Engage in Palestine provides housing for all of our international participants, whether you are volunteering, interning or studying Arabic with us. In this article we will outline the different housing options available for our participants.
Homestay With A Palestinian Family
During their programs with us, our female participants will have the opportunity to stay in the home of a Palestinian family. Depending on availability, you will stay in a bedroom of the family’s home or in a separate apartment owned by the family, next to their house. You may also have your own room or share with another of your fellow participants, which also depends on availability. If you would like to be guaranteed a private room throughout your whole program with us, see the “private accommodation” option lower down the page.
What Is It Like Living With A Palestinian Family?
Each family is different, so there is no one universal experience that all of our participants will have. Some families will have more family members living in the house or building, while others are smaller families. Some families might not speak much English, while others might have some fluent English speakers. Some families might be a bit more social than others just as some of our international participants are more keen to socialise than others.
Some days you might spend a lot of time with your host family in the evenings and other days you might not see them because they or you are very busy. Spending time with your host family will give you great opportunities to practice your Arabic and get to know Palestinian culture, family dynamics and home life better. Your host family may invite you to weddings or other events when they happen, but certain times of the year are more popular for weddings than others.
Why Are Homestays Only Guaranteed For Female Participants?
It’s important to understand that it can be very challenging to place male participants with Palestinian host families because Hebron is the most conservative city in the West Bank. There are several things that are okay in some other cities in the West Bank but not in Hebron, one of these is the consumption of alcohol, but there are also social rules that apply to the home as well.
For example, it wouldn’t be socially acceptable for one of our male participants to be alone at home with his Palestinian host mother or sisters without one of their male family members present. Additionally, Palestinian girls and women usually don’t wear their hijabs at home, but will need to put them on when they have visitors. For reasons such as these, we have made different accommodation arrangements for our male participants.
Our All-Male Dorm
Our male participants will live in a shared dorm or apartment with their fellow male interns, volunteers and students. In your dorm or apartment you will have a kitchen, living area and access to a washing machine in addition to bedrooms and bathrooms. This can give our male participants more responsibility (in terms of dividing chores amongst themselves) but also can allow more independence and more chances to bond with their housemates.
Depending on availability, you may have your own room for some of your stay or you may share a bedroom. If you would like to be guaranteed a private room throughout your whole program with us, see the “private accommodation” option below.
Private Accommodation
We understand that some of our participants really need their own space and privacy, so we offer the option for private accommodation. If the above options are not to your liking or you wish to be guaranteed a private room, we can arrange this for you for an extra fee. We can also arrange a separate apartment in Hebron for you, although this can be an expensive option due to the high cost of rent in Hebron.
Final Thoughts
Engage in Palestine includes accommodation for all of our participants, whether you are taking a short term internship or volunteer program with us or studying intensive Arabic. We provide accommodation that is socially appropriate for Hebron, while being comfortable and giving you the opportunity to get to know your Palestinian host family or housemates better. We are sure that no matter whether you are a man or a woman, you will have an enjoyable time in your accommodation and during your time with us.
If you have any questions or queries about our housing options, or wish to request private accommodation, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Any Questions?
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact at Info@ecpalestine.org
Whatsapp:+972599479880
For more information, please visit our website: https://ecpalestine.org/
Excellence Center’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExcellenceCenter
Excellence Center’s Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/RafatECHebron
Watch us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQSLdFZWZcBm6Uj0XMYuKg
Visit and Explore Palestine: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePalestine
