west bank wonders

not to discourage anyone by my last post, there are a lot of wonderful things to experience in the West Bank. Just like Jordan, but perhaps even more common, herds of sheep with a lone bedoin shepherd, walking alongside the highway. The West Bank is also a thriving agricultural region, where I was able to partake of some of the most excellent food I have ever eaten. In al-Quds, I had some of the best turkish coffee served out of one of the little coffee kettles they use to prepare the delicious beverage. Upon arrival in Ramallah, we walked around the suk (market) where i purchased giant fresh strawberries, amazing roasted salted pistacios, and a giant piece of whole wheat lafah bread, sooo tasty, and I dont really even eat bread. Before we left, Amir and I stopped at one of the best falafel/schwarma stands, where we got what I call burritos, full of falafel, hummus, and fresh vegetables. It feels like you are in another country, but then I was reminded of where I was when I had to use Israeli currency (the Sheqel) and I think I can use my Jordanian Dinars there too.

One thing that rather upsets me about the West Bank is the overwhelming presence of Israeli "settlements" or gated communities. While I am very much in support of the Jewish state (Isreal as a government-mandated homeland for jewish people), I am not a supporter of their beligerence toward the Palestinian people, who are also in need of land to live on. The West Bank was carved out as Palestinian territory (meaning: to be occupied by Palestinian people). WHERE ELSE ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GO? I know enough people who have been forced into surrounding countries and on into Europe because they are not "allowed" to live in their homeland. I have traveled around Israel enough to see that the land of Israel IS big enough for all the Israelis, without them "taking over" the West Bank too. just let the Palestinians have the West Bank and Gaza... what's the big deal? Divide it and be done with it so people can live their lives.

ok, one last discouraging observation while in the West Bank (this should have been a part of the last blog entry). As we were driving into Jerusalem, we saw a painful sight on the side of the road. Im not talking about roadkill, but we are certainly dealing with lives lost, in a most unfortunate way. If you've ever been to Arizona or Southern California (areas of the US where I grew up), you are familiar with the "illegal immigrant" workers, (IE mexicans) who come up and try to get work, to make money to provide for their families. We have become used to the groups of workers, sitting by the roadside waiting to be picked up as day laborers. Well, here in the West Bank we saw a group of Palestinian men, sitting in a row along the curb of the road, who had been "captured" by the IDF. My friend Amir told me they were holding them there awaiting transportation to take them off to some Israeli prison. You know, if I tried to work illegally here in Israel, I may have been among that group. I totally sympathize with them and hate to see their lives devastated by being thrown in prison, where thousands of Palestinians are held without legitimate reason. Well I guess there are other ways for me to pay my tuition besides working illegally, I've yet to discover, as to not jeopardize my existence as these unfortunate men who may never see their families again.

random ramallah

I had been wanting to explore the West Bank for a while, but have never really had the opportunity. Today after class my good friend Amir asked me if I would like to accompany him to al-quds (jerusalem) to meet our friend Tyson, and then to Ramallah. As I do not have any major deadlines coming up in the next week, I agreed to go without hesitation. I was really anxious to get there but we had to wait for these 2 brazilian guys for about 2 hours at a cafe in al-quds... there are definitely worse places in the world to be stuck. so it was dark by the time we finally got on the road, but we were on our way to Ramallah. We drove in Amir's car though they showed me where and how to take the arab bus for next time.

I was really glad we had the car, and that 3 of the people in the car had been there before. What I witnessed along the way as we drove through East Jerusalem suddenly gave the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a new meaning to me. Let me try to describe it in terms you might understand. picture the worst road you've ever driven on, and multiply it by 10. it was paved, but hardly. it was in really bad condition, potholes, uneven surfaces, a rough ride. the whole area was like that, not just the streets. although this is a "palestinian" area, the Israelis are technically responsible for the upkeep of the area, and it was clearly not kept up. these poor living conditions are just one example of the inhumane treatment of Palestinians by Israelis. just down the road the area that was under palestinian jurisdiction also lacked the upkeep because of the lack of funding (they have less money to spend on repairs and redevelopment than does the israeli government). I was thankful however, the deeper we got into the west bank, the more safe I felt, as the presence of the IOF (Israeli Occupation Force) decreased.

By the time we arrived in Ramallah, I was satisfied. The random afternoon excursion turned into an evening of excitement. One thing I loved about Jordan and was echoed in the streets of the West Bank, is that there are so many guys. I hardly see many women, its just a bunch of arab guys. While today (Thursday) is like the American Friday (weekend kick-off day) the streets of Ramallah were not as active as they usually are apparently. Just hours before our arrival there had been a shooting, where a Palestinian officer shot a man. Well he tried to shoot the man (for arguing with him i think) but accidentally shot his son. It was a tragedy, and most of the shops and local businesses shut down as a result. so we didn't exactly pick a good day to go, but our delay in jerusalem turned out to be a blessing in disguise, had we gotten there earlier, we might have been closer to the action than we wanted to be. But I loved Ramallah, and will return there soon, on a more active day :)

red sea reality

yesterday I went swimming in the Red Sea for about an hour, I probably swam at least 300 yards, back and forth from dock to dock in our private beach area. The Red Sea is my favorite body of water because there is little current and it is never too cold (I have been there before, just a few miles to the west in Eilat, Israel). 24 hours in Aqaba was the perfect ending to an amazing tour of Jordan, though not long enough. We did not have any major scheduled tour activities, so I was able to enjoy the city, meet some of the locals, and take advantage of the 5+ star amenities at the Intercontinental Resort (perhaps the nicest resort I've ever stayed in - and I've stayed in many). From the amazing sunset and evening walk on the beach, to a relaxing time in the luxurious room with private deck. My evening with King Abdullah (king of myself) was a fun tour of Aqaba's night scene, and gave me a good lay of the land. My morning started out with a workout in one of the nicest gyms/spas where i cranked the Arabic music. Then a luxurious brunch on the patio in the amazingly warm weather, waited on by the Arab staff, I felt like a queen. It was shortly thereafter that I enjoyed my swim in the vast Sea of Tranquility, and basked in the sun in this relaxing tropical paradise.

Highlights of Jordan for me included being able to watch Arabic TV as well as the AlJazeera English channel at the hotels, the integration of Arabic and English together (without Hebrew as I am exposed to in the Israel mix), the packaging and signs, including the small "energy drink" sized cans, containing "regular" beverages, like juice or Pepsi. The similarities to Mexico and Brazil made me feel comfortable and nostalgic at the same time. The main person I hung out with for most of the trip had also traveled to many of the places I was constantly comparing Jordan to, making our connection and new friendship even more exciting. The most memorable aspect was the warmth and kindness of the Jordanian people, like the Bedoins I met in Petra, and the locals in Aqaba. The Western perspective of the Arab World is FAR DIFFERENT from anything I've experienced here personally. I have NEVER met a hostile, terroristic, or even unkind Arab person. Within just 24 hours in Aqaba I met so many people, full of kindness and reaching out in friendship, and hearing about their lives and culture one-on-one was the most valuable part of the tour.

I will go back to Jordan again before the end of my Middle East residency. Its rich cultural history and society creates such an amazing vibe, leaving me thirsty for more. I am attracted to the peacefulness and (in most areas) simplistic lifestyle of this country, despite its geographic proximity to more intense areas in the Middle East. And having the much needed personal time at the Red Sea, after about a month of traveling and writing research papers was just what I needed to re-focus on reality, or perhaps to transcend it.

king of myself

this tour of Jordan has been absolutely amazing. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Wednesday evening we arrived in Petra. That night we rode in taxis to a faraway place, maybe 10 or 15 minutes up and down widing roads at top speeds to a "private party". A place they opened just for us, with nargila, arabic music, a dance floor, shiny disco balls, and of course, me the star dancer (king of myself). It got pretty hot in there, but was bitterly cold and windy outside the whole time we were in Petra. Our hotel was situated very close to the ancient Nabatean city, and wondrous rock formations surrounded us.

The visit to Petra on Thursday was such an amazing experience. Not only the rock formations, but the stories and the history, the culturally rich atmosphere, and the peacefulness of the desert. While my group had lunch in one of the restaurants, I sat outside and ate an orange, and just did my own thing (king of myself). some local bedoin guys came up and talked to me, and I spoke mainly with a 10-year old boy. We spoke in English and Arabic, and while it was their job to get people to take rides on their donkeys and camels, I just hung out and talked with them. Some of them live in caves or small villages in the mountains nearby. What an amazingly simple life, minimal dependence on things, consumerism and commercialism.

Friday we visited Wadi Rum on our way to Aqaba. It was an off-road jeep tour, through the red sand and wondrous rock formations that reminded me very much of Sedona. There were caves lined with petroglyphs, and I observed camels in the backyards of homes in the village nearby. We made our way to the southern port city of Aqaba, just before sunset. I put my stuff in my room and ran out to the resort's private beach, and out to the end of its dock. I laughed and raised my arms in the air as I ran up and down the shore, overwhelmed with the joy of the week (king of myself). I have met a lot of nice people on this trip, though I fare better when I hang out by myself.

I met this guy named Abdullah who works at the hotel, who offered to walk with me downtown (as I had overslept and missed the group's meeting time for going out). I was interested in meeting a few of my friends from the group, but drama greeted me when I arrived at their location. Honestly not knowing the language has helped minimize drama overall and just do my own thing (what I do best, king of myself). Rather than get into it any further, I took Abdullah up on his offer to show me around town. Of course I had to explain to him about the drama, that it surrounded relationships, dating someone, or just the miserable existence of having to be accountable to someone. We had a fabulous discussion about life - mainly the joy of going wherever you want, when and how you wish, and being free in your life. He explained that he was named after the King of Jordan Abdullah, only he said "I am king of MYSELF". I decided to adopt that as my personal philosophy. we went up in a tall building to see an amazing view of the red sea, a few other local spots, and we walked along the beach. I was beaming the rest of the night after hanging out with Abdullah, as the drama was swept into the sea.

amman jordan

We arrived to Amman Jordan yesterday, after about a 2 hour procedure at the Israel-Jordan border. They almost kicked me out (of israel i think) for taking pictures. Then when we finally passed over the border it was a whole different world. well not entirely, because I felt like I was in Brazil, as the area around the Jordan river was very tropical, and the general landscape and lifestyle reminded me of the south american paradise. As we drove further, it started to look and feel a lot like Mexico, though not in quite the same ways Israel does. I am very happy that our tour guide (a native jordanian who speaks very good english), the group's security guard, and my professor, have let me sit in the front of the bus. Not only have I been able to observe the scenery from a better vantage point, but that way I wont get sick as I often do when riding closer to the back. I am also grateful that the tour is conducted in English, but it gets a little bothersome when the professor or the department assistant break into Hebrew to make the announcements. I have faired well in the area of translation however, and feel comfortable enough with the "group" setting - as I do not historically fare well in groups.

Traveling through Jordan is an amazing opportunity. Not only am i absolutely fascinated with the Arab culture and language, I have the unique opportunity of "living" my research. You may remember an earlier blog entry entitled "life is research" in which I construct realistic theories regarding the nature of one's own experience. Well, during the past day and a half, we have visited a number of architectural ruins, one of which being a Umayyad mosque, and one the home of one of the caliphates with its frescoes well preserved... its "all about the ottoman" (see previous blog)! the other places were old/excavated Roman temples, of which mainly the columns remain, as well as Jerash, an ampitheatre and horse racing track. On our way out to the Qasr al Mushatta (the vip house) and Qusr Amre (with the frescoes and a guy playing a small, one-stringed violin-type instrument) we drove on the road to Iraq, not too far from there! We also went to an archaeological museum, which contained artifacts from as early as the stone age, bronze age, then through byzantine, islamic, and umayyad. There were many old coins which my dad would have enjoyed, as he collects coins. I managed to take a picture (a bit blurry) but the museum dude discovered I was taking pictures and I was afraid I was going to get kicked out of there too. I thought "what the hell" as it reminded me about the time I got kicked out of the empire state building and an art museum in New York for taking pictures... its the old "tourist or terrorist" dilemma again! JORDAN PICTURES ONLINE AT lisabirman.com/jordan.

Probably my favorite part of the trip so far has been our visit to downtown amman's suk, or shopping district. very similar to East Jerusalem's old city suk - but less controversial lol - the stores were actual storefronts, more like a regular downtown, and less of a makeshift market. But of course the Arab culture was more amazingly prominent than anywhere I'd ever been, and for this I know why I am so in LOVE with the Middle East. I was also reminded of the disheartening fact of valentine's day this week, but if I have to bear it alone for YET ANOTHER year, I would say I've embraced my true love. The culture, music, sights, sounds, smells, language, people, and embodiment of the most wonderful region of the world.

a mecca of unity

I'm sure you all read the news, so I probably don't need to tell you this, but I felt this issue to be of global significance. Yesterday Ismail Haniya and Mahmoud Abbas - the leaders of Palestinian rivals Hamas and Fatah respectively - had a meeting in Mecca, Saudi Arabia to discuss formation of a Palestinian unity government. If you're not really into Middle East politics you are probably asking "so why is this of global significance"? Well, first of all it should hopefully put an end to sectarian violence or factional in-fighting among Gazans (Gaza being just a few miles from my house). Global, ok, not about my neighborhood... Im not sure there has been a unified Palestinian government since before the PLO emerged. What this means is an increase in stability in the region, relations between other Arab nations, and of course Israeli-Palestinian relations.

I would imagine that this newly formed unity government will also play an important role in the Temple Mount excavation, re-construction, and protests surrounding that situation. Again for those of you who don't know, al-Quds (the Holy City of Jerusalem) is home to the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa mosque, the 2nd and 3rd most holy places to Muslims (the 1st being the aforementioned Mecca). However before those 2 temples were built on the Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif (during the rise of Islam in the Umayyad period), the site was home to Solomon's Temple, holy to Jews. That temple was destroyed by the Romans during the Crusades, but the Bible prophecies tell us that it will be rebuilt again before Christ's return. According to an article on Al-Jazeera, the Jews announced in January 2007 their plans to build a Jewish Synagogue next to the Dome of the Rock. In the meantime they are conducting excavations below the al-Aqsa mosque, and have restricted access to the Holy Temple Mount for tourists and Palestinian men under 45. Glad I had the opportunity to go before all this happened... see the photo galleries of Jerusalem and the mosques.

amazing america

This trip to America over the past week and a half has been one of the best trips of my life (ranks right up there with Germany World Cup & ICA Summer 2006, Caribbean Cruise 2005, and Brazil 2002). The main reason being that I have never been away from America for this long, one month had been the longest. I returned to the US after living in Israel for 3 1/2 months, and will be back there for another 4-5 months for Spring Semester. Living in another country is very different than just taking a trip there. Returning home is the most amazing feeling in the world. Words can not describe everything I have been feeling these past few weeks. American nationalism and pride, and thankfulness for all that I have. I got to spend time with family and key friends, visit 5 major US cities, get my Starbucks fix, and most importantly, remember the reasons why I love America so much.

Some of the highlights of the trip included driving my car and a real big luxury rental SUV (only in america folks), going to my "normal" stores like Trader Joe's, Target, Henry's, Borders, and did I mention Starbucks? Also, spending time with my main San Diego friends and other great friends in Phoenix. Going out on Manny's boat in the Harbor on the most beautiful 80 degree day. Spending time with my parents in Arizona, whose continuous support has been beyond expectation, I love them so much! Seeing my Best Friend Jenni's new baby boy Justice! oh yeah and being in the US during the Super Bowl, a very important American event - watched with good friends in SD on a ginormous HDTV. Visiting Mission/Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Balboa Park, SDSU, MVCF, all very significant places in my life. Ending the US tour with New Jersey (where I was born) to check out a PhD program, and NYC - the site of the World Trade Center, being reconstructed. REMEMBER 911??? Let us not forget the things that make Our Nation so amazing. To document parts of the trip, I have posted 3 new galleries, Munich, San Diego visit, and quick trip to NYC.

On my way back (Newark to Frankfurt), flying Lufthansa the German airline, listening to Hindi music playing on the armrest channel, on my complimentary headset, and watching a Bollywood movie! I would recommend flying a German airline any chance you get. My experience has always been positive, and the flights are relatively cheap. I now embark upon the remainder of my Israel experience, after a necessary rejuvenation in my homeland.

the right of return

a little Palestinian jargon, "the right of return", applied to my own life. I have been back in America for the last week and a half. This has been perhaps one of the best trips I have ever taken. Returning to the US after 3 1/2 months, major culture shock. Returning to Phoenix, to visit family and friends, and reunited with all my "stuff". Returning to (82 degrees) San Diego, my HOME of 13 years, and my favorite city on EARTH. There is no doubt I will end up living there again, hopefully sooner than later. I will be spending most of the summer there.

And finally, to wrap up my US tour, returning to my birthplace, New Jersey. Spending the night here tonight and I will visit a local university tomorrow to check out their PhD program. If I can bear the bone-chilling cold, perhaps I will venture into New York City as well. Returning to Israel within the next few days. Looking forward to my next return to America, the most wonderful country in the world. If you are a US citizen, don't take it for granted. We have it good here, REALLY GOOD!