http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Middle East , Israel , West Bank en-us Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:54:15 +0000 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:54:15 +0000 Bethlehem is only 10km away from Jerusalem. But it may as well be on the other side of the world.Because getting there so I have to cross the security fence and enter Palestine. Actually I was quite nervous about it as well. The West Bank has been built up by the international media into a extrememly dangerous world loaded with unexploded bombings.Getting into Palestine wasn't difficult I walked http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Bethlehem/blog-462789.html NOT A BIRTHRIGHT AN OBLIGATIONCHARLIE WOODIt is quite proper to resist and attack a system but to resist and attack its author is tantamount to resisting and attacking oneself. M.K. Ghandi Sixmonths after leaving the Middle East nightmares keep my memories fresh. Growing up religion served as a supportive community and moral compass in a world that many times seems to be spinning in all direct http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/blog-454774.html We started off Friday by driving down to the Sea of Galilee and along its banks to Tiberius. Tiberius was a Roman town named after the Emperor Tiberius and it doesnrsquot actually have much to see. Mostly it was just driving through the town not walking because it was raining though we did get to see an old Roman wall. We stopped for a latte it seems we are going on a country wide latte ta http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Jericho/blog-453158.html Westbank Ramallah Bethlehem Nablus Hebron http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/blog-436407.html Getting ready to leave Nablus and into the big wide unknown my computer keeps telling me that the startup disc is full whatever that means. I guess I'll have to figure out how to use the external hard drive I've been carrying around now. Today we finished off the last day of summer school with a water fight with our school's 200 darling Palestinian kids. The intended festivities quickly deter http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/blog-421534.html Irsquom looking back on my past two months here in Nablus and I am simply stunned by how quickly time passed. I look back on former doubts I almost stayed in Canada and then I almost got sent Back to Canada when I arrived I have a hard time believing that I almost threw it all out the window. The minute I arrived in Nablus I was completely embraced by the locals. The minute I arrived at http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-421338.html Yesterday was MADNESS. Literally the most dangerous event that has occurred to me thus far in Palestine. And it had nothing to do with anything political economichellip not about human rights or civil society.It had to do with Dessert.Nablus is famous for its Kunafa a ridiculously rich dish that as my roommate and I have determined is both sweet and savoury insanely delicious but also ki http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-420601.html So I woke up this morning and took a service to work as per the norm. The routine kind of subconsciously sinks in making you feel incredibly settled and content. However one should realize Routine can be boring. Nablus and the CSC for that matter is far from boring. Thus routine cannot exist in Nablus. To elaborate I get into the center and Irsquom met by the directorrsquos daug http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-420591.html I don't have time for a comprehensive entry right now but let's leave it at the following1 I was in a parade.2 my brother got here and I'm realizing that the level of ridiculousness of our conversations has increased. or is at least well outside the norm3 we have been massively busy4 we went to Ramallah and went to a bar with a swimming pool in it5 we picked up my friend from Cairo and http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Ramallah/blog-420348.html I was talking to Samah one of the program coordinators about the image people have of the West Bank. ldquoThe rest of the world considers us a Third World Country. But I mean look around you. Does this seem like dire poverty to yourdquoAnd sure enough it doesnrsquot.I must admit I had an image of Nablus that involved a much more rural landscape. Far from the lsquocamping in caves http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-419119.html These are scant entries but I'm mad busy with work here.Water IssuesAmong other things the Israeli consumption of water is four to five times the Palestinian consumption rate. The settlements are seven to eight times the Palestinian consumptionAbout 25 of the local communities go completely without water.I read a statistic the other day saying that the average consumption among the Palestinia http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-416756.html I donrsquot know exactly how much everyone out there knows about the history of what are now the occupied Palestinian territories. Whewhellip let me think about this.The Palestinian issue is so freaking complex how to summarize it hellipitrsquos kind of like well you know how every Christmas and this is a universal thing ha you excitedly unpack your decorations only to find your http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-415309.html An unfortunate but ubiquitous part of any school experience is the classic bullyloser situation. Guys might steal lunches topple books andor physically assault the poor victim. Girls refine it to an even greater degree backstabbing gossiping andor completely ostracizing a person for no discernible reason. The victim is either left to defend themselves which upon seeing the effect of http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-410715.html Leadership Training Institute Proposed ScheduleDate Morning 1000am1200pm Afternoon 100pm400pm 21june2009 Introduction to the Summer Training ProgramWelcome event to get to know each other22june2009 Presentation Contemporary Political Geography of Palestine Guided tour of the Old City of Nablus and discussion on the 2nd Palestinian Intifada 23june2009 Presentation West Bank Land an http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-409725.html Chapter 2 The Actual MarriageWelcome to the longest. entry. ever.Its 1230am and I just came back from my first Palestinian wedding. Good style be damned Irsquom just trying to retain every little thing about it.First the clothes. Sparkles sequins shiny fabric of every kind embroidery and elaborate coiffures. Even the hijab were arranged into little flowers or bunches as if hair. App http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-409715.html To perhaps counteract my verbosity on the last oneI'm really beginning to hate the fact that on this blog you have to select 'Israel' as the country in order to access the 'West Bank' region tab.Stacey http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-409408.html I'm sorry for how insanely long winded I was on this oneChapter 1 Relationships or lack thereofIrsquove tried numerous times to try and do justice to the life of a young Palestinian here. Itrsquos very difficult I mean there are so many positive aspects but I feel like it must be seen and experienced to properly appreciate. The social problems of the West have been described but a http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-409406.html Yes. As of two days ago I have declared war on all cockroaches. Whose population despite the one I saw on the hospital grounds today wow I never realized how disgusting that sounds was entirely concentrated in my apartment. Urgent CommuniqueAmass armies at 11pm at the sink entrance to the kitchen. After the Massacre of the Fridge last Saturday wersquore to wage a full on attack. Sne http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-409403.html My Facebook entry was this. ldquoDrew Is entering Israel tomorrow and has his fingers crossed that he gets searched by some hot female Israeli guard. If it has to be done both naked than so be it...I woke up at 630 from Amman Jordan to cross the King Hussein BridgeAllenby Bridge. The few buses to the border leave early in the morning so at 7 I left. This border is key to keeping the passport. http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/blog-408546.html ldquoSo. What is your namerdquoStacey Waterman.ldquoAnd What are you doing in IsraelrdquoTherersquos a pause. Irsquom looking at this formidable Israeli policewoman the fifth of what seems to be a never ending line of interrogators. Irsquom blearyeyed ridiculously exhausted from what is verging on a 20 hour trip from Montreal to here Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. I really http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-407166.html