Petra, Eilat, and the Old City of Jerusalem.

   In the South, EVERYTHING is hot. The road there is monochrome sand stretching out as far as the eye can see, broken occasionally by a palm farm or a quick nod off into dreamland. Hazy mountains in the distance can be made out as you sweat and sway on the long ride. There is a lot of time to think. I think about the duality of the country, at least what I have seen. In many ways it is modern, but still ancient and in many parts decrepit..filthy and loud yet reposed and dignified. Hip, but staunchly traditional. Young bearded and cargo-shorted men carry machine guns casually slung across shoulders like messenger bags or laptop straps.Everywhere are the IDF with in drab olive uniforms, or in civillain clothes, but always with their guns.


As startling as it is at first, there is something secure in knowing that should anything actually happen, most of the people around me have military training and weapons to utilize in an emergency. Again, there is another side to this thought...where security is stronger, the loss of liberty is greater because it is compulsory service...making me wonder if the loss of liberty is outweighed by the security people have? Part of me thinks that if the US were surrounded by hostile countries, we would adopt a similar policy, and that if such a policy existed there would be far less of an incentive to put every young person at risk by going to war. Heavy thoughts for a bus trip across the desert.

 
When we arrive in Eilat, the breeze rushes to greet us, but it is as hot and dry as the blast from a preheated oven or a car standing out in the summer sun when you go to enter it. The next morning the temperature is expected to climb to 115 degrees...it does not disappoint. While the journey across the Israeli-Jordanian border and the drive to the city are for the most part uneventful (yet informative due to our incredible tour guide), we stop once at a Bedouin tent for some tea and a chance to taste fresh camel milk.





Once in Petra, the walk through the cool naturally formed gorge is beautiful. We emerge into direct sunlight, dazzled by the "Treasury," perhaps the most famous facade of the lost kingdom due to its appearance in an Indiana Jones movie.

The  city is carved out of the surrounding rock that over millenia was geologically formed into different layers of stone, so every place you look the at any given time of day, the natural stone shines rosy pink or blazes with the blue and yellow minerals within. After a long day of walking in the heat, climbing hundreds of ancient stairs and marveling in the beauty of such enormous and intricate creations, we headed back to Eilat for a great dinner and much needed sleep.

   The next morning we head back to Tel Aviv where we visit the Carmel Market. It is a foodie's dream and a haggler's paradise. After securing a few treasures for loved ones back home and the best meal we have had so far in country (La Cafe, on the main drag) we head to Jerusalem, where I will be staying for the rest of my time and where the camp is held. The Old City of Jerusalem proved to be as incredible as I had imagined, and the energy within the city is almost tangible. The history is inescapable, and nearly overwhelming. The city is built on layers of the past, constructed and reconstructed. At every turn there's a vendor trying to sell you wares, an ancient landmark surrounded by picture-snapping tourists, prices to haggle over, children offering "directions" (for a tip of course) tourists and locals milling, bright colors and fascinating artifacts (some forged and some real), hawkers shouting and competing smells of varying fresh fruit juices and cooked meats or heavy incense...It's a constant assault on all the senses. The narrow, steep streets are filled, and the city heaves with life and competition.



  I have settled into the apartment here in Jerusalem, and quite like my new roommates. There are four of us total, in a two bedroom top floor apartment located in a very nice neighborhood called Talbiya in the Eastern part of the city. We are all very excited to begin work at the camp, which starts in just a couple of days! After being here for a week, I have heard mixed emotions about the work we will be doing... It is true that the conflict is very much alive and well in the hearts and minds of both "sides." Some people think it is a fruitless effort, that "thinkgs will never change" while others slowly smile and their eyes warm as they simply say "thank you."

Tel Aviv, Day 1

We touched down in Tel Aviv around 3:30am, and worried about Shabbat we stuck around eating a goat milk version of our familiar parfaits and face timing those who we knew with iPhones. around 7 am our hunger and aversion to airport prices forced us out and into a cab... 150 NIS later, we found ourselves (with my 2 month supply of luggage) in front of the earliest-opening breakfast places in town. And it was not open. As I mourned the distance between myself and a proper breakfast that was a 20 minute cab ride away in a city that seemed to be completely asleep, we began to walk the twelve blocks to our hostel, where check in would not begin until 11. Needless to say, the start of our journey was a little rocky. It has since improved, and we have met some great people from Brazil, Russia, Canada and France...and that's just in our hostel. Today we worked on staying awake to get on proper Israel time, and it is taking its toll at 9:04 pm local time, where all I can think of is how nice it will be to sleep. Tomorrow we head to Eilat en route to Petra, which should give me plenty of time to work on my lesson plans for the first week of camp. It's true what they say about the region. You can't begin to understand "it" until you are here, and I have barely scratched the surface.

Here is the first of the informative pre-departure posts...  For those who have expressed interest in learning more about the conflict, the Middle East Research and Information Project has a lovely "primer" that you can read here, and  an interactive timeline starting with the 1948 war can be accessed via conflicthistory.com here.

Here is my crowdrise fundraising progress as well... Between my personal fundraising and crowdrise fundraising for the camp itself, I have raised $70 total... I can only hope that more donations will come from local businesses!!  

No one said it would be easy...

   Whew! In addition to trying to make enough cash to sustain me during my stay in Israel and pay for the super expensive apartment I'll be living in... I'm also trying to raise at least $500 for the camp itself. A recent Facebook post by the camp reads as follows:

   "Friends! To be frank, Project Harmony needs your help now more than ever. We recently found out that we did not receive a major grant, and are facing the possibility of cutting major portions of our budget like camper scholarships, activity supplies, and the guest teachers and trips that make the camp experience so transformative and special for our campers. Please consider contributing on our Crowdrise page."



   What a bummer, not receiving the grant...But I am confident that my community will rise to the occasion and help support the camp! So here we go, St. Petersburg, I hope you're ready... I will be visiting local businesses (and friends!) and asking for donations to help me reach and hopefully EXCEED my $500 goal. Any person who donates $20 or more will get a handmade friendship bracelet with either a peace sign or a puzzle piece (peace by piece, get it?) on it...and any business that donates $100 or more will get their logo on a "sponsors shirt" that I will wear while working at the camp, and I promise to take photos with the kids while wearing the shirt and post it to their Facebook page! Please donate to the camp if you'd like by visiting my Crowdrise page here.... and tell all your friends!

Big Excitement...

The excitement is building as I get closer to actually leaving for my Summer Internship with Project Harmony Israel! I plan on keeping a running blog of my experiences as I travel from St. Petersburg, FL to Jerusalem, and of my time as a volunteer teaching coexistence skills and English language training to Palestinian and Israeli children. I am unbelievably excited and honored to have been accepted into the program!

 As the date for my departure draws near, I will be posting some links for anyone who is interested in learning more about the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how it relates to the geopolitics of today, as well as how it has impacted the entire Middle East and the region's attitude toward the West, especially the US. My hope is that people in my circle of friends and family will support me in this long-awaited step in my life- the crossing over from academic study into the field where I will continue to fight for human rights, dignity and justice. This is the beginning of what I've worked very hard to accomplish, and if you'd like to peek in on the journey, check back occasionally.  It officially starts June 13th, but all of my pre-departure fundraising will be listed and detailed here as well. If you'd like to be a part of building peace one piece at a time, I invite you to click the donate button and share whatever you care to.

I am also posting the letter I wrote to Project Harmony, because I see it as the vital first step, and because I feel that it explains my motivation to go and DO....

 "To Whom it May Concern, I know from personal experience that exposure to the unknown at a young age can teach individuals priceless things about themselves and the world they live in. Experiences such as participating in the Project Harmony summer camp helps them to understand the impact they can make on the world through their peers. Children are still in the process of exploring what kind of person they can be, and I feel that this characteristic makes them the greatest hope in regions such as the Israeli-Palestinian Territories. The children that are exposed to one another this summer will grow up to vote, hold office, and participate in the social fabric of their society. Having a deeper understanding of one another while living in a country immersed in conflict promises a hope for innovative policy as well as mutual understanding and respect. My CELTA certification from the University of Cambridge coupled with by Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Eckerd College have prepared me to assist your organization this summer. As a student preparing to enter Graduate School, I plan to focus my studies on the Middle East and the Arab-Israeli conflict. The conflict has captured my attention since first learning of the history of the dispute. Globalization and modern alliances have made this conflict a major piece of the geopolitical landscape while simultaneously there is a stagnation of progress and tensions in the region continue to escalate. I personally believe that coexistence programming and training among children is one of the most effective ways to introduce the concept of common ground and illustrate our human similarities when removed from politics and ideology. By reinforcing positive connections and creating lifelong learning experiences, one child at a time, through a safe and judgment-free zone I believe that real change can slowly occur. As my volunteer experiences show, I am committed to making a difference one person at a time. I have given time to tasks such as combating the injustices in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I raised public support to convince the Chamber of Commerce for the City of St Petersburg, FL to adopt a conflict mineral-free purchasing ordinance with the assistance of the Enough Project. I also participate in the organization Big Brothers/Big Sisters and have been an active Big Sister for over a year, which has been incredibly rewarding! The experience has taught me, first hand, the positive impact that can be made on a child by simply listening to and spending time with them. I am a firm proponent of learning from experiences. I would greatly appreciate that opportunity to participate in Project Harmony as a General Counselor bringing together Jewish and Arab children in an environment of communication and shared experience to further goals of peace. I would appreciate the opportunity to further discuss my qualifications and experience and how they will contribute to furthering the goals of Action Without Borders and Project Harmony."