“As a student of International Relations  I have become extremely curious about the world and due to my specialization on the Middle East,,I have grown keener to learn more about the region. I have had the chance to study the region from different perspectives –i.e. geopolitical, economic etc.– as well as studying it in different countries. As a result, I have been exposed to the situation from a number of different scenarios and to all kinds of opinions about the main issues and  and that’s without the addition of all the information from the international media. I have always believed that to know a place fully it is important to know it first hand and to experience it directly, which is why for some time now I have wanted to come to the Middle East.

The human dimension, however, of the Middle East is what has really captivated me. I am eager to interact with the people, to learn from them and to help them if possible, which is why I thought that a volunteering job could be a good opportunity to get to know the Middle East and also to interact directly with the local population.

After finishing my BA thesis on the right to self-determination of colonial peoples from the perspective of international law, I think Palestine is the perfect place for fulfilling my curiosity on so many areas. Although I am aware my contribution can be very limited, I am excited about the possibility of helping others, maybe not just with their language needs but expanding their knowledge about Spain, Europe and its cultural differences as well.

I believe the Excellence Center provides a great opportunity for me to do all these at once, as it allows me to volunteer and help people with their conversational English and stay with a host family, thus being in direct touch with the Palestinian culture. Moreover, the Center will also allow me to learn Arabic. Language being one of the most important aspects of a culture, I think the very little I can learn in this short time would help me be richer culturally in addition to the whole volunteering experience at the center”.  Carmen from Spain who is participating in the volunteer in Palestine program this summer 2015