Stephany

I had an incredible time volunteering at An-Najah University in Nablus. First, Nablus provides you with a unique cultural experience, different from Ramallah or Bethlehem where most tourists find themselves. You get a more traditional atmosphere while being surrounded by beautiful landscape, and there is plenty to do and see.

And the staff and volunteers are so friendly and welcoming! They showed us around the campus, the city, and took us on weekly excursions. I quickly felt like we became family and that made my stay so much more enjoyable! They gave us the freedom to run our classes the way we envisioned them, but provided support when needed. Louha, the director, was very informative during the interview process, so I felt confident and prepared for my stay.

These classes are unique in that the students sign up voluntarily, so they are excited and motivated to learn, and the focus on natural conversation made the classes fun. I learned a lot about Palestinian culture, history, and daily life from my students as well. And the Arabic lessons were excellent! I loved my volunteer teachers and learned so much from them!

Finally, the accommodation provided was more than I expected. A large, well equipped apartment tucked up in a beautiful mountainside neighborhood. You must travel up a steep hill to reach the apartment, and it is pretty far from the city center. However shared taxis are easy to find and very cheap. The apartment is closer to the university, about a 15 minute walk down hill with beautiful views along the way.

Thank you to all the staff and volunteers for making this workaway a wonderful experience!!