Moving around Hebron, Palestine: Usually the hardest part is getting to Hebron, once you are here moving around is a piece of cake, if you take a few simple considerations.
There are mainly two ways to move around the fairly small town of Hebron, Palestine:
- Walking around Hebron
- Taking a shared taxi.
Your options will depend on where your host family is located but once you place yourself on the map finding your way around should be easy enough.
Here are some suggestions:
Placing yourself on the map is important
You may ask yourself how to do that when most maps you are used to using on your smartphone don’t really work. A previous volunteer recommends downloading an app called maps.me and it has helped greatly in locating and finding our way around, not only Hebron but other cities in the West Bank.
Use offline Maps
The maps are available offline and connect to your GPS. This will allow you to place yourself on the map which makes it easier to navigate. I have not had to buy a local SIM card or even had service on my phone for the GPS to work on my phone. Hopefully, it should be the same for you.
Give yourself some time and remember to be patient and keep a positive attitude
If you find that you live close enough to the Excellence Center, and with that, we mean within a 2km radius, then walking is the best option. Many volunteers greatly enjoy walking in the morning as it is also a way to get in some exercise.
Be advised that most Palestinians are not used to walking so much and they will most likely be surprised by you want to walk, perhaps even say you are crazy because the distance is too far, but often it is not the case. Give yourself some time and remember to be patient and keep a positive attitude as people greet you and ask questions on the street.
Use the yellow taxi in Hebron
If you live too far for walking or simply are not interested in physical activity then take a shared taxi. You will find that as soon as you walk out on the street a yellow taxi will honk at you and stop. Some of these taxis already have passengers in them others will be empty and fill up later.
When heading to the Excellence Center you can say Ein Sarah (the main street) or Al Manarah (the main rotonda at the city center) and get off when you see the stadium to walk to either the new or the old center. This should cost around 2.5 NIS, if you go directly to Ein Sarah, if you have to change at Al Manarah it will most likely cost you an extra 2.5 NIS to get up to the center.
If you live outside the city of Hebron?
Some volunteers live outside the city and even though this makes it complicated to get to the Excellence Center, most of them seem to enjoy the placement. Lidja from Croatia, was lucky enough to get a lift from her host father every day, as he would come into the city anyway and work at his produce shop.
He also drove her back at the end of the day. For those living outside the city there is usually an extra shekel on the shared taxi price, but this is also an option. Some neighborhoods and areas outside the city have other more stable bus services, ask around to find out if this is a possibility for you.
Final Conclusion
In conclusion, once you get used to the options, moving around Hebron, Palestine is quite simple. Always ask for assistance if you are in doubt, you will most likely find a friendly person willing to help or find someone who can help. But do walk around, it is recommended in order to enjoy Hebron and it’s beautiful people!
