A Day in the Life of a Volunteer at The Excellence Center

By The Excellence Center In Europe / In Internship in Germany

A Day in the Life of a Volunteer at The Excellence Center: As a volunteer at The Excellence Center, you can engage in an abundance of language and cultural exchange activities. Each day starts off at 9:30 am when all of the volunteers and staff preparing breakfast in the kitchen at the center. After the meal is prepared, everyone sits down at the large common room table to eat together. During this time, an abundance of conversations and languages can be heard in Arabic, German, French, and English.

After breakfast, each volunteer goes off into their day, starting with language lessons or teaching at the center. Volunteers may start the day by teaching a lesson in German or Arabic to various refugees often from Syria or Ukraine. They may also start the day receiving a language lesson in German or Arabic from one of the teaching staff members. There is also an Intensive Language Program in which volunteers receive increased hours of instructions and lessons in a particular language each day to master their skills.

Shekinah, one volunteer in the intensive Arabic program at the center said, “I have developed so much past the alphabet in Arabic. I am able to communicate small sentences and I try to practice it with people in the streets and with my teacher’s friends”.

In between lessons and teaching, volunteers can explore the city of Halle nearby at bakeries, cafes, and the main square (Marktplatz) which is a 5-minute walk from the center. The volunteers can find various shops to explore such as traditional Syrian restaurants or thrift shops. During the warmer months, volunteers can sit outside in the nearby park to hang out or hold outdoor lessons in Halle.

To get from place to place, the volunteers use the tram (an above-ground trolley) in Halle that connects to the Berlin main station and goes directly to the center to any part of the city. “The train station is right next to the center. I teach two Iraqi boys, and I can just hop on the train and I am there” said Tamara, a volunteer teaching German at the center.

Walking is also an option during the warmer months in Halle. By walking, you can get to the nearby Halle museum, the local Halle chocolate shops, fresh strawberry stands, boba, and meat vendors. The volunteer’s favorites include the vendor trucks with fresh Italian icecream and Döner shops!

The second half of the day is also filled with lessons and teaching at the center. Volunteers in the journalism and media program can be found filming videos, taking photographs, and writing articles at the center as well.

“It’s been an amazing opportunity for me to grow professionally,” said Faizah, a volunteer in The Media and Journalism Program.

“I’ve been doing a series of case studies, about people here at the center and volunteers here at the center,” she said.

Often, volunteers will hang out in the center’s common room to study, chat with new friends, and meet up with students in their free time. Some other volunteers will head to a refugee’s household to teach lessons there as well.

In the evening, the center will hold large dinners with everyone in the park, or at a local cafe or restaurant for bonding. Refugees and visitors at the center can join these dinners too as a way to further promote cross-cultural exchange. On other nights, many volunteers cook or eat meals with their host families or at their accommodations where they may live with other volunteers. At night, students can enjoy the nightlife in Halle (“Dock’s” is an Excellence Center favorite nearby in Halle) or volunteers hang out back home with their host family or roommates.