Tips to Getting the Most Out of Your Volunteer Experience in Palestine: There are numerous ways for volunteers in Palestine to maximize their experience and time abroad. Volunteering abroad can be a highly rewarding experience and we know that volunteers hope to make a significant contribution while working on their specific project.
In addition to benefiting the organization you are working with, we at the Excellence Center want our volunteers to benefit personally from their experience as well. To get the most out of your volunteer experience in Palestine, we want to share a handful of things to keep in mind. By incorporating these tips, we hope you have a rich and rewarding volunteer experience abroad.
Maintaining a posture of curiosity
Our tip number one is to stay curious. Maintaining a posture of curiosity goes a long way. Stay curious and ask questions as you dive headfirst into a new, unfamiliar place.
Being uprooted from your culture and replanted in a culture not your own can be challenging, but it is also a brilliant learning experience. Developing cultural sensitivity and cultural awareness are valuable skills that can take you very far in life.
Investing in relationships
Investing in relationships is another way to maximize your volunteer experience in Palestine. At the Excellence Center, we host internationals from all over the world who desire to volunteer or study Arabic. Before long, you will have friends from all over the globe. In addition to befriending other internationals, we encourage volunteers to invest in relationships with local Palestinians.
Be it the teachers at the Excellence Center, friends you make through your host family, or people you meet while wandering the streets of Hebron, we recommend staying open to building new friendships during your volunteer experience.
A wonderful aspect of friendships is that they can carry on even when you finish your time in Palestine. Living in a digital world, you will be able to maintain contact with the people you have met and spent time with while volunteering.
Stay flexible and ready to jump
When volunteering abroad in Palestine, another tip to getting the most out of your experience is to be open to interruptions. Stay flexible and ready to jump in wherever you may be needed. Pushing the limits of your comfortable is highly rewarding.
Depending on your cultural background, you may not be used to the Palestinian way of life. Remain open to interruptions in your schedule and you are sure to create lasting memories during your volunteer time abroad.
Leave room for adventure
Of course, when abroad, you will have to leave room for adventure. You may be volunteering in Palestine with the Excellence Center, but after your day is complete at the Center, there will be plenty of time to explore Hebron and travel throughout Palestine at large. You could even take a weekend trip to Jordan if you desire!
Final remarks
We hope that our volunteers have an amazing experience in Palestine and believe that staying curious, investing in relationships, remaining adaptable, being open to interruptions, and leaving room for adventure are all ways to maximize your time in Palestine.
