“My name is Luke Oades, I live in England and I’m currently volunteering to teach English at Excellence Center for 2 weeks before I finish traveling and begin studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the university. I chose to come to Palestine for several reasons: I’ve always had an interest in the politics of the region, I’m always astounded at the hospitable nature of many of the people in Middle Eastern and Arab countries, and the history and culture to be found here deeply fascinates me. My main motivation for visiting Hebron and volunteering at Excellence Center was the chance to do something genuinely worthwhile with my time in Palestine, whilst being in an area that is so deeply rooted in culture and history.
My first impressions of Palestine were of seeing a proud nation with a very strong sense of cultural identity, where locals are very happy to be able to share their heritage and welcome visitors. “Welcome to Palestine!” is by far the most common phrase I heard from many locals upon my arrival, with “enjoy your time here!” coming a close second. After arriving at Excellence Center I felt even more welcome and well-received, and it was great to be able to meet so many lovely people (both foreign volunteers and Palestinian residents) so quickly.
Regarding safety in Palestine, I feel safe in the knowledge that it’s very easy to not expose yourself to any form of danger should you wish to not do so. Unless one intentionally aims to participate in demonstrations or to visit or stay in a neighborhood that is reputed for being politically tense, it’s unlikely that a safety issue would arise, so I’ve thus felt comfortable in the West Bank and especially with Excellence Center.
During my time in Palestine, I aim to both gain first-hand experience of life in the nation, and to volunteer somewhere worthwhile and make a real difference where possible. The opportunity to work with Excellence Center is a perfect way of achieving both, as it allows me to meet new people and to volunteer with teaching and helping out in any areas where I have desired skills, such as speaking English.” 
