The last two weeks have been rather tumultuous with some fabulous ups and pretty upsetting downs. The week before Jason and Sarah left we spent hanging out as much as possible, and Jason trying to impart as much information as possible to me before he left. This was a bit stressful for me. I don’t really like to be in charge of things, esp when its not something I know a whole lot about. (i.e. building a compost toilet) On Thursday we started building a different wall with tires and Jason was busy doing other things around town most of the day, so it was me and Saleem and some other volunteers. Every time I asked Saleem to do something he would say “yes boss” I found I did not like this at all, but he was mostly kidding. After work on Thursday Bethany and I went to a birthday party with Rachel. We didn’t know the birthday boy…. But every one was friendly and we knew some people there. It was a little weird. The birthday boy was the fiancé of a girl who works at the American School in Beit Jalla, and the party was at the school. It was very laid back just some snacks people hanging out…. And then they decided to play some games. The first game was sort of an evolution of taboo and charades put together. Every one had to write down three names of famous people real or fictional that every one would know. There were about 3 Mohamed’s and 3 Jesus’ in the pile. I chose the little mermaid, Simba and Bon Jovi…. Some people had trouble with the last one (oops) the game was entertaining and my team won! The next game was a combination of never have I ever and musical chairs. The person in the middle says something they have never done and if you have also never done it then you have to move chairs. Except the person in the middle can lie and the people in the chairs cannot. So two statements were “I have never been to church camp” and “I have never worn a cross” I was the only person who got up for these. This is just to give you an idea of who I hang out with these days ☺ aaany ways it was fun in the end. And after this party Rachel and I went to hang out on the roof of some other friends and watch the stars so it was a good end to the evening.
Friday was Sarah’s last ladies lunch. It was very sad but there were no tears yet. After lunch Rachel and I took Hiba for a few hours so Sarah could get some stuff done. Fri night was the going away party for Sarah and Jason this was amazing. We moved all the furniture in Erich and Candice’s house so there was a dance floor and they even got a small keg from Taybeh (Palestinian brewery) it was a crazy and wonderful evening.
The next morning all of PAIDIA had breakfast/brunch together at Sarah and Jason’s house and just hung out for awhile. Then we went back to Erich and Candice’s to help clean, and then Rachel took me home.
The next morning all of PAIDIA had breakfast/brunch together at Sarah and Jason’s house and just hung out for awhile. Then we went back to Erich and Candice’s to help clean, and then Rachel took me home.
Monday was a sad and strange day. We had our regular PAIDIA morning meeting sans Sarah and Jason. After the meeting we all went to Sarah and Jason’s house to help them pack up the car and say a final see you later (never goodbye). Originally they were going to borrow a van, and Rachel and I were going to drive them to the northern border with Jordan, and then take the van back with a stop over at IKEA. It turns out they didn’t get the van but a friend drove them in their SUV. Even though we weren’t needed any more Rachel and I decided we were too sad to do any real work that day, so we drove formerly Sarah and Jason’s now Erich and Candice’s car to IKEA any ways. I have never been to an IKEA before in America or anywhere else. It was quite the over whelming experience, but they do have a lot of fun things, and Rachel and I did our best to over come our grief through shopping ☺
Tuesday we had a sushi fundraiser for PAIDIA so after some meetings Saleem and I went over to Rachel’s to help her make sushi. It was only my second time making sushi and pretty fun. The fundraiser went well and hopefully well get some donations out of it.
Friday was the first party in my apartment that I was able to attend. My roommates and I were pretty excited about it. It was really fun we had a lot of people, and every one seemed to have a good time. My friends Naomi, Miriam and Amy came from Jerusalem. Amy had been to the west bank before, but it was the first time for Miriam and Naomi. These are my two friends I wrote about before that recently found out their apt is on the Palestinian side of the green line and were upset about it because they’re crunchy lefties. They spent most of the day touring sadly I was working so I couldn’t join them, but eventually they made their way to my house. I think they had a good experience. I have read both of their blog entries about coming to Bethlehem and it seems to have made them contemplative, which is definitely a step in the right direction… contemplation and questions is what lead me to where I am today. I am pretty sure some more friends will be coming to visit me, and I relish the opportunity to show them Bethlehem and the west bank and especially the checkpoints and the wall. I think it’s important for people to see the wall up close and from the Palestinian side, it really opens your eyes.
Tuesday we had a sushi fundraiser for PAIDIA so after some meetings Saleem and I went over to Rachel’s to help her make sushi. It was only my second time making sushi and pretty fun. The fundraiser went well and hopefully well get some donations out of it.
Friday was the first party in my apartment that I was able to attend. My roommates and I were pretty excited about it. It was really fun we had a lot of people, and every one seemed to have a good time. My friends Naomi, Miriam and Amy came from Jerusalem. Amy had been to the west bank before, but it was the first time for Miriam and Naomi. These are my two friends I wrote about before that recently found out their apt is on the Palestinian side of the green line and were upset about it because they’re crunchy lefties. They spent most of the day touring sadly I was working so I couldn’t join them, but eventually they made their way to my house. I think they had a good experience. I have read both of their blog entries about coming to Bethlehem and it seems to have made them contemplative, which is definitely a step in the right direction… contemplation and questions is what lead me to where I am today. I am pretty sure some more friends will be coming to visit me, and I relish the opportunity to show them Bethlehem and the west bank and especially the checkpoints and the wall. I think it’s important for people to see the wall up close and from the Palestinian side, it really opens your eyes.
Saturday I went to lunch at a Palestinian family’s house with my roommate Bethany. It was very nice and they didn’t even mind that I was a vegetarian they just laughed at me and made a few jokes at my expense. That evening we went to a conference being put on by ICAHD. It was comparing the South African apartheid to the Israeli occupation. At first I thought they were going to just try to show the similarities, and say it’s the same thing, (which is very annoying to me since they are very different), but they actually did a very good job of talking about the similarities and differences, and how we can learn from the truth and reconciliation commission and try to do a better job if Israel and Palestine ever even get to that point. It was a very interesting evening over all, and I got to say hi to Jeff Halper and he remembered me, which is always nice.
Sunday Rachel took Bethany and I to the cellcom store in Jerusalem to get our Internet fixed and also to the grocery store. Most grocery stores in the west bank are very small and you often have to go to a few to get all the things you need or want, so its always a little exciting to go to a grocery store in Jerusalem it seems soooo big it’s a little over whelming. At the cellcom store I think I got hit on by a very friendly soldier. He wanted to know where I lived and what I was doing in “Israel” I didn’t feel like having THAT conversation esp with someone in uniform, so I told him I lived in Talpiot and was studying at Pardes (thanks Miriam and Naomi) and then I just sort of turned away and tried to end the conversation because I don’t like lying. I also don’t like that I have to lie to have a normal conversation here but I guess that’s what I’m trying to fix.
The last few days have been a bit hectic. I have been given a lot of responsibilities after Jason left and so now I am preparing to build things when I have no experience what so ever building, especially a composting toilet made out of tires. This was a lot more fun when Jason was in charge and I just did what he told me, but I guess this is good experience for me, and will build character. We’re supposed to pour the floor of the bathroom tomorrow and I am just a little bit terrified that nothing with work the way we think it will and it will be a huge disaster, but I’m hoping for the best, and either way when its all over it will be thanksgiving. I just made two pecan pies and my apt smells amazing. I can’t wait for all the deliciousness tomorrow.
The last few days have been a bit hectic. I have been given a lot of responsibilities after Jason left and so now I am preparing to build things when I have no experience what so ever building, especially a composting toilet made out of tires. This was a lot more fun when Jason was in charge and I just did what he told me, but I guess this is good experience for me, and will build character. We’re supposed to pour the floor of the bathroom tomorrow and I am just a little bit terrified that nothing with work the way we think it will and it will be a huge disaster, but I’m hoping for the best, and either way when its all over it will be thanksgiving. I just made two pecan pies and my apt smells amazing. I can’t wait for all the deliciousness tomorrow.
I love thanksgiving. In my family we have always gone around the table before we eat and said the things we were thankful for, and this has always made this time of year a time of reflection for me. In my family we know about the small pox, land stealing and general crappiness of the way the native Americans were treated, so there is no thought to celebrating the pilgrims and Indians and how nice they were to each other. For us it has always been about being together, which is harder than one would think, and thinking about all the blessings in our lives. It is strange to be in Palestine of all places for thanksgiving. I would like to say I am thankful for the fact that no one is trying to take my land and give me small pox, but this is made more difficult when someone is trying to take the land of Palestinians all around me. Last week there were two house demolitions in East Jerusalem. This has nothing to do with security these were not the homes of terrorists, just normal families who built with out the impossible to get building permit from Israel. Soooo I think im going off on a rant again. I just hope this thanksgiving you will think about all the things we take for granted, like food, water, and a roof over our heads, and give some thought to those people who do not have the luxury of taking these things for granted. As Americans we may see what happened to the native Americans a bad thing that happened in the past, but it still happens every day all over the world, so just remember that as you’re slipping into your food coma tomorrow, and maybe just maybe think about what you might do this year to cause a few more people to have a little more to be thankful for next year.
