Before coming to The Excellence center, I had never ventured out of North America. When I decided to come to Europe, I wanted to dedicate some of my time to a cause I’m passionate about, and try to make a small difference in my own way. It’s also a great way of meeting like-minded people who are traveling for a meaningful purpose. It was an opportunity to make new friends from around the globe who also decided to take some time out of their routine and lend a helping hand. When I began my search, I was looking for an organization that is working with the refugees and in education. I also wanted to visit Germany because of its historical significance in our modern world.

Most of the programs I came across either conflicted with my schedule or didn’t allow me the flexibility I needed during my time in Germany. But then I came across The Excellence Center in Europe. That is was it, it fit perfectly with my criteria, It was affordable, flexible and most importantly fun. My experience of volunteering here has been one of the most memorable part of my life so far. Right from the beginning Rafat and the staff here The Excellence Center have been so welcoming. I was set up with a host family in a cozy apartment. We were provided breakfast every morning at The Center. Often times we cooked and ate together, which was a great way of bonding with other volunteers. Rafat also gave us extensive city tours, describing Halle’s history, and its recent transformation, how the city has become more vibrant and energetic with the influx of Syrian refugees, who have started all sorts of businesses around the city, giving it a new life.

My day was divided into three parts, I would start off with my German lessons and then I taught English to students. Later in the evening Rafat gave presentations on different teaching methodologies, pointing out the ones which have been most effective when it comes to teaching kids English or any other language. So even if you don’t have a teaching background you can gain a great amount of insight and incorporate these methodologies in your teaching practices. These presentations were particularly helpful for me since I didn’t have any experience teaching languages prior to coming here. The Center organized visits to the local refugee families, this way we got to hear their experience of being in Germany, it gave us, an outsiders an window into their world.

Here I must emphasize the hospitality and the gratitude some of these families showed us. I have never experience such warmth and hospitality from someone you just met, it was truly a humbling experience. Being a volunteer we arranged some activities at the local mosque to teach the kinds there English, again it was incredible to see the enthusiasm of these kinds who are so eager to learn. Another thing I really appreciated about Halle is its proximity to cities like Berlin and Leipzig, so if you feel like getting away for a weekend you can easily be in these cities within an hour. The staff at The Center organized two trips to Leipzig for us, on our first trip we just explored the city and it’s tourist attractions, second time around we visited neighborhoods that predominantly host refugees from Syria. Leipzig is bigger than Halle so it has a lot more to offer when comes to the night life (if you are looking for that).

The Center also held cultural exchange events, where locals from all walks of life were invited, this is a perfect opportunity to mingle with the locals and make new friends during your time here. I was fortunate enough to meet so many amazing Halle locals who later showed me around the city and invited me over for events. Volunteering in The Excellence Center has been the highlight of my trip to Germany, I have met so many incredible people, learned about the refugees crisis in Germany and got firsthand account of their experience. I’d highly recommend this program to anyone who is traveling to Germany, looking to give someone of their time to a cause or teach. It can be really transforming for you and people you help.