Ahh! My letters type from left to write on my lap top at last!
For I am in turkey, where the people stress is not arabic.
Though first I shall some up leaving palestine;
Leaving Palestine was at first mentally difficult.
Inconcievable.
The idea of Australia had become surreal - like a life from a dream. The idea of travelling turkey/morrocco etc was even more alien,
My friends and family in Palestine have become the muscles of heart,
and my network / community widely spread across the land could keep me preoccupied
for another couple of months...which then become years and so on.
So I began to say 'I'm leaving Palestine in two weeks!' in disbelief, and
as even with the realization, nothing changed around me, I just kept living.
Living in Palestine the last month was so easy.
Living was Sulaiman and Gianna involved late night discussions of spirituality
and (no way?) politics whilst nibbling on grapes and peaches, drinking wine
from bethlehem and beer from Taybeh. Midnight feasts of egg and vegetables,
and many meetings of new people.
Rewind
Gianna I met painting, she wandered into Mayada's centre and began to help me. We clicked instantaneously, and over the next few days we saw eachother a lot, suddenly. We would suggest excursions to each other, and always either one of us would willingly agree! She's a free spirited kind of gal, why she always comes back to Palestine... (its a very freespirited, ruleless, timeless, kind of city)
and she excites the liberty of my self.
I introduced Gianna and Sulaiman though a tumblance of events, and all too inevitably they hooked up and Gianna moved in with us ... !!! Thus the house became a party
In between living at Sulaimans, I stayed in Nilin twice. Living there for over a week. Though if i had have gone there first I might have lived there months.
The best thing I did in Palestine. I was living with Saeed's family, who made everything
by hand. Harvested their own wheat, olives, olive oil, and did the processes with
the most care and love it made my heart swell with peace.
If the most rascist of soldiers tasted this food, they would become angels, I'm sure.
The whole village shared their olive fields after so much of their land was stolen,
and conseqiently divide the olives they harvest/oil they produce from another's land.
every family spoke of hectares and hectares of stolen land,
and every boy over 14 had been to jail, pretty much (though they go fromthe age of 12,
as palestinians are classified as a "men" by this age)
The air was clean, the people were honest and kind. I was in heaven.
Sleeping at Saeed's grandparents house was a ball. They spoke no english, and each night
was a game of charades as we played cards, gave massages, and ate feasts of
heavenly food.
It was so sad to leave them ... they cried :(
Last full day of Palestine was my day to Safad.
With Gila, who is seeing Sulaiman too, and Gianna...who is seeing Sulaiman too,
Gilas brother who is a commander in the army, and Sulaiman who has been in Prison
for 10 years.
Our differences and similarities inspired great conversation and the day was full of
laughing, some crying, and constant fun. Gilas brother was really very kind, and later
spoke with me about how much
he appreciated hearing the story from our eyes, it being his first time (as an army
commander) to talk civilly with Palestinians.
I was very lucky to make such beautiful friends who drove me to Safad - they knew
how much it meant to me, and organized it the last day I had, dealing with eachothers
differnces to share it with me.
After researching flour mills on google (my family owned a flour mill in safad)
we found just one. It being a public jewish holiday, and Sfat (safad) a very
conservative city, we bought sharma elsewhere and had a picnic...
WE FOUND OURSELVES EXACTLY at the flourmill !!! in the middle of a forest valley!
It was stuning.
Safad itself is still catching up to me. Very Jewish. Though the land is so beautifull.
Breathtaking. An ancient city situated in the green mountains, looking over
the sea of Galilee, lebanon, Syria, circled by springs and haloed with littlebirds.
I've been so impressed with the beauty of the land where my family lived.
The people who live there now seem happy. A little serious maybe - black and white.
Leaving Palestine soon became physically difficult.
The night coming home from Safad left me with food poisoning allllll the hours until
my flight.
By the bus ride the vomiting had ceased by i was weaving in and out of sleep with a fever.
the people, or angels, perhaps, seemed to pass me on from one bus (or cloud?) to another
and I got to Tel aviv with two hours in time for sleep.
I hadnt even realized I was going to Turkey
For I am in turkey, where the people stress is not arabic.
Though first I shall some up leaving palestine;
Leaving Palestine was at first mentally difficult.
Inconcievable.
The idea of Australia had become surreal - like a life from a dream. The idea of travelling turkey/morrocco etc was even more alien,
My friends and family in Palestine have become the muscles of heart,
and my network / community widely spread across the land could keep me preoccupied
for another couple of months...which then become years and so on.
 |
| Finally finished the paintin :) |
So I began to say 'I'm leaving Palestine in two weeks!' in disbelief, and
as even with the realization, nothing changed around me, I just kept living.
Living in Palestine the last month was so easy.
Living was Sulaiman and Gianna involved late night discussions of spirituality
and (no way?) politics whilst nibbling on grapes and peaches, drinking wine
from bethlehem and beer from Taybeh. Midnight feasts of egg and vegetables,
and many meetings of new people.
Rewind
Gianna I met painting, she wandered into Mayada's centre and began to help me. We clicked instantaneously, and over the next few days we saw eachother a lot, suddenly. We would suggest excursions to each other, and always either one of us would willingly agree! She's a free spirited kind of gal, why she always comes back to Palestine... (its a very freespirited, ruleless, timeless, kind of city)
and she excites the liberty of my self.
I introduced Gianna and Sulaiman though a tumblance of events, and all too inevitably they hooked up and Gianna moved in with us ... !!! Thus the house became a party
In between living at Sulaimans, I stayed in Nilin twice. Living there for over a week. Though if i had have gone there first I might have lived there months.
The best thing I did in Palestine. I was living with Saeed's family, who made everything
by hand. Harvested their own wheat, olives, olive oil, and did the processes with
the most care and love it made my heart swell with peace.
If the most rascist of soldiers tasted this food, they would become angels, I'm sure.
The whole village shared their olive fields after so much of their land was stolen,
and conseqiently divide the olives they harvest/oil they produce from another's land.
every family spoke of hectares and hectares of stolen land,
and every boy over 14 had been to jail, pretty much (though they go fromthe age of 12,
as palestinians are classified as a "men" by this age)
The air was clean, the people were honest and kind. I was in heaven.
Sleeping at Saeed's grandparents house was a ball. They spoke no english, and each night
was a game of charades as we played cards, gave massages, and ate feasts of
heavenly food.
 |
| Over 2 thousand years old the olive tree was that he wore crutches! |
Last full day of Palestine was my day to Safad.
With Gila, who is seeing Sulaiman too, and Gianna...who is seeing Sulaiman too,
Gilas brother who is a commander in the army, and Sulaiman who has been in Prison
for 10 years.
Our differences and similarities inspired great conversation and the day was full of
laughing, some crying, and constant fun. Gilas brother was really very kind, and later
spoke with me about how much
he appreciated hearing the story from our eyes, it being his first time (as an army
commander) to talk civilly with Palestinians.
I was very lucky to make such beautiful friends who drove me to Safad - they knew
how much it meant to me, and organized it the last day I had, dealing with eachothers
differnces to share it with me.
After researching flour mills on google (my family owned a flour mill in safad)
we found just one. It being a public jewish holiday, and Sfat (safad) a very
conservative city, we bought sharma elsewhere and had a picnic...
WE FOUND OURSELVES EXACTLY at the flourmill !!! in the middle of a forest valley!
It was stuning.
Safad itself is still catching up to me. Very Jewish. Though the land is so beautifull.
Breathtaking. An ancient city situated in the green mountains, looking over
the sea of Galilee, lebanon, Syria, circled by springs and haloed with littlebirds.
I've been so impressed with the beauty of the land where my family lived.
The people who live there now seem happy. A little serious maybe - black and white.
Leaving Palestine soon became physically difficult.
The night coming home from Safad left me with food poisoning allllll the hours until
my flight.
By the bus ride the vomiting had ceased by i was weaving in and out of sleep with a fever.
the people, or angels, perhaps, seemed to pass me on from one bus (or cloud?) to another
and I got to Tel aviv with two hours in time for sleep.
I hadnt even realized I was going to Turkey
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