Meet Marco from Italy Who Studied Palestinian Arabic “My name is Marco Izzi, I’m 46 years old and I’m originally from Italy, but I’ve been living in Germany for a very long time. I’ve been studying Arabic by myself for more than one year, and at this time I attended two courses in different schools abroad for short periods.

Build my own opinion about the situation in Palestine

I found the Excellence Center through a Google Search and I was attracted already from the beginning by the idea of visiting Palestine, not only to study Arabic but also to build my own opinion about the situation in this part of the world.
I can describe my experience as divided into three parts:

THE PRE-DEPARTURE NERVOUSNESS

From the very moment I booked my course and flight, I was wondering whether I made the right thing. I was really worried because of the perception we get from the news about the local situation. Moreover, my family and friends were telling me that they didn’t support my choice. I’ve been reading the recommendations from the foreign affairs department several times before the departure date

THE ARRIVAL AND STAY

After arriving, after talking to people, hanging over with locals, taking lessons at school, meeting the school mates and the volunteers from the Excellence Center, after getting to know Palestine, all my worries as reported in the point nr.1 disappeared. I can affirm without any doubt that Hebron, and in general Palestine, are among the safest places in the world. But this is only one side of the experience. The other side is the warmness of people, which are among the friendliest I’ve ever met in my life, after visiting more than four dozen countries, though always being respectful and never harassing you.

Simple, good-hearted people who are ready to leave their last piece of bread to you to because of the sacredness of hospitality in their culture. The last, but probably the most important mention of my period at the Excellence Center, is the Arabic Course. I attended a super intensive course in Palestinian Arabic as well as  Modern Standard Arabic. Actually, six hours per day could seem a lot, but the teaching method of my teacher Doaa and the large variety of activities offered by the school (city tours, craft factories visits, cooking sessions, etc.), make the studying time enjoyable, interesting and never boring.

THE SADNESS OF LEAVING

Seldom a place remained in my heart and in my thoughts as Hebron did. After this experience I know one thing for sure: I’ll come back.”