Colloquial Levantine, Palestinian & MSA Arabic Course 1-13 Weeks

I had taken a 10 week Arabic course in the US before coming to this program. These 5 weeks were transformative for my ability to actually converse with people and be able to speak. I am so much more comfortable speaking and even gave a 10 minute presentation as a 'final'. My teacher Muaz was really great. Every day we would spend time talking and when I did not know a word it became part of my vocabulary to study. He also exposed me to many other Arabic speaking people so I could practice with different accents and ways of speaking. He was so amazing and I am really sad that the program is already over. In addition to Muaz, the entire center is run by the best people who are so incredibly caring. It was a pleasure to be a part of the family and community at the center!

I cannot speak more highly about my time in Halle studying Arabic. I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived, studying Arabic in German seemed strange, but my ten days here were everything I could have asked for and more. I did an intensive period with Muaz, focusing on amaaya dialect, studying for approximately four hours each day with my teacher and then extra hours outside of that. The mixture between lessons in the classroom and real Arabic immersion, speaking to a range of different Arabs with different dialects around the city about day to day things, was awesome. Muaz is an amazing teacher, he has a natural ability to develop the student and give them the experiences that they ask for. I was very impressed. All in all, this course was fantastic value for money and I would recommend spending time in Halle with Muaz and the Excellence Center to anyone. I have improved more in ten days here than I would have done in six months at home. I am extremely grateful for this experience.

I'm really grateful for my experience at the Excellence Center. My classes with the intensive program were amazing thanks to my teacher Muaz. Muaz felt more like a family member and a friend than a teacher. He takes his students to the Arabic shops and restaurants to meet his friends and practice Arabic. There was always a variety of activities in class and the classes were really interactive. We translated songs, played games, reviewed homework, role-played, walked around the city and in shops to practice words, practiced reading and did writing exercises. Besides that we had interesting conversations about different topics and cultures. My teacher introduced "mate" to me and taught me how to make make. I learned a lot. I also felt comfortable during class because my teacher is patient, super friendly and he always wants to help even after class. We started the days at the center with breakfast together and there is a weekly dinner. It feels like one big family. The people of the center are super friendly and respectful.

The purpose of my visit was to study Arabic, but also gain exposure to the local community in Halle. The Excellence Center offered the opportunity to fulfill both aspects.

I learned colloquial Levantine Arabic from Abeer. I have studied Arabic previously but what set our lessons apart was the unique take of the study materials. I learnt unusual and funny phrases, which really stick in your head – “the birds in my stomach are chirping”, anyone? It put an interesting spin on daily conversation topics, keeping us from going over the same mundane phrases that are usually parroted in language lessons. Even those who were not my teacher made effort to help where they could.The sheer amount of content we covered was surprising.

Unlike most other volunteers, I was not staying with a host family so spending time with Abeer and her family was very fulfilling. I was also able to build a relationship with the other volunteers. The atmosphere at the Center was always welcoming and lively. From (friendly?) debates during our breakfasts together to an afternoon football match (captain of the winning team right here) and cooking lunch for each other, we had many opportunities to get to know one another.

I also had my own student I was teaching English to. It’s crazy to think how, amongst other things, refugees are often depicted in media as highly dependent. I think everyone I met in Halle was highly proficient in at least two (more commonly, three or more) languages and working towards their respective goals. The Excellence Center too, run by the community and for the community, functions towards helping people reach their potential in German society.

As for Halle itself, it is generally pleasant and quiet. There's enough to keep busy on the weekend, including museums and places to eat. It is also easy to travel to and from Berlin, which I took advantage of. But it’s essential to plan your time carefully – everywhere closes early in this country. What threw me off slightly was the predominance of both Arabic and German language use. By the end of my trip, I have found myself mixing the handful I know of both languages (ليش windig???).

Special shoutout to EC's Radwan for helping me on the evening I arrived.

My experience in Halle and with the Excellence Centre has been incredibly memorable. I participated in the Study Arabic and Teach English programs for two weeks and it truly was a wonderful opportunity. I was able to progress in my language learning, gain experience in teaching English as a foreign language, as well as collect so many amazing memories with my host family and colleagues at the center, all of whom have shared their stories with me and allowed me to understand more about their lives as refugees in Germany.
As part of the program, I received many hours of Levantine Arabic tuition with an excellent and very patient teacher. My writing skills especially in Arabic have improved significantly since I have arrived in Halle. I also taught conversational English to enthusiastic students who were all very motivated to improve their skills. It was an excellent chance to explore different ways of teaching English, use lots of resources to aid understanding of everyday conversation and explore useful vocabulary and concepts for the students. Each day, myself and the other volunteers would meet for Palestinian breakfast at the center before the day ahead. This was a lovely time to catch-up, share ideas about teaching, and discuss life in the city, particularly with reference to the refugee population and their integration into the community in Halle. We spent time doing presentations about life in our home-countries too which was a great way to enrich the cultural exchange.
My time with my host-family was a highlight of my trip. They were so kind and welcoming from day one and made my accommodation feel like a second home. The home-stay was a great way to practise my Arabic conversation skills, learn so much about Syrian culture and eat some incredible food too! I was very lucky to meet several other refugees through my host family, listen to their stories and learn about their experiences coming over to Germany. I have been both inspired and humbled by everyone I have met. I have learnt so much since I have been here and made several new friends for life.
I would recommend this program to anyone who is keen to gain experience in English language teaching, learn more about the lives of refugees in Germany, and those interested in understanding more about Arab culture too. Anyone with an enthusiasm for education and cultural exchange, a willingness to be open to new ideas and meet many amazing new people will really enjoy this program.

My experience at the Excellence Centre in Halle was so positive. The whole team is so lovely and welcoming, we shared meals and conversations together. The language classes were fantastic with a really good teacher and helped me to practice my language skills. I studied mainly spoken Arabic, the dialect, but also some reading some written texts. Also my host family was wonderful and I created new friendships. I also spent much time with the Arabic community in Halle outside classes which made it a fantastic experience overall.

Overall, I had an incredible experience with the Excellence Center and their "Teach English, Study Arabic" program. Between my time spent at the Center, the cultural immersion with my host family, and traveling throughout Germany, I cannot recommend this program enough. It's kinda long so skip around, but here's my experience and some practical things to consider:

The Center - Incredibly welcoming and supportive. We have family breakfast every morning and spend the day teaching, learning, and meeting new people. The Arabic classes with my teacher, Muaz, were all customized to my language level. I've studied written Arabic (MSA) for a few years, but I have no experience with the spoken dialect (Ammiya). He found the right balance for my learning that focused on real life scenarios - by the end of my three weeks, I felt confident starting conversations in dialect. The teaching hours are also flexible to accommodate what you want from the program, whether that is to teach more or have extra time to explore Germany. You won't be short on resources for studying Arabic/German or learning new teaching methods. And if for some reason you are? Just ask Rafat and he'll give you more.

Knowing German - Halle is a great place to practice German at any language level! If you don't have experience with German yet, that's all good - a few weeks before you come though, I would recommend learning a little on Duolingo or a similar app just to get down a few basics. Most people in Halle speak a little English but aren't fluent, so they'll usually be patient as you try to speak broken German before switching to English. There's never a shortage of people to help you navigate though, I often went with people from the Excellence Center to try new food places or explore around.

Staying with a host family - Definitely one of the most rewarding parts of my time in Germany! I stayed in an apartment with my host family and three of their kids. I absolutely loved the family style meals (with incredible home-cooked Arabic food) and social events when their friends would come over. Also, you can converse in English but it's great to get extra language practice - I spoke mostly German and a little Arabic with my host family.

Living in Halle - Halle is a smaller city, connected by train to the a lot of different areas. I visited Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart during my three weeks. It's a great place to live and spend the week, then on the weekends there's lots of time to explore Germany.

Length of program - The Excellence Center lets you do 1-12 weeks, but I'd definitely say aim for longer if you have the time. I did three weeks, but wish I had more (1-2 months would have been ideal for me) because it flew by. This might also depend on your language abilities - more experienced learners may be content with a few weeks of travel, but if you're a newer learner, it might be more valuable to do a longer visit so you have time to learn and then practice your language skills.

Time of year to do the program - I visited during my college's winter break, from mid December to mid January. Because I volunteered during the holidays, there weren't as many people (both volunteers and students) at the Center which is something to consider. However, Germany's holiday season is truly beautiful, all of the Weihnachtsmärke were up (including one in Halle's city center) which made for a unique and fun experience!

Traveling during COVID - I was actually pretty surprised what I could do given the restrictions across the country. At this time, Germany was a red zone, but exploring the country was still very easy because everything is connected by train (Just need mask and vaccine card/negative test for most things). One consideration though, if you're thinking of volunteering for 1-2 weeks, I would try to see if you can do 3 weeks (or even just spend a week traveling around Germany, then go volunteer). That way, if you end up getting quarantined for COVID, it only affects part of your trip.

I have spent 1 week studying in the intensive Arabic course at the Excellence Center. It has been a wonderful experience. The teaching was very effective, one on one, so I got to learn at the exact level that I needed. The teacher was very friendly, attentive and adaptive to my learning needs. Amongst other activities in Center was the common breakfast, that was a great way to start the day together and build a strong sense of community. The Center has also offered a possibility to meet with many Arabic speakers, including arranging my stay with a native Arabic speaker. All that contributed a lot to my learning, and in spite of the very short time I feel that I made a big advance. I truly recommend the Excellence Center for learning, networking and volunteering.