A week into Staying with a Syrian host family in Germany

By The Excellence Center In Europe / In Internship in Germany

1 week into staying with a Syrian host family in Germany

At Halle’s Excellence Center, all volunteers have the opportunity to stay with a local family. The center has strong bonds with the refugee community, meaning volunteers can stay with Arabic or German-based families depending on their motives for language learning.

Staying with a Syrian host family has been an enriching experience socially and culturally over the last week.

The people and the ambiance

The hospitality from both my host brother and mother has been most welcoming. There is a difference between a house and a home, with the latter being a place of comfort and warmth, and I have found a home in Halle. The family has said that I will always find a plate for me at their table. This statement made me feel humbled to experience such generosity. The family have been vigilant to care for my needs and have made space for me to feel at ease.

Together we have discussed politics, history, life, religion and learnt from each other. This experience has helped me to appreciate further how people live differently which is an important part of coming to understand the world. Mutual openness is essential and rewarding.

The community

Our home is hosted in Neustadt Halle in a 3^rd floor apartment among a variety of buildings which vary like Tetris blocks. Within a 5 minutes’ walk there is a mosque, a supermarket, a biergarten, and a flourishing park overlooking a river. The city centre is about 10 minutes away by tram, a peaceful mode of transport which is accessible and allows for a view of one’s surroundings.

My host family has kindly welcomed me not only into their home but into their lives. At the local mosque my host mum teaches Arabic to young girls with textbooks and through reciting the Quran in song. The excitable students’ singing bounce off the walls of this place of worship and study.

I am humbled that I was welcomed as a visitor in this sacred place, and elated to see that women have a place of solidarity and mutual encouragement to be and learn together safely. Exploring Halle on peaceful walks with my host brother and our neighbours has included a sky line view of the city, displaying magnitude and greenness.

The culture

I am lucky enough to now be closer to the culture of Syria and the Arabic world, from TV, to food, to language, to knowledge of Syria. The language barrier has been very small thanks to my host brother’s apt linguistics. I have also enjoyed conversations mixing broken English and German with a mutual effort.

Arabic subtitles and language are interesting to observe. Eating together is blessed moment; the variety of delicacies spread over our table are colourful and numerous just for a single meal. The neighbourhood atmosphere is strong, loyal and open in a way that is new to me, and I have profited hugely from this opportunity to bond with a community.

Staying with local people provides a volunteer with a closeness to life in Halle which would otherwise be impossible.