Palestine is not only a place of conflict and also it is not only a place for religious tourism but it is a place where you can do voluntary work as well. Palestine has so many local and international organizations which exceeds 260 organizations that work in different fields such as education, health, politics, sustainable development and others.
Many international volunteers who came to Palestine and lived for a long time and worked side by side with Palestinians. Volunteers who come from all over the world to lend a helping hand to children, young people and community members such as teaching English, organizing workshops, participating in social and educational activities.
In this article we will mention part of what those volunteers said about their experience in Palestine and how such an experience reflected on their personal life and granted them unforgettable moments.
Sahar, a volunteer who come from Mauritius to Hebron, Palestine and was a part of a program that let you teach English and study Arabic at the same time said the following “My sister and I, we chose to volunteer and learn Arabic in Palestine for just two weeks which we later realized was not enough to experience all the amazing things that it contained.
Our motivation factor of this visit lie not only in volunteering and learn Arabic but also to discover a whole new aspect of live, to absorb their dialect, taste the delicious Palestinian dishes and to also visit historical places.“
Jennifer from the USA who is doing an internship in Palestine said “the people here are very friendly and eager to help you. One of my friends volunteering here needed to go to an area that wasn’t so nice, and a shopkeeper we visited every day sent his sons with her to help her and make her feel safe. Basically, Palestine is not all unicorns and rainbows, but neither is it the demonized and dangerous place portrayed in the media, it’s like every other place in the world, some good and some bad.”
Owen from the UK tells about his friends’ reaction when they knew that he is heading to Palestine to teach English in one of educational centers “When I told my friends and family of my plan to visit the Centre I experienced a number of very different reactions. Some of them couldn’t believe it, they poured out their thoughts and fears, listing reasons not to go and trying to persuade me to try a different adventure. Others were jealous.
They were jealous they hadn’t thought of it first, or jealous that they didn’t have the time or freedom to visit a place with such a complex and rich cultural history. What was clear from this experience is that everyone seems to have different preconceptions about what Palestine is like. In my case, I’m going to find out for myself”.
Maeva from France who volunteered to share some teaching techniques to local teachers in Hebron. Meava described her experience in living with a Palestinian host family “In Hebron, I live with a host family that will go above and beyond to ensure my comfort and happiness. They have two highly active children (whom I share the bedroom with) and always have delicious meals ready for when I get home. They invited me to join them to a relative’s wedding in Jericho. It was my first time attending a conservative, traditional wedding with the women separate from the men and I truly enjoyed the experience”.
Jana From Germany who travelled to Palestine to teach English to Palestinians tells about how different is Palestine when she said “Palestine is very different to all the countries I have visited so far. People are generally super friendly and welcoming as I have found in many other Arab countries.”
Jana also advised all people to come to Palestine by saying “I hope more people will learn more about Palestine and be open to see the whole situation from a different point of view, not just how the western media wants us to see it. Therefore, I hope that a lot of people will take the chance to come visit, explore and love Palestine, just as I have.”
