what not to wear

for my time in new mexico i packed my usual shorts and tank tops. these won't be coming with me to palestine. i've thought a little about what clothes i can find that are both cool and modest ('cool' as in 'not warm', not necessarily as in 'fashionable', 'modest' as in not showing knees, calves, upper arms, shoulders, nor apparently, collarbone). my grandma and aunts wear heavy wools and many layers in very hot weather. i don't know how they do it.

first dad says i should wear jeans, so i'm thinking, 'good, now i only have to worry about tops'. then he says they're only good for around the village/family, and that i shouldn't go out in them because they'll show my figure.

it tried on some of my mother's old clothes- a broomstick skirt and top, both too big on me- and dad says, 'that's perfect.' i put a ribbon belt (very palestinian) around my waist, but then i felt like a karate kid. just as i was getting used to wearing really loose fitting lightweight fabric, dad notices they're too see-through and suggests i add another layer.

none of this would be a problem except that i'll be there in the hottest months of the year. no one minds covering up when it's cold.

the weather in the west bank is a lot like albuquerque. high desert- sunny, hot and dry in the day dropping to cool to cold (still dry) and clear at night. there's not a cloud in the sky in albuquerque right now, and it's hot (and don't give me that 'dry heat isn't hot' nonsense). :)

wondering what the current weather is like in palestine?
i've added live updates in the sidebar on the right. click on it for details. the time it lists is the last time it updated. check that against the actual local time, just above the weather box.

even cheaper

so dad never booked that austrian air ticket because a travel agent he found in an arabic newspaper called him back with a better price.

i give her a call and once i tell her my name she starts adding arabic words in conversation :)

she says, 'oh no, the stay in london is too long, i'll have to change it, and the price will go up!' i ask what the times are exactly and find out it leaves me in london for the whole day on saturday. i say, 'that's fine, i have a friend in london i can spend the day with.' 'ooooh gooood!!!' i think she was more excited than i was!

budget

The estimated budget for my trip is as follows:

• $1000, flight
• $50, travel between Philly & JFK
• $1300, two 8-week courses at Birzeit U
• $100, academic fees
• $300, traveling within Palestine/Israel (taxi)
• $450, food
• $100, miscellaneous expenses
  

• $3300, total

a ticket to tel-aviv

dad called this afternoon while i was having brunch with sonia. he found a ticket with an austrian airline for much cheaper than anything i've found.

gave him my credit card # on the spot!

welcome

i'm creating this blog to let folks know what i'm up to this summer and why, keep updates (hopefully with photos), and raise support for my trip.

i'll be adding more as i prepare to go, and posting updates once i'm there.
so check back- there's lots more to come! :)