By: Katarzyna, Poland 

It is not easy to write about all experiences I have passed through and all emotions related to them. The Zajel program is a very interesting and moving experience which gave me a possibility to teach students about psychology in a different environment that I run lectures and workshops at my everyday work in Poland. I am very happy that I could teach about cognitive behavioural psychology and psychotherapy here, at An-Najah National University, and the workshops I have prepared were useful for students – this kind of feedback I got from them what makes me very cheerful. Students here are very smart, they value getting knowledge and have wide mental horizons, as well as they are open-minded and polite. It is wonderful how deep they are engaged in learning new things. Discussing with them, listening to them reflections and solving problems connected with the topic of my workshops (“How to deal with difficult emotions”) was enriching experience to me. It was a pleasure and privilege serving the students as a tentative summer camp teacher. I am definitely glad I decided to come here to run workshops and I did it.

Also I am happy that I had a chance to get to know better the Palestinian culture and heritage. We were visiting a lot of interesting places such as Bethlehem, the Samaritan village or a desert next to the Dead Sea. We have met different people: The Palestinian citizens, Bedouins, Samaritans. I was invited for a dinner at home by the project coordinators – I am very thankful for this amazing experience: a great time with wonderful people who shared with me things they had in their life and emotions related to them.

I can strongly recommend to be a teacher and volunteer at An-Najah National University.