ARIEL (HONG KONG)

Volunteered From OCTOBER 2023 TO DECEMBER 2023

2023 I now understand why many of the volunteers do not know where to start when they need to talk about their experience in the Habibi Center… Habibi Center is a magical place where we can see everyone improving in daily progress. More than solely focusing on teaching English to the students, I can see students thriving to become increasingly confident, smiley individuals. It is priceless to witness my students expanding their knowledge in English and being more capable of introducing their cultures to me. It is always the best part of the lesson when we talk about how different cultures view the same object (even as simple as food!). Words can not capture the enjoyment of how my students act as a lens for me to see the other corners of the world, especially Middle East cultures that are nowhere close to Hong Kong. Besides, the community is very supportive, and everyone is willing to offer help and guidance to me as a newbie teacher! I really enjoy going to the taverna (aka the Habibi canteen) after Monday cleaning sessions. Also, praying for others to collect my prints (saving me a trip to the print shop:) The regular doses of caffeine for our lessons and waving to the shopkeepers nearby as we walked past a lot. Not to mention, keep on pressing the bell to open the door for the students! There are way too many shimmering moments that could not be listed. Not to mention, I am surprised by how much more mature I am now. This internship is a part of my university curriculum, I can proudly say I have achieved beyond my expectations. The responsibility to teach and take care of students gives me the most powerful lesson on how to be a humble giver. I am lucky that I have made this decision a year ago. I would like to thank everyone in the Habibi Center for making my experience extraordinary. This will definitely be a lifetime memory and the best lesson to adulthood for me. Ευχαριστώ πολύ