5/1
Thursday we didn’t have class because its Labor day. I did some cleaning, and internet stuff, and then went to Ramallah with Sandra to do some souvenir shopping so she would have presents for her friends when she got home. Then Tasha came and met us, and then we all went to meet some others and Maryanne for dinner, because she was leaving the next day. We had a nice dinner, said our good byes and then we went back to Birzeit to get ready to go to Zan’s later in the evening. Everyone came over to our apt for a little pre party and then we left for Zans around 10ish. Zans was as it always is nothing special but at least a little more exciting than staying around Birzeit all the time. No stone throwing this time, but Santi got into a huge fight with someone and had to be carried out of the bar. I think that was the most exciting thing of the evening. The rest of us left pretty late and passed out in our respective homes.
Friday was pretty much a waste of a day. I didn’t feel like doing anything when I woke up, but I was starving so I finally dragged myself out of bed and went to the store for nourishment, and then I watched Big Fish, which is a pretty great movie. Then Sandra and I hung out for awhile and talked about the events of the previous evening. Eventually I studied a little for my Amiah Arabic exam on Saturday. Then Sandra said she was going over to the girl’s place, so I went with her. Katie was already there and they were also studying for our exam the next day so we did that for a bit longer and then decided to give up and watch the science of sleep. Sandra left before the movie because she had an exam at 8am. The movie ended around 12 and Katie and I began the trek home. Katie was saying something about how she wished she could snap her fingers and we would be home and literally 10 seconds later Tamer showed up in his car, so we got a ride home (yeah Tamer!) We were both exhausted and went straight to bed.
5/3
Saturday we had the exam at 12. I woke up at 9 and studied a little more and then got ready for school. I went to the cafeteria and got my last sandwich from there for a while, and headed to the PAS office to take the test. It wasn’t too bad. Its all oral so its just Sammi talking to us individually and asking questions. I only didn’t know one word he used so I think I did pretty well. After the exam I went to the little art exhibit by the library, since I hadn’t been yet and Tasha wanted to see it. We stayed there for a bit, and then went to get some falafel goodness, and then to our respective homes. I took a little nap and then went to Livingstone’s (the free wireless place) when it opened at 5 to post pictures, and do other internet related things. Sandra had gone earlier to Kyle’s to play beer pong as a pre party to the party at our place that night. When I got back home from Livingstone’s all the Beerpongers were in my apt and they were all as Josh would say “socially lubricated” I was kind of in a weird mood. I had talked to Aimee when I was online and she told me about senior Shabbat, and I talked to some other people from home, and it made me a little homesick. Esp since graduation is so soon and I wont be there. I actually thought about flying home for a little bit, but financially it just doesn’t make sense. Anyways, I sucked it up and started playing catch up with everyone. A fairly ridiculous evening ensued, and it ended as it often does with us sleeping on the roof.
5/4
I woke up first, because the sun was directly on me and I was baking. I got up and got some juice from downstairs to rehydrate myself. Eventually others started to wake up. Some how, we persuaded Wilko to go get breakfast for us, and Santi brought falafel. It was a wonderful breakfast. We had eggs, lebaneh, humus, tomatoes, Watermelon, falafel, and pita. We ate back up on the roof, where it was nice and warm. After breakfast everyone went home, and everyone in my house decided to take naps. After my nap I took a shower, hung out with Sandra, Ramez and Tamer for a bit, and then went back to Livingstone’s to post more pictures (the connection is slow and it takes forever to upload photos to facebook), and I had a gchat date with Sienna. I came back home around 8:30 and Sandra was leaving at 9. There were a few people there to wish her farewell. We said our goodbyes. It was really sad. Sandra and I got pretty close since we lived together. Ill miss her a lot, but I shall see her soon in Sweden so I shouldn’t be too sad. After Sandra and pretty much everyone else left, Vanessa, Tasha, Wilko and I watched Willow. Tasha had moved to my apt that night, because her room had mold growing in it and it was killing her, so Wilko and Vanessa went home and Tasha and I went to bed.
5/5
Monday was weird. I felt like I should be going to class, but there was no class, since the semester is over. Instead of class I got up late, checked my email, and then got my clothes together to do laundry at Wilko’s since he was leaving that night. Thomas called me when I was on my way to Wilko’s and invited me over for lunch so I threw my clothes in the washer at Wilko’s and then walked over to Thomas’s for food. I hung out there for almost two hours and then I had to go back to Wilko’s to take my laundry out of the machine and put in load number two. I stayed at Wilko’s until it was done. Wilko was just packing and and figuring out everything for his journey to Syria the next day. Eventually the laundry was done and I had to get back home to get ready to go to Ramallah for a dance show with Tasha. I said goodbye to Wilko for a month and then headed out. Tasha and I went to Ramallah a little bit later. We went to the Ramallah cultural palace to see a dance group called Cobos Mika from spain. They were pretty amazing. They did hiphop and also modern dance, and they did a lot of funny little sketches as well. When we got back from the show were very hungry, but also lazy, we both went to the store and bought dinners you just had to add water to. Then we just hung out on the balcony with Vanessa, Katie and Hussein until it was late and we were falling asleep. I read for awhile and then went to bed.
5/6
Tuesday Tasha and I got up got ready and went to Jerusalem. She wanted to buy some presents for people, and she had to send some stuff home and I wanted to finally got a colorful Kafeya. So we went to the post office first, sent he stuff. Then we called Jean Marie to see if he wanted to wander the old city with us. After the post office I decided to call Eyal from ICAHD since he hadn’t gotten back to me yet about when I should come to the office to work. He told me he had just emailed me and that I should come the next day around noon, so I was excited about that. Jean Marie met us at Jaffa gate. I bought a kafeya I bargained in Arabic I was so proud of myself. We walked around a bit. Jean Marie took us to some cistern that apparently is where Jesus drank from or something. Tasha got presents for people. After awhile we we were hungry and talking about going to find food, and Jean Marie just had us come to the church he lives at and got stuff from the fridge and fed us. Free food is always a plus. After our little meal I wanted to go back to Birzeit to go to livingstone’s to try to find a plane ticket to Germany, but the site was being annoying, so I decided to wait. I made some dinner after that, and then Tasha and I went over to Nicks’s to see what he and others were up to. Its so weird… so many people are gone. I feel like our social lives have been diminished so much. We only stayed at Nicks for maybe an hour and half and decided to leave since we were tired. I read at home and went to bed.
5/7
I got up around 9 so I would have plenty of time to get ready and be in Jerusalem on time to meet with Eyal and start working on this project. When I got there Eyal explained to me more about what he wanted, he introduced me to a few more people around the office, and then I started working. I had to asked the staff that does lectures and tours about what they do, how long it takes, what it requires etc… So I talked to Meir first, then Jeff Halper, then I started to do some formatting. I was there for about 3 hours. I showed Eyal what I had done so far. He approved, and then I went to meet Laura Liss (an old friend from OSRUI). Laura had emailed me a few days before to say she was going to be in the area. So we decided to meet up when I was in Jerusalem that day. I met her and her boyfriend at a coffee shop near Ben Yehuda. We talked for about an hour and half and then they had to get back to where they were staying and I wanted to get back to Birzeit, before Yom Haatzmaut (Independence day) events that evening started in Jerusalem. It felt a little weird to be leaving Jerusalem on Yom Haatzmaut, but I just didn’t feel like I could be there. I no longer feel I can celebrate the creation of the state of Israel when it came at the expense of another people. One day I hope I can celebrate the creation of a state where everyone has freedom and independence, but until then, this is no time to celebrate.
I got back to Bizeit went home for a bit and then went to Livingstone’s again. I really wish I could just have internet in my apt, but that is apparently impossible. I really tried to get a ticket to Germany this time, but it was being slow, and then the internet stopped working all together, so I gave up and went home. I made dinner with Tasha and then watched the 5th element with Tasha. Then read and went to bed.
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