GEN (NEW-ZEALAND)

Volunteered From AUGUST 2022 TO OCTOBER 2022

2022 It is hard to sum up such a meaningful experience with words. If you are considering applying to the Habibi center, I wouldn’t think twice. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn about others, yourself and the refugee experience of young adults in Greece. Greek life is great, but the best thing here is the people you meet – your fellow teachers and the students. I will miss each and every one of them so much. I have taught English before, but this was a new challenge and gave me a fresh perspective on how to effectively teach. I can confidently say I grew as a teacher. One of my fondest memories was teaching a student how to spell ‘one’ and then a week later he could spell ‘one million, two hundred and thirty-four thousand, five hundred and sixty-seven’! But not all students learn at this speed, and I always reminded myself to be patient, speak slowly and laugh. The students at the Habibi Center are very talented. They might not know how to speak English perfectly (yet!), but they are incredible artists, coders, chefs, dancers, parkour enthusiasts and singers. Like all young adults, they have ambitions and dreams. My favorite class was writing a bucket list – it helped me learn a lot more about my students. But more importantly, it helped us focus on hope for the future when our students can be facing tough situations outside of the school. Being able to speak English gives them a leg up to make these dreams their reality. It’s because of this reason that I’m so proud to be a part of the Habibi Centre. Steph and the team here work hard to make sure the students are given every opportunity possible, and I cannot thank them enough for their hard work. I will always think of my students and hope they find happiness and security in their lives.