Monica Pacanins is participating the Teach English and Speak Arabic Program in Hebron, Palestine. She made the following remarks about her motivation to volunteer and study Arabic in Palestine.
“I have been in Palestine for two weeks now and I have really enjoyed it so far. I’m teaching English and studying Arabic through the TESA program. This opportunity is what brought me to Palestine. Before coming here I knew nothing about the culture or the conflict or anything. I just knew that I wanted to be immersed in a completely different world than my own and to study another language.
One of my personal missions is to travel the world slowly, learning languages and staying with locals. This fits perfectly for me as I am staying with a very warm and welcoming host family who are all very happy and enthusiastic to help me with studying Arabic.
I thought that teaching would detract from studying which was originally my main focus, but it actually has enhanced my overall experience. I’ve learned a lot from the students both at the center and at other schools that we visit and teach classes to. I’ve been able to hear their perspectives on all kinds of topics such as travel, the occupation, and the overall future of the planet. It’s been fun also sharing my cultural background and past experiences.
This is how I feel I can contribute the most, by offering cross cultural perspectives, presenting different ideas, and posing questions to get them thinking about the world in other ways. I think in the long run, these kinds of interactions make a difference in the individual and the community or society as a whole”.
