Anna D.'s blog

by Sarah Germann
It has been a about a month of living here in Palestine for me… and this week we (as the PSE group) have said goodbye to a few participants as well as welcomed in many more for the start of Session 2. I remember that initial feeling of arriving into Bethlehem and having no idea how to get anywhere or what to do with myself, so hopefully for the new group those of us who have been around for a month can help and make that transition smoother. But honestly, it really doesn’t take long to settle into the slow and pleasant life here, especially with the huge blessing of being able to live with a Palestinian family. That for me has really helped in feeling like I live here and I’m not just a tourist.

J.M. Stratford's Blog
Palestine Summer Encounter 2008

Well, I am sitting here in my bedroom in Beit Sahour wishing I were out watching the Euro tournament futbol game with my friends from the PSE program, but I signed up to write this blog a couple of weeks ago (and I’m already a few days late, having spent the weekend traveling instead of blogging). Keeping my own personal blog for family and friends back in the States, I’ve done about all the writing I care to do for a while. So instead of expressing myself through just a lot of words, I thought instead I could share, using something that I really enjoy—photography—through a “photo essay” of my experience with the PSE program thus far.Blog by JMS
Palestine Summer Encounter 2008

Each time I’ve explained to someone what I’m doing this summer, my explanation has included several key factors of the PSE program: I say that I am 1) living with a Palestinian host family in the Bethlehem metro area; 2) taking Arabic courses; 3) volunteering with a non-profit organization; and 4) taking trips and meeting with people of the region to gain insight into the conflict. Here is a little evidence and a little deeper explanation: