Theresa from Germany participated in the Extensive Arabic program. This program included 60 hours of private Arabic lessons in one month, which is a huge commitment to learning Arabic.
Theresa arrived a few days later than she intended and her stay coincided with the very significant Eid festival. While it was a wonderful experience for her to be in Hebron for Eid it did mean that Theresa had less than one month to complete the 60 hours of lessons. This was a huge task and according to Theresa the Manager of the Center and her teacher really worked hard to make this possible. This was greatly appreciated by Theresa.
In addition the program included staying with a host family.
“It was a great opportunity to practice Arabic and to learn more about the Palestinian traditions and customs. My host family was very kind and included me in their daily family life. My teacher tried to tailor the lessons to my needs and interests and tried to include many different exercises or techniques of teaching and learning a language”.
As with many people who visit Palestine Theresa was particular taken with the people she met in Hebron who she considered “all very welcoming” and she always felt safe. 
While not essential, having a basic knowledge of Arabic before coming to Hebron can be helpful. While a lot of people speak English and they are very willing to help you, having a little knowledge of Arabic can really add to your experience and the local people love it when someone like Theresa makes the effort to speak Arabic with them.
No trip to Hebron is complete without visiting significant places in the area.
“It was great to have the opportunity to do short trips to different cities and sights. The Center helps you to organize them or even joins you. For example we went to the Dead Sea, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. I really enjoyed the warm and welcoming atmosphere in the Center. I felt very comfortable and liked to spend time in the Center after my daily Arabic lessons. I would recommend the Excellence Center to anyone who is interested in studying Arabic and is interested in getting to know the Palestinian culture”.
