my last saturday at work...

It is a rainy Saturday here at work in Durham and I am enjoying it for all it's worth. ... rainy days are my favorite kind of days, I think because we never got them in LA... They were such exciting events. What kid isn't in love with rain boots? I never had a reason to wear them as a child.. I may be wrong, but i have a sad premonition that I won't be getting many of these in my immediate future in Palestine. And according to the forecasters, we might actually get snow tomorrow. Late last night I was on facebook chatting with a college friend last night. I was commenting that I am panicked about being panicked the last night I am in town, which has been a major motivating factor in me getting so much done so early in the game, well early for me.. Usually I am up all night the night before I leave, which was usually around 5am, trying to get everything to fit inside my suite case. And since I am usually doing it in the middle of my mom's living room, or on my grandparents dining room table, I suspect that they would be very proud of me. Yet still I have a horrible feeling that I will still be panicked the last day running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get it all together, trying to shove more stuff into my suitcase, trying to get my phone turned off and finances in order.. hopefully it will all get done. I have a few things left to sell on craigslist, they come and get the car tomorrow.. it is all coming together so far.. God has been GREAT to me!! after today only two days left of work..

9 days and counting

Happy Ash Wednesday:
On my list of chores today are

1. another trip to Salvation Army, my third trip..
2. the international house at Duke. They keep a basement full of housware supplies for new and visiting international students to borrow...
   I know I would have loved to have access to something like that each place I went to. I think I have actually "set up house" 5 times now, and each time I gave away all of my pots and pans and all the other kitchen stuff... I like this idea of recycling over and over again...
3. the post office to send out a dozen or so boxes of books. I have three stacks of boxes, One is to mail to California to my mom's attic for safe keeping. Another box is for my sister Genevieve. She is going to bring a suitcase of books to me when she goes for the pilgrimage that we are all going on together. and a last stack for her husband Bryan who is also bring me a suitcase of books, he happens to be in Ohio right now.
4. to the car wash to clean out the insides of my car. Dan, my stepfather is getting the car when I am done with it and he is a neat freak.. I have worked so hard on changing my sloppy ways at home but i am a secret car slop, and I don't think he would approve.
   
5. MASS!!! it's Ash Wednesday!!!! yeah!!!! still pondering what to give up. I know i can do alcohol but since I am about to go and live in a Muslim country that doesn't seem very honest and since it is more of a deal between me and God, i don't think i can manipulate my way around that one. Is it okay to give something up like soda between now and when I leave but then find a new thing that is more appropriate when I get to the Holy Land? Should I add additional prayer to my life instead for the Lenten season instead? Ahh to be Catholic....
   
6. Lunch with Book Club friends!!! my final farewell to them. I am going to be sad to leave them. They have been a great support these past 9 months that I have gotten to know them.
   
7. and then hanging out with a friend for the afternoon.....
8. and dinner with other friends.. it is hard to figure out how to balance all the errands and the goodbyes with everyone..
   

this actually isn't all that busy of a day.....
I did spend the morning sorting socks, underwear, tanktops, etc.. and packing...

the queen goes on another pilgramage...again

I was just sent this information on what looks like an amazing Pilgramage in the Holy Land that I am hoping to go on .

read it for your self and let me know what you think of it...

anyone interested??

This is the type of thing I love to do in theory but then when i am actually doing it, I get to learn all about the discipline of pilgrimage.

I will just have to figure out if any of the dates will work for me.

The Nativity Trail 2009

The Alternative Tourism Group (ATG) and Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies proudly announce re-inaugurating the Nativity Trail from Nazareth to Bethlehem in 2009.

Now, 2000 years after the historic journey of Joseph and Mary, the modern city of Bethlehem invites you to make a symbolic and historic journey by walking Palestine's Nativity Trail.

This walking trail was originally inaugurated in 1999. However, the route has been recently researched again and modified to suit the new changes on the ground

Meeting the people:

Walking the Nativity Trail will be an opportunity to meet a diverse range of people: Franciscan priests on Mount Tabor, Muslim clerics at village mosques, Greek Orthodox monks in desert monasteries, hillside farmers and their families, small-town shopkeepers and craftspeople, Bedouin shepherds watering their flocks at ancient cisterns, and many more interesting people.

The Nativity Trail is an opportunity to understand the Geopolitical situation in the Holy Land by observing it while walking through the valleys and mountains of Palestine. It gives the participants the chance to have a first hand experience of the situation on the ground.

The Nativity Trial is not just a trip; it is a journey of dialogue, openness and interaction with new people.

Participants will be able to understand the Flora and Fauna of Palestine and the Bible, and will be able to embrace the culture that lasted in Palestine for thousands of years.

Dates: 12 Mar 2009 until 23 Mar 2009
23 Apr 2009 until 04 May 2009
08 Oct 2009 until 19 Oct 2009
29 Oct 2009 until 09 Nov 2009
12 Nov 2009 until 23 Nov 2009
13 Dec 2009 until 24 Dec 2009

For more information about the Nativity Trail please visit our website:

www.atg.ps; www.sirajcenter.org

random strikes again...

When I moved to Durham I joined several list serves. Last Ramadan, I notice at the bottom of one persons email there was a link to her blog. I followed the link and started reading the blog and was blown away. Her name is Laila El-Haddad and she is a Palestinian mother from Gaza married to another Palestinian who was born at a refugee camp in Lebanon. They met in grad school here in the states, fell in love and got married. The tricky part is that he can't ever go to her home in Gaza.... their story and her blog were amazing and eyeopening. As i read through the blog Laila had a link to an artisan group in Gaza. (more about that later, an another entry at a later date) So i emailed her and asked if she had anything from them that I could see as a sample of their work. One world market had been trying to find more items from the Middle East. Laila generously invited me over a few nights later to break the fast with her family. It was one of the most educational 3 hours ever. Since then we have been friends, when I found out that I was being laid off, I immediately contacted her about my thought about moving to Palestine. And then two weeks later when I found out that i had been offered the job, I contacted her again. Laila suggested that I talk to an American friend whom she thought had lived in Nablus at one point. She contacted her friend to introduce us and go figure, that friend had just left the same school that I am about to go and teach at the September before to go to grad school.
This is her email to me about the school:


Hi, Maggie.
Yes, I taught there at the end of their summer program through the start of the school year. I'm sure Laila will be a great resouce for you as well. What level will you be teaching? Have you taught elementary-level before? How long do you plan to stay? How'd you find them?

Let's start with Palestine, which I loved. The people are great. It is amazing and I think about it almost every day. I hope to go back someday. I will say this, having lived several other places in the MENA region and observing folks who were new to the region, Nablus has the potential to be a but tough as a first experience in the ME. I say that with immense love for the place, I just think you need to be aware. It's very conservative. I don't say that in condemnation or anything. Lana insisted that my knee length skirts would be fine, but there's no way that would fly for a westerner, in my opinion. I had to explain to another foreign teacher that her snug shirts and habit of smoking on the street were no-nos. But, as always, give respect, get respect. You will be welcomed into homes by complete strangers and blown away by the depth of generosity and kindness. Do you speak any Arabic?

What to pack? Consider bringing useful school supplies and age-appropriate children's books. Books in English are difficult to find, even in Israel, and expensive. Those multi-color packs of dry erase markers would be great - the ones with like 20 colors - because you won't find those. I would also suggest you check out a teacher's supply store for stuff I wish I'd had - Cuisiaire rods, etc. that there is no way you'll fing there. Also think about bringing some of for yourself to keep you entertained - adult books in English are easier to find, but still expensive. I would also suggest clothes, as much of - crazy enough - what you will find on sale there will be really stretchy and clingy. I don't fancy clothes that are like sausage casings no matter where I am. I did find some nice loose, flowy stuff in Jerusalem. If you use them, bring some tampons, but you can get them in Ramallah.

I have no idea what the teachers' housing is at present. When Nichole and I were there, we had a decent little 4BR house that had serious leaks in one part of the roof and the school considered moving, but don't know if that happened. If not for the leaks, it was great - two balconies and a rooftop to enjoy. It's across town from school and up a hill, but it made for a nice walk through the market at the heart of town every morning, which was a great way to meet people. Your room will likely have a single bed and a desk.

As for the school...Just before the year started, they were trying to have us design and impliment the IBC, Intl. Baccalaureate Curriculum, which was awesome, but very challenging to pull together in such a short span of time. I believe they have dropped that in favor of textbooks for the time being. If you need something, be persistent. Be sure to keep some sort of boundary between you and parents. I was told all contact goes through the school, but then somebody gave out my number and I kept fielding calls. No matter what you hear from parents or school admin - give homework. This is school, after all. If you have concerns, be persistent, but be aware that many things are what they are. Be creative with these kids, because they don't get much of that - my first graders loved kinesthetic stuff, work involving art, stuff where we went outside - they lapped it up. Do not be afraid to discipline, but be consistent and fair in all you do. Have your rules and stick to them from day one and it's good to coordinate on that with your Palestinian co-teachers. Give lots of hugs. :)

I just started the masters program at the School of Social Work at the Univ. of Texas at Austin. Found myself unexpectedly back in the States in September and decided to make the best of it and finally get a grad degree. I am focusing on international social work (development) at the macro level (program dev, policy, etc) with the goal of being back overseas in a professional capacity (hopefully in MENA) within 3 years.

I hope that helps. Keep in touch. Toss me any questions you've got.
Salaam,
Dana

- Show quoted text -

--
Read Tales of Taromeet at
http://aichaqandisha.blogspot.com

See the photographs at
http://flickr.com/photos/talesoftaromeet/

And it begins again

10 days ago I found out that I was being laid off from my job at one world market a fair trade non-profit store in Durham, NC after two years. Part of me was of course sad, but really I was pretty excited cuz it meant one thing to me.... FREEDOM to finally go back out into the big bad world and start back to the profession i love, Teaching..
The first thing i did when i got home late that night, (thanks Stacie for cheering me up)
was to go on-line to www.eslcafe.com and start looking again for a job.
Ironically I was IMing with Marty that night. Marty and I taught in China from 1997-1999. Since leaving there, I have talk on line with him less than a dozen times. I was greatly amused to be on line with him then. Way back when in China our favorite daily activity was just this... to be hunting for new and exciting jobs all over the world and planning trips. The world was my oyster.. I new i didn't want to go back to East Asia just yet but where?? I already was going to be going to the Holy Land with several family members in March, so I figured I would start there.
I like to think that I know the ESL market, it has been my industry for 12 years now, and in that time I had never seen a job in the West Bank before. But what the heck, I might as well have a look. And there it was

Pioneers Baccalaureate School (PBS) in Nablus is seeking experienced elementary school teachers. We are looking for teachers for grades 1-5. Our students have varying levels of English, so in the early grades much of the instruction will be ESL. In the fourth and fifth grades math, science, and English (of course) will all be taught in English and the teacher’s role will be much more akin to that of a grade-level teacher in an American elementary school.

We are seeking one teacher immediately and five teachers for next school year (September). Please indicate your availability date in your response.

PBS is unique in Nablus because we run our school on a western model based on inclusion, kindness, and active learning. The school was founded as a direct response to the sad state of education in our city. Even the best schools in the city have classes with 30-50 students, corporal punishment, rote instruction, etc. We are committed to doing something different. Please come and join us as we try to change Palestinian education from the ground floor.

Necessary Skills:

• Independence

• Ability to work in an environment with limited resources

• Initiative

• Willingness to commit to a two-year contract

• Ability to work with Palestinian teachers to combine the English and Arabic curricula (our teachers can all communicate in English)

• Strong in differentiated instruction

• Ability to blend art, music and science into the main curriculum

Provided:

• Stipend paid monthly. Accommodations in a shared apartment with other teachers. If you want to find your own living quarters we are also happy to help you.

About Nablus:

Nablus is encircled on all sides by the Israeli military. Despite that it is relatively calm but there is little or no nightlife and life can be very dull. The people are generally welcoming but conservative. Young women need to dress very conservatively.

So I applied...

and waited

and waited

and waited....

and finally today at 6 am my phone woke me up to a voice mail...
the school had called but my silly phone hadn't rung..

a few hours later they called back again, and we talked...
long story short,
They are going to pick me up from the airport in Israel when my plane arrives.
I am getting to Israel 4 days before anyone else and I will go to the school for those days to check it out and for them to have a chance to check me out too.

I will go on the pilgrimage and when everyone else leaves, I will find my way to Nablus..

and yes, once again I had to go on line and look it up on a map to find out exactly where it is.