I like these picts - Mark

I like this one because it really demonstrates the dichotomy of Palestine.

Click on these to see them larger. Most the others I've loaded in reduced size to save space.
This one is in downtown Ramallah. I was told owner of Starbuck's is a Zoinist, which accounts for the rather humorous sign. We also came across a version of kentucky fried, Popeye's, and a sign for the Olive Garden (but didn't actually see the restaurant).

More pictures for you all : )

If you look carefully, you can see the countless bullet holes from the automatic gunfire during the seige on those who were protected in the Church of the Nativity (April 2002).
One of the sections of the mosaic floor in the Church of the Nativity

Looking over the hill to Jerusalem

Grapes of plenty in the Holy Land

Many families have grape arbors over their front doors, and they are very large (the arbors and the grapes!)

More pictures from Ramallah

Mark and Ginny

Mark is filming the hills near the Wadi Nar on the way to Ramallah...

More pictures

These buildings are on the same hill as the Church of the Nativity.



This minaret is just across on another hill near the Church of the Nativity...It was twilight, and all the minarets glow green at night (until midnight, and then the light goes off).

Friday and boy, is it hot here!

Good morning, everyone! We slept pretty well last night, despite how hot it is here right now (fan, fan, fan). We're probably going to poke around Shepard's Field a little today (also some stories about Ruth and Naomi in that field...very cool.) We have to teach today as well, so we will leave here in 4 1/2 hours for that. Class was better this week, with the exception of the power issues...oh, and the server issues...I think we will also be teaching some (kid) students at a school that the Franciscan Friars here run. We both like that we will be teaching kids, as we know them so well. This will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 to 3:30, and then we will take a taxi over to Bethlehem U. for our other class. We only have two more weeks here, so it's not for long.

It seems that the lady across the street from us at home (Gloria) has mowed the jungle that is our lawn, and she has arranged for it to be edged. If anybody has the chance to let her know for us how very much we appreciate this...We were both surprised and very touched that our neighbors are taking care of our home as well.

Tomorrow morning we will travel to Jerusalem (yea!)...should only take about 10 minutes or so to get to the checkpoint, and then it's anyone's guess. We will spend the night at the Grand Court Hotel (couldn't get in at the Notre Dame...ironic, huh?) , which is just up the street from the Damascus gate (on St. George st. if you want to look it up). I am very excited, and we plan on going to Jerusalem for two different weekends...that way, we get four days in Jerusalem before we leave. I am busy making our list of sites and the best ways to see them without our legs falling off. I read last night that parts of the old city wall, built by the Ottomans, are about 2000 years old...very cool.

We miss you all so much, and we think about you all the time.

Love,

V

A few more thoughts from this morning's post...

I have a couple of things that I didn't mention in the post this morning...

1. When I say intimidating about the checkpoints, I mean that I saw a man pointing a large gun at a civilian Palestinian taxi driver who was standing some distance away from the guards and who was asking them questions. There was a delay in letting cars through or something, and their time is money, so I suppose he was anxious to be on his way. The boys (and I mean boys...they didn't look much older than my students in middle school) seemed as nervous as a new bride. We went through with no problems, and the only time we were stopped at an impromptu checkpoint, which they periodically set up in a random place, the guards asked the driver where he was from and where he was going. I don't think anyone can get used to any of this. A human being has the right to live without this kind of fear and intimidation...every human being.

2. I have the link to Relief International for you. I think their work is inspiring, and they have amazing projects in areas of the world that struggle to live through each moment of the day. They work with teachers and students, and the numbers of people they are able to touch really is staggering...something like 8000 people just in one proposed grant in Palestine. Their work is admirable, to say the least.

http://ri.org/program3.php

And this is the Relief International/Schools Online link:

http://friendshipthrougheducation.org/sonline.htm

If you have a few minutes, please read about their work. They are gifted and tireless in their efforts to provide education, dignity, freedom, and a future for our children in this world.

Much love,

Victoria : )

Red Rose of Palestine

As you all know, we went to Ramallah yesterday. Mohanad helped us to hail a 'service' taxi (which is bigger than a regular taxi...think small bus). We rode high into the mountains between Bethlehem and Ramallah...From what I could read on the signs, we rode through Darsala, Abu Dis (sp?), and maybe Bethany?..The driver was very kind, sometimes stopping so that we could take pictures of the Wadi Nar (valley). I'm not sure how far we were actually seeing in the horizon, but it was a verrry long way. The mountain roads are extremely 'bendy' in places...hairpin turns all over the place, and usually a very thin two-way width. We saw sheep and goatherders with their flocks, and we took pictures and video (Mark really did some great video, and though he says it needs editing, it's really cool.) As we neared Ramallah, the fact that it is an extremely large city and very spread over the hills/mountains became apparent. There were police all over the place, and it seemed that the best thing to do was assume that they were all there for our protection; Once you adjusted the way you perceived them, you could ignore them. Bless him, there was one poor policeman who was trying to direct traffic in the congestion, and there were people all over the place; It seemed a futile effort. We walked and walked and walked, stopping in to all of the little shops and such, finding a mixture of the stuff you don't want with a few things that looked like a great representation of the area. The prices are higher in Ramallah, and there isn't as much room for haggling as there is in Bethlehem (I learned that the hard way.) We stopped into a little cafe and had some lamb schwarma and soda, cooled off, and then we continued on. We poked around, shopping and soaking in the atmosphere until around 5:00, and then we took a taxi to the Best Eastern Hotel to meet Ginny. When she arrived, Mark hugged her tightly (and I got it on film) and we all had a great orange slushy in the courtyard together. She took us to the office where she is putting together a grant proposal with a group here called Relief International/Schools Online, and we met those with whom she is working. She suggested we go to a restaurant named "Ziriya" and off we went. As we headed to the restaurant, I looked at the houses in Ramallah and there is definitely a difference in the economics of the area. While they still have the same political and economic problems as the rest of the country, they have more money in Ramallah as well. We also drove past the place where Yasser Arafat was imprisoned for three years. After arriving at the restaurant (which you would never think was what it was...stairs leading up from the busy street...and then you are in a lovely place with quiet and lovely Middle Eastern decor.), we ate some of the most wonderful food and talked for two hours or so. It was so touching to watch Mark and Ginny talk after so long, and it was as if no time had passed...at least that was my impression. She is a very sweet, very funny lady, and you could tell that she absolutely adores Mark. She told stories of Helen and Jere (yes : ) that were sweet and funny and talked with Mark about his life and the kids. It filled my heart to see them together. Soon we had to run, and we went to the street level again to catch a service taxi. We took a few more pictures (near the 'Stars and Bucks'...too funny), and they held each other and cried a little...heck, I cried just watching them together. We left for the bus station to catch the taxi...While we waited for the service to fill enough for the guy to actually drive us somewhere, we talked about the day and looked at the photos/video. The ride home was lovely when you could look at all the stars and the twinkling lights of the different villages. The hairpins were a little concerning, but the driver was very competent. No worries. The checkpoints were fine, although a little intimidating. Once we were back in Beit Sahour, we were well relieved. Did I mention that it took two different service taxis and a nice man to get us back to Beit Sahour? It's amazing how some people can argue over a sheckel or two (not us...someone else), and now we have a joke:

How long is a sheckel?


About 20 kilometers...


That's how long they argued over a sheckel!


The title of this post refers to a picture of red roses I took while in Ramallah, so I will post that when we have a chance to do so later today. We will also post pictures of Mark and Ginny.


Mark went to see another school...It's a school run by Friars here, and we may help them in some way while we're here. I'll know more when he returns. Things are good, and we are fine. We miss home.

Love to all,

V

Another place on our map...

We are on our way to Ramallah today to meet Mark's dear friend, Ginny. She is a teacher in Cairo, and she happened to be here working on a grant proposal for Relief International/Schools Online while we were nearby, so we are going to see her today. We will leave here in a taxi for a drive of about 1 1/2 hours to Ramallah. We will go through a checkpoint, and then meet her at her hotel, I think. Mark's in charge of the details, of which I am not entirely sure. She works until about 5:00, so we will see the city a little and then meet with her. Ramallah has a reputation for being very affluent and has a large Christian population. Many of the residents apparently have relatives in America. They say that it is very expensive looking there, with hotels and resorts. I'll let you know what we find and our impressions upon our return. We will spend much of the evening with Ginny, and then we will return to Bethlehem (maybe by 11:00 pm our time/3:00 pm Texas time).

Another new place today...and then I think we will go to Jeruselem on Saturday morning for a Saturday/Sunday visit. We hope to go to Jeruselem two times while we are here. I have been wanting to go there very badly, but our classes have been almost every day.

We miss and love you all. Thank you for your words of encouragement and love in your emails and comments. You help us more than you know.

V : )

Sending Love Home...

I went to the roof tonight, and the breeze and sunset were the best I've seen so far during our time here. I was thinking of home, and I looked up to see the moon above me. I was seeing the moon during this night before it would come to watch over all of you, and I sent my love home on the back of the moon, to be carried to the other side of the world...to warm you in the night while we are so far away.

V

Pretty Victoria and same old me

Victoria let Maram do up her hair and make-up for a wedding party last night where she danced and danced. I found out shortly before time to go that it was a "woman" thing, but wasn't too disappointed.

This is where we are doing the posting and emailing and such.

The actual spot

Mark and Mohannad walking toward the Nativity Church. Not much to look at from the outside. Church upon church have been built here for about 1700 years.







This is the actual spot of the manger in which Christ was first placed. - jmk

getting some picts posted - jmk

This is looking across shepard's field where the angels appeared to announce the birth of Christ and I took it standing about 2 blocks from the house. Note the olive trees that have been there for literally hundreds of years. The Jewish settlement in the background hasn't been there nearly so long.










Renown for the best filafil, not only in town, but in the West Bank, and for good reason. His shop is just off Manger Square in Bethlehem near the Nativity Church, reputedly built on the spot of Christ's birth.



- jmk

Parties, Hearts, and Fashion Tips

Good morning! The sounds of men working on a building (residential) outside have begun, and the streets are pulsing again. It's about 10:00 am here, and Mark and I have had the second in a two night stretch of really sleeping. I am almost afraid to write that, as I don't want to change the fortune of a great thing (sleeping well). It makes a big difference in how you relate to everything...

Aria was invited to a 'going away' party for the daughter of a friend last night. It was a very dressed up event, and even though I had a long skirt and a top, I was definitely a little under-dressed, I think. I had a chance to really understand some of the fashion rules here:

1. You can wear a revealing top if you wear an undershirt. The women here have these stretchy undershirts that are long-sleeved and hug the body. The cut of the top over it is what people look at and not the skin. I've seen some skin-revealing things, and the only people who can wear them without an undershirt are very young girls (2-12 years old).

2. Match color families when you dress. The texture of a garment isn't as important as the colors you are wearing, and women here wear all the colors under the rainbow. They even coordinate their accessories by color. They have these little scarf-pins that they use to secure their headscarves (hijab), and they match the color of the little flower or jewel on the pin to their clothes.

3. High heels are a THING here. If you have a dinner engagement, party, or meeting, you will see many high-heels. *sigh* I don't even know how they walk in them!

4. Ok, you are expected to dance when people are dancing. And they can dance for HOURS...Where we might be used to dancing for a couple of songs and then take a rest, the women will dance for 8 or 10 songs! And sometimes the women are the ones on the dancefloor with each other, and sometimes the men are on the dancefloor with each other. There is sometimes a mix of men who come to dance when the women are dancing, but they are typically family (brothers, sons, etc.) The fathers don't dance much, unless it's when all the men are dancing, and then it's very animated! They are unhibited and it is great fun to watch them dance with such happiness. And as I watched the women dance, they each have a very different style of dancing. Using your hands is very important, and the men and women both use them with astounding grace. Your expression is through your hands and your hips. And the center of gravity for women when they dance is very different than in the United States. I think they're absolutely beautiful when they dance, and I wish I was that graceful. Even the tiny girls were practicing...You would see a lovely little 2 year old trying out her own style, and they were amazingly good!

5. Some women wear the headscarves and some don't. I have seen a healthy mix here of both. Usually, if a woman is married (even a young one), she will wear a scarf. Some of the older women don't wear one and some do. Aria told me that she wears one when going to market or a friends house (until they get there), but at home, no. She said that her husband (who has passed away) didn't like the headscarves, and that she didn't have to wear one when he was alive, but that the people here know she is a widow, and they pressure her to wear a scarf when she is out and about. Many times, the women will remove their scarves when they are inside a house they are visiting, but sometimes they don't. It's really preference.

6. Women wear pants, skirts...basically whatever they are comfortable in. Sometimes a girl will pass us in jeans and a short-sleeved top. Sometimes women are wearing regular street-clothes, and sometimes they are in the traditional long robe over their regular clothes (until they get home). The robes they wear are elaborately embroidered and I don't think they've changed in a thousand years, except for the use of the zipper in them. Sometimes, they are traditionally sewn, with no zippers, but many like the ease of the zipper these days. I am going to try to find a good price on one to bring home so that I can show you how beautiful they are here. We went into a shop in the market the other day, and Aria was haggling with the shopkeeper over one that I liked. At first he wanted 300-400 shekels for one, and Aria wasn't about to put up with that. She said, "We leave." and we left! When we got out into the street, she said, "No 300 shekels!" and made a face. She went back in and apparently negotiated with him without me there (which I found brings the price down...I wind up paying two or three times what the locals pay because I am American, and Aria and Maram, her daughter, have decided that they will pay for what I want when we are out. I give them the money and they negotiate and pay.) When Aria returned, she said, "No 100 shekels...We come back another day, and maybe 75!"

7. Accessories...Many women wear earrings, and they love them big here! Bracelets are a fashion must, and virtually every woman wears multiple necklaces. And if you have gold, you wear it when you go visiting. I haven't investigated price on the gold here, yet, but I will before I leave. I've looked into the shop-windows in the markets and they have so much of it here. Much of it has intricate designs and amazing detail. The silver is lovely, too...incorporating gems/stones native to the area.

The party last night resembled a Quincenera back home, but with some differences. The bride-to-be, whose husband is in Jordan awaiting her arrival for their wedding, was the only one in an extremely, extremely fancy dress...all glittered and spangled. When she arrived, she was walking with her family leading her in, singing and clapping. When they made it to the dancefloor, the family (men and women) danced around her for three songs or so, and then the women danced for a long time. The bride is expected to dance every dance possible, and it is apparently very good to dance with her, as each person tried to at one point or another. I was the subject of curious attention, and the matriarch of the family (great-grandmother) took my hand and wanted to dance with me first; She hugged me and showed me great affection, and then the mother danced with me. The mother was so kind, and moved about the crowd to make sure everyone was singing and dancing. Then, the sister of the bride (who was an amazing dancer) danced with me, and took me to her sister, the bride, to have her dance with me. I am, apparently, all over the video now (They had a videographer taping everything.) After a while, they handed out tiny eclairs and a can of orange soda to refresh their guests. Very different than at home, but charming, as soda is a real thing here, too. How I wish they knew about Dr. Pepper! : ) The women at the party sat on one side of the dancefloor and had front-row seats to watch if they weren't dancing, and the gossip and laughing just flew over there! The men all sat in a line against the wall some distance away, and I don't know if it was a relief to them not to have to hear the women gossip or if they were lonely. None of them looked terribly happy over there! The power went out three times, and we decided to leave for the night around 10:00 pm. We said goodbye to the mother and the bride, and walked home in the night.

Aria told me a story yesterday about her husband. She loves him very much, and misses him. She said he was much like Mark...quiet, thinking all the time, but sweet and kind to his family. She said that they knew about each other for seven years, and she wanted to marry him all that time, but that her parents wouldn't let her. Finally, after all that time, they said, "Yes, ok...", and they married. They only had about 12 years together or so, because they had five children, and when he died, they were about 2, 4, 6, 10, and 12 years old. She was left to raise them by herself when he died. She explained that she was "Very angry when husband die...no party, no friends, no go out...Men come, say it's ok to marry another, but no, I love Naji!" She looked at me with so much mist in her eyes...She said, "You, Mark...very lucky...love...I very happy with family, but no Naji...no happy heart." I felt so bad for Aria, and I told her thank you for telling me about her great love...

It looks like we're going to eat soon. I will shower (which I love, love, love here...the only real way to cool down...I take two or three a day now!), and we will eat. We don't teach today, so we will probably explore. I know we will go to Ramallah soon to meet Mark's friend, Ginny, and I am excited to meet someone who has known him so long. I am a little hesitant about the checkpoint, as the people here have so much trouble with it, but we will try, I think.

I long for rain...I know you've been having rain at home, and mom says that we may have to machete the lawns when we return. It's very dry here, and some rain would be welcome.

I miss our children's voices and laughter...and their hugs. *sigh* We talk about them every day, and everyone wants to see their pictures and know about them. They ask if we will bring them to Bethlehem with us if we come again, and we say, "Yes..." I miss our beautiful children.

Love you all,

V : )

Moon Over Bethlehem

Just returned from a visit with some of Aria's friends down the road (hill)...We sat on the back patio of their home while the sun set and the evening breeze came up...We drank that wonderful hot tea that I love so much and is such a tradition for everyone to serve someone who comes to visit; It's the first thing they offer, no matter how hot it is or the time of day...and you know, it's sooo good. I worry that I won't be able to make it the way they do once we're home. And they always, always serve things to drink in these tiny glasses...the glasses here make our glasses at home look like Hum-Vees compared to a tiny Vespa! (I'm bringing some of them home with me, as well as some of Najiya's famous coffee (She's the Aunt, remember?) They show me how to make all these things, and if I can remember I will make them for you all when I return!

I watched the moon rise over Bethlehem through the tall palm-trees and listened to the women talk, lyrical and energetic...you can't help but begin to pick up some of what they say when you watch them and their expressions, and then you begin to pick up repeated phrases and words. I met more friends, and Samira (Aria's friend from Jordan) gave a candle and handmade card to me from her shop where she helps adult special-needs people to have social interaction and work each day. She said that they made that candle especially for me today, and the pressed paper card has sand from the hills of Bethlehem on it; I think I will frame it when I get home, and I will put the story of how it was made and when it was given to me on the back of the frame.

We walked back in the dark, perfectly safe, arm-in-arm, talking about the conversation and the family. We're back here now, Mark snoozing on the couch (YES!), and the family relaxing. I will eat a bite and then read some. If Mark is still sleeping when it's time to go to bed, I will leave him where he is, for fear that he won't get back to sleep!

I hope I dream of you all and home tonight. Love you,

V : )

Markets, Mark, and Mosquitos...

Hello all...It's terribly hot here today, and it was the same last night...drove me CRAZY...got up to wet a towel in the sink so that we could be a little cooler. There was NO sleep last night. Tonight we will have a fan, so it should help with the night sounds (white noise) and the moving air, which should make a difference, you know? (I HOPE SO!)

Yesterday morning, Aria took me to the Arab market here (the locals, not the tourist market), and it was WONDERFUL...The market stalls are very, very close together (touching)...big tables and open boxes of fruits, veggies, and the carcasses of the meat hanging above (but be sure to duck...they're not that high!) Aria knows who gives the best deal on all the things she buys, so we passed others who had what she wanted, but not at the price she was willing to pay! Even groceries are haggled! The idea of 'personal space' is different here as well. In a public space, Americans typically give a little room and preserve a sense of the individual while going about their day. It's not that way here; when you are in a public space, you might be jostled a little as others try to get past you, but they are always very polite and it seems not so much being in 'your space', but just going about their day in an area that tends to be so small that if someone should sneeze in Beit Sahour, someone will bless them from Manger Square! It gave me a distinct sense of safety and intimacy, as if all here are pulsing with the same heart, the same blood, and the same life...a huge family. I have only had two people walk up to ask me to come to their stores, and that was so politely done that I never felt 'accosted'. Maybe it's the teacher in me, but the children don't even come to me to ask for sheckles! Aria helped me in so many things...showing me how to haggle (without arabic, it's impossible for me), how to select things from the market, and what kinds of things many women here wear (Accessories are a big part of their dress for the day.)

Aria has just mentioned that she is going to see a friend and would like me to go along, so I will make this closing quick...classes have not been going well and Mark is very upset. I don't know what will happen, but neither of us is used to troubled resources and little support. I'll talk more about it later, but I am hoping that you can give Mark some words of encouragement.

I love you all and we're missing home and our families very much...

* Have I mentioned that the mosquitos are the size of VW cars here? I swear, I'm a liter lighter because of the little demons...*

V : )

blogging the blog blog

I told her I would post so I am. Still working to get some pictures up, but you know how technology can be. This poor little laptop takes a beating from all who use it for everything from playing videos to IMing to english grammar lessons. The ethernet cord is frayed and we lose connection is we wiggle to much. I started to work in Word the other day and I wasn't too concerned with the cursor on the right side of the screen but when the letters came out it arabic... .

The class will be ok but the whole lack of communication of expectations is telling as there are people who already have decent experience looking for more and others that aren't entirely sure what they are doing at all. I'll just plug along but 2 1/2 hours can seem eternal.

We have felt entire safe and have had little concern to this point, but we haven't gotten out of Bethlehem yet. We can see the wall the Israelis have built from Bethlehem and the settlements are easy to pick out. They are a bunch of new, walled, identical apt buildings situated on hills that had been otherwise occupied for hundreds of years. And if you follow the geography, they are careful to make sure that the water supplies are on the jewish side, and the wall is built on Palestinian land without regard for how it affects the welfare of the native people. The wall often literally separates farmers from their fields.

We're anxious to get out and travel a little to see the situation more clearly. We hear stories of Jewish oppression especially concerning travel in Palestine. We'll probably go to Jerusalem this weekend to see that ancient place and though we got in easily, its likely to be more difficult going out again. We want to make it to Jericho and I would love to add the dead sea to my collection of bodies of water in which I have swam. We have some hope to cross to Jordan to see Petra but that may prove to be more difficult. We'll see.

We've had a great time so far, but I think we will pick up more duties soon and have less time to just be with these wonderfully generous people we are staying with.

More later, insh'allah. - jmk

Good morning

Good morning! It's about 8:45 am here now, and the day is beginning. Mark is awake, but not up yet. He slept better last night, but I'm not sure yet how much better. We also had to keep the door closed when we slept, as the mosquitos here are HUGE (four time larger than at home, I am SURE of it!), and they eat ME alive if the door is open. It's too bad, as the breeze keeps our room cooler at night, and we are living without air-conditioning. In fact, the only place I've been that has had air-conditioning is the university computer lab, and they said that they had only just had it installed very recently!

The days are very bright here, very early. I would like to be able to go to the balcony in the morning when I have my tea, but it's already so bright, and the reflection of the sun off of the stones of the buildings amplifies the sun's brightness, so it's not comfortable at all to be out in it. The hottest part of the day is between about 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm (just like at home, I guess). My favorite part of the day is after 5:00 pm, when the sun begins to get lower in the sky...leading to the sunset. The breezes come up and make it very nice to sit outside. In fact, we sometimes have dinner outside on the front porch! They will put tiny tables outside and we will sit together very close and talk while we eat under the indigo of the night sky. I love that. And the house is sitting very high off of the ground, so we have a good view of the city lights.

It looks like we're having breakfast, so I must run. I will write again tonight and tell you of the events of the day.

Miss you all very, very much...

V

Heartache and Growth

I awaken so sad this morning.

Mark didn't sleep again. He said he honestly doesn't know what is wrong. I think the night was too hot again (last night was warmer than the night before), and the bed is harder than at home, so it makes it different in an uncomfortable way, despite the fact that he says he likes a hard bed. There are several pharmacies nearby, so he will stop to try to find something to help him sleep. I am hopeful he will find something. I will also try to adjust his evening a little...little rituals that prepare him for sleep...bedtime tea from home (I brought some with us.), a cool cloth for his face...I don't know. I will try anything. *sigh*

And the other reason I am very sad this morning is because I had nightmares. After having such a wonderful day yesterday learning about the culture and how people interact, some of the conversation turned to some of the misunderstandings about each other's countries. Mark and I were outside, in the cool night air/breeze, talking with Mohamned (who has been such a good friend to us). We talked about how truly touched we are at how well-taken-care-of we are by all whom we meet, and how joyful the people are here, despite the difficulties of very little money and the travel issues. We said that part of what we will tell others is how different it is here than it is in the news, and that what we hear on the tele is not necessarily how it is all over. Mohamned said the same thing about what people here think about living in America. He said that people here tend to think it is dangerous and violent for all of us back home. He said that they hear songs/music and the news and think that it's hard to live in America. Mohamned's brother, Husam, travels in America often, and he tells Mohamned that it isn't true...that America is beautiful and safe, and that the problems are in some areas, but that the people in America are good to him and make him very welcome and cared about. Mohamned said that he corrects his friends or others here who may not understand America/Americans, and that the Americans who come to be with his family here are really kind and good people. We asked him about the checkpoints (He was stopped for an hour in the hot sun the other day when he went to Ramallah to see a friend.) He told us of a friend of his who was stripped in front of all by a woman guard and then the other guards beat him that way, and that he was shamed and hurt. He said that we could see it for ourselves (meet him), and we asked why they would do that. Mohamned said that many Israeli young people do not want to be in the military, and that they see young men like himself as the reason they must be there, unhappy, and that they are angry because of that. When Mohamned talked about this, he didn't show ANY hatred for the guards. He expressed how much he wished they understood that he doesn't hate them, and that he was sad that they felt anger or didn't like him/others like him. Now let me reinforce for you what kind of person Mohamned is...He has been kind, patient, and giving of everything he has. He and his family treat us as family, giving us all they can, all they have. They are joyful and so wonderful to be with, and it saddened me last night to hear him talk about the things that one would think could be solved by two people looking at each other as individuals, in that one moment, and to make the choice to be good to each other. I explained that I teach about the Civil Rights Movement in my classes, and what a process of changing the way so many people think and interact in the culture in America, but that if we can do it, it can be done anywhere. Mohamned saw how much Mark and I believe in the equality of all human beings, and how we feel so deeply that all people deserve dignity and love. My heart breaks to think of how much work there is for that here due to misunderstanding and past insults to their families. My heart aches for both Israel and Palestine, like two siblings who fight or try to talk, but are so hurt...But you must understand how much hope there is here, too. There is hope amongst the people here. I believe in the hearts and souls of all these people, Israeli and Palestinian, and I see the love and joy they have, and I hope for them...and in turn, for all the World.

So my bad dreams last night were because of this heartache. My dreams were filled with being chased, trying to protect my children from those who might hurt us, and running to find a safe place...doing anything I could to protect them...anything. The emotions of a mother's heart and soul are universal. If we are to heal this world, I believe it is the mothers who must demand it, guide it, understand it, and teach it to their children, so that anything short of peace is unacceptable on a deep, matrilineal level...instinctual. I passionately believe and teach that all deserve to live, to love, to learn, to share, and to speak their hearts with respect. It is the core of what drives me to be a teacher. There are many here who believe it, too. I will defend anyone's rights to these things, no matter their nationality. Do I sound idealistic? Only to cynics. Mrs. Lyndon Baines Johnson believed the same things. I met her, listened to her speak, have worked with her daughter Luci on many occasions in my teachings, and Mrs. Johnson never stopped believing and working for those things, despite others around her to tried to change that. She was powerful because of her clarity and deep love of others...and her commitment to equality and dignity for all have always inspired me.

I think Mrs. Johnson would have enjoyed the teaching, the interactions with others yesterday. At one point, when we returned from the university last evening, Aria (Mohamned's mother) took my hand and invited me over to sit with some friends of hers who had come for a short visit. The women were all sitting together in a circle, and more kept arriving. Some from Jordan, Syria, Jeruselem, Beit Sahour...and they all laughed and were so animated and so much fun to be with...they worked to include me and truly made me feel that I was one of them and welcome, despite the fact that I didn't understand a word they said. I watched the language of their faces and their bodies...I listened to the intonations and the lyrics of their voices...the pace of their words...They were wonderful. They would sometimes take my hand and talk with me or to the others about me, and a few words could be translated by Aria so that I could understand. They all invited me to their homes, to their work...many of the women work with little children as teachers, or they work with special needs people...giving them work to do so that they have a way to live. The women want to take me to the market and teach me to shop for spices and other things. They want to give me tea and show me their lives. Who cannot be touched by this love and openness??? How is it that anyone can ever say that God, the Universe, is not present in those moments, those people? I cannot believe how fortunate I am, and I understand why I am here, why my path has brought me here, a little better.

We are better people, better souls in this world, when we see God/the Universe in others and the beauty of the lives that exist here with us. We must reflect this beauty back at the world in order to change it, and we must do it in a myriad of ways so as to learn as well as teach. In this, we gain depth, dimension, and hope.

As flawed as this world can be, I love it. It pains me sometimes, and I beg for understanding and love in all we do. It's why we're here, I think...to learn those things.

I love you all very much, and I miss you beyond words. Truly.

V

And when the sun rises here...

We are going to bed soon...a very long, but soooo interesting day! I will tell you all about it tomorrow; I promise! We aren't scheduled to teach on Wednesdays, so we will write to you all in a more detailed manner tomorrow. There is much to tell...many cultural learning experiences today!

We love you all so much!

V : )

Holy Family, Holy Places...

Hello and Merhaba to all whom we love!

I am writing before going to bed, as it's almost 9:30 pm here, and even though we had a nap, it's still not enough yet. Mark isn't sleeping AT ALL. We try, but it's loud here, and the hours for others (culturally) are very different. The first call to prayer happens at 4:00 am, and we were awake for that. They are very comforting...almost like a lullaby, if that would work right now. We are hoping that, as days pass, we can adjust and get more rest. It's so hard to imagine that we would function for the next four weeks on this little sleep...It's like we have a newborn and we're not sleeping...It's that level of exhaustion.

The food is wonderful, and I've already asked Aria (the mother) to teach me to cook what she cooks. She is so sweet, and though we both have very broken forms of each other's languages, we are getting along very well. Her husband died fourteen years ago, when her youngest son was just a tiny baby, of a heart attack (in his sleep). She indicates that he was a stubborn man who wouldn't go to the dr.!) She and I share a love for peanut butter and chocolate, so who can't communicate over that?!! We're drinking A LOT of water, and today (don't faint), I drank two full glasses of regular COKE! I KNOW...and it was sooooo GOOD...No Dr. P here, as I suspected, but water, Coke, and the most wonderful hot tea you've ever tasted will get me through. It just floors me, though...in the heat of the day, they will serve scalding hot tea. Imagine! I drank it (once it had gotten to the point that I could hold the glass) and it was sooooooo good...mint sprigs in it, too. The coffee this morning would make inanimate objects stand on end with how strong it is, but that is a very, very good thing, as we've been so tired. It's also a good thing that we don't teach early in the morning, though it's hot when we have to go to the university.

Mohamned, Husam's younger brother, escorted us to the university today, showed us how to hail the taxis here (jump out in front of them, really...no, Moms, we're more careful than that!), and then we went to the Church of the Nativity...It was one of the most touching, amazing places I've ever been. I've seen the cathedrals in France (Paris, Amboise, Chambord, Chenenceau, etc.), but this was so profoundly different. To stand where they say Mary gave birth, then moved her son to another spot in the grotto a few feet away in order to keep him warm...the spot where the visitors lay down their gifts for the tiny infant King...and then the private tour from the caretaker through the prohibited areas in the catacombs under the Church of St. Catherine above us...We saw it all...The caretaker (Elias) is one in a line of men in his family who have cared for the church all their lives...grandfather, father, and now him. The stories of St. Catherine and her martyrdom, St. Joseph, and the Holy Family all came back to me from when I was a young girl and learning them from the Sisters at the Shrine of the True Cross school. I wonder what Sr. Bernadine, Sr. Marjorie, and Mother Superior would think of their headstrong little charge and the new life this is bringing to all they taught me (and probably thought I wasn't listening...)

I cried, and I do now. I wish you were all here and could feel it, too.

We have pictures and will work to show them to you soon. Computer use here at the house is limited, but we have the lab at the university, too. The emails from home are wonderful; please keep writing. We love you all so much.

Brittany, darling baby of mine, I miss you and ache for your voice/arms. Please look up the stories of the Nativity so that you can imagine what I've seen today. You are with me, my little angel, and I love you more than I can express, precious. Be good, helpful, and considerate. Write to your mommy and tell me what you are doing; I know you are having a wonderful time with your cousins! Smooches and love for you, Honey.

We miss you all and think of you every moment.

Now, if only I could wave a magic wand and help Mark to sleep...

Love, love, love, love, and love,

V : )

We're here...

Hello all! We're here...ALL is well. We are at Husam's parents' house, and we've eaten something now. We're very tired (The sleeping on the plane was HORRID.) We're going to go get organized and then probably sleep soon. We're in a room with a little balcony, and the home is in Biet Sahour.

I'm very, very tired.

Airport was just fine; drive was fine, although sad seeing the wall going up.

I miss you all so much...Home is such a good place. Hug everyone and know how lucky all of us really are. Much here is showing the signs of both social and economic struggle, and in a way that I've rarely ever seen. Just know how lucky we are there at home.

We're going up to the university tomorrow at nine in the morning. Someone is coming for us here. There is an american doctor here right now; He's been here for two weeks and will leave next Friday. It's a good thing. There has been very little English here so far. I do have the feeling that we will be left to figure out our transport on our own in many regards, but Mark seems confident in what we're doing, so I will trust that.

Don't worry. Things have been really good so far. I will begin taking pictures tomorrow, and then I will let you all see what we're seeing.

Please know how much I love you all, and how much I miss you already. I'm no wimp; I just love my family, friends, and home and I miss you.

I will write tomorrow at some point. Please write to us. It will help with our homesickness!

Love, love, love, love, and love,

V : )

45 minutes...

Well, gang, we're almost out the door...noon will find us on our way to the airport.

We love you.

We'll be home safely, soon.

We'll write; You do the same, PLEASE.

Love, love, love, love, and love,

V : )

4.5 hours now...

Good morning, all...

How I wish that I could sleep the night before anything exciting begins...The beginning of school...a trip...both of these things keep me from taking naps or sleeping when I really should. I only got four hours of sleep last night, and I can't go back to sleep right now. I could probably squeeze out another hour this morning, if my body would cooperate.

Mark wants to sleep on the flight to Atlanta, and then not sleep at all on the transatlantic flight. Now I know that he's probably right. We're arriving in Israel in the late afternoon (5:25 pm tomorrow), and by the time we make it to our destination, it will be time to sleep, which will be wonderful. I just don't think that I can wait to sleep until sometime tomorrow...

I'm packed, for the most part. I need to pack my hair-dryer and toiletries that I will use this morning to get ready. Other than that, yes folks, I'm packed. It's neat; It's almost complete!

I think I'm a little in denial that I have just fours hours now...I'll write again just before we leave for the airport.

V

About 12 hours now...

Well, it's 11:40 or so, and now I'm 'weeding' through all the things I want to take so as to 'listen' to my more rational side (The "I want to travel with my closet" side has been in charge of gathering...the rational side is in charge of actually packing!) I'm writing my inventory list so that I know what I've got (just in case...knock on wood), and I should be packed before I go to bed tonight.

Correction: I WILL be packed before I go to bed tonight, and I plan on being in bed by 1:00 am. That's my summertime bedtime, and I know I should have napped (and I TRIED).

I've walked into Britt's room today/tonight...several times...just to feel her there. I have her little light on, and I've talked with her on the phone tonight. She's happy and excited to be with her cousins, and that's a good thing. God, I love that girl.

The next time I write, I WILL be packed!

V : )

23 hours?

Ok, so you know how I said that we would prepare for our trip/jetlag with all those strategies to help us not be tired and a little crazy right now?...

Yeah, whatever...

That is SO not happening...

Just finished the last of the errands, though...dry-cleaners, library stop for the kids, bank, meds, and passport photocopies...all done at last...

Now the packing.

Yes, you read that correctly; We have not packed yet. Oh, don't get me wrong...we've GATHERED, but not actually PACKED.

It'll happen.

; )

V

29 hours until we go to the airport...

*heart jumps*

Holy cow...Today is the day to make sure we're packed, all is ready, and that the errands are all finished...I still have some errands, as does Mark, and he's out of the house before me today! I still need to run to the dry-cleaners/pharmacy/library with the kids...It'll all get done; I know that...Just nerves now, I think...Both of us, Mark and I. We're both a little freaked right now. This is a big trip, and we are both excited and also have a healthy helping of anxiousness. Oh, I know that Mark has traveled in that part of the world when he was growing up, but we're older now (a little wiser?), and we see the variables now that our parents really dealt with when we were young...the ignorance of youth can be bliss, and I do not think either of us have that anymore...However, we have the gift of time and experience now, and the experiences may be deeper and more profound for us as a result...I am hopeful for the depth and dimension that a person may craft of their life when learning and exploring.

Ok, I must get moving! I'll write more soon...

Oh! And I didn't tell you! Mark is now in contact again with a life-long friend who lives in Cairo, and she may be in Israel while we are there, so they will be able to see each other for the first time in many, many years...She's known him since he was a tot, and is a great friend of his parents, so I am so excited for him! And to see Mark in such a different venue...for us to share what we're like when we travel/explore the world...How lucky are we? : )

V

Six Days and Counting

Hey Everyone! We're at six days and counting down now...We've been organizing the house, which is pretty close to being finished, and now it's time to do the final stretch of preps before our trip. Yes, there's a list, and the goal is to have that list finished by the time our heads hit the pillows on Wednesday night. This is necessary, as I am driving up to Ft. Worth on Thursday with my Mom and my daughter in order to meet my sister at the halfway point between here and Ok. City, where my sister lives with her family. Britt will stay with my sister and the cousins for three weeks, and Britt is so excited; You should see her...jumping up and down at the thought of being with her four cousins and all the activities that my sister has planned for them while she's there. The only time that is different is night-time, when Britt grabs me as hard as she can and tells me how much she will miss me; *deep sigh*...I wouldn't go, except that I want my daughter to have adventures and see the world, and not think that just because you love someone so much, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't see the world and grow, and then come home to share it all with that person/those people. I want her to be a strong woman, a smart woman, and a compassionate, loving woman, and I hope she will see that.

Deb is so awesome...She will include Britt in all of the camping trips/salon trips/Build-a-Bear trips/Bible lessons/reading/play and fun trips that all the others will be doing, and I am so grateful to have a sister who is so loving and kind, and such a good Aunt to my daughter.

Well, I have to continue our chores...I will get the car worked on tomorrow morning (finally), and I have a dentist appt. at 1:00 pm tomorrow. Mark is taking J and K to Six Flags, so I will finish more chores when I get home tomorrow from the dentist...Oh! And the yard-work! Yipes!

V : )