Short Term Volunteer Projects In Germany (1-13 Weeks)

These past two months have been nothing short of transformative. I started nearly every morning with a home-cooked Palestinian breakfast and sat with my fellow volunteers, where we talked about everything from our lives back home to our plans for the week. After breakfast, clean-up was a group effort, and playful banter filled the kitchen as the cleaning was done. The community created over the breaking of bread shares an unbreakable bond that I know each of us is the better for. A huge part of our experience is shaped by the work that we do, but equally important are the friendships and bonds we create with each other as we return to our daily lives and attempt to integrate the lessons we learned back home. I had the privilege of attending community events, tutoring people of all ages and backgrounds, and immersing students in life at the Center, along with getting an unparalleled German language education with Muaz, an incredible teacher. The entire team is incredibly dedicated and kind, truly willing to go the extra mile. This experience has undoubtedly made me a better, more open-minded person ready to tackle whatever comes next.

Throughout my six weeks at the Excellence Center, I met some of my best friends, made life-long connections and learned valuable information about myself and other cultures. Being at the Excellence Center was like being in a family and it has hands down been one of the best experiences. The staff at EC do a phenomenal job at creating a healthy environment that allows you to meet an abundance of new people, whether you stay for a week or a month. We partake in team breakfast, group dinners, and football matches (which are hands down the highlight of the week, even if you’ve never played before) which allow you to get to know your peers beyond the workspace. I can confidently say that when you join this program, you are bound to meet a group of likeminded people who are interested in you and your life story.
Although I met many new people here, I also did do a lot of learning! Throughout my time, I studied Arabic without any prior knowledge or experience. Ali was a phenomenal teacher and did a great job at making lessons interactive and specific to your learning level. Along with this, the staff does a great job at incorporating your new learned language into your everyday interactions. Although I did not study as long as others, I am for sure taking home an abundance of knowledge that I can work with when I get back home.

Having spent around 5 weeks on this program, I'm confident in saying that it far exceeded my expectations in every way. Finding this as a means to complete a requirement for my university (Sciences Po Paris), I wasn't really sure what to expect besides a small language learning school and a quaint German town. I was prepared to spend most of my free time just talking with friends back home and most of my time in the center doing intensive work. Instead, what I found was an incredibly welcoming team, a fantastic social scene with people of all ages, and a thriving little city with infinitely more life than I assumed it would have.

The team, Ali, Muaz, Dušan, and of course Rafat, are all great people with whom I could talk for hours (and frankly I wish I had talked with more). If you're volunteering, the work you do is important, but you can regulate the intensiveness to whatever level you're comfortable with and the people you work with are all extremely nice. The other people I've met here, both on the program and in the local international student scene, are incredibly interesting and diverse - and I've made some lasting friendships among them. The town of Halle is great, with plenty of events and activities if you seek them out while not having the stress of a city like Berlin. I'd also like to shout out its prime location, with tons of destinations to visit on weekends only a couple hours away by the local train system.

All in all, my only complaint is that I can't stay longer. The community here is unparalleled and I hope to return to Halle in the future. Finally, I should mention that the value of the program, with housing included and constant events planned with members from the center, is well worth the price. If you're looking at this program and are on the fence, I'd say go for it. I certainly regretted nothing.

I am a French student in international relations and I was searching for something where I could learn German and do an internship. And I found this incredible program where I volunteered to teach English at the same time and it was a wonderful experience. The people who are in this organization are so nice and they are always asking you if you are well, etc. And it feels nice to help ambitious people seeking to learn a language like English. And the German lessons are so good and our teacher is nice.

The excellence center is the physical embodiment of community. I was only there for a week, but I wish I had stayed longer. The staff is very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. I mainly worked with Ali, Muaz, and Rafat. Although I was only able to receive a few hours of Arabic, Ali was able to teach me how to greet, some basic phrases, and even took me out to learn how to order food in a restaurant setting. Muaz was a wonderful tour guide and answered all my questions about the migrant community in Halle for my research project as he is also involved in many other organizations in Halle. Rafat is the admirable leader of the excellence center as he ensures all are welcome into the center by making breakfast for everyone everyday, making schedules and accommodations, and organizing weekly community events like soccer(football) games and dinner. I am truly grateful for having had the opportunity to volunteer at the Excellence Center and making new friends!

The Excellence Center is more than an educational organization, it is the physical embodiment of community. I was only there for one week, but I wish I had stayed longer. The staff is incredibly welcoming, friendly, and helpful. I mainly worked with Rafat, Ali, and Muaz and they were more than happy to make me feel comfortable and at home. I only had a short time to learn Arabic, but Ali was able to teach me basic phrases and even took me out to teach me how to order food in a restaurant setting. Muaz was a wonderful tour guide and answered all the questions I had regarding the migrant community for my research project. Rafat exceeds as the leader of the center, as he even cooks breakfast for everyone every morning and organizes community events on Thursdays like soccer/football games and dinner. I am overall very grateful for having had the opportunity to volunteer at the Excellence Center and make new friends.

I came to the Excellence Center in Halle, Germany as part of my Fund For Teachers fellowship, an educational grant that allowed me to create my own learning opportunity. I was seeking the stories of refugees to share with my students in an effort to personalize the realities of so many people across the world. The Center reflected all the ways we should approach one another, with welcome and respect in every greeting, email, gathering, lesson and presentation. It is a global community of volunteers and staff learning together and from one another. In group language lessons and one on one tutoring sessions, over breakfast, during a football game or activity, there were many opportunities to hear the stories of Serbia, Syria, Ukraine, and Palestine. I am honored to carry these stories to my students, to share the struggles and the joys, the strength, compassion and hopefully to build empathy for our global community. The Excellence Center made it possible for me to step into the lives of others for a short time and walk away with a lifetime experience. I want my students to understand that statistics do not tell the story of immigration. People do. By providing meaningful access to immigrant stories I hope my students will experience the common bonds that unite humanity despite our differences. Perhaps they will be inspired by the resilience demonstrated in the lives of immigrants as well as deepen their understanding of worldviews and the events around difficult, controversial times in history, I want to begin with the human story and be mindful of the real-world connections as this difficult historical moment may echo or have shaped the lives of my students as well.

The teaching style of the center is incredibly engaging, with history lessons embedded in the language acquisition experience. Student excursions to Syrian shops, tours of Halle, and Arabic exposure beyond the classroom has improved my conversational abilities and introduced me to phrases and sentiments I would not otherwise learn. I was also able to participate in an Eid festival, where I helped with face painting and balloon art for the children. The music, food, dancing, and conversation was beautiful, and I was greeted warmly by every individual. Furthermore, teaching English introduced me to new friends, who have been so kind. Together, we learned from each other, improving their English and my Arabic in mutually beneficial lessons. Teaching has improved my organizational skills and encouraged me to research and collaborate with my students to produce tailored, creative lesson plans. From music, to baking, to medical assessments, my lessons have been incredibly rewarding to produce.

I have formed friendships that I believe will last a lifetime. Thank you to the Excellence Center, for the memories and adventures I will carry with me. From football, to my flatmates, to cliff jumping, it has pushed me out of my comfort zone, and built my confidence.