Salaam Alaikum!
Almost immediately after I had begun to wrap my brains around my exit from my job at Acle High, I began to consider the imminence of my trip to Palestine. I mean, at that point, it wasn't really genuinely imminent - I didn't have anything prepared. I hadn't booked flights or organised dates or even really started fundraising. In fact, all I had was a successful interview with Project Hope and an invitation to join them in September. I may be unemployed, but I could still back out, right?
But if i was going to go really screw my courage ot the sticking place and do it, then I was going to need to get a move on. So on the first morning of my holidays/unemployment, I got online and within half an hour had booked an easyjet flight to and from Tel Aviv (9th September - 14th of December).
From then on, the question ceased being when I will go, or even whether I will go. It became "how I am going to prepare for going there?". What things do I need? What clothes am I going to wear? How will I make sure I know where i'm going and that I'm safe? What workshops am I going to deliver?
This shift has opened the floodgates. I went into the city and returned with an armful of books - including Joe Sacco's wonderful "Palestine" - a journalistic graphic novel, covering the experience of living in Palestine in the early 90s. I would really recommend it to anyone wanting to get a better grasp of the human impact of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Another, slightly more practical, text is a teach-yourself Arabic book, which came with some helpful CDs. All week, I have been walking around, headphones plugged in, mouthing what must sound like nonsense to passers by. Even the Arab-speaking ones. My progress has been sedentary, but I've been pleased to feel like I'm finally preparing to live in another country.I've also been thrashing my way through a History of Modern Israel, with a book entitled "Palestine Betrated" to follow up shortly. Next week, i'm taking a 2 day crash course in TEFL. Oh, and I bought some walking shoes, because I figured I'd need sturdy footwear.
So really, what I'd like is any tips and suggestions. Have you been to the Middle East? What do i need to know? Are there any social codes I MUST observe? What words and phrases will prove most useful in Arabic? Do you have any book recommendations? And above all, does anyone have experience educating young people in conflict areas? I look forward to hearing your thoughts!