PNN

Here are the articles I have written for Palestine News Network (PNN).  The first was a Human Rights piece and the second a Political piece.


"Hebrew Labor” Advertised in Israeli Yellow Pages
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10329&Itemid=63


Texas Governor Rick Perry Launches Campaign to Prosecute US Flotilla Ships
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10358&Itemid=61

I am enjoying my time at PNN.  However, I did speak with my funding source and the program about the shelter. They said I would hopefully be touring and meeting the staff before week’s end- Palestinian time that means next week. 

 Everything is so much slower here, it's great.  You’re an hour late for a meeting, and you’re right on time. :)

Anyway, the program staff said they would be placing me somewhere I can get the 20 hours of counseling work to count towards my Continued Competency training, so all is well.

The Lowest Place on Earth

We went to the Dead Sea on Sunday, located 400m below sea level, it was amazing!  First and foremost, you do float.  I thought it was a slight exaggeration every time I heard it, but I know now it is true. The sea is ridiculously salty and hurts your eyes and burns your mouth.  The water is not for swimming, just floating, but the mud is remarkable.  I put it all over my body and even on my face.  I was feeling my face the entire way home, it was so soft.  I wanted to see how expensive the products were, but the shop was closed.  For those interested you can buy them online at www.deadseashops.com. 

However, I would think twice before buying them.  Here is why; the Dead Sea is in Area (Section) C, which has been completely taken over by Israel and the IDF has full control, no Palestinian Police are allowed.  Israel sectioned all the land in such a way that any land with resources or of value as a tourist location is in Section C.  (Same goes with my trip to Jerusalem, the money I spent there supports Israel not Palestine.) So you buy Dead Sea products you are buying from land that has been stolen and in essence an entire economy that has been stolen as well.  The products from the land and the sales of those products support the economy of Israel and not Palestine. I was pissed when I was standing on Palestinian land and paid 50 Shekels to Israel to enter the Dead Sea beach.

All that is just another sad piece of what this conflict has created; the wall is only a small piece of it, On Sunday I was reminded that not only the people of Palestine have been repressed but it's economy as well. 

The good news is that didn't ruin my day.  I had a wonderful time with the family and Fadi and I both experienced the Dead Sea for the first time.  He was afraid of the water and spent most of his time walking around the beach on his tip toes.  Quasi actually fell asleep on my lap during the trip home.  I said to Muhannad and Nancy with a smirk, "I like him like this," they laughed and agreed.

 

Random

Obama- One for Dad:
Taxi drivers seem to know a little about American politics and have an opinion of our President. One driver simply said Obama's name and shook his head. 

The laughable encounter went like this: I Got in a taxi in Bethlehem and the driver asked me where I was from.  "America," I said.  He said, "Ah, Obama, he talk, talk, talk and doesn't do anything." ;)

Wafat’s House- One for Sis:
Majdee, Muhannad’s brother and his wife, Wafat, live next door.  She invited me to her home one evening and I was stunned when I walked in.  It was beautiful!  They had just refinished the cabinets, put in hard word floors and built an amazing tile ceiling and fire place. She had all sorts of cooking machines like cappuccino makers and juice makers, either tucked away or strategically placed on granite counter tops.  Her decorating style was on par with my sister and I’s.   Majdee’s remodeling talents rivaled my fathers.  Totally amazing and I will show you pictures when I get home.

Food:
It is soo good, but I had to learn the word “shuban” which means "I am full, no more!"

I have eaten mloheh, a traditional Arabic meal that uses mloheh leaves in olive oil mixed with rice and chicken.  The rice is different here; it is mixed with a thin noodle and lots of Arabic spices.

Also fakus is a vegetable that Beit Sahour is famous for.  It is much like a cucumber.  Today I had stuffed fakus.  The vegetable is hollowed out and stuffed with meat and rice and cooked in a tomato-milk-cheese-sauce.  Super yummy.

Ice cream bars and cones look nothing like the picture on the wrapper.  You know the crunch bars in the states?  I was so excited to find one that looked like that.  When I opened it, there was no toffee crunch, just a chocolate covered ice cream bar.

There is an ice cream truck that drives by the house. I haven’t seen the driver but I wonder if they look like they do in the states- like they just got out of prison. Strangest thing, what is the deal with the ice cream truck drivers and how scary looking they are?

Arabic tea is amazing and so is mint lemonade. I found a drink I like and buy at the market.   It is this juice mix of bananas and strawberries that comes in a can.  I get it at the market up the street and the owners are super nice to me, I shop there a lot.  I think they also like to ask me what new Arabic words I learned and laugh at the little American girl who speaks funny Arabic.

Oh and yes I smoked some hookah. :)

Housekeeping:
Prepare yourself; we don’t flush the toilet paper here. We throw it in the trash because of the pipes.  Yep, it took some getting used to.  So the big challenge is remembering that I don’t have to do that when I get back to the states.

Outlets are different too, and you have to buy an adapter to use them.  They are weird circular plug things.  I guess the good deal is the voltage is the same, so not as bad as Europe.  I was told that in Europe you have to convert voltage as well.

Arabic:
Arabic grammar is hard, words I am good at and I am told pronounce them well.  Just the grammar part is difficult. The language doesn't have words like "are, is, and was" and a ton of strange stuff.  Like to say, "my house" you say "bet-i," House is "bet" and the "i" is my.  Same goes for her, his, our, but different tags.  Anyway, let’s just say I speak a very broken form of Arabic. LOL

Arabic TV:
I watch TV on occasion.  Sponge Bob and Oprah in Arabic are a trip. Most of the time Arabic television is on some kids show.

Quiet Time:
I love waking up in the morning, sitting on the balcony and watching the sun rise.  Not all the way, I am not up that early.  I take my tea and a book out in the morning and evening and have a little me time.

The Program:
The program itself is not what I expected. We are way to busy all the time.  I work like this at home; I wanted this to be more of a break.  We go to volunteer in the morning.  Two hours for lunch, well one really cuz it takes an hour by foot to get to the college.  Then Arabic until 5 and something after, a speaker or get together.  Then an hour’s walk home, too much food, and bed.  Hardly have time to blog and definitely no time to edit my posts.  I always seem to feel rushed.

By the way, I am still not at the shelter yet. Some disappointing news, they are having security issues and not sure about my placement.  I am currently writing articles for Palestine News Network.  On Monday, I am hoping to have a conversation with the man who funded my trip about the shelter and if he will continue funding the two months if I don't get placed there.  Working at the shelter was also allowing me to use the experience for Continued Competencies for my CAC III.  So staying for two months without that and the funding thing is making me uncomfortable, a little.  I think I will feel better after I talk to my funding source and see where he is at with things.

OK all, I miss work.  Horrible I know, I know, but I said it.
I miss my friends too and my apartment and driving. 
I am sure time will fly by and it will be time to leave before I am ready to go home.

Tomorrow:
I am going to the Dead Sea with the family.  I can’t wait.  When I say family I mean: George and Sumiya, Nancy, Muhannad and the two kids, Muhannad’s two brothers- their wives and their three kids.  So yea, it will be good times.

Jerusalem: The Old City

My day in Jerusalem started after a quite night in The Little House in Baka.  The small Inn was located in the German Colony of Jeruslalem, a ways from the Old City.  It was a long walk to the gate of the Old City, but worth it conisidering I saved around $80.  Everything is expensive in Jerusalem, especially near and in the Old City. 

I got a map of the Old City at the hotel and when I was finished and back in Beit Sahour I outlined my 5 mile walk.  I wish I could upload it somehow and share my path with you.  I tried taking a picture of it but that didn't work so well.  Words will have to be enough...

I passed Mt Zion and entered at Jaffa Gate (Christian Quarter) and went to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  The church was built on the sight of Golgatha.  When you walk in there is a stone that has been recreated to represent the place where the blood of Jesus was washed away. 

Not what one might think, just to let you know ahead of time.  The land od Judea and Sumaria is nothing like the literature of the Bible.  Golgatha is literaly inside the church.  The entire Old City has become such a tourist magnet that I found it hard to truly reflect on the scriptures.  The one place I found true reflection was on the Mount of Olives which I will get to later.

After entering Jaffa Gate and visiting the chuch I enjoyed all the markets.  Vendors are everywhere and everything is rididulously high priced.  I wanted to buy a cross necklace for my sister and couldn't find one for less then $30, without the chain and not real silver.  Sorry sis, didn't buy one. I wouldn't pay that in the states, and at least there the vendor can tell me what it is made of.  I wondered down the stone paths and looked for some other gifts, still all too expensive and didn't end up buying anthing.  However, I did end up getting lost. LOL  The many street markets all started to look the same and I completely lost my sense of direction.  I finally asked someone where the Via Dolorosa was and ventured there.

Again, it was hard to feel the conviction one experiences when reading about Jesus' walk down the Road of Sorrow.  I thought walking the Via Dolorosa would envoke a more powerful spiritual awakening.  It was powerful, don't get me wrong, just not as one might expect.  Again the busy tourist and obnoxious vendors may have something to do with it.  One even went so far as to ask me for a kiss, big mistake. I didn't stick around to look at his merchandise.

The Via Dolorosa is a long street with many stations to represent the different times Jesus fell.  There are wooden crosses that you can carry, if you choose. I didn't. From the Christian Quater the Via Dolorosa actually extends into the Muslim Quarter.  I walked the length of it into the Muslim Quarter and turned around to head to the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall. 

To enter the Western Wall you first have to go through a Police Station where you and your belongings are scanned.  Once through the little checkpoint, there is a side for women and men.  I preceeded to the men's side to see if I would get in trouble.  Just kidding. :)  I have no intention of "playing" with the IDF or Israeli Police while I am here. (My friend was protesting at the wall around this time and was detained, fingerprinted, and photos of her were taken by the IDF, not my cup of tea.) So the Western Wall was largely uneventful, but sad.  To think it was all that was left of the Jewish Temple.

The section where the Dome of the Rock is, Mt Moria, and El Aqsa Mosque was closed.  I hope to visit another day and spend some more time on Mt Zion as well.  I exited out Dung Gate and entered into the City of David.

I walked through the City of David via a path along the main road to Mt of Olives.  Once I reached an overlook called Ophel Promenade I was able to view the tombs of Jehoshaphat, Bnei Hezir, and Zechariah.  I got some great pictures of the the tombs and Mt of Olives. I continued my walk up the mountain and to the Mt of Olives, a long and most tiresome uphill battle.

I kept walking until I reached the Church of Mary Magdalene, the architecture of this church was amazing.  I didn't stay long because I figured if I did I would give in and not make it up the mountain to the Church of the Ascension ( the Olive Garden from wich Jesus was taken) and the Dominus Flevit (the cave where Jesus prayed with the disciples).

I made it to the Church of the Ascension and had to pay an entry fee.  There is a large dome shape made of rock around the place where Jesus was taken.  Nothing elaborate, which seems to unviel the sorrow of the event that took place here.

However, Dominus Flevit was incredible.  Here you can view the Lords Prayer in 167 languages, and walk through Olive Groves, well only if you become friends with the manager.  The manager was a short, old, French man who kindly showed me around and invited me to tea after.  The most amazing thing happened when he offered me a chance to take sand, rocks and even some mosiac.  He helped me hunt for mosiac from the Byzantine church that was built in 643 AD.  He showed me a tree that was the same kind of prickly branched tree that was used as the crown of the thorns, and even cut off a piece for me to take.  I couldn't believe it! I carried down sand, mosiac, rock and even branches from trees down the mountain with me!

Rock where the Blood of Jesus was washed away (not the original one)

Entrance to the steps leading to Golgotha.

"Said" location of Jesus' Cross

Road of Sorrow: Where Jesus walked before he was crucified.

Western Wall: Part of the strucure that supports the Temple Mount from the west.  The second Jewish temple was destroyed in 70 AD and this remnant has become the holiest of Jewish sites.

Dome of the Rock (Temple Mount: From Inside the Old City.

Zechariah's Tomb

Jehoshaphat's Tomb

Church of Mary Magdalene

Church of the Ascension

Dominus Flevit

Lords Prayer: Arabic

Lords Prayer: English

Crown of Thorns Tree

Dome of the Rock and Old City: From Mt of Olives

 

Visiting Ayem

Yesterday I got to visit the little kiddo I sponsor through World Vision, it was incredible.

I traveled to Jerusalem by myself, with every intent of enjoying the solidarity... and I am, it is soo nice to be alone.  Yes all those reading this and shaking their heads thinking, "Yep she will never get married," your probably right.  LOL

Okay so back to the trip, it started in Bethlehem at the checkpoint.  I had driven through them but never walked.  I expected to just show the soldier my passport and walk through the gate.  It didn't happen like that.  After walking through the gate, constructed paths with barriers on all sides lead you to an uderground terminal.  Much like the airport, I had to put all my things on the belt and they were scanned.  Before you can retrieve your items a soldier checks your ID.  If you are Palestinian and traveling from checkpoint to checkpoint and into different sections you have to get a permit.  So you show them your permit, Palestinian ID #, and they scan your hand.  The young man in front of me had some problems with the hand scanner and it took him about ten minutes to get past.  I flashed a US passport and walked right through, at that moment I felt a distinct feeling of privelage that I had never felt before.  The feeling stuck with me as we rode to the World Vision office in Jerusalem.

Once we arrived at the WV office on Mount of Olives I met with the staff and had a security breifing.  The security briefing was intense and Tako, yea that is his name, kept telling me, "I don't mean to scare you."  The project where my little boy lives is in a village called Kufraldik in the Silfit District.  It is surrounded by settlements and much of the land and roads nearby are under IDF control.  Needless to stay it doesn't make for very happy Palestinian residents. Tako went over what to do if I was tear gased or if rubber bullets were fired.  What to do if I was shot at or if soldiers were hassling me.  What else... oh yes, the sound bombs, he went over that too.  Are you scared yet? :)

Here is the irony, it was the most peaceful place I have been to.  Silfit is in the mountains and a longer trip then I had expected.  Once we arrived in the city I was taken to the office and met with the project manager and the rest of the staff.  He briefed me on what they were doing in the area.  Their efforts inlcuded; empowering women, building a school, teaching locals how to cultivate the land, and a new livestock plan to give 90 families 2 sheep.  He also told me how the money I send every month is dispersed.  It doesn't go directly to the family, but rather serves the community as a whole.  For instance my boy can go to school now because they built one, his father can cultivate the land and provide for the family, etc. 

After my time at the office we drove down to the village.  One of the staff members showed me the sewage valley where the sewage from the settlements goes and pollutes the water of the residents. There are so many things happening here, it is hard to comprehend them let alone portray the raw emotion that comes along with them in blog.  We kept driving further into the mountains and after the smell faded we arrived at the Mayor's office.  I met with him chatted for a bit and waited for the boy to come.

Ayem walked in and didn't even look up. Once in front of me he looked into my eyes and extended his hand and said, "Hello," in English.  That was the best part, he become very quiet after that.  I had an interpretor but I think he was super nervous and overwhelmed by all the people and this lady sitting by him with pale skin and blue eyes.  I spoke to him a bit in Arabic and he got more comfortable as time went on and showed me his school and his home.  He said he was on the honor roll at school and wanted to be astronaut.  I asked him if he wanted to go to school in America, and he very distinctly answerd with a no.  It was the first time I wished I could speak better Arabic, I wanted to talk to him so badly.

I couldn't go into his home because his mother was resting after recently having a baby girl.  His father and sister were also along and showed us a spring that was polluted.  Later we stopped and I got the kids some snacks.  I wanted to stay longer, it was Ayem's birthday and he turned ten.  The family was having a cake and party and invited me to join them but the staff had to get back.  We were not expecting the trip to be so long.  My pickup on the Jerusalem side of the Bethlehem checkpoint was at 9:30 and we didn't arrive back on Mount of Olives until 4:30.  It was perfect though, not many people have chances like this.  I am excited to watch him grow in letters and pictures and maybe come back to his graduation someday.

What is next? Today I am walking around Jerusalem.  A kind of faith walk in the steps of Jesus.  So later I will tell you all about it.

PS: Don't give me a hard time, the spell check wasn't working. :)

Parks and Wrecks

I talked to my mom today, two things; she was mad I called my boss and anxiously awaiting the next blog.  So under strict orders from her I am not to call work again and post a long update on the last few days. The blog I can do, work, I am not so sure.

Where to start…

Parks

The kids fill my days with joy and I wish I could spend more time with them.  Even after the chocolate stains on my new white shirt, Fadi makes me smile.  Qusai finally spoke to me a few days ago.  I had been saying, “Hello and good morning, good evening and how are you,” for a very long time and he finally said “marhaba,” which means hello.  I quickly learned how rambunctious little Quasi is, not so quiet after all.  I ate breakfast with Nancy and the kids one morning and helped her put together some DVDs.  Muhannan is a photographer and recently made a DVD about a Palestinian Dance Group. 

Anyway, during our work Quasi was banging around in the kitchen and giving his little brother a hard time.  Loud screams and fake bangs from Quasi’s toy gun as well as the sporadic cries of Fadi could be heard down the street.  It is so comforting to be living in a new place far from home and know that children laugh and cry in the same language all over the world.

Though, I learned very quickly that play time for kids in Beit Sahour does not look like play time in America.  On Friday we went to the park with the kids, and I experienced the most gut wrenching part of my stay.  Well, besides the literal gut wrenching that happens from time to time.  I am still not used to the hills or the food. 

We were driving to the park and I learned that this was the only place in all of Beit Sahour that the kids could come to for play.  Then I saw the soldiers on the hill by the road.  Muhannan said they were protecting settlement lands, and my heart sank.  For those that do not know, settlements are neighborhoods built by Israel for its people on Palestinian land. The old saying of, “a land without people for a people without land,” comes to mind when I think of settlements, because it still rings true today even after the big Israeli “land grab” of 1948 when 700,000 Palestinians lost their homes.  Muhannan said the name of the settlement was something like, Shitma.  I am sure I am getting that wrong, but I wasn’t listening all that close, except to the beginning.   So I made my opinion about settlements clear when I made the joke of saying, “Well that’s appropriate because they are Shit.”  He understood completely, laughed and shook his head in agreement.

Wrecks

We went to Abu Dis which is a city by the separation wall, and has become a dangerous one.  Abu Dis is in Section B, which is controlled by Israel and does not allow for Palestinian Police.  Two things have come with that; drugs and a dual municipality of sorts where the Palestinians run the streets and in ways make their own laws while Israel does not enforce theirs.  Just yesterday two drug related murders took place when Palestinian groups sought justice on their own. 

As we drove down the “green line” (the boundary line between the years of 1948 and 1967) I saw the wall snake through the towns and cities separating families and wrecking the economy and spirits of a people, my heart sank once again.  Two young boys with Arabic rap music blaring from their car drove up to a locked and rundown store front.  When asked why they were closed, one of them cursed in Arabic and raised an angry fist to the wall.  Even for those who do not speak Arabic his face and body language said it all; they closed because of the wall. 

… A wreck, a tragic wreck indeed.

Greetings from Beit Sahour

I arrived in Bethlehem yesterday and was driven to my new home in Beit Sahour, a small city a few miles away.  The family I am living with is a Christian family.  When I called my mother she asked me what my new home was like.  Funny, I said it reminded me of the my Dominican families house in the Bronx.  The entire family was born in Beit Sahour and live in four houses next each other.  I am living with George and Sumya and they are very kind, but they speak Arabic way to fast for me to follow.  Their son Muhannan and his wife Nancy live below us with their two children, Qusai, 3 years, and Fadi, one year. Nancy and Muhannan speak English.  Nancy has become my Arabic partner, so to speak, and I am excited about that.  The best part of my stay so far has been watching Fadi.  He never has shoes on and is always walking on his tip toes, it is the most adorable thing.  He was curious and quiet at first.  Last night he sneaked over and ended up in my lap.  His curly hair smelled like olive oil as I kissed his head and said good night. 

Just a quick for note for everyone... and hope you catch me again.  I have to go to the store and get an adapter for my computer today, which will make the blogging thing a little easier.  

Blessings