Reasons to Volunteer in Palestine: Are you thinking about volunteering abroad but you haven’t decided where to go or if you’re ready to do it yet? The planning stage of volunteering abroad can feel overwhelming because there are so many potential programs and destinations. While many people take up volunteer opportunity in popular volunteer destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, India, Nepal, Costa Rica, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Brazil and Peru, we invite you to consider somewhere off the usual tourist trail – Palestine!
Why volunteer in Palestine? There are many fascinating reasons to visit Palestine as a tourist, but volunteering in Palestine gives you a much deeper insight and an incredibly rewarding experience that most tourists don’t get to have. Volunteering abroad can feel scary and overwhelming in the beginning, but by volunteering in Palestine, you will get to experience the extraordinary hospitality, warmth and kindness of Palestinians that will help you to feel welcome and at home. A number of international volunteers that spent an extended period of time in Palestine have said that Palestinians are the kindest people they’ve ever met.
You will that volunteering with us in Hebron, Palestine is an amazing opportunity to develop yourself both personally and professionally and make friends from Palestine and all over the world with other international volunteers. You can also make a difference in Palestinian’s lives by helping to provide important educational services to individuals, students, families, and the Palestinian community as a whole. Not only will you get first-hand experience to add to your resume, but you will have the chance to challenge yourself, learn more about yourself and grow as a person and that is something that will stay with you forever.
Keep reading to find the Top 15 Reasons to Volunteer in Palestine in the city of Hebron:
(15) It’s Much Safer Than You Probably Think
When deciding to travel abroad, the first question many people have before deciding to go somewhere is, “is it safe?” While many people think that Palestine is unsafe for international visitors due to misconceptions and misrepresentations in the media, it isn’t true. Palestinians are incredibly hospitable and helpful people, especially when it comes to international visitors. Palestine is very safe destination in many regards and sometimes volunteers even feel safer here than in their home countries.
Firstly, you will find that there is a very low level of street crime and while pickpocketing is a common phenomena in Europe, it is extremely rare in the West Bank. Did you know that many Palestinians in the West Bank even leave their front doors unlocked due to the very low prevalence of theft?
Secondly, many of our previous female volunteers have reported feeling very safe and were comfortable walking around Hebron, even at nighttime. Thirdly, due to Hebron being a conservative society, alcohol consumption is not acceptable, but you will find this helps you feel safer because you won’t have to worry about drunk drivers or drunk people on the streets.
Finally, many popular volunteering destinations, such as in Africa and Asia have significant problems with malaria, but Palestine has been a malaria free country since 1925. However, in case you fall ill while in Hebron, there are a number of pharmacies and English-speaking doctors you can visit for a relatively low cost.
While it’s important to exercise normal safety precautions while traveling anywhere, you will find that overall Hebron and the West Bank are very safe for international visitors and volunteers.
(14) Experience One Of The Oldest And Most Misunderstood Areas In The World
Some of the oldest cities in the world are in the Middle East and in Palestine, you will find thousands of years of history and civilization. For example, Jericho is recognized as not only the oldest city in the world but also the lowest and you will have the opportunity to visit on your days off from nearby Hebron.
Hebron is a great base for exploring incredible surrounding Palestinian and Israeli areas. Access to Jerusalem and Bethlehem is relatively easy for most internationals, and other cities such as Tel Aviv, Haifa, Ramallah, Jericho, or Nablus are also great options to visit on a day or overnight trip. Our international volunteers often find other likeminded volunteers to explore these cities with on their days off.
Visiting these important cities and the surrounding countryside not only exposes the volunteer to the natural beauty and history of the area but gives a better understanding of Palestinian culture and the intricacies of the Israeli occupation and the Palestinian Issue.
Coming to Palestine to volunteer also gives you a gateway to the rest of the Middle East. A number of our volunteers have visited nearby countries such as Egypt, Jordan and Syria before or after their volunteering period.
You will find that Palestine and the Middle East more broadly are much more diverse, ethnically, culturally and religiously than you were expecting. Many people also have misconceptions about Palestine and the Middle East, but seeing this region with your own two eyes will surely give you a very different perspective and understanding.
(13) Personal Development: Challenge Yourself By Going Outside Your Comfort Zone
Living in a different country and culture challenges you to go outside your comfort zone, which allows you to become a more confident person by learning and improving your skills. From learning to navigate around a new city and country, to learning to communicate with others even though there may be a language barrier to learning to solve any small problems you may encounter. Facing and overcoming these challenges will help you become more confident in yourself and in your abilities and that will stay with you even after you leave Palestine.
You will find that in Palestine and the Middle East more broadly, there is often a different concept of time compared to many Western countries. This means that sometimes 10 minutes is actually 20 minutes and that sometimes things don’t go as planned or at the time they’re scheduled . This is a good opportunity for character building – to learn to be more flexible, adaptable and become a more patient person. Sometimes the best memories you make weren’t planned and instead happened because you said “yes” to a spontaneous opportunity.
(12) Professional Development And Enhance Your Employability Through First-Hand Experience
We have many different volunteer programs in Palestine to match your areas of expertise and interests, which will really make your resume stand out and enhance your employability.
If you are looking to develop yourself professionally and gain real-world experience in your chosen field, this is a wonderful opportunity for you. Whether you are a medical or healthcare professional, interested in human and/or women’s rights, a current or aspiring English teacher, journalist, or something else, you are sure to find an ideal volunteering program for you.
Depending on the volunteering program you choose, you will have visits to relevant organizations and you may get to run projects, classes, or workshops in your chosen field to engage with the local community. Our programs give you the opportunity to develop both your hard and soft skills and are a great opportunity to improve your intercultural competence and communication skills.
(11) Learn A New Language Or Improve Your Arabic
Whether you’re already an advanced student of Arabic or don’t speak a word, volunteering in Palestine with the Excellence Center gives you the opportunity to learn a new language from scratch or improve your existing Arabic skills.
The journey of learning Arabic will help you to learn more about your own native language. You will have the chance to not only learn from individualized Arabic lessons, but to use and develop your Arabic skills every day by engaging with native speakers. Alhumdulilah!
(10) Improve Your English
You might be surprised to learn that volunteering in Palestine is also a great opportunity to improve and practice your English. English is an international language and undoubtedly, an essential tool of communication. As such, our volunteer programs are conducted in English, which allows the many volunteers who join us that speak English as a second language to practice and improve their English on a daily basis. You can also help local Palestinians improve their English by letting them practice with you.
Even native English speakers are likely to learn more about their own language by communicating with others in English or teaching English to curious and intelligent Palestinian students.
(9) Get To Know Palestine And Palestinians More Intimately Than Regular Tourists Do
Visiting a country as a tourist and living there as a volunteer are two totally different experiences. Many tourists only visit Hebron for the day, but by staying in Hebron for an extended period of time, you will get to experience a side of it that many tourists never see.
During your time volunteering with us, you will get to experience Palestinian daily life and to create relationships with Palestinians in the community. You will get to visit sights and places, whether shops, cafes, restaurants, local organizations, nearby villages and refugee camps that many tourists never see.
You will also have a supportive team at the Excellence Center who can answer any questions you might have about Hebron or Palestine in general.
(8) Experience A Different Way Of Life And Immerse Yourself In Palestinian Culture
If you are looking to take a break from your life at home than volunteering in Palestine is a great opportunity because daily life in Palestine is sure to be different than in your home country.
Volunteers with the Excellence Center have the opportunity to live with host families, and truly experience local life in Palestine. They share meals with families, attend weddings, and participate in family outings.
Living within the culture, volunteers are able to not only practice their Arabic but to gain a deeper understanding of Palestinian life and society.
(7) Palestinian Food…Because Nothing Beats A Friday Lunch In Hebron
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to try real Palestinian cuisine, you know why this is a very legitimate reason to come to Palestine. Volunteering with the Excellence Center gives you numerous opportunities to enjoy local favorites like makluba, mansaf, and waraq ainab. Even you have tried Palestinian foods such as hummus and falafel in your home country, you will most likely find they taste so much better in Palestine. Additionally, during your time volunteering with us, you will also get to start each day with a delicious Palestinian breakfast.
In addition to the likely many invitations that you’ll receive to dine with families, the Excellence Center has also implemented “Food Days” into their English curriculum…days when you’ll not only indulge in Palestinian dishes but learn their recipes as your proud students become your culinary teachers.
(6) Cultural Exchange In Palestine
The Excellence Center values cultural exchange, and volunteers have numerous opportunities to not only learn about Palestinian life and society but to share about their own lives as well. You will find that Palestinians are often curious about your home country and culture. It is often difficult for Palestinians to travel abroad due to the restrictions imposed on them by the Israeli occupation, so volunteering in Palestine gives you the chance to bring a piece of your country and culture to Palestinians.
English students thrive within this model of mutual exchange and you will find they are very curious to know more about you, your culture and where you’re from. Volunteers feel valued as they take on this role of cultural ambassadors and it gives you the chance to ask students more about their culture. Because after all, who doesn’t like to talk about themselves?
(5) Home Sweet Hebron
Although many associate Hebron with political tension and conflict, volunteers will soon come to know the city for all of its beauty and charm. Hebron is rich in history, and the Old City is both architecturally stunning and culturally fascinating. As for the newer part of Hebron, it’s full of shops, restaurants and cafes to explore.
The people of Hebron are eager to meet foreigners, and volunteers are warmly welcomed by their students and by the many other local Palestinians who will soon become friends.
(4) Affordable Living- Four Shekel Falafel, Anyone?
The cost of living in Hebron is very reasonable, especially for volunteers, who are able to take most of their meals either at the Excellence Center or with host families. The cost of local food and transportation is also very affordable by western European and American standards.
Even when compared with other cities in Israel and Palestine, Hebron is a site of great bargains. Falafel in Hebron, for example, generally costs one-third or one-fourth of what it might in Jerusalem.
(3) Make New Friends And Bond With Other Volunteers
Volunteers in Hebron work closely with their fellow volunteers who come from all over the world. Volunteers can make lifelong friends with other volunteers from their home country, a nearby country or the other side of the world.
The experiences of navigating a foreign culture together and teaching or learning together are conducive to bonding, and volunteers often form lasting relationships. After all, shared memorable moments like floating in the Dead Sea or hiking in the many hills of Palestine are bound to lead to great friendships.
(2) The Excellence Staff
Volunteers in Palestine will soon find that local Excellence Center staff not only make for great co-workers but great friends. They welcome volunteers to the Center and go out of their way to make sure volunteers are comfortable as they adjust to their lives in Hebron, and to their new roles at the Center.
Seriously, they’re the best. Having this kind of support and care as you adapt to living in a different culture is comforting beyond measure.
(1) Palestinian Students
From Volunteers’ experience, working with Palestinian students at the Excellence Center usually felt less like a job, and more like a privilege. Students are very curious about international volunteers and visitors and are motivated and eager to improve their English. Some Palestinian students have never met anyone from a different country before, so they will often be very excited and sometimes a bit nervous to meet you and speak English with you.
What Did A Former Volunteer Say?
“I was continually amazed by their perceptiveness and generosity. I particularly looked forward to my regularly-scheduled courses, and due to the interactive nature of the classes, small class sizes, and emphasis on cultural exchange, I was able to feel deeply invested in my students as I learned from them and followed their progress.
The personal satisfaction of sharing in students’ journeys is powerful and inspirational, and perhaps the greatest reason of all to volunteer in Palestine” Cara VanDusen from the USA, A former volunteer at the Excellence Center who contributed a lot in writing this article.
To hear more from our former volunteers about their experiences, check out the reviews
We Hope To Meet You Soon
We hope you enjoyed the Top 15 Reasons to Volunteer in Palestine and are excited to consider volunteering with us in Palestine. It’s an opportunity to not only create wonderful memories and friends that will last for a lifetime, but to develop yourself professionally and personally, while making a difference in the lives of Palestinians and also experiencing the rich culture and warm hospitality of Palestinians. We would be happy to have you as a volunteer in Palestine and we hope to meet you soon.
Volunteer Programs
How To Get Further Information
For more information, please visit our website: https://excellencenter.org/
Whatsapp:+972599479880
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Excellence Center’s Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/RafatECHebron
Watch us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQSLdFZWZcBm6Uj0XMYuKg
Visit and Explore Palestine: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePalestine
