After the cold Norwegian spring we arrive in Palestine, hot weather and strong security checking in the airport. After 20 minutes of a lot of question we were out and the taxi was waiting for us. From Tel Aviv to Deheishe the feeling was 35; degrees in hard and dry desert. On the way we changed the car for security reasons, from the regular taxi to a personal car: a dark van with smoked windows. From the very beginning we realized that the situation in the area and also the obstacles to enter and live in Palestinian Authority are made difficult. Arriving in Deheishe our first feeling wasn’t like arriving in a typically refugee camp (people living in tends). Deheishe is a slum of refugees from 45 villages in the occupied Palestinian territory. Deheishe refugee camp is located in West Bank Palestine, near Bethlehem. This camp was established in 1949 on less than 1square kilometer of land leased from Jordan government. After 60 years the population increased to approximately 50.000 people and also the size of the camp, nowadays the camp has between 1 and 1.5 square kilometers. Before we arrive we already knew it that we would not share the same flat. According with the local culture and traditions we just could live together if we would be married. We both felt the restrictions of being a man and a woman in a Islamic country during all our experience in Palestine.
We have the privilege to work in a local NGO "Karama". Karama means Dignity in Arabic, Karama's centre is open seven days a week from 9 am to 7 pm, sometimes even longer. The aim is to stimulate young people and to work with adolescents. They are encouraged to discuss topics revolving around human rights, freedom, diversity and leadership. On average sixty children come to Karama on a daily basis taking part in activities, games and workshops of their choice. While we were working in Karama we had the Summer camp were we did several activities with 30 kids from the camp. The first week we found ourselves fasting in day time, without speaking even a word in Arabic, with 35 dry degrees and 30 (non stop)children. Fortunately we had the (hard) opportunity to be in Palestine during the Ramadan time. Ramadan means no eating or drinking between 4am to 8pm. As we are not Muslims we are allowed to eat but in the first week we tried to follow the local rhythm and we fast. As all the Islamic neighborhoods, Deheishe has a mosque in the camp, that transmit out loud all the 5 prays from the day (and night, the last one around 4am). The rhythm of life here is much slowly than our European cities. To give us a context of the social and political situation we had good conversations with Lwai, (Karama staff). After some trips we understood better the physical barriers (Israeli occupation, the big wall) and the influence that has in the way that these children grows. West Bank is a huge open air jail surrounded by Israeli settlements, check points and The Wall. Israeli authority controls the water, the electricity, the food and medicines in all West Bank and Gaza Stripe. Even thou the situation may be dangerous we traveled around West Bank in some cities like Bethlehem, Nablus and some small villages. This trips were just possible to do it only on Saturdays, the day that the Jewish settlements have their prays. We also had Arabic classes everyday with Wela, (our beautiful teacher). Arabic is not an easy language to learn but after a while some words come naturally. The constant violent environment generated in these children aggressively and the feeling the violence is normal and accepted. War propaganda and resistance are part of daily life for these children. We understood what generate all this violence and working with them we also understood that they are just small kids, with a lot of fear and not that much future perspectives, but still with dreams, energy, big and sweet smiles. Its here, working in Karama that we found possible to give them time to play like all the kids should do, time to learn and share , time to forget for a couple of hours the reality of a refugee camp. "To be with a host family was really amazing, I could be witness of some traditions and ways to related between family members. The Arabic hospitality is remarkable and I ll never forget . Maybe because of my African background I can say that I really felt at home from the very beginning. I always help to cook and clean, to feed the kids and take care of them. This give me the amazing feeling to be part of something bigger than all that I experienced before. Realize that a family in Palestine with all the differences that we easily can see is so so similar as a family in Angola or Portugal gave me an amazing feeling of Humanity. In the end I can say that this was one of the most amazing experiences in my life, that I ll never forget this little kids, their names and smiles, all our games and funny moments. Now I'm richer now than 3 weeks ago! I meet here in Palestine good heart men's and women's, I had the privilege to be part of a family that always treat me like a daughter. On top of all this experience I had also the privilege to be in contact with the Islamic culture and to learn how harmonious and fair an Islamic society can be." SOFIA Could be easy to write twenty pages about our experience here, and even in twenty pages we would not be able to show you all that we felt, the sounds of the kids playing, the sound of the mosque, the Ramadan traditional sweets and the smell of the spices and the food. In the end we both have the feeling that we defiantly should visit the other part, the Israeli part. Non of us believe in demons and now we would like to hear the other part of all this terrible conflict.
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