Sitting in the office of the Excellence Center, there is always one aspect of the school that catches our attention and captures our imagination. Being here you can hear multiple languages bouncing off the walls, causing laughter and interest as the volunteers share their stories about their lives back home and their time in Halle. Although the volunteers come from all corners of the world, they are drawn together by two common passions: to help and teach.

We spoke to a few of the volunteers about their lives at home and why they decided to come to Saxony.

Sebo, 24, Skopje, Macedonia

At the moment I’m just about to start my master’s in Business Analytics at the Central European University in Budapest. I decided to come to the Excellence Center to meet new people and for the chance to live in Germany. I’ve been here for 3 weeks now and I’ve got 4 weeks left. I’d recommend the Excellence Center, I’ve enjoyed all aspects of my time here. This place has a fantastic atmosphere, it’s been great seeing the mixing of Syrian and German culture. I hope to return to the Excellence Center in a few years.

Naomi, 18, Detroit, USA

I’m currently on a gap year, I’m starting college in Middlebury, Vermont in the fall. I’m going to be studying International Economics and Politics. I’ve been traveling since December, mainly in Europe but in Asia also. I came to help refugees integrate into their new homes and also to learn from the refugees themselves, about their stories and their lives. I’ve been at the Excellence Center for a month and I’d recommend the Excellence Center to anyone who was looking for this sort of opportunity. I’d love to come back, I believe here you get the chance not only to help with a great cause but time to socialize with some great people who I’ll be keeping in touch with.

Elle, 18, Singapore

I’m going to start University soon and I’ve been spending the last two months traveling around Switzerland and Germany. I’m looking to major in Arts and Humanities and after university, I want to become an artist and performer. I’ve always recognised English as a world language and I thought that it would open doors for the refugees. Also, in my home country of Singapore,e we’re not exposed to what refugees have to go through. I’ve been here for a week and I’m leaving tomorrow, it’s been a fulfilling experience, especially when I see my students becoming more confident when they speak in English. I hope to come back to the Excellence Center as soon as I can next year.

Bojana, Bosnia

I came to Halle to take German classes but I ended up learning Arabic as I enjoyed spending time with Arabic students and families so much. It has been fantastic having them introduce their culture to me and as well to meet other volunteers and share our experiences. I think it’s very important that a center like this exists because it provides the right kind of support and motivation for people. I’ve met extraordinary people whilst I’ve been here and my only regret is that I haven’t stayed for longer.

The volunteers at the center come from all over the world and are of all different ages. Age does not matter when it comes to the Center, there is a great mix of backgrounds and occupations among the volunteers. We look forward to hearing from you!

Rob, 21, Middlesbrough, UK

At the moment I’m 2 years into a Modern Languages degree at the University of Sheffield in the UK. I have to study abroad come September so I thought that the possibility of doing a program like the one that the Excellence Center offers would prepare me for that before even considering the chance to work with refugees or the linguistic aspect of living in Germany. I’ve been here for 3 weeks now and I already can’t thank Rafat and Mutaz enough for this opportunity.