update

it's been a bit tough to update as i've actually made some friends i've spent some more time with. the folks in the program are a mix, but many of them are doing some kind of graduate study here. social and political history, comparative literature, anthropology, etc. two are documentary-making, and two others are photographers. and they come from all over! america, canada, france, germany, japan (yeah!).

and i've finally made it out to al-quds (jerusalem) and beitlehem, which has been long in coming.
i haven't blogged about it yet, but one challenge since i've been here has been the lack of mobility i have as a grandaughter. dad says there's really nothing i can do except let her know i'm ok and come back before sundown. since then i only recently mustered up the courage to do it, knowing that she would be uncomfortable.
trying to put myself in her shoes- she's lived with this occupation for decades now, and she is looking after my safety. unfortunately, she was also keeping me from seeing more of this, our beautiful country!
and i forgot my usb cable today so i can't upload the photos. but i actually forgot to take many photos there.

class is dragging a bit. many of the students, myself included, are getting pretty tired of six hours a day of class. and the language doesn't get any easier! also, the regional dialects don't make it easy!

i met a really neat woman- the cousin of a friend who is half deir-dibwani (like me) and half brazilian. she grew up in the bronx and went to nyu and columbia u for public admin and she's working here in ramallah. speaking with her was like looking in the mirror. it was so amazing to find someone to understand me as much as she did.

these could all be entries in and of themselves, but my (essentially) 5pm curfew does keep me from typing more. (and some of the keys on this keyboard have to be slammed in order to work, so sorry for any typos). of course i have a lot of other thoughts to share and plan to do so in the weeks following my return (so keep checking). just trying to use my valueable internet time here to update those worried for my life ;)