The summer school performance was exceptional!
Instead of sitting in the crowd I was in the dark and "silent" studio trying to calm the 40
kids who were about to perform on the stage (that I helped to build :)).
It was impossible to silence them but once they began to perform I no longer cared because
as they came rushing back from the stage their giggles and comments were full of joy
I couldn't bare to suppress it. Some of the children were stretching the faces open
with uncontrollable smiles while others were dead serious. It took me a while to realize
that this sombre attitude was because they were so nervous, and I think afterward the final
high of it all was worth it for them. Once the play was over we put on trashy dance music and
they pulled all the volunteers on stage to dance with them (and through hay across the centre).
It was a nice ending to the crazy day (and weeks of summer school). In the day time
I was left to care for Yousef (with Autism) for 4 hours, and in the meanwhile the 40 odd children
were in my disposal too...My shoulders are still purpling with bruises from their biting and
I'm reminded that I don't want to work with children.
That night five of the estonians staying in the house with me left for Estonia. Since then two
more have left and now there are three of us. Its unfortunate in one big respect because Mayada
and I are now the only ones sleeping "upstairs" (a few blocks away) and Maher doesn't like us
walking back alone at night because he'd feel responsible if anything went wrong (the streets are
safe, he just wants children of his own) and so I can't simply go to bed when I'm tired, but I wait
for Mayada. When she says she wants to go in one minute it means one hour. But thats OK! Because
it's ramadan and so at night time I'm spoiled in food and desserts and special ramadan drinks.
The food made special for ramadan is to die for - my gosh!
On the subject of evenings I'll mention the dogs:
There are so many stray dogs around which Mayada claims have "raibies" which has been spread by the israelis.
Its sad to see the dogs; theyre so angry and confused and they scare me as I scavenge in neighbours
fig trees.
fig season yeeeeeooooo!
I'm going to explain some ramadan food I've had.
Firstly macloube: everyone should know what that is.
Then: Mansaf.
Palestinians make the best mansaf, sorry Jordan, but I'll say it again times 10000000.
Mayada's aunt and uncle welcome me over for the ramadan feast, where a huge amount of people
were gathered. Their neices (Mayada's cousins) have come for the summer from Saudi Arabia
and though they speak as much english as I speak arabic we get along really well. In fact, theyve
invited me to their uncles house in Nablus for a week (we'll see how long I'm there for, though.
I'm free!)
Then I'm not sure what its called but at Sinan and Nassan's house the mother made - my goodness -
chicken stuffed with freekeh and pine nuts as well as fuktoosh and a pasta salad.
Traditional Ramadan drinks are to die for. One is called looz as its made of almonds (and a shit load
of sugar). Another one is made of indian dates (again with the sugar). Another one is made of a
non-sweet orange (sweetened with sugar) which isnt grapefruit or cumquat....but its delicous!
I bought a bottle of the indian date drink to share tonight.
Tonight I'm having mansaf again at Mayada's aunts house. I'm gonna get faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat
woooooooooooooooooooooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
and since it's my third night eating there, and they now consider me family, I can help out with dishies
and that to my hearts content :)
The market here in Ramallah is so much fun! Its hard not to buy anything. Its a fruit market, by the way,
where colours on colours tumble around. Here, the range of fruit is
really exciting (more for the estonians than me who has good fruit in Australia too) but it really
is the right season to be here.
though it is unbelievably hot
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