“My name is Nathalie Hanzlik-Meech and I am from Canada. I am currently a High School student at the American School of Dubai, in the UAE. During the summer of my Junior year, I particiapted in a three-week intensive Arabic program at the Engage in Palestine in al-Khalil (Hebron). During this time I was able to not only improve my Arabic skills but also meet and befriend like-minded people and experince daily life in one of the most interesting regions of the world. Needless to say, as my last day at the center drew to a close, I felt that I could have easily spent three more weeks.

My intensive Arabic program consisted of three and a half hour classes every morning, with a half an hour break for a traditional (and delicious!) Palestinian breakfast. Having already studied Fusa (MSA) Arabic at my school, my classes at the center focused on the Ammiyah (spoken) dialect. While ultimately following a course book, individual class schedules were flexible and material was taught depending on the needs and requests of the student. I was given opportunities to practice my speaking, reading, writing and listening skills (though the greatest time was spent speaking). As a word of advice, I personally found it extremely helpful to build an English-Arabic dictionary with all of the new words I was learning.

Aside from my goal of studying Arabic, I also was interested in teaching English to non-native speakers in Palestine. After only a week at the center, an opportunity arose that allowed me to tutor a Palestinian lady for the TOEFL English exam. Soon, I was tutoring the lady every day after my Arabic classes for an hour and a half. In addition to this, after becoming fast friends with Palestinan teacher at the center, I found myself assisting in conversational English classes with Palestinian youth. Through these two experiences, unplanned though they were, I was able to discover my love for teaching English while also learn the complexities of the Palestinian situation from first hand accounts.

However, my experience of Palestine stretched far beyond the Engage in Palestine itself. Day trips were organized by the center and included guided tours of the Old City, the famous Hebron Keffiyeh Factory and a hike through beautiful region nearby to Bethlehem, to name a few. In addition to these trips, I had many adventures which I undertook with other internationals at the center. I had far too many adventures to list here, but a few major ones consisted of deeply exploring al-Khalil, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. I have memories of those adventures that I will never forget.

In terms of my experience of life in al-Khalil, I can say with confidence that there are few other people who I have met who are as friendly, welcoming and caring as those in al-Khalil. If you opt to stay with a host family, you will likely be considered a family member by the end of your stay and take with you memories of family dinners, lunches, and family celebrations. In addition to the welcoming atmosphere of the city, I found it to be very safe. With that being said, keeping oneself ‘street-smart’ applies in al-Khalil as it does anywhere else. In terms of the likelihood of experiencing and being involved in political skirmishes, I would say that is very rare.
I would highly recommend engaging with the Engage in Palestine in al-Khalil if you are someone who wants to learn more about Palestine, the culture, language and current situation there. Perhaps equally as important, I would recommend the center if you are someone open to having new adventures and make memories that will last a lifetime. Even spending a time as short as three weeks will undoubtably leave you knowing far more about Palestine, knowing far more about yourself, and knowing people who you will always remember”