Blogging and...

by Rebecca
Palestine Summer Encounter 2008

I’ve never traveled abroad before and I am so happy that Palestine is my first international destination. After landing in Tel Aviv and the fiasco I experienced in the airport (that’s another whole blog in itself) I spent my first night in Jerusalem. I arrived to my hotel really late (3:30am) and as I was trying to fall asleep, I heard the most beautiful voice fill the streets singing in Arabic. The voice came from the Dome of the Rock calling people for the morning prayer. It was the perfect end to my day and filled me with a sense of peace…and soon after I fell asleep.

View from my hotel window the next morning….

The next day I met with people from the program and we traveled to Bethlehem to meet our host families. My host family is wonderful. They are so kind. Arab hospitality is truly amazing and there is a constant supply of food and tea always being offered to me.  Everyone knows everyone here and there is a strong sense of community. Also I think that Palestine should be renamed “Beep-Beep land” because it’s just what every driver does. They drive CRAZY over here.

My family lives in Beit Jala so I am a little far away from everyone else in Bethlehem and Beit Sahour, but the view I have from my bedroom window makes up for it.

I get to wake up to this everyday. It’s amazing. Also the sunset is beyond beautiful here…

The Arabic classes and debkah classes are so much fun. I’ve also watched films and listened to guest speakers and taken tours to many different locations – each with a story to tell. That’s another thing about the people of Palestine – everyone has a story…if you are willing to listen. This program has already offered me so much more than I expected.

I could write about so much more… but nothing I say can really explain the way it really is. You see images on TV or read about them in the newspapers…but nothing prepares you for what it is like in reality. The good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful, the happy and the sad – it’s only been a week here and I have seen so much, but there is so much more to see…