Trip to Jordan

Before heading to Yemen, I made time to spend a week in Jordan. I happened to pick two amazing couchsurfers to stay with; they really contributed to making my time here in Jordan something special. Dori and her boyfriend Fawzi live in the city of Amman. Both are incredibly generous, warm, and open minded individuals that were well worth meeting even if Jordan hadn't turned out to be the unique country that it is.
Fawzi and Dori are native Jordanians, though they have both done their fare share of traveling throughout the Middle East and elsewhere. On the first night of my arrival they treated me to a delicious dinner of mansef, a traditional dish composed of seasoned yellow rice with sliced almonds with cooked lamb covered with yogurt sauce. It was so delicious I've been craving it ever since. After dinner and throughout the week they took me to various coffee (qaw-wa) and tea (shai) cafes to help cultivate a rounded perception of the culture in Amman.
I was surprised at how well educated I found most people here to be and impressed at the high prevalence of English fluency. It was interesting to learn and observe that the city of Amman is built on seven different mountains (or jabals) and additionally, that it was built in five different layers. Apparently, each time a catastrophe occurred that forced a wave people to migrate to Amman, a new level was formed. You can see the structure of the city from various places and it gives the area a unique look and feel.
On my second day, Dori and Fawzi took me to the roman ruins of Jerash and Aljoun Castle. Both cites were something to behold; the architecture and technology used are still quite impressive. There is a column (designated by Fawzi as the "wobbly post") that displays how some of the columns actually sway back and forth with the wind. You can observe this phenomenon by watching a spoon placed at the base of the column move up and down with the column itself in the rhythm of wind gusts. I'll try to post a video I took of the "wobbly post."
That night we went out for chicken and beef kebabs, humus, stuffed grape leaves, taboon (a type of flatbread) and a plethora of other side dishes. My tummy was very happy while in Jordan.
Visiting Jordan means you have to go to Petra. Fawzi's sister and brother were nice enough to volunteer to take me there and accompany me on the hike. This ancient civilization was fascinating on so many levels; I couldn't imagine there being any other place quite like it. The natural reds, oranges, and yellows that colored the stone formations were laud and demanding of attention, dancing in various shades and depths and encompassing all walls and nooks. The tombs, homes, colosseum, monastery, and other portions were all carved from the rock that dominates the area. The people that once inhabited here were said to be more technologically advanced than those in Rome and their capabilities can be seen from the intricate waterways and designs throughout. Petra is huge and despite a brisk hiking pace, our crew had to ride donkeys to see the monastery at the end of the journey to ensure we saw everything. I don't believe in doing this sort of thing normally as I don't approve of the treatment of the animals, but under the circumstances (time and my position as a guest) I made an exception. Hidden at the top of a cliff, the view from the monastery was deserving of the donkey ride it took to get there. By the time we got back to Amman it was after midnight and we were starving so we sought out shawarma for dinner; some of the best I've had thus far.
Shawarma, by the way, is a sandwich-like wrap filled with shaved chicken or beef topped with humus or tahini and eaten with tomato and cucumber. The meat is placed on a spit, and grilled. The fat within the meat keeps the shawarma flavorful and juicy. Here's a picture of the meat before its shaved off and put into a pita.
I happened to be in Jordan during the week of Eid, a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. People are given the week off and it is a holiday comparable to Christmas in the US. Its tradition for people take time to visit all the members of their family and exchange money and an incredible variety of different sweats. Dori invited me along with her to visit the members of her family so I was fortunate enough to be able to get an authentic look at Eid. She also fed me lots of mamul, a cookie made with dates that's only eaten during Eid.
On my last day my hosts took me to see the and Umayyad Palace Amman Citadel and then they drove me an hour out of their way to the airport. Dori and Fawzi are the kind of people that you wish you lived closer to. My stay in Jordan was brief, but I really felt a connection to those two and hope we can do more traveling together in the future.
You can check out Jordan through my eyes on the Jordan album below.

That's A Wrap...For Now

Now that I've returned from Jordan and am in the process of getting situated in Yemen, I've had some time to reflect on the months spent in Palestine and feel its necessary to express some of my emotions and thoughts before moving on to the next chapter.
Its not the norm, but I tend to reflect on the things I will miss in an area long before I leave. The same goes for time periods in my life that carry certain distinguishing traits which I know will not last. Perhaps my family's tendency to move frequently programmed me to appreciate the aspects of a place that contribute to its uniqueness since the time given to relish in it was always unknown. I'm not sure if doing this helps me enjoy the present more, but I know that recognizing certain things does prevent me from taking them for granted.
I know I will miss the smell of spices and herbs that grab my attention as I pass by the spice shops in the Old City and picking grapes and figs on my way to work. I'll miss the strangely secure feeling I get when riding the Arab buses, playing hide and seek with young kids who made their way to my seat while taking in the subtle (or not so subtle) sound of Arabic music streaming through the background. I will miss conversing with the Arab shopkeepers in Beit Hanina and finding bunches of fresh mint slipped into my shopping bag, a thank you from one of the Palestinian kids that runs the fruit stand I go to. I already miss my roommate Alina. There are many things I will take away from this place and I know time will eventually snatch most of the smaller memories from my recollection, but the general feeling will remain. The truth is I was able to create a strong and diverse community for myself here.
I won't miss the daunting heat or the various forms of pollution that seem to cling to the streets and hills. I won't miss constantly running into armed soldiers (more accurately, kids with guns), checkpoints, watchtowers or the desperation and hopelessness I see in the eyes of the Palestinians. I won't miss the hate and distrust I see in the eyes f the Israelis when the Palestinians are mentioned. Nor will I miss worrying about whether or not the curves and skin on my body is efficiently covered according to the place I am frequenting.
I hope that despite the ugliness and ignorance I've encountered here in its various forms, that I remember the overwhelming kindness people (Palestinian, Israeli and foreigner) have bestowed on me. Its really quite overwhelming when I examine the extent to which individuals have reached out to me. I will try my best to pass on the same gestures and attitudes to others.
Summing up the last eight months seems impossible to do and frankly, one blog entry dedicated to attempting this would devalue the overall experience. Besides, it is one I will be absorbing for some time to come. The issues that weave the fabric of this conflict are deep, unrelenting and multifarious. To say the situation here is complex is the understatement of the century, but in some regards it possesses such simplicities. Eventually, the crisis here will be solved, though "solution" itself is a subjective concept. How soon, just, and effective the solution will have to reveal itself in time. In terms of the US, as the global balance of power continues to shift, I do not know how it will choose to conduct itself further with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. I am certain, however, that US actions or lack there of in respect t the Israeli Palestinian Conflict, will have drastic implications for future US relations with Iran as well as with the International community. I can only hope that while governments and institutions juggle policies and approaches back and forth that the Palestinian people don't become further brushed aside, forgotten in the midst of competing agendas.
There will always be radicals on both sides of any conflict and while I have no interest in justifying these ideologies, I see it as crucial to attempt to understand them: to be able to view an individual through the same lens with which they see themselves as a result of their unique experiences and within the context that they live their lives. I have met those who accept an explanation for the behavior of another as long as it supports their current ideology or eases their conscience. If we cannot see past this and rely rather on truth and facts, if we do not strive to understand how other's actions and philosophies develop and manifest themselves, even if that means acknowledging the abhorrence of our own humanity, then the pursuit of change is a futile one.
Goodbye for now Palestine and Israel. It has been incredible, but I know we will cross paths again.

Bare With Me

My time here in Palestine and Israel has officially come to a close and right now I am running around trying to get things in order for my next move while struggling to digest all that I've experienced. I have a feeling there will be a long process of reflection, considering all I've seen and experienced since my arrival. I will publish a post summing up my thoughts shortly, but bare with me as a lot is happening right now.
I've accepted an exciting opportunity to work in Yemen and I'm off to Jordan tomorrow to spend some time sight seeing before heading to the Gulf. More detailed updates are on their way!

Trecking the Old City

 

source: seattletimes.com

When I first arrived to Jerusalem the top priority on my list of things to do was walk around the entire vicinity of the Old City and along the wall that surrounds it. As fate would have it, it is the last to be crossed off the list. In the end, I guess what matters is I made it!
Don't get me wrong, I frequently traverse the old city, but had yet to cover everything in one swoop. Here is a decent map I found of the Old City in Jerusalem. When walking along the top, you can literally see the divide between each of the four quadrants (the Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Armenian quarters). Alina accompanied me on the walk and the two of us sleepily rolled out of our flat at 8:30am in order to make it to the Temple Mount before it closes to the public at 11am. We were lucky enough to run into Aki (Alina's boyfriend and Japanese tour guide) so we joined the group of Japanese tourists on our trip.
Initially, about half the group wanted to take pictures with Alina and myself. I suppose taking pictures with the locals is a popular concept in Japan, and true to stereotype, so are the peace signs. After lots of smiles and flashes, we were on our way.
Sure, the tour was in Japanese and the group certainly moved slower than Alina and I would have, but Aki knew where everything was allowing us to see some beautiful historical sites we otherwise wouldn't have found. I also felt better about having Alina wake up so early as I was the one who really wanted to see the Dome of the Rock, as she was able to spend some time with her boyfriend and experience all the Japanese visitors.
Amongst some of the sites we visited were the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the path Jesus took leading to his crucifixion, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and various churches and religious sites. You can find pictures posted on the album The Old City. The photo to the right is one I took of the Dome of the Rock (unfortunately, only Muslims are allowed inside).

Hitchhiking

This trip has been about new experiences, challenges and ideas so when Uma suggested we hitchhike to Ein Gedi this past weekend, I was happy to cross off one more thing from the list. I know the risks involved in hitchhiking and while I would never do this in the US, its quite common here in Israel/Palestine. What's that joke? Ah, yes:
If you're hitchhiking in the US and someone pulls over....run!
As a woman, I would never hitchhike alone anywhere, but since I had a partner I decided to go for it.
Our drivers were quite the diverse group. The first was a middle aged Israeli woman on the way to visit her sister and friend in Maale Adumim. She dropped us off about 20 minutes down the line where we were picked up by two Arab men on their way to work. Communication with these two was somewhat limited due to the language barrier, but it gave Uma and I a chance to practice our Arabic. They drove us as far as they could (being Palestinian, they couldn't continue past a certain checkpoint) which left us only about 15 minutes to Ein Gedi. Two middle aged Israeli women on there way to the Dead Sea offered us a ride the rest of the way.
The ride back was more straight forward as we were lucky enough to find a single ride from Ein Gedi back to Jerusalem, no car swapping necessary. Our driver was a gay Israeli man about our age on his way to Tel Aviv to meet his parents and quite an interesting fellow. He was well traveled and we went back and forth on politics, traveling, and the conflict in his home country.
Normally, I'm not one for small talk and as bad as it sounds, at times summoning the effort to converse with people I don't know or have no personal investment in just takes too much out of me. When hitchhiking I felt an obligation to engage with those generous enough to provide a free ride, but since I perceived it to be an obligation, I feared this interaction might be a daunting task. Surprisingly, this wasn't the case. I enjoyed the glimpse into the lives of ordinary people going about the day as they shared their destinations, their livelihoods, and stories about their past or youth; its very human the experience.
I also realized that riding in someone's car is rather personal not just because of what is shared through conversation, but through the feelings and perceptions acquired by observation. Every car has a distinct smell, music changes depending on the taste of the driver, the contents that decorate the floor or seat cushions vary in type and quantity, the various colors, models, and ages along with a hefty list of other characteristics all combine to form an identity. Each vehicle is a reflection of its owner.
For those of you curious about hitchhiking, I advise that if you aren't in the US, are aren't lacking in common sense, have a buddy, and if you realize there's a risk involved no matter how you throw it, then I highly recommend it!

The Nature Reserve at Ein Gedi

This past weekend Uma, a friend from Arabic class, and I went to the nature reserve and waterfalls at Ein Gedi. I don't know what I expected, but was pleasantly surprised with the beautiful turquoise color pools, the sound of trickling water, and lush vegetation that surrounded each fall.
It is always excruciatingly hot in Ein Gedi (near the Dead Sea) in the summer, but the hike up the mountainous trail wasn't as bad as I had feared. About every eighth of a mile or so we would come across a new fall and pool which only seemed to get more impressive the higher we climbed. It was refreshing to swim in fresh water and the ancient rock formations composing the base of each fall, decorated with vines and greenery, was really something special. Uma and I both had a good laugh when I told her the last thing I ever pictured myself doing was swimming in waterfalls in the Middle East. I guess there's a first time for everything.

On the way back down, we ran into some of the wildlife that lives in the park. There was a large group of Orix (a deer like creature) and a few Rock Bunnies. I have no idea what the name of these funny looking creatures are in English, but the Hebrew translation is "rock bunny." Yes, they climb rocks like its nobody's business, its they're pretty impressive actually, but they look like no bunny I have ever seen. You can check them out yourself on the Ein Gedi album.

Listening

Considering the multitude of interactions I've had with so many unique individuals and groups of people (Israelis, Palestinians, and foreigners, not to mention all the subgroups within these groups), I have had the privilege of being exposed to a wide variety of ideas, beliefs and experiences. I have also become painfully aware of how few people actually know how to listen to the person they are talking to. This has come to my attention both from observing others as well as through my own interactions. Life taught me early on just how hard it is to find a person who truly hears what you're saying, let alone one who can understand the content of your words and their intentions. Still, never have I seen this deficiency so glaringly obvious as in my time here.
I am working to put more effort myself into being calm, quiet and attentive when people are confiding in me as a result of this. When I was conversing with a young American Jewish woman who is here to finish her Masters, she began to express her feelings toward the situation in Israel/Palestine and where she comes from personally. She raised some interesting and relevant points so I did my best to remember what was said in order to reiterate it. I don't want to give the girl's name for privacy purposes (I'll refer to her as Sarah), but the idea's expressed below come from her.
Sarah came to this country to get a deeper look at the conflict by examining the other perspective, the Palestinian perspective, in hopes of getting away from the Westernized insight she'd been fed in the States as well as any personal bias she might have as a Jew. She felt the best way to do this was to live in the West Bank and interact with the Palestinian population. When she wasn't working, she took time to travel around Israel in order to experience Israeli opinions and culture. In doing this she gained a secure understanding of the Palestinian issues, but felt that her conception of the nationalist religious Jewish population had only become less clear. The more she learned and interacted with the Jewish communities here, the more detached she felt from her own people.
Though Sarah doesn't come from a particularly religious family, she has always felt a strong connection to her faith. She recognizes that perhaps she is harder on the Jewish population because she feels they should represent who she is, but she found no semblance of herself in the hateful attitudes and actions that permeate the region. She was distressed as she loves her faith and the country of Israel, apart from the actions of its government, but the teachings of Judaism as she had learned them (the pursuit of justice, value of human life, etc.) were absent. People here have placed the value of land above human life and these same individuals hold the power here over the land and over the government. She could not equate her own morals and ideologies with those who were suppose to have this in common.
The high levels of extremism flowing through the society is another impediment in her ability to relate. Due to Sarah's ethnicity and background, the same people who act in a manner that that disgusts her also embrace her and insist that what is being done is for her own good and for the good of the Arabs, and that the Arabs are all liars. If this is what is required for them to be together in the holy land, than Sarah wants no part in it, though she admits she will always be connected to these people in some way.
Unlike many others, Sarah makes an attempt to understand all aspects of what's happening here by questioning and dissecting the status quo, then voicing her concerns when she feels something isn't right. I (referring to myself, not Sarah) am passionate about the conflict, the land's history, human rights and justice, but Sara possesses a love for this country that I am simply incapable of. She wanted to make Aliyah (the immigration of Jews to Israel, literally meaning "ascent"), but due to the actions of the government, she does not see this as a possibility. She refuses to endorse Israel's undermining, malevolent, and frequently violent policies which aim to disable the peace process.
There is nothing that can be said that can justify what is happening here, but Sarah takes solace in the people here doing similar work who seek to understand the situation from all angles and who attempt to spread that understanding to promote communication and peace.

Handala

Naji Salim al-Ali was a Palestinian political cartoonist born in 1938 in the northern village of Al-Shajara. He was known for his criticism of Israel, its politics and its leaders and while he composed more than 40,000 cartoons, perhaps most well known is the character Handala (the cartoon shown in this post). Naji al-Ali was shot in the face in London on July 22, 1987. The shooter remains unknown and Naji al-Ali died five weeks later in hospital care.
The character, Handala, represents Naji al-Ali when he was a ten year old boy. He chose this depiction because this was the age at which he and his family were forced to leave Palestine. Naji al-Ali stated that Handala would forever remain ten years old until he was allowed to return to his home. The cartoon was first published in Kuwaiti newspaper, Al-Siyasa, in 1969. The figure usually has his head turned from the viewer as he is baring witness to an event of some kind or participating in it in some way by writing, throwing a rock, hugging, etc., and almost always has his hands clasped behind his back. Handala's face was drawn facing away from the viewer and his hands clenched behind his back permanently from 1973 and thereafter. This came as the result of the war in October of 1973 which lead to a set of agreements manufactured by Henry Kissinger that were thought to impose an unjust solution on behalf of the Palestinians in regards to the conflict. The position of Handala's hands and head were meant to condemn these solutions and to show a lack of participation in a prejudiced proposition.
The boy wears ragged clothes and goes barefoot, symbolizing the neglected and poverty stricken conditions of the refugee camps. His hair is bristled like porcupine spikes which he can use as a weapon. Handala is thought to have his name derived from the handhal plant which grows deep roots and is resilient in its ability to thrive despite attempts to cut it down or pull it from the earth. Naji al-Ali used Handala as his signature for his cartoons and the character has survived as a symbol for the Palestinian refugee as well as Palestinian opposition and identity.
I see Handala quite frequently graffitied along the enormous wall being built around Jerusalem and the West Bank, drawn on the sides of buildings, buses and along the alleys of refugee camps. I have taken a few pictures of him, but I'm not sure if any are posted online (I'll double check and remedy this). A young woman in the Al-Azzeh refugee camp in Bethlehem took the time to explain to me the significance of Handala to the people of Palestine and now I've shared it with you. Even before the explanation of exactly what Handala is, I found him to be a profoundly simple yet powerful character.

Weekend Trip to the North

Last weekend a few of my buddies from the UN and myself took a trip to the Golan Heights. I've composed a post below this one to provide some brief background information on the area for those of you who are unaware of its significance and history. Situated between Syria and Israel, the land here is different than any other I've seen in Israel and Palestine. There are many green hills and valleys along with fresh water springs and waterfalls. With as many rich resources as the area provides, especially water considering the shortage in the region, it is clear why Syria and Israel have been at odds over the land for so long. It was a wonderful thing to see so much green again and for a moment, it almost seemed like I was on a hike back in the States.
You can preview the trip by checking out the album below. We visited Baniass Falls, a near by spring, and the Temples of Pan and Zeus. On the way up we also stopped at Tiberias, the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee. Alas, I did not walk on water and have since given up aspirations of prophet-hood.

The Golan Heights

The area referred to as the Golan Heights is a mountainous region bordering Syria, Israel, Jordan and Lebanon. The Golan was governed by Syria until it was seized by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967 and was placed under military administration from 1967 to 1981. Israel currently controls 2/3 of the area as a portion was returned to Syria following the Yom Kippor War of 1973. Construction of Jewish settlements by the Israeli government began in the 1970s in this area and in 1981, Israel enacted the Golan Heights Law placing it under civilian Israeli law, administration, and jurisdiction. The Golan Heights Law has been condemned and remains unrecognized by the international community. Israel uses UN Resolution 242, created on November 22, 1967, to defend its actions, labeling the Golan Heights as part of the Israeli occupied territories.
Syria continues to demand that their land be returned. In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution requesting that Israel end its occupation of the Golan while simultaneously rendering all legislative and administrative actions taken by Israel in the Golan to be illegal, invalid, and nonexistent (resolutions 267 and 497). Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the international community also finds the settlements in the Golan Heights to be illegal and these sentiments are supported by UN Security council resolutions 446, 452, 465, 471 and 476. Any action on the part of Israel to withdraw its control over the area remains to be seen.
In addition to it's hills, valleys, fresh water and vegetative landscape, the Golan Heights is scattered with prehistoric sites including Hellenistic towns, Roman fortresses and Crusader castles. Some sites are more mysterious in nature and have purposes that are still unknown to modern society.
The Golan was also the sight where Jesus stopped to contemplate before undertaking his final journey to Jerusalem. The birth of three of Jesus' disciples, the miracle of the Gadarene Swine, the healing of the blind man, the second miracle of the loaves and the fishes and the transfiguration as well as where Jesus gave Peter the stewardship of the kingdom of God, were all biblical events said to have taken place at this cite.

Land Distribution

Below shows the Palestinian loss of land from 1946. If the font is too small to read, just click on the image to increase the size. Otherwise, to help you out, from left to right the years are 1946, 1947, 1949-1967, and 2000. The green represents Palestinian land and the white represents Israeli.

An Ode to the Olive

Here in Israel slash Palestine the hills are landscaped with olive trees.
Fact: I very much enjoy a good olive
Having so many olives easily accessible, I grew excited at the prospect of being able to pick my own olives right off the tree when they ripened.
Fact: You cannot eat olives directly from the tree
I explained to my roommate Alina that I was getting impatient waiting for the olives to ripen (as every other week I pick one, take a nibble, and spit it out when the bitterness overwhelms my taste buds). At the mention of this, Alina responded with a "tsic tsic" and a simultaneous head nod from left to right. The "tsic tsic" is a common response in these parts and can be imitated by putting the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth and pulling down quickly and with force.
Fact: Olives of all species must first go through a curing process to be edible
Being half Italian and coming from a father that praises anything and everything Italian, I have officially shamed my heritage. To compensate, I have since educated myself on the process of olive preparation. If you too want to be enlightened, I have included the process in the following paragraphs.
Fact: Dani feels cheated by this knew found knowledge

Olives appear on the tree within eight years of life, but it takes fifteen to twenty years before they produce a worthy harvest. Crops continue to be produced until the tree is around 80 years old, though the life span of the olive tree can span for several hundred years.
Six to eight months after its flowers bloom, the olive reaches its greatest weight, twenty to thirty percent of which is oil (excluding the pit, which contains one or two seeds). Olives used for oil are left on the trees longer than those used for other purposes.
Depending on the curing method, pure water, caustic soda or lye, and coarse salt are used in combination to shape the taste and texture of the olive. Flavorings can be added to the brine such as red peppers, fennel, garlic, Mediterranean herbs, chillies, etc.
The flavor, color, and texture of the olive is determined by when it is harvested and the combination of the harvest, cure, and any added flavors which yield the unique characteristics produced by the maker.
The lye treatment removes the bitterness of the olive caused the compound glucoside. Since curing with lye softens the olive it can be picked earlier when it is still hard. Olives naturally cured must be more ripe, handled with more care, and readily processed.
When olives are harvested by hand, sheets of netting or plastic are placed on the ground under the trees and the harvesters climb ladders and comb the fruit from the branches with long-handled rakes made of wood or plastic. Handpicking and machine harvesting are also employed methods. Olives are then transferred to a processing plant where they are washed in pure water and placed placed in barrels where they are soaked in a curing solution for an elongated period of time. Curing solutions and salinity vary depending on the processor. Following the curing process the olives are rinsed in water, damaged olives are removed, and stored in jars that filled with an eight to eleven percent saline solution. If the saline is flavored, herbs or other flavorings are also added to the brine.