Just A Typical Day in Bethlehem
My dad asked me to write about my host family and what I’m eating. So I thought this would be a great opportunity to write about a typical day for me here.
I am living in Beit Sahour, a little outside Bethlehem. The family I'm staying with are wonderful and have made me feel that I'm a part of their family. I am staying in my own room with my own bathroom. For now, it's just me, but I will have a roommate next month.
For breakfast, there is tea with sugar and mint (this is Palestinian tea, everyone serves it). Usually there is coffee. But the coffee is really different. It’s served in little glasses, like espresso glasses, but its not espresso strength. The coffee is not filtered either and its made in a metal pot on the stove. The taste is earthy and spicy…no cream. For breakfast I have pita with a range of dipping sauces. Anyone who knows me will know how much I love this, I love variety. When I was a kid I used to mix different cereals together. Usually my family puts out 5 to 7 different things for me to dip my pita in or to put in my pita (this is also the Palestinian way). There is olive oil with a spice called zatar. The spice is very good, but I’m not sure what it is…maybe thyme and sesame? Then there is hummus, of course, and also olives, cucumbers, cream cheese, peanut butter, jam and yogurt.
After breakfast I head over to my volunteer position which is very near my house. I am working for an organization for disabled, mostly mentally disabled, people ages 15 to 35. The work is very hard, but very rewarding. The people who come to the center are from the surrounding areas of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and two of the refugee camps. To start, we do exercises; I’m learning “Head, shoulders, knees and toes” in Arabic. Then, we have a snack (more pita and dipping sauces). After snack, the clients go to work making crafts. They weave, make recycled paper and carve olive wood figurines. I was put in charge of recycled paper…a very messy task. In the afternoon they eat lunch and then have a drama lesson. They are learning a new play, I don’t know what’s is called because everyone only speaks Arabic. The major challenge for me is that they don’t speak English and I don’t speak Arabic, and I’ve never worked with disabled people before. But, I’m getting into the swing of things and I feel that the center is doing such a great service for the community and I’m lucky to be a part of it. The other people who work there are angels.
After work, I go home and try to sneak on my host bro’s computer. I eat lunch. I’m trying to save money (we need to provide our own lunch), so I went to the store and bought some whole wheat pita and peanut butter. Then, I head to Bethlehem for class. Usually this involves an hour walk. I could take a bus or shared taxi (a six-doored cab…really cool), but again, saving money. Both walking and driving around here are different than back in the States. Drivers are pretty aggressive and so walkers must be also. But, walking is not a normal thing here. My host dad is always asking me why I don't just take the bus. Also, there's a lot of honking. You have to get the lingo down. One honk, "hi," two honks, "how are you," a long honk, "get out of the way."
Our classes are 2 hours long. We take Arabic (by the way, Arabic is really, really hard. My host dad said it’s the 3rd hardest language in the world and I believe it), Nonviolent resistance, Theology of the Land and Christian Zionists. I guess next month we'll take other classes.
We usually have Saturdays free, but sometimes not. On Sunday we go as a group around the West Bank and Israel and talk with different NGO’s (non governmental organizations, similar to non-profits). Some nights we do cultural things. Last night we went to the town of Artas which is one of the only traditional towns left.
At night I come home and hung out with my family. For dinner they try to make me eat a ton of food (a Palestinian tradition). Usually I try to resist. We have meat, rice, stew, fruit, etc. They poke fun at me because I won’t or can’t eat everything. I like to hang out with the youngest son—he’s 19. Generally I talk with him every night and then I watch TV with my host parents. Sometimes it’s in Arabic, sometimes in English with Arabic subtitles. It's a little funny to watch Oprah in the West Bank with Arabic subtitles. My family is amazing and so kind and welcoming. I try to leave the door to my room open so that they know that as they are inviting me into their lives, I am doing the same.
There are 4 people living here (not counting me), but usually several family members come over and there can be anywhere from 2 extra people to 15 extra people or more (cousins, sons, daughters, nieces, uncles, etc). They are really, really loud. They actually remind me of my own family, which is also loud. So I feel like I fit right in.
Submitted by: TKC
