Eight Reasons Why Americans Should Intern With Refugees in Germany: Because of the large influx of refugees to Europe and the refugee crisis in Germany, the international community has begun to seek volunteer and work experience with the refugee community in the German context.
When most Americans think of interning or working with refugees in Germany, they probably are drawn to the big cities—Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, or Dresden—but there are many merits to working in a smaller city such as Halle. When you begin to plan your travels to the Excellence Center, people may ask “Why Halle?” But why not Halle? Not only is Halle beautiful, but for the many reasons that will be discussed below,
Halle is a unique case study for both refugee issues and for contemporary German society.
Unique environment and experience
By volunteering or interning at the Excellence Center, you will get a closer look at the refugee situation and story, whether through stories of their journey from their homeland to Halle, an orientation tour that explains the Halle-specific issues for refugee integration and life, or by visiting the many new shops and restaurants run by refugees.
Halle is also a diverse city, with many immigrants and refugees inhabiting the streets you’ll walk along every day. The contrast and blend of the German culture with the international is a truly unique experience for those motivated to gain intercultural skills and knowledge from their time in Halle.
Close personal connections
Because of the city’s walkability and ease of access, by working in Halle, you will have the opportunity to spend a great deal of your time with the friends you make at the Center. Rather than being spread out over a large metropolitan area, you and your colleagues and friends can easily meet at a cafe or in a park to bring the discussions and ideas from the Center into a different environment. In Halle, you will be able to use these valuable conversations to take the professional relationships with coworkers and students to a deeper level.
Halle’s tourism scene
Halle is an unexpected and underrated historical gem. Mostly untouched by WWII, Halle has centuries of history. You can spend days walking the streets, visiting museums (check out the art museum, Handel museum, and Beatles museum!), peeking into churches that date back to the 1500s, and stumbling across unexpected monuments to Martin Luther and composer George Friedrich Handel. Halle has the cultural scene of a bigger city with the calm air of a small town.
Location and history
Beyond its centuries-old history, Halle’s location in former East Germany, or DDR, provides a fascinating historical backdrop to modern-day issues. When in Halle, you can easily take a day trip to nearby Leipzig to learn in detail about what life was like under the East German government.
Though many tourists head to cities in West Germany, there is a marked difference still today between the two regions that necessitate spending time in the East to truly understand the modern political landscape, especially in terms of the refugee and immigrant situation.
Modern-day politics
With the rise of the far right in Germany, Europe, and worldwide, Americans who head to Germany to work with refugees should aim to work in a location that will broaden their understanding of how the far-right impacts the lives of refugees.
Because of Halle’s diversity and close proximity to alt-right centers such as Dresden, you will be able to examine the political landscape from a first-hand perspective. At the Center, you will be able to ask refugees about their day-to-day lives and how they are personally affected by German politics.
Flexibility
A stereotype of Germany is that people are rigid, strict, time-oriented, straight-edged, and reserved. However, by visiting Halle, you will find people enjoying life and the sunshine by sitting outside of ice cream shops, laughing with friends in a park, buying flowers at the many florists’ shops, debating outside of coffee shops, and shopping in the Marktplatz with their families. Debunk your stereotypes of Germany by visiting Halle and learning about the flexibility of the city!
Language and culture
Halle is a special case study for Americans who wish to gain everyday cultural knowledge of Germany but also immerse themselves in the culture of refugees. Because of the large presence of refugees in Halle, you have a unique chance to learn about both Arab and German culture while interning or volunteering here.
Whether you visit the Marktkirche and soak in the very German architecture, grab a beer at Halle’s Brauhaus, take the S-Bahn through the city, or eat a Streuselschnecke at Peiznitz with friends, Halle will provide you with the perfect backdrop for learning about what everyday life is like in Germany. You will also have the chance to learn about Syrian and Palestinian culture, food, and language through conversations at the Center, meals with friends, and from the presence of refugees and immigrants throughout the city.
Opportunities at the Center
The Excellence Center in Halle provides unique opportunities for Arabic or German language acquisition, work experience, pertinent real-life information, personal connections, and intercultural communication. Americans should seek out opportunities in Germany, such as the ones provided by the Center, that combine German cultural experiences with Arab cultural immersion.
While similar volunteer and internship opportunities exist elsewhere, the Center’s setting in Halle allows you to immediately apply your new skills and knowledge as you navigate the city.
As a prospective American volunteer or intern in Germany, you should consider Halle for the unique opportunities and environment that you will encounter in the city. We look forward to seeing and working with you in Halle, Germany!
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Thank you very much. We would be happy to have you in Germany!
