Study Arabic In the West Bank, Palestine (1-13 Weeks)

My name is Molly and I'm from Denmark, and I have been studying Arabic at the excellence centre for 4 weeks. I had three hours of Arabic classes each day with Saja who was a great teacher! We were just 2-4 students in class, and we had a lot of fun with each other and the other teachers and students. I already knew some Arabic before I came, so we did a lot of talking, both about ourselves, the political situation in Palestine and many other things. I definitely learned a lot, now I am able to have conversations in Arabic. Apart from the Arabic lessons, the centre organizes a lot of trips around Hebron. We visited a refugee camp, toured the old city and saw some of the settlements there, went on a hike to Palestine's largest cave and many other things.
In summer there are a lot of students at the centre, and everyone is very friendly. Every weekend, students go on trips to different parts of Palestine, so it's easy to find someone to go with. I went to the Dead Sea, Ramallah, Jericho, Jerusalem and the Sea of Gallilee.
I leaved with a very nice Palestinian family close to the old city with another girl from the center. It was really nice to have the opportunity to talk to them and practise Arabic as well as learn more about the life in Palestine. When you walk in the old city, people are eager to talk about their life here and offer you a cup of coffee, especially when they find out you know Arabic. You definitely get a feeling of the Israel/Palestine conflict, as Hebron is a highly contested area with settlers living in the middle of the city. This was really interesting and an aspect of the stay here I hadn't thought about before coming. It doesn't feel dangerous at all, as both sides of the conflict don't have a problem with Europeans and Americans, and everyone just wants you to leave with a good impression of their country. Traveling within the West Bank is really easy and a great experience, and everyone is really helpful. I would recommend it to everyone visiting Israel to see both sides of the conflict.
Overall I'm very happy with the experience. I have learned a lot, both Arabic, about a very important region of the world and about the Palestinian people.

I’m from the Netherlands. I did a Bachelor’s degree in law and in Middle Eastern Studies and a Master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies. I chose to follow the Human Rights Program at the Excellence Center because it combines my interests: Law and the Middle East, especially concerning the situation in Palestine. I wanted to learn more about the humanitarian situation in Palestine. Moreover, I wanted to experience living in Palestine to get an impression of the culture.
The program started with several lectures about human rights and the situation in Palestine. The presentations focused on the political situation in Palestine, the laws applicable to Palestine, and the violation of laws. Various teachers delivered the presentations. Given the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, these lectures and presentations prepared me for the trips to human rights organizations that would take place during my internship.
I attended a lot of activities that were organized by the Excellence Center. For the Human Rights Program, we went to organizations that work on the topic of human rights for example Human Rights Defenders an organization that organizes campaigns to stop the Israeli occupation. Moreover, we went to Palestinian Artist, Nizreen Al-Azza. She lives in the H2 area (the military-controlled area in Hebron). She told me about her husband, a human rights defender in Hebron before he died following the inhalation of tear gas in a checkpoint in Hebron. The work of human rights lawyers is under pressure due to the Israeli military making it difficult for them to carry out their work. Besides organizations that directly focus on human rights, I also visited organizations that are indirectly involved in human rights. An example is the Ministry of Education, a department of the Palestinian government that focuses on the right to education. We discussed the school system and the importance of focusing on schools next to settlements due to the difficult circumstances to go to school because of checkpoints, and the fear of children passing military soldiers. Moreover, it is hard to find teachers that want to teach in these areas given the challenges of teaching children that grew up in a conflict zone and have experienced traumatic events. Also, most of the teachers do not want to be in these areas. Therefore, the right to education in Palestine is under pressure.
The working visits were very helpful to get a better understanding of the situation in Palestine. However, the best way to get a better understanding is by living in the country, speaking with a lot of different people, and hearing their perspectives and experiences. The people in Hebron are very open and willing to talk to foreigners. They are very hospitable and I have been invited to several family dinners. Their hospitality is the thing that I liked most I like to take that home. I have never felt unsafe in Palestine. There are always people on the streets and everyone is willing to help.
It is important to understand a little bit of Arabic. The Center organizes 3 hours of Arabic per week you’re at the center. Those lessons helped me to interact with the people on the streets.
During the weekends you have time off to travel to other places. I have been to many places such as Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, and the Dead Sea. I really liked the opportunity to visit these places.
In short, I really enjoyed my time at the Excellence Center in Hebron. The staff and the teachers are very friendly. I am writing this in my last week and I am sad that I have to leave. It is an experience I will take with me forever.

Nowhere on Earth will you find people quite like the Palestinian people, they are extremely firendly, generous, and kind. They will happily welcome you into their country and their own homes. The Arabic courses here at the Excellence Center are an amazing way to quickly improve all facets of your language skills. My teacher Duha was amazing! Everyday I learned new and important skills, I felt supported the whole way. I cannot recommend this program enough to others. I always felt safe walking in the city.

I am a 20F and a master’s student in America studying Palestinian politics. I had not been in Arabic classes for over a year, and I wanted to improve my Arabic in an immersive way for a reasonable price. After searching on the internet, I found the Excellence Center.
I was worried about starting Arabic again since I hadn’t been in classes for over a year, but I was blessed to be in a class with one of the best teachers I have ever had. Haya met me exactly where I was and has helped me grow tremendously. Not only in vocabulary, reading, listening comprehension, and writing, but most importantly, I gained confidence in speaking Arabic that I didn’t have before her class. Haya is a fantastic teacher; I can attribute much of my success in Arabic and navigating Palestine to her. She pushed me in the best way, and everything we did in class was set up to help me succeed. Haya is incredibly attentive and meticulous in her lessons and tailored each class to what I needed and even my interests! It is easily visible how much she cares about her students. Even now, I know I can continue to build upon my Arabic because she set up an incredibly firm foundation for me to continue on my own. Everything I learned from Haya applied to my daily life in Palestine. I could visibly see my progress even though I had only spent four weeks in class with her.

The Center was welcoming, and it was great to be placed with a host family to have an
immersive experience. The other teachers at the Center were also incredibly supportive. They were always willing to practice speaking with me and answer my questions about the ongoing Nakba, occupation, and general things about Palestine and traveling around the country.

I traveled to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Nablus during my month here. I visited multiple refugee camps in numerous cities. Even if you have followed the news and studied Palestine, nothing can compare to seeing what is happening firsthand.
I cannot speak highly enough of Haya and the other teachers at the Center. They are genuinely some of the best Arabic instructors I’ve ever had. But, this is tied directly to Palestinian hospitality. This was my first time out of the United States, and I never once felt uncomfortable or unsafe. I knew that if I ever needed help, all I needed to do was turn to a random Palestinian on the street, and they would go above and beyond to help me. I am incredibly grateful for my experience here, both in and outside the classroom, and I cannot wait to return to Palestine.

Hello! My name is Stephanie Carpenter and I am from Germany and England. I am currently doing a four year masters degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies and I came to the Excellence Center in Hebron to improve my Arabic dialect (language skills).

I did a lot of research to find a course that suited me and found that the Excellence Center not only gave a wide variety of options in their courses but also offered flexibility within their curriculum.

Once I found the center, I was determined to go and it was the best decision I made to improve my Arabic.

I had already studied Arabic for one year, and I was a unsure if the classes would match my level but my teacher, Mahmoud and my class was suited me perfectly. And even though I was with the Center for a short time I learned such a lot and laughed a lot in my classes . Every morning I had Arabic from 8:30-12 with breaks for food and coffee and the afternoons were filled with trips to the city of Hebron. On my first day, we went to Al Fawwar Refugee camp where I learned a lot about the reality of living in these areas and the struggles they face daily. This was really important for me as I believe that hearing about their experiences is the best way to get a real understanding of the situation.
Another trip was to the Old City of Hebron and the Ibrahimi Mosque, both of which were incredible to see firsthand. In between the big trips we also had some lovely events at the center, including traditional Palestinian music and Maqloubah for dinner. This was a lovely way to chat with others in different programs.

One of the things I loved most about the Center is the kindness and friendliness of the staff, teachers, and students which gives such a welcoming atmosphere. But everyone you meet in Palestine is extremely polite and willing to help whether you are speaking English or Arabic. I’ve never felt unsafe or insecure during my time here and I couldn’t recommend coming to Hebron enough.

Additionally, staying with a host family was such a unique way of getting to know the food and culture of Palestine. I can honestly say from the first day I felt extremely at home and very comfortable which is very important when travelling as a solo woman. I can’t wait to come back again to Hebron and to the center and I will definitely be staying for longer next time!

I had a really great time in Hebron. I studied Arabic and my level has increased greatly. Every step of the way, I had support from my teacher who always tailored the lessons specifically for my needs. Other than just Arabic, living in Khalil was great. People in Khalil are extremely nice and welcoming. It is a great place to be based in within the West Bank. Khalil is a safe city and I never felt under any threat ever. In fact, I expect that you will feel safer in Khalil than in your country of origin

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.

Hi, my name is Dan, and I come from the UK. I study Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the University of Oxford. I came to the Excellence Centre for three weeks to partake in the Human Rights Internship programme, as I have been interested in the occupation for a long time and really wanted to come and see the situation for myself.

During my time at the centre, I took part in many different activities- including presentations from human rights experts, visits to Palestinian homes and villages, trips to various organisations in Hebron, and fun group activities with the centre.

Upon arriving, I was given three days of Arabic lessons- I had a very limited background in Arabic, I just knew a few words and phrases- but the teaching was excellent and comprehensive, and even after just a few lessons, my Arabic improved a lot- and made me want to learn more! Another thing is that through speaking to the people of Hebron- I learnt more Arabic and found myself able to understand more of what people were saying to me.

The environment in the centre is so friendly and welcoming. When I first arrived, I was a bit overwhelmed with meeting so many new people- but after a day or two I found myself forming close friendships with people from all over the world and different backgrounds, and now I don’t want to leave! The staff are so nice and friendly, and if you have any issues or questions they are more than ready to help.

With the centre, I visited Fuwwar Refugee Camp, the Palestinian Polytechnic University, Masafer Yatta and Umm Al-Khair village, a Palestinian art exhibition, a blind school, the H2 zone of Hebron, the Old City, and took an amazing hike in the Halhul areal. On top of that, on the weekends I visited Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, and Jerusalem- these cities are really nice to visit, and easy and cheap to get to- especially if you go in a group.

Living in Hebron was an amazing experience. I shared a nice apartment with a few other guys, not too far from the centre. The people here are SO hospitable and most of them love talking to foreigners, even though they don’t speak a lot of English. As a result, I have never felt unsafe in Hebron- it is such a friendly environment that there is never anything to worry about in terms of safety- we rarely lock our apartment door! The food here is incredible, the best shawarma and falafel in the world, for good prices- and there are some more traditional Palestinian dishes that I had the chance to try which were amazing- Maqluba was a standout for me. The weather in Palestine is HOT in the summer, but the evenings tend to be cool and when there is a breeze it is very pleasant. Something that surprised me about Palestine in general is the beautiful range of nature and physical environment- there are hills and valleys filled with greenery and beautiful-smelling olive trees.

One of the highlights for me was the hike in the Halhul area- the scenery was beautiful, the walk was long but rewarding, and then after the walk was done, we all sat down and ate together on the side of a hill overlooking the city- a beautiful view with beautiful people and beautiful food.

The programme has been so rewarding for me, and more than anything else I have just learnt so much! There is something really powerful about coming and seeing the situation for yourself- no amount of reading or research can replace that experience. I have fallen in love with Palestine, and I definitely want to come back to Hebron- hopefully with some more Arabic skills! I absolutely recommend the Excellence Centre to anyone who has any interest in the situation in Palestine, or even anyone who wants to learn Arabic- it’s an amazing place to do it.