Intensive Arabic Programs In Palestine (1-13 Weeks)

As an immersive experience with the Hebron Excellence Center, the staff and the resources provided were of great quality. Arabic exposure was ideal, in my experience, due to Palestinian hospitality and the opportunities provided to speak throughout the course of studies. Arabic teachers here are also amazing with providing conversational practice to the students and helping with vocabulary retention and grammar correction. The visits to different areas also lent us a greater insight into Palestinian culture and the politics that make up a great part of the daily life in this area. It was overall a very rewarding experience and one that will continue to be valued.

I had a lovely experience with the Excellence Center in Hebron. The Arabic classes were very good and I learned a lot in a short time and feel much more comfortable in my Arabic. My host family was incredibly nice and allowed me to eat so much delicious local food and try dishes I hadn't before. The program also allowed me lots of free time to explore the city and travel around Palestine to see some of the sites there. Ibraheim was a great teacher and tons of fun to work with. Also the other internationals at the center were lovely.

My name is Qing, I am a student from China. I have spent six weeks learning Arabic with Excellence Center in Hebron. I am living with other volunteers and students in a dormitory. Though the wi-fi in our dorm is not very stable and water is some time cut off, the place and people are still lovely. My program is intensive Arabic course, I spent three to four hours with my tutor. The Arabic course tends out very worth and interesting. And I use rest of my time to join the tours provided by the center.

Staying Hebron also provide me a great chance to explore the local culture and have deeper understanding of the Palestine-Israel conflict. There are many tours provided by the center every week, from visit the old city of Hebron to local university and factory. Though it not a full-scale culture emersion, I obtain many facts and conduct many communications with locals. And as the biggest city in the West Bank, it is very easy use Hebron as base to travel around the West Bank and the transportation here is quite cheap and convenient. And it is safe to stay and traveling around the West Bank. The people in Hebron is also very friendly and even “militant” hospitality.

However, the most important part for me is learning Arabic. I have one-on-one class with my tutor, Shayma, 5 days a week. So, it is intense, but not overwhelming. Because it is unlike normal language class in university that strict follow the text book, we will spend a hour and half to talking about anything that interesting us that including local customs, culture, Palestinian cuisine and some politics. And we also learn all the basic grammar and useful words and phrases that really helpful during the daily life. Though 6 weeks are still a short time regarding learning a new language, the learning here is efficient and helpful for further Arabic study.

It is worthwhile to take the opportunities to study Arabic in the Excellence Center and explore the real situation here in the West Bank. In a word, if I have chance I will visit this place again.

My name is Wietske. I am a twenty year old university student from the Netherlands. This summer I participated in the Studying Arabic in Palestine program for five weeks. This means that I had five three-hour one-on-one classes every week with my teacher Afnan. I have to say, deciding to participate in this program was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only did I improve my Arabic a lot, because of the amazing, personally tailored program, I also made a lot of friends, saw lots of places around Palestine and stayed with the best family.

Starting with my classes, Afnan ,my teacher, was amazing. She was patient, kind and very professional, but most importantly we had a lot of fun and developed a beautiful friendship I hope will last for many years to come. She made sure to incorporate all sorts of exercises in my classes that would stimulate both reading, writing and dialogue, sometimes in conventional ways, and sometimes through fun games or drawing. I couldn’t have wished for any more.

The whole environment of the Excellence Center also really enhanced my learning experience. There would always be people around willing to have a chat in Arabic with me, and we went on many fun trips with the volunteers and center personnel, including the old city, kaffieh factory, Kharas, glass and ceramics factory, Moscobia church, and more. Next to being a great place for studying Arabic, the center is definitely also a great place to make friends with interesting and kind people from all over the world.

I did a quite a bit of travelling through Palestine during my time at the center. I went to Ramallah, Jericho, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and the villages surrounding Hebron. Travelling is very easy, especially since you will find yourself often going with a group of volunteers/students. I also went on a trip to Jerusalem by myself, which was totally fine as well. I guess I never really felt unsafe travelling around Palestine or in Hebron. As a woman traveling alone of course you are going to find yourself in situations none of your male friends will be able to relate to. My one advice here would be to really make sure you are dressed conservatively. Not only will this prevent a lot of stares, which you are inevitably going to get, it will also make you feel more confident and in place in Hebron.

Last but definitely not least my family in Hebron was the absolute best. They made sure I always felt welcome, happy and well-fed. I stayed in the family together with another student, which has led to a wonderful friendship, next to of course the wonderful friendships I have made within the family, especially with Marwa, who I will never forget.

Over all I think it is clear that my time in Palestine has been absolutely wonderful and unforgettable. I am so grateful for my time in this beautiful, welcoming, friendly place and I wish for you to have the same experience. Of course I can do nothing but highly recommend!

I really enjoyed my time at the excellence center taking a weeklong cooking course with complementary Arabic lessons. Each day, my teacher and I went grocery shopping together and then cooked delicious and interesting meals. Even the recipes that I didn't personally enjoy as much were fun to make, and I hope to share the stories and flavors of this culture and these people with my family and friends back home. I would recommend the staff and community of the center to anyone interested in studying Arabic, Palestinian cooking, or the political situation on the ground here in Hebron. I absolutely hope to return in the future to this warm home away from home.

If you're looking to learn Arabic, please come to the Excellence Center. Everyone here is very relaxed and welcoming, and prior knowledge of Arabic is not necessary. I have spent just one week learning here at the Excellence Center, and, in just this short time, I have learned and experienced so much. Both the culture of Palestine and the Palestinian dialect are incredibly beautiful, and the people are welcoming and helpful around every corner.

At the Center, you can go on excursions in and around the city every day, and the trip to get to Hebron is not difficult. The atmosphere here is very relaxed and friends are made easily. You also have the opportunity to live with a host family, which allows you to further your cultural understanding and practice Arabic every day.

I've learned more in the amazing week than ever before in my studies. I've also made life-long friends. In the future, I will definitely come back to the Excellence Center to participate in the volunteer program and improve my Arabic knowledge. I hope to see you here!

-Emily Roberts

My name is Joanne, and I’m a British student studying Arabic at the Excellence Centre in Hebron.
I have spent the last three weeks living with a host family, taking part in intensive lessons during the mornings and exploring the city and surrounding areas in the rest of the day. Hebron is a great city for a base; it’s fascinating to wander through the old city and experience the reality of the settlements and how they affect the southern side. It’s a regional centre, with shops, markets and restaurants of every kind imaginable.
It is very easy to explore the rest of the West Bank too; the public transport is cheap and usually friendly, and despite restrictions on Palestinian-vehicular travel by Israeli checkpoints, Hebron to Ramallah is just under two hours by servees. The Excellence Centre organise a ton of trips each week – either to local places like the last remaining keffiyeh factory or the Maskobiyeh church, or to areas further afield, like Jericho and the Dead Sea, or to Bethlehem. The staff are really lovely and
The chief purpose of my stay in Hebron was to learn Arabic, so each morning I’ve had 3 hours of lessons with a wonderful tutor. Usually the classes are on a 1-2-1 basis, but my university friend and I have ours together – this is helpful because we can revise vocabulary and classwork together afterwards. We’ve covered a lot of material; basically we re-covered all of the basic grammar again and addressed a few topics such as human rights, future plans, marriage (!) and Palestinian cuisine. Both of us had been learning Modern Standard Arabic at university, but since no-one actually speaks MSA, we decided to focus on amiyya. Conversations with local shopkeepers, waiters and taxi-drivers has been getting much easier over the course of our stay – it is rewarding to be able to communicate in Arabic rather than switching back to English!
A number of friends from the UK were concerned about security issues and my personal safety when travelling around Palestine; I was also somewhat apprehensive about what the situation here might be. But the reality is that most of the time there is no overt difference between the lives of the locals here and those who live in other Arab countries – of course, the occupation means that there are restrictions for Palestinians, that many of them find themselves unable to travel to work or visit relatives in other areas of Palestine or even abroad because of new checkpoints, and it is impossible to drive anywhere without coming across settlements or Israeli military bases – but the lives still go on. They still go to school, go shopping in the evenings on the ein sarah street, attend university, work in every kind of business and go on day trips to amusement parks or other villages and towns. It’s been a right privilege to have lived with a host family in the north of the city, close to the main university, and see the familiar pattern of school term-time played out in another culture! The family are very welcoming – as are most of the people were have met here.
I thoroughly recommend the Excellence Centre to anyone who wants to visit Palestine, learn Arabic, meet wonderful people and eat awesome food.

I am Colter, a Canadian Master of Arts Student at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. My experience of the Excellence Center in Hebron, Palestine, has been incredibly rewarding. The decision to study Arabic in Palestine has been fulfilling, not only because of the high level of professionalism and enthusiasm with which the lessons are conducted, but also because of the chance to continually practice and develop my Arabic while casually speaking to people at the Center, in the city, or at my host family residence.
Not only has the Excellence Center’s program given me the opportunity to intensively study the Arabic language, but it has also afforded me numerous memorable encounters with Palestinian culture and society. The atmosphere at the Center has been welcoming, inclusive, and learning-friendly. Living in the Center of Hebron city with a Palestinian host family has furthermore allowed me to directly connect with regular Palestinian life and traditions. The warm hospitality, delicious food (falafel, shawarma and knaffeh), and weather have been wonderful. I have also been thankful for the opportunities organized by the Center to travel around Palestine; while here I have visited not only Hebron, but also Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho and Jerusalem. Along the way, I have made numerous friends, both local Palestinians and fellow students, volunteers and lecturers.
I have furthermore welcomed the many opportunities provided by the Center to further earnestly explore various aspects of historical and contemporary Palestinian life, in addition to the nature of the Israel-Palestine conflict. As such, I highly recommend the Excellence Center to anyone who wishes to study Arabic, volunteer, or grow in their understanding of Palestine. It is worth every moment.