiful city of Halle and also to get to know more about the other volunteer and student participants.
The accommodation provided by the Centre was also comfortable.
All in all the volunteering, socializing and sharing with a diverse group definitely enhanced my experience in Halle.

I was only here for one week but it feels much longer than that (in a good way). And I wish I could stay longer! I was lucky to have met some of the most brilliant people that come from different backgrounds and walks of life. Volunteers, people at the Center, students that I had classes with - all of them come together to create a big community that instantly makes you feel like you belong.

- Teaching English (albeit for a short time) consisted mostly of conversations in a wide range of topics, and the volunteer hours are somewhat flexibly arranged. As long as you come with an open mind and a bit of adoptability, you will be good to go.
- I was able to get a lot of help with my German as well! Whether you are a complete beginner with the language (German or Arabic) or want to improve your conversational skills, the classes will be well-tailored to your needs.

I would like to thank the Center again for the warm welcome and hospitality for the past week.

Doing the Intensive Arabic Program in Halle is getting inspired via stories, poetry and songs by teachers who enjoy sharing their passion for the Arabic language and culture. It’s going from the feeling of gluing little words together and hoping it makes sense to having actual (even if still small) conversations in Arabic. It’s getting encouraged to continue exploring and learning. And this in a welcoming and accepting environment. Thank you to everyone at the Excellence Center for these 4 interesting weeks.

The Center is absolutely a lovely experience which I would recommend to anyone interested in learning Arabic! I had two teachers during my 5 weeks in Halle who were both very enthusiastic and helpful. Class size was small which meant that instruction could be tailored to our interests and needs in learning. Cultural education is also mixed in beautifully with lessons in etymology, translating songs and poems, and restaurant visits.
Outside of class, the Center also has an amazing community feeling from the very first day. There were a lot of opportunities to hang out with the other students and volunteers including breakfast every weekday, cafe visits, park hangouts, and weekend trips.
Overall, this is absolutely an amazing opportunity both for learning language and culture and to meet a lovely international community. I have had a wonderful summer and definitely plan to return!

My name is Louise, and I’m from Australia. I work in education development and have had had the good fortune to live and work in many countries. Hebron is the friendliest and safest place I have ever been to. I have never felt so welcomed by a community as I have in Hebron, from neighbours, taxi drivers, students, shop keepers to people in the street. This is the most hospitable place I have ever experienced.
I participated in the Palestinian Refugees program and had the privilege of teaching displaced young people in a camp near Hebron. I got to know so many people living in the camp and hear firsthand the stories of their lives and learn a lot about the history and current situation of Palestinians. I also taught in a beautiful village outside Hebron, which has many historical sites. The Palestinian colleagues who supported and helped me in these activities are amazing. They are so knowledgeable about history and the best times I spent here were conversations with the wonderful people I met during my stay. I got to enjoy A LOT of traditional Palestinian food- everywhere I went I was offered delicious food!
My Arabic greatly improved, due to both the clear teaching of my Arabic Teacher at the centre and the willingness of locals to be patient and explain to me what I could say in Arabic. I have lived in Arabic speaking countries before but honestly the Excellence Centre in Hebron is the best place to learn Arabic because of the expertise of the teachers, who make interesting, simple and practical lessons and the friendliness of the locals, most of whom speak some English but who are also really happy to talk with you in Arabic.
The Excellence Centre feels like home, the daily breakfast is delicious, and there is a constant supply of freshly ground coffee! The Excellence Centre has a great vibe, the students studying English are so happy to talk with visitors and also show visitors around, to their favourite café, and the best place to have shawarma. The Excellence Centre is highly regarded by the local community because it makes a real difference in the life of Palestinians.
I was so busy and made so many friends in Hebron I didn’t even go outside to visit any of the usual ‘tourist’ sites! I had the best time just hanging out with the friends I made in Hebron and eating amazing food. I explored the fascinating Old City of Hebron- people on the street and in shops will teach you about their area, the history and the culture. People here are so happy to share with you their beautiful city.
The welcoming culture of Hebron makes it the safest city I have ever spent time in. It feels like everyone in the city wants to help you. There is no crime, I left my phone in a café and it was returned to me. I took taxis off the street, visited strangers’ houses, walked everywhere. The greatest challenge was eating all the food I was offered and finding time to take up all the offers of hospitality.
Come here to learn about Palestine, to make friends and to have an amazing time while also feeling that you contribute positively to the Palestinian community.

Experience Report
My name is Simon Kim, and I am from South Korea. I study political science and
international affairs in Gordon College in the United States. I came here for the Human rights in Palestine program.
In my program of two months, I have mainly had a lot of different visits to numerous
places around Hebron, Arabic classes, and teaching English classes to Palestinian children. I had an intensive Arabic program, where I had my Arabic classes for two weeks. During these two weeks, I was able to learn how to read and write, and also some of the basic conversations. The teachers here had a lot of experience teaching, which gave me even better experience learning Arabic in this place. They were also really passionate in their job of teaching, and they actually cared about our Arabic knowledge, unlike some of the teachers in other countries where they do not have the genuine passion in teaching. Also, this center was just the right place to learn Arabic, because I got to actually use the language to people outside after learning them. Also, other volunteers were also passionate in learning Arabic, which was also a huge merit in my Arabic lesson journey.
Also, one ohter huge part of the program was all the visits that we had. We had a
chance to go to different places, which some of them were related to the human rights and the current Israeli-Palestinian issue, and the others about the Palestinian culture. The most memorable places for me were the Human Rights Defenders and the Bedouin camp, where the volunteers had a chance to listen to the first-hand accounts of the victims of this conflict. Moreover, since the other cities were all nearby, it was really easy for me to travel to different places, such as Jericho, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem.
Of all things, my favorite part of my two months here in Palestine must be the people.
Unlike the way the western media portrays the people in the region, Palestinians were very hospitable and welcoming to not only me, but to all foreigners. Before I came here, I was a bit worried that this place might be dangerous and I might be the target of a crime, but as soon as I came here, the hospitality of the local people made me realize that my all my worries were unnecessary. It was really safe here to the point that I did not feel threatened or dangerous even though I was outside alone at night, which would have been different if I stayed in New York or Boston. During my two months here, I really enjoyed the kindness of the Palestinians, not to mention the delicious food and cheap transportations.
This experience for me was such a whole new journey, which taught me a lot of new
things, not only about the human rights issue but also about how to interact with other
individuals and how to coexist with them. I do recommend this program to other people. The presence of volunteers here means a lot in this place and it will mean a lot to the volunteers themselves.

The Excellence Centre in Europe was one of the most incredible opportunities I have and perhaps will ever have.

Arriving in Germany not really knowing what to expect, I found myself living with six other amazing roommates in what was already well known as "The Dream House". So many wonderful memories were made with those people in particular, especially chatting on the balcony and cooking together.
I was still unsure what to expect from the Centre itself when I arrived there the next morning, but the surprise was a pleasant one. Breakfast every morning was a great opportunity to try new food and meet more people... especially because the faces are always changing! My first Arabic lesson sparked a fire that will hopefully fuel me to reach fluency in a beautiful language, taught by amazing, patient, intelligent teachers.
Teaching English to a range of students with varying social and linguistic background was a great pleasure. I got to explore their culture as well as teaching them about my own, whilst testing my knowledge of English and the flexibility of my German and Russian. Teaching English from my second languages was a challenge I will never forget, especially because it took place in the friendliest environment in the world!

There is so much more to say, and I don't have the words to convey how incredible the Excellence Centre is. I feel so privileged to have been part of this amazing experience, and hope to return in the future, to rekindle friendships and reunite with people that have, in just a month, become like family.