“Hello, my name is Daniel Calleja. I am teaching English and learning Arabic in the volunteer program at the Excellence Center in the city of Hebron, Palestine. This is a great opportunity for me to start my Arabic studies, which I will continue when I return home, plus I get to live in a Palestinian community and learn about Palestinian culture.
I chose Palestine because ever since I studied about this conflict in high school I have been very concerned about the Israeli occupation. I have read and watched documentaries, which left me feeling like I didn’t know anything at all about the conflict and that is not enough for me. I want to learn more about the conflict, and of course, I want to listen to the Palestinian people, and hopefully, understand this terrible and complicated conflict.
I am going to do whatever I can to help the Excellence Center. I think teaching the starter and beginner levels are suitable for me according to my English level. I like to have conversations and debates, so it will be a pleasure for me to talk about any subject with the students or participate in any game activity.
This experience will have a great impact on my future job and me, personally. As a future social psychologist, learning Arabic will be an important skill enabling me to work and make community development activities with refugees or immigrants who speak Arabic. The ability and skill to teach is always an asset, and it is a job that I have always had high regard for.
On the personal aspect I know that this experience will make a great change in my life. This is my first day, I don’t know how or in which way things will change, but I am sure that they will due to the experience here at the Excellence Center.
I will need to wait a few days to say how my work here will make a difference, but I do know that I will work with great effort to make that difference. Even if my effort contributes in just a little way, it can lead to a great difference one day, when one of the students that I encourage to speak English will make a difference by themselves!.” Daniel Calleja from Spain who is participating in the Volunteer in Palestine program 2016
