Saturday, May 12, 2012
Transversing the Middle East: Part 3
It's a terrible thing to realize after starting a blog that you suck at actually writing in it. But despite being home already I am still going to finish this because I still have a lot to talk about regardless of where I am writing this from.
Part 3 is about Tunisia
Tunisia is a strange place. Colonized by the French during the whole scramble for Africa the people of Tunisia have this beautiful blend of French and Arabic that makes it even harder for poor westerners to understand the local population., Oh did I mention that the Arabic is different? It's different and half the words that we did know were useless here. Luckily I had my French. Thank God for my French classes in High School because otherwise I would have died here (they put Tuna Fish on EVERYTHING so I had to nicely ask them not to do that.)
Part 3 is about Tunisia
Tunisia is a strange place. Colonized by the French during the whole scramble for Africa the people of Tunisia have this beautiful blend of French and Arabic that makes it even harder for poor westerners to understand the local population., Oh did I mention that the Arabic is different? It's different and half the words that we did know were useless here. Luckily I had my French. Thank God for my French classes in High School because otherwise I would have died here (they put Tuna Fish on EVERYTHING so I had to nicely ask them not to do that.)
We stayed in two cities while in Tunisia. Tunis, the capital city where the beginning of the Arab Spring started (literally down the street and around the corner) and Kairouan, the third holiest city in Islam.
While in Tunisia we went to a Mosque, went to the US Embassy, listened to lots of speakers and saw the newly democratized Tunisian's marching in front of our hotel using their new found freedom of speech to rally people for their political party.
While in Tunisia we went to a Mosque, went to the US Embassy, listened to lots of speakers and saw the newly democratized Tunisian's marching in front of our hotel using their new found freedom of speech to rally people for their political party.
We went to the beach twice, first was in this beautiful little seaside town where we picked up seashells and soaked up the sun. The second time was when a small group of us went to a port. We saw beautiful boats and happy people laughing and enjoy the sunny day. I heard bits and pieces of French and Spanish, a German couple were telling a joke, and Arabic being shouted across the courtyards.
We went to Carthage, a city that ruled the Mediterranean Sea until the Romans burned it down. The ruins were amazing and really meant something as I walked through the baths and arches. At one point I stopped and looked at the crumbling pieces and remembered that life, civilization, and the world all falls apart. The spirit of a civilization remains by only how much is left over and once all of it degrades and crumbles into dust and once there is no one to remember it becomes a mystery and a puzzle for future generations to piece together.
In the theme of mystery and the crumbling of life into dust, the last thing I want to talk about is the cemetery that we visited. It was the World War Two North Africa cemetery and seeing the hundreds of white marble crosses and stars of David mark the green plot of land in the small section of the Tunisian coastline. While walking the grounds, I found crosses that were for many soldiers, unknown but stilled loved by people. I found soldiers of almost every branch of the US Military, but the thing that still resonates with me is finding a cross with gold lettering. This gold lettering designated that the man buried there was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The man buried there, after a bit of research turned out to be a Polish immigrant. He left his country became a citizen, joined the Army and then gave his life for the country that he believed would make his life better.
Thanks for reading. Peace and Love
We went to Carthage, a city that ruled the Mediterranean Sea until the Romans burned it down. The ruins were amazing and really meant something as I walked through the baths and arches. At one point I stopped and looked at the crumbling pieces and remembered that life, civilization, and the world all falls apart. The spirit of a civilization remains by only how much is left over and once all of it degrades and crumbles into dust and once there is no one to remember it becomes a mystery and a puzzle for future generations to piece together.
In the theme of mystery and the crumbling of life into dust, the last thing I want to talk about is the cemetery that we visited. It was the World War Two North Africa cemetery and seeing the hundreds of white marble crosses and stars of David mark the green plot of land in the small section of the Tunisian coastline. While walking the grounds, I found crosses that were for many soldiers, unknown but stilled loved by people. I found soldiers of almost every branch of the US Military, but the thing that still resonates with me is finding a cross with gold lettering. This gold lettering designated that the man buried there was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The man buried there, after a bit of research turned out to be a Polish immigrant. He left his country became a citizen, joined the Army and then gave his life for the country that he believed would make his life better.
Thanks for reading. Peace and Love
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Transveresing the Middle East: Part 2
Turkey! More specifically Istanbul! YAY!
Ok, so those of you who know me are aware of the mostly irritating event when I start rattling off historical information about a subject that I know a lot about until someone tells me to stop of I have forgotten what I was going to say.
Now, Imagine you are in a city with me that has so much interesting historically relevant buildings that every time I see one I start talking.
That was Istanbul. Thanks to all of the history courses I have taken in my life time, my research project into Sacred Space (The Haggai Sophia, ya I went there) and all of the random books I have read, Istanbul was the Middle Eastern version of the first time I walked into the Smithsonian American History Museum. I could have died I was so happy.
The one down fall of the city (which really was not a down fall in all reality) was the number of mosques located in a square mile. There were mosques everywhere. They were large and beautiful and loud. Also, none of the mosques coordinated their clocks so in a twenty minute span, five times a day the call to prayer could be heard. I was so lucky to be staying in a hotel next to one of these mosques and sometimes it was so loud the windows shook.
The one down fall of the city (which really was not a down fall in all reality) was the number of mosques located in a square mile. There were mosques everywhere. They were large and beautiful and loud. Also, none of the mosques coordinated their clocks so in a twenty minute span, five times a day the call to prayer could be heard. I was so lucky to be staying in a hotel next to one of these mosques and sometimes it was so loud the windows shook.
As a whole, it was wonderful. The speakers each had very interesting points to say about the government, the Arab Spring, and religion just to name a few topics we covered.
For such a large city, it was relatively easy to get around. Heck I could go from Europe to Asia in like ten minutes it was easy (If you didn't know Istanbul sits on the Bosporus Straights, a water way that divides the continent of Europe and the continent of Asia from each other)
The picture is of the bridge that connects the two continents. It reminded me of the Bay Bridge on a fall afternoon because it was A)cold B)gloomy and C) rainy
For such a large city, it was relatively easy to get around. Heck I could go from Europe to Asia in like ten minutes it was easy (If you didn't know Istanbul sits on the Bosporus Straights, a water way that divides the continent of Europe and the continent of Asia from each other)
The picture is of the bridge that connects the two continents. It reminded me of the Bay Bridge on a fall afternoon because it was A)cold B)gloomy and C) rainy
I went into the Haggai Sophia and Father Chris would be so proud that I remembered everything that I learned in the early church history class.
We went into the Blue Mosque, which is impressive but when you realize that Ottomans tried to make it bigger than the Haggai Sophia and had to use huge pillars to prevent the dome from falling in, it makes the Haggai Sophia way more cool.
One more thing before I end this piece, all of us girls went to the Turkish Baths, and let me tell you, that was an experience! A story better told over a nice glass of sun tea (because it will be sun tea weather when I get back!)
keep on the look out for parts 3 and 4!
peace and love
We went into the Blue Mosque, which is impressive but when you realize that Ottomans tried to make it bigger than the Haggai Sophia and had to use huge pillars to prevent the dome from falling in, it makes the Haggai Sophia way more cool.
One more thing before I end this piece, all of us girls went to the Turkish Baths, and let me tell you, that was an experience! A story better told over a nice glass of sun tea (because it will be sun tea weather when I get back!)
keep on the look out for parts 3 and 4!
peace and love
Transveresing the Middle East: Part 1
So, I'm a terrible person. I promised that I would update this fast and I didn't. Now I am going to sit down and give you what you have been craving, bits and pieces of my semester.
Part one is the Homestays and the adventures that ensued.
We finished off the finals for our classes at Tantur, went to our last service project day and went to see Shane Claiborne. Our leaders prepped us for home-stays.
Home-stays, were for the most part good. Living with a family that is completely different than what I am used to was an experience that I will tell you about if you would like to know.
While doing home-stays we went to Ramallah, Hebron, and a kibbutz.
Each visit was different and exciting and deserves a little description.
Ramallah is the epicenter/ administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority.
It felt like a true Middle Eastern city, the kind that you see in the movies, jostling crowded, yelling, and steaming carts with delicious food nearly every ten feet. We went to the grave of Arafat and listened to a speaker. It was interesting to see a city slowly modernizing but still have the decay and trash of poverty that lined the streets.
It felt like a true Middle Eastern city, the kind that you see in the movies, jostling crowded, yelling, and steaming carts with delicious food nearly every ten feet. We went to the grave of Arafat and listened to a speaker. It was interesting to see a city slowly modernizing but still have the decay and trash of poverty that lined the streets.
In Hebron, after going into a Synagogue/Mosque (Yes indeed both groups claim this building to be theirs) we went into the old main street.
You have to know what Hebron is before I can go further;
Hebron is a town in the West Bank that the Israelis claim as part of their cultural and religious history. Unfortunately it is deep in the West Bank and if we are speaking about territory there is no justification for there to be a settlement there. But there is and both groups have to live with it.
Due to this, the main street in Hebron has been cut in half, shops that were once Palestinian are no longer accessible because it they are on the other side of the road.
On the Market street, the soldiers have had to put up chicken wire above the shops because the Israelis there throw garbage down onto unsuspecting Palestinians and events like that incite much unwanted fighting between the two groups.
It was interesting to see the holy building that both groups lay claim to. At one point it was a Mosque so much of the Arabic script is intact on the Jewish side of the building, which greatly frustrates the Jews to no end but they cannot destroy or remove the Islamic stuff. (I don't know why, they just can't)
The point that I want to emphasize the post in this post is how much hatred can be portrayed by simple acts.
While we were there is was during the feast of Purim. This is sort of like a Jewish Halloween where they all dress up and be silly. First off, due to the craziness of Hebron, we could not leave until after the Purim parade, which for the most part wasn't bad. Little kids were dressed up as cow-boys and monsters, princesses and superheroes and the adults were dressed up do, mostly with silly hats but one stuck out and he did this on purpose, mostly to see if he could get a rise out of someone. He was dressed up as a "typical Palestinian" with pictures of Terrorists pinned to him telling all of the tourists that those people were Palestinian heroes and that Palestinians worship them. Eventually he went away, but it made me upset that people could be so cruel. I understand that I will never understand the conflict. I am a Westerner who has spent three months in my bubble trying to understand and I never will.
You have to know what Hebron is before I can go further;
Hebron is a town in the West Bank that the Israelis claim as part of their cultural and religious history. Unfortunately it is deep in the West Bank and if we are speaking about territory there is no justification for there to be a settlement there. But there is and both groups have to live with it.
Due to this, the main street in Hebron has been cut in half, shops that were once Palestinian are no longer accessible because it they are on the other side of the road.
On the Market street, the soldiers have had to put up chicken wire above the shops because the Israelis there throw garbage down onto unsuspecting Palestinians and events like that incite much unwanted fighting between the two groups.
It was interesting to see the holy building that both groups lay claim to. At one point it was a Mosque so much of the Arabic script is intact on the Jewish side of the building, which greatly frustrates the Jews to no end but they cannot destroy or remove the Islamic stuff. (I don't know why, they just can't)
The point that I want to emphasize the post in this post is how much hatred can be portrayed by simple acts.
While we were there is was during the feast of Purim. This is sort of like a Jewish Halloween where they all dress up and be silly. First off, due to the craziness of Hebron, we could not leave until after the Purim parade, which for the most part wasn't bad. Little kids were dressed up as cow-boys and monsters, princesses and superheroes and the adults were dressed up do, mostly with silly hats but one stuck out and he did this on purpose, mostly to see if he could get a rise out of someone. He was dressed up as a "typical Palestinian" with pictures of Terrorists pinned to him telling all of the tourists that those people were Palestinian heroes and that Palestinians worship them. Eventually he went away, but it made me upset that people could be so cruel. I understand that I will never understand the conflict. I am a Westerner who has spent three months in my bubble trying to understand and I never will.
Last we went to a kibbutz, and funnily enough it was within walking distance of Tantur. None of knew that there was one there and it came as sort of a shock. As we spoke to the women it became apparent that kibbutzim are everywhere and each have their own twist to an idea that came from Eastern Europe by a bunch of kids who wanted something better.
One thing I admired was there dedication to preserving the spirit of the Kibbutz, though I am not sure if I could live in one. Even one of the progressive ones that resemble communes that are popping up in Berkeley as co-ops.
One thing I admired was there dedication to preserving the spirit of the Kibbutz, though I am not sure if I could live in one. Even one of the progressive ones that resemble communes that are popping up in Berkeley as co-ops.
I know this is an unsatisfactory post, but hopefully the others will be better thought out. It's coming close to the end. I leave Israel in four days. Wish me luck!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Transveresing the Middle East: Prologue
So, I am sorry that this blog is a month late but I promise this post and the ones that will be following will be worth the wait.
So, since my last post I have been doing a lot. I have:
1.Stayed with a Palestinian family in the West Bank
2. Flew to Turkey
3.Flew to Tunisia
4.Flew to Jordan
3.Flew to Tunisia
4.Flew to Jordan
Each of these had numerous adventures to account and so thus will each have their own post.
This post is primarily one that is to set the stage and give warning to those who will read it.
In many cases something will be left out due to a confidentiality rule that we as a program have agreed to so that our speakers feel safe in what they tell us. If you really want to know something specific send me a message we can chat one on one. Also keep in mind events that occur are happening in a context of the Middle East.
Do not judge and make assumptions. I can not even do that, and I am the one who has been here the last two and a half months. Some things I say may make you upset. Don't freak out. Obviously I am alive and a happy camper.
Alright, these posts will be coming as soon as I can type them (and will occur between things like Easter and final paper writings.)
peace and love
Sunday, February 26, 2012
So, apparently the Middles East is on fire. . .
So, first I want to say I'm sorry that I haven't written a blog in a couple of weeks. Two reasons for this:
1. A full course load of semester work shoved into two months means that mid terms and finals are back to back and I have working my tail off to get them done.
2. I am in the Middle East and have been going to awesome places the days that I think I will finally just sit down and write out a blog.
Now, since those pleasantries are over this blog is dedicated to everyone who has expressed concern that Israel will drop a bomb on Iran.
As far as I know, it's not going to happen. The Israelis are more concerned about when the strike ends that is occurring at the moment with city workers at banks, post offices, and the garbage companies (needless to say it's been kinda stinky around here for the last three weeks.) Despite having more political efficacy than the average American, the average Israeli is just like any other person living in a western democratic society. They care about themselves more than they care about the people around them, the only difference is that they have a history of terrorist attacks against them so they are more aware of that (though honestly I have only heard of one disturbance and that was at a checkpoint.*
*actually two, there was a disturbance in the Old city near the Dome of the Rock, but apparently that happens a lot and since no one got hurt and it was just a lot of shouting it doesn't really get reported)
Currently the issues in Syria have been brought up in conversation and as sad as the events that are happening there, Israelis don't really care. I was at the Golan Heights yesterday, where we could see for miles. Including the Syrian boarder, the UN head-quarters there and see a town five-ish miles from the former military bunker system (now a tourist destination with over priced coffee) and yet, even from that outpost you wouldn't even think that there was a problem in the world with how calm the surrounding area appeared.
Now, truthfully I know that just because I could see Syria and a bunch of the towns doesn't mean there isn't any problems occurring, it just means that I couldn't see the heart of the country or the upheavals that have been shown on the news for the last few weeks.
But I take it as a metaphor.
One of the main things I have been learning is that when people get comfortable in a specific position they start to grow numb to what they are sitting on.
That is what the governments in the Middle East have done. They have grown comfortable in their positions in power and have grown numb to the needs of some or all of their citizens. In the case of the Israelis,(and disclaimer I may offend someone sorry) when they built the wall it became a symbol of us vs them. I am generalizing but many Israelis have forgotten that there is a problem occurring and because nothing significant (like buses blowing up) are happening so strikes from city workers (like the garbage people) and the rising cost of living take precedent. But things like that will always happen, what I don't think people understand is that unless something happens in the next ten years Israel will face something similar to Egypt.
Maybe not as drastic but it will happen because of the kids that are witnessing it all right now.
To put this statement into context I'd like to share a story that happened today at the school that I have been volunteering at in a neighborhood called Beit Hanina. I was standing in a sixth grade class room with Palestinian Students with my partner Travis. The teacher encouraged the students to ask us questions and so we had been answering the, everything from where we were from to what were we doing here in the Middle East. One of the question was about what we were studying and as Travis discussed that we were in Israel to study the conflict and learn some Arabic the student quickly corrected Travis stating that much of what we were visiting was Palestinian (meaning pre-1967 boarders.)
This kid along with his brother and their friends have the potential power to bring down the government. With today's modern media anything can happen in the blink of an eye and that is only to get better in ten years.
It's like when you fall asleep on your hand and when you wake up it feels awkward and uncomfortable and unless you get circulation back into it it stays that way for much longer than it really should. The Israeli government has gotten complacent and it needs to address the problems its ignoring.
So this ends that little rant, though I am not sure how cohesive it is.
Sorry about that.
In any case there are going to be two ish new blogs pretty soon due to timing ha, so I hope you enjoy and I'm sorry that this one took so long to post.
peace and love
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Taking a breath after a storm
So, apparently the desert that people are shown on TV and in movies is only present in the dry season here.
Meaning that at the moment, I am sitting on my bed watching the rain hit the sliding glass door that is attached to my balcony and hearing the whistle of the wind come in through the cracks. It maintains the first impression that I had when I first put my things into the closet. Cold rooms but inviting dialog.
Did I mention earlier that I live in a castle? It was built in the late 18oos by an Austrian Duke as a hospital and church thing and converted into what it is now in the early seventies. Their are ruins everywhere and beautiful views that I have begun to appreciate. The director of my program explained to me that people would die to have the type of space and view that we have due to that fact that Israel is small in land mass and large in population. (They have to put all of those Jewish Immigrants some place after all.)
Which leads me to what I really wanted to talk about in this post. It doesn't really have to do with the Law of Return (a law that 1948 Israel put into effect to give any Jew, of any status a place to call home) which many believe is poetic justice for the Jews that have been in the diaspora for the last two thousand-ish years. The last few days my group has been learning about the Zionist movement in Israel. This started as a tour at the Israeli Holocaust museum and ended on top of Mt. Herzl (the birth place of the Israeli civil-religion interesting enough.)
I was even contented to walk through the museum of the 6th Prime Minister of Israel. The Begen center contained a lot of, dare I say it, propaganda. This museum which chronicled his life made it look like he was a God send to the people of Israel, and maybe he was. After all, Begen was the man who signed the Camp David accord with Sadat which Jimmy Carter witnessed. He also received a Nobel Peace Prize, which he also shared with Sadat. Regardless of what I think about him, the museum was well done and even convincing enough that I actually paid attention.
I was even contented to walk through the museum of the 6th Prime Minister of Israel. The Begen center contained a lot of, dare I say it, propaganda. This museum which chronicled his life made it look like he was a God send to the people of Israel, and maybe he was. After all, Begen was the man who signed the Camp David accord with Sadat which Jimmy Carter witnessed. He also received a Nobel Peace Prize, which he also shared with Sadat. Regardless of what I think about him, the museum was well done and even convincing enough that I actually paid attention.
Today I hit a road block in how I was processing different ideas and motives for Zionism and even Nationalism, which is a topic that I discussed in my first paper. The problem I had today involved Christian Zionism, and now that I have had the entire day to process and read a memo that talked about why we had to watch the movie that discussed the view points of what a collection of Christians believe I think I can now articulate how the movie made me feel and why I reacted to it as I did.
Let's just say that my reaction throughout the movie was of utter astonishment and disgust at the lack of tact that these people had. That is putting it as lightly as I possibly can.
I reality, I wanted to remove the connection as a fellow Christian as quickly as possible. Their rhetoric was on one hand that of a normal evangelical back ground, one that I am familiar with. The other half of the movie was of hate, intolerance and ignorance. I cringed every time the main person would come on and justify his language saying it was "a right", whether that right was to spread ignorant statements about religions and cultures he doesn't understand or about encouraging terroristic intentions about destroying another cultures holy places.
Yes, that is exactly how to show love to our neighbors, plotting the demise of their livelihood. YUP, makes me proud to say that I am part of that group. . .NOT.
I can't say that I am perfect or that I am any better than they are but for the last few years I have been trying to live by remembering that everyone was wonderfully and fearfully made. Which makes them important, whether or not you agree with them is besides the point.
I reality, I wanted to remove the connection as a fellow Christian as quickly as possible. Their rhetoric was on one hand that of a normal evangelical back ground, one that I am familiar with. The other half of the movie was of hate, intolerance and ignorance. I cringed every time the main person would come on and justify his language saying it was "a right", whether that right was to spread ignorant statements about religions and cultures he doesn't understand or about encouraging terroristic intentions about destroying another cultures holy places.
Yes, that is exactly how to show love to our neighbors, plotting the demise of their livelihood. YUP, makes me proud to say that I am part of that group. . .NOT.
I can't say that I am perfect or that I am any better than they are but for the last few years I have been trying to live by remembering that everyone was wonderfully and fearfully made. Which makes them important, whether or not you agree with them is besides the point.
Another thing that made me upset was that they were using half truths and corrupted history to make their arguments. I am sorry, but to build an argument on this kind of foundation usually leads to it falling apart because more informed people can tear it down with facts and figures that hold up to a general consensus of academic people.
(I also don't like people messing with history. I understand history is written by the victors and it is important to gather the facts from all sides but some of these claims these people were making was tearing out the part of my soul that is a history major and stomping on it.)
(I also don't like people messing with history. I understand history is written by the victors and it is important to gather the facts from all sides but some of these claims these people were making was tearing out the part of my soul that is a history major and stomping on it.)
The last straw with the movie I had was when they were discussing the time after the tribulation. To put this into the context for those who may not understand the understanding of Armageddon (or the end times of the world) is understood differently by Christians.
As a Christian myself, I do believe that some time in the future, Jesus will return. I don't know when or where or how, but I believe that he will return because that is one of his promises. I don't concern myself with the prophecy or dooms-day sightings because I believe that God wants me to live my life without worrying if tomorrow Jesus will return.
This group of people interviewed discussed many aspects of the end times which includes the rapture, tribulation, a huge war, and the end all millennium (one thousand years of peace and tranquility). When they were discussing the millennium one of the men had to the nerve to say that he didn't even know if there was going to be seasons any more.
No more seasons? Really dude? What made me the most upset was the fact that this man was a (explicit) engineer! A man of science!
I maintain to be a Christian through and through, even to the point that God created the Heavens and the Earth. I also believe that science is very important. He created intelligent people who have been figuring out how Space and our planets works for the last few hundred years, and guess what, because God made the night and day*
*Quick science lesson: Due to the fact that our earth rotates to give us night and day it also moves the earth closer and farther away from the sun giving us seasons. It's opposite seasons for the North and South Hemispheres, but still, seasons have happened since God created the Earth and will continue to happen until the (explicit) sun blows up.
As a Christian myself, I do believe that some time in the future, Jesus will return. I don't know when or where or how, but I believe that he will return because that is one of his promises. I don't concern myself with the prophecy or dooms-day sightings because I believe that God wants me to live my life without worrying if tomorrow Jesus will return.
This group of people interviewed discussed many aspects of the end times which includes the rapture, tribulation, a huge war, and the end all millennium (one thousand years of peace and tranquility). When they were discussing the millennium one of the men had to the nerve to say that he didn't even know if there was going to be seasons any more.
No more seasons? Really dude? What made me the most upset was the fact that this man was a (explicit) engineer! A man of science!
I maintain to be a Christian through and through, even to the point that God created the Heavens and the Earth. I also believe that science is very important. He created intelligent people who have been figuring out how Space and our planets works for the last few hundred years, and guess what, because God made the night and day*
*Quick science lesson: Due to the fact that our earth rotates to give us night and day it also moves the earth closer and farther away from the sun giving us seasons. It's opposite seasons for the North and South Hemispheres, but still, seasons have happened since God created the Earth and will continue to happen until the (explicit) sun blows up.
Now granted, just the fact that I say I believe in an esoteric religion that goes against the very nature of humans many people would say that I am just as ignorant as the people from this movie are. I don't think so.
Just because I believe that people should treat others well. That love, hope, peace, and joy are important things that should be shown everyday. Also the little thing of believing that a stonemason (what Jesus really was, because there isn't a lot of wood in Israel) was the son of God and that is how I am going to heaven.
I think most people agree that being a good person makes the world a little better by following the golden rule (one that is expressed in every culture in every part of the world by the way.) I just happen to have Jesus tacked onto my belief system.
Just because I believe that people should treat others well. That love, hope, peace, and joy are important things that should be shown everyday. Also the little thing of believing that a stonemason (what Jesus really was, because there isn't a lot of wood in Israel) was the son of God and that is how I am going to heaven.
I think most people agree that being a good person makes the world a little better by following the golden rule (one that is expressed in every culture in every part of the world by the way.) I just happen to have Jesus tacked onto my belief system.
In any case, I do believe that I have used up my ranting quota for the month of February already, but I think the space was well used.
In reality this has been the only thing that really has gotten me upset and much of my experience so far has been fantastic.
Peace and love
Kylie
In reality this has been the only thing that really has gotten me upset and much of my experience so far has been fantastic.
Peace and love
Kylie
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Onward to places new and hard to understand.
This wall separates my new home from Bethlehem, which to my great surprise is only a twenty minute walk away. Twenty minutes away but a million miles from the norms that I have experienced so far in the Middle East.
Before I talk about Bethlehem I want to talk about the Old City of Jerusalem. I have been through it twice now, once to get acquainted with the city and yesterday we did a walking tour of the Christian Jerusalem, stopping at some of the stations of the cross on the Via Delarosa and reaching our goal of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. (Which was beautiful in a very odd way, considering it is broken up between many churches.)This norm with people from all over passed by us without a second glance most of the time, tourists are a given on a Saturday afternoon.
Back to today and the things I saw. They made me sad. Not in the sense that the people were sad, they were living their lives, enjoying the sun (which has been absent for the last three days) and being so very helpful when my group and I got lost as we were working on a photo scavenger hunt. (Let's just say that the three words I know in Arabic were used a lot.) But I noticed that unlike the people in Jerusalem where the movement between places was easy and fluid, the actions of the Palestinians were less so. As my group walked past the wall on our way back to the check point we walked past miles of graffiti. We finally got back to the checkpoint only to find it way more crowded than it normally is. Scott (a good friend from Jessup that is here as well) spoken to a Palestinian man and found out, that in January, Christian Palestinians who live in the West Bank are allowed to pass the check point to visit Jerusalem as sort of a gift. Only in January, he said to Scott that it was the first time his children had been on the other side of the wall. It was a treat for anyone who does not cross the checkpoint daily with work papers.
This is an example below of some of the graffiti I saw, It breaks my heart. Yet as I have beginning to find out, taking sides does not solve the problem here it makes it more stratified. All I can hope is that in the next three months I can learn and speak to the people here and find a spot on the fence to see both sides. I do hope one day though that this wall will be torn down too.
Peace and Love,
Kylie
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Would you like some sugar with your stick water?
A lot gets done at 3:00 AM, I found that out pretty fast. I guess you could say that jet lag hit me hard this morning. I calculated the time difference (ten hours if you care to know from NV) and so my three a.m wake up time was equivalent to eight pm at home. Anything past this I cannot promise to be coherent due to the fact that I need to keep myself awake until at least ten or eleven tonight to have any hopes in waking up at a time that it not before the morning call to prayer (which was at five this morning). I got to watch my first foreign sunrise, which is a plus I guess in the grand scheme of things.
Today as a group we toured around East Jerusalem and the Old City, stopping at places like the Damascus Gate and the Wailing Wall. We learned where the cheapest place to get good food is and I learned where there is a bunch of museums to go too.
We are slowly getting the handle of things, I walked around the compound today with some of my new found friends looking at the amazing views from where we are located.
(I promise, I will update pictures tomorrow, I didn't think about uploading as I was searching for a good internet connection.)
All right, I have more bonding time with my apartment-mates to get too. Keep on the lookout for updates and crazy tales, as for the title of this post, well you will have to ask me about that later. It probably won't be as funny to you as it was to the six or so of us that was involved with that conversation.
Love love love
Kylie
We are slowly getting the handle of things, I walked around the compound today with some of my new found friends looking at the amazing views from where we are located.
(I promise, I will update pictures tomorrow, I didn't think about uploading as I was searching for a good internet connection.)
All right, I have more bonding time with my apartment-mates to get too. Keep on the lookout for updates and crazy tales, as for the title of this post, well you will have to ask me about that later. It probably won't be as funny to you as it was to the six or so of us that was involved with that conversation.
Love love love
Kylie
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