
CANADA (CANADA)
VOLUNTEERING FROM JUNE 2025 TO SEPTEMBER 2025
Where do I start?
I’ve just come to the end of my eight-week stint teaching at Habibi. It was a very different experience from the last time I volunteered there three years ago. Back then, it was a little more about me. I was a new ESL teacher, and while I was focused on the students’ well-being and English progress, I also spent a lot of time obsessing over how and what I was teaching.
This time around, it still took a week or so to settle into a new rhythm, but I found that my focus shifted much more to the students themselves. I learned to read their moods and navigate difficult days, adjusting lessons as needed. I also gained a deeper understanding of their individual stories and learned to be more accepting when things didn’t go quite as expected. The students—whether in English classes, extra reading, or art—were among the most motivated people I’ve ever met.
I can’t finish without mentioning the incredible teachers I worked alongside. While each of us taught our own classes, we also shared our struggles and successes, learning from one another and constantly improving. I spent some amazing weekends with them exploring parts of Greece I’d never visited before—Nafplio, Methana, Agistri, and more.
The highlight of these weekends? Climbing Mt. Skolio, the second-highest peak in the Mt. Olympus range in northern Greece. We hiked 6.5 km with a 1,200-meter elevation gain in some pretty hot conditions. It was tough going up and down, but the experience was unforgettable.
From my time teaching at Habibi, interacting with students, and adventuring with fellow teachers, I’d like to tell you that…
‘with preparation and determination, you can accomplish almost anything you can
dream of.’
I wish all my students the very best and hope they continue to believe in themselves.
The Habibi Centre will change your life—whether you’re a seasoned ESL teacher or a newbie just starting your ESL journey.
-Marian.