It’s already 2008. How did that happen? I was too distracted watching wedding videos in Hebron. She was 16 and he was 22. At least I know they are no longer saving him for me. He is now the proud father of a beautiful little girl. When I saw her in the summer she was an infant. Now she is crawling and starting to walk. It’s amazing how quickly the kids grow and change. When I visited in the fall of 2004 D was just a few weeks old. Now three and a half years later, we can talk about animals and colors and vegetables – all in Arabic.
My sister came to visit. Went to Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Hebron, and quality time in East and West Jerusalem. I attended a Jewish wedding and a Muslim wedding, but skipped the Christian one. Too much for one week. I danced and drank and laughed and reconnected with old friends, and now I’m sick.
This workshop is taking over life, and there still aren’t enough Palestinians. Now it’s getting personal. I need it to be successful, but I also need a job when it’s done. 21 days – eek. Time to learn the art of balance.
Bush is coming to visit. The streets are lined by American and Israeli flags. Instead of feeling patriotic, the two flags together make me feel a little uneasy. The same way I feel when I see such a combination gracing a man’s chest on a lapel pin. Not so attractive. The city is going to be in lock-down mode. Businesses are closing, doctor’s offices are canceling appointments, and schools are shutting down for 2 days. I am supposed to have a meeting in Ramallah on Thursday – looks like I might have to reschedule.
Finally bought stickers with Arabic and Hebrew on my keyboard. I can’t wait! Except it seems some of the Arabic letters a wrong. Zift.
Graduation is next week. I won’t make it.
Showing posts with label Palestine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Palestine. Show all posts
Monday, January 07, 2008
Monday, December 24, 2007
Recent Events
I live right next to a large open market, but sometimes I have the desire to purchase items in a proper supermarket. It is easier to have everything under one roof with one check out in the end, instead of going from stall to stall squeezing fruit and negotiating prices and ending up with lots of plastic bags. For whatever reason, whenever it comes to paying for my purchases there is a problem: the check-out lady goes on break when it's my turn; the customer in front of me has a problem with coupons or at the last minute realizes they forgot something on the opposite side of the store. But last night was a unique experience - the man in front of me was OCD. I didn't realize it until he started putting things on the belt. He waited to place his items until the woman in front him removed all her purchases. He then took things out of his cart, one at a time, and neatly placed them in rows. He had 3 of everything - 3 cucumbers, 3 tomatoes, 3 butters, 3 yogurts. It was fascinating to watch, so I didn't care that it took him forever to fish out the money and pay. The woman behind the register did not wait for him to pack up to start running my items, and when my malawach got near his yogurt he freaked out a little, but it all worked out.
---
The strikes aren't over, but the students are back making lots of noise in the hallways and taking up the good spots in the library. It takes 10 minutes to get through security now since the buses to and from campus are so full, but at least they haven't noticed that my student ID is expired. Yesterday, on my way back home, I was listening to a SavageLovecast on my ipod. I noticed that the woman sitting next to me was reading a book in English. I glanced at the page and read something about being "flushed" and then "the top of her bra". Turns out the book was called "the best kiss". Nothing quite like riding through Meah Shea'arim, a very Haredi neighborhood, with our own vices.
----
I was building up karma points for a couple days and it paid off. On Saturday I traveled in and out with Bethlehem with 2 friends, one of whom is Israeli, without incident. We saw Banksy's art and more, and were on the Italian news. A good time was had by all.
----
Now back to work. I need to get ahead on things. Tomorrow there is a Christmas party in my neighborhood. Wednesday I am going to Aqaba for a few hours for a meeting. Thursday morning is a meeting in Tel Aviv. Then my sister comes to visit on Saturday!
Why won't this cold go away? Happy Holidays.
---
The strikes aren't over, but the students are back making lots of noise in the hallways and taking up the good spots in the library. It takes 10 minutes to get through security now since the buses to and from campus are so full, but at least they haven't noticed that my student ID is expired. Yesterday, on my way back home, I was listening to a SavageLovecast on my ipod. I noticed that the woman sitting next to me was reading a book in English. I glanced at the page and read something about being "flushed" and then "the top of her bra". Turns out the book was called "the best kiss". Nothing quite like riding through Meah Shea'arim, a very Haredi neighborhood, with our own vices.
----
I was building up karma points for a couple days and it paid off. On Saturday I traveled in and out with Bethlehem with 2 friends, one of whom is Israeli, without incident. We saw Banksy's art and more, and were on the Italian news. A good time was had by all.
----
Now back to work. I need to get ahead on things. Tomorrow there is a Christmas party in my neighborhood. Wednesday I am going to Aqaba for a few hours for a meeting. Thursday morning is a meeting in Tel Aviv. Then my sister comes to visit on Saturday!
Why won't this cold go away? Happy Holidays.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Hello from the Holy Land
It is nice to be back in Jerusalem. The transition has been easier than expected. In my first couple of days wandering I have seen some of the same homeless people in their regular spots, security guards still working at the same cafes, and the same guy near the Jaffa gate, offering tours of Palestine. I ran into someone I knew at the baggage claim as soon as I arrive to Ben Gurion - it's amazing how many people I run into in this country. (And I got my 3 month visa with little-no struggle, thanks to Jewish privilege)
But what I time to arrive. I spent I relaxing Shabbat with old family friends in Jerusalem, in the neighborhood I lived in when I was 6. Had some interesting conversations with people at synagogue about my research, and have gotten a rather negative response when I mention that I am talking to Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanians. Things like 'what do the Palestinians have to do with it?' and 'You are looking at cooperation? You mean how there is no cooperation?' No! Get out of your bubbles!
I am impressed how quickly I have moved back into using Hebrew, after not using it for a year. I am glad to be researching in places I am already familiar with - I can speak the language, know how the buses work, know which cafes in the center of town i can walk into (after showing the contents of my bag) to use the facilities. But I am constantly having to think about what I am doing and who I tell where I am going, since not everyone will approve. I don't dare wear long skirts or bandanna on my head, because people will think I am orthodox and married. I take my Arabic ring on and off, depending on my surroundings. I don't like needing to sensor myself. I like being in this familiar place, but at the same time I am wishing I was in rural India, with the tough decision of which color pencil to give to which kid...
-----
This week is complex. Sunday night-Monday was Memorial Day, Monday night-Tuesday independence day. Sunday night at 8 pm there was a siren all over the city, and no matter where you are or what your are doing you stop to remember fallen soldiers, who lost their lives for the land. I was on a bus when it happened. We didn't get off, but the bus stopped and everyone stood in their seats. People who were walking down the busy road stopped, bicyclists dismounted. Two minutes of silence except for the siren ringing in your ears, then the city comes back to life as quickly as it stopped. I was on my way to meet a friend to go to a dinner party. While waiting for her at a classy hotel in the East, I ran into my boss from Amman, from the German foundation I interned for. Random. The dinner party was nice - lots of Italian NGO workers. I wasn't feeling super social and they weren't so much speaking-the-English, but it was a nice re-introduction to NGO/activist-y expat life.
I decided to participate in Yom Hazikaron stuff. I wrote down some stuff about it after the fact, but don't have the energy to go into it now. I think there is enough for y'all to read, anyway.
---
Going to Ramallah wasn't terribly eventful. The bus got full. We drove through back streets in East Jerusalem, then suddenly THE WALL. It was huge and imposing and totally overwhelming. We drove along it for a few minutes until arriving at Qalandia. A couple of years ago it was chaotic and you could only take a bus from East Jerusalem to the checkpoint, walk through, then get another bus on the other side to get to Ramallah. This time we went all the way through, passing through what looked like a highway tollbooth, with a billion cameras all around.
The way back was a little bit more of an ordeal. I'm sure I will be passing back and forth a lot in the next couple of months, and will go into the details of the process later. After getting through the main checkpoint, we came across a flying checkpoint, about 5 minutes later. There were no other ways onto this road, aside from coming from Qalandia, so I don't understand the point. Just additional humiliation? It works. There were two soldier eating sandwiches. One comes onto the bus, still eating his sandwich, with an Israeli flag across his chest (celebrating Independence day early, no doubt, in the face of Palestinians who are not celebrating this holiday). He looked to be about 16 years old. With his mouth half full of food he asks to check our Ids. What's the point??
(A couple hours later)
Culture shock!! It took about 1.5 hours to get back after getting into the serveece. After my interview in Ramallah I met a former King's student for coffee. When I got back to Jerusalem I walked from the East to Kikar Tzion (the absolute West), to see what festivities were happening. It was only about 7.30, so I had some pizza and wandered around until stuff started at 10. The whole Ben Yehuda area was closed off. I kept getting my bag checked, going in and out. If only they knew where I had just been, they probably would take more than just a quick look at my bag and me and wave me right through. People have toy hammers and glow-sticks. I didn't see too much confetti. Every time people pull out shaving cream the police and soldiers pounce. There are also soldiers in casual clothes, with big guns slung across their backs. It scares me how quickly I acclimate to this place. I sat for a while, waiting for Hadag Nachash to start their set. I ended up speaking to an old man for a while, all in Hebrew. In the end he was talking more to me than I to him and I didn't understand everything, but it was still pretty impressive how much I got and could communicate. Dumb-ed down form the political conversation I wanted to have, but all things considered it was still pretty good.
Tuesday was Independence Day. I was thinking I would go to the library, but felt I should help my lovely hosts with their big family picnic. I got sunburned sitting in the sun all day, eating mangled-meat, seeing lots of families from the old neighborhood who hadn't seen me since I was 6. So many babies. So much patriotism. So much racism. I was overwhelmed and went home to type up notes from Ramallah.
Today's schedule: Hebrew U. I am already 1 hour off schedule. Have to get these damn papers done..
But what I time to arrive. I spent I relaxing Shabbat with old family friends in Jerusalem, in the neighborhood I lived in when I was 6. Had some interesting conversations with people at synagogue about my research, and have gotten a rather negative response when I mention that I am talking to Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanians. Things like 'what do the Palestinians have to do with it?' and 'You are looking at cooperation? You mean how there is no cooperation?' No! Get out of your bubbles!
I am impressed how quickly I have moved back into using Hebrew, after not using it for a year. I am glad to be researching in places I am already familiar with - I can speak the language, know how the buses work, know which cafes in the center of town i can walk into (after showing the contents of my bag) to use the facilities. But I am constantly having to think about what I am doing and who I tell where I am going, since not everyone will approve. I don't dare wear long skirts or bandanna on my head, because people will think I am orthodox and married. I take my Arabic ring on and off, depending on my surroundings. I don't like needing to sensor myself. I like being in this familiar place, but at the same time I am wishing I was in rural India, with the tough decision of which color pencil to give to which kid...
-----
This week is complex. Sunday night-Monday was Memorial Day, Monday night-Tuesday independence day. Sunday night at 8 pm there was a siren all over the city, and no matter where you are or what your are doing you stop to remember fallen soldiers, who lost their lives for the land. I was on a bus when it happened. We didn't get off, but the bus stopped and everyone stood in their seats. People who were walking down the busy road stopped, bicyclists dismounted. Two minutes of silence except for the siren ringing in your ears, then the city comes back to life as quickly as it stopped. I was on my way to meet a friend to go to a dinner party. While waiting for her at a classy hotel in the East, I ran into my boss from Amman, from the German foundation I interned for. Random. The dinner party was nice - lots of Italian NGO workers. I wasn't feeling super social and they weren't so much speaking-the-English, but it was a nice re-introduction to NGO/activist-y expat life.
I decided to participate in Yom Hazikaron stuff. I wrote down some stuff about it after the fact, but don't have the energy to go into it now. I think there is enough for y'all to read, anyway.
---
Going to Ramallah wasn't terribly eventful. The bus got full. We drove through back streets in East Jerusalem, then suddenly THE WALL. It was huge and imposing and totally overwhelming. We drove along it for a few minutes until arriving at Qalandia. A couple of years ago it was chaotic and you could only take a bus from East Jerusalem to the checkpoint, walk through, then get another bus on the other side to get to Ramallah. This time we went all the way through, passing through what looked like a highway tollbooth, with a billion cameras all around.
The way back was a little bit more of an ordeal. I'm sure I will be passing back and forth a lot in the next couple of months, and will go into the details of the process later. After getting through the main checkpoint, we came across a flying checkpoint, about 5 minutes later. There were no other ways onto this road, aside from coming from Qalandia, so I don't understand the point. Just additional humiliation? It works. There were two soldier eating sandwiches. One comes onto the bus, still eating his sandwich, with an Israeli flag across his chest (celebrating Independence day early, no doubt, in the face of Palestinians who are not celebrating this holiday). He looked to be about 16 years old. With his mouth half full of food he asks to check our Ids. What's the point??
(A couple hours later)
Culture shock!! It took about 1.5 hours to get back after getting into the serveece. After my interview in Ramallah I met a former King's student for coffee. When I got back to Jerusalem I walked from the East to Kikar Tzion (the absolute West), to see what festivities were happening. It was only about 7.30, so I had some pizza and wandered around until stuff started at 10. The whole Ben Yehuda area was closed off. I kept getting my bag checked, going in and out. If only they knew where I had just been, they probably would take more than just a quick look at my bag and me and wave me right through. People have toy hammers and glow-sticks. I didn't see too much confetti. Every time people pull out shaving cream the police and soldiers pounce. There are also soldiers in casual clothes, with big guns slung across their backs. It scares me how quickly I acclimate to this place. I sat for a while, waiting for Hadag Nachash to start their set. I ended up speaking to an old man for a while, all in Hebrew. In the end he was talking more to me than I to him and I didn't understand everything, but it was still pretty impressive how much I got and could communicate. Dumb-ed down form the political conversation I wanted to have, but all things considered it was still pretty good.
Tuesday was Independence Day. I was thinking I would go to the library, but felt I should help my lovely hosts with their big family picnic. I got sunburned sitting in the sun all day, eating mangled-meat, seeing lots of families from the old neighborhood who hadn't seen me since I was 6. So many babies. So much patriotism. So much racism. I was overwhelmed and went home to type up notes from Ramallah.
Today's schedule: Hebrew U. I am already 1 hour off schedule. Have to get these damn papers done..
