Today I went to Ein Mahel, a village close
to Nazareth. Mister Taha and me visited the local elementary school. Jens was
teaching English lessons and I have observed him for a while. Next week I will accompany
Jens and the five American volunteers in this school. We will teach them
English in a playful manner. Raeda, an English teacher suggested to be my host
family for a whole week. She has for daughters, one son and two other Americans
are also staying with her. That week will be a cultural experience!
While mister Taha and me were driving back to
Haifa, he told me about Nazareth. Actually there are two cities close to each
other: Nazareth and High Nazareth. In Nazareth live especially Muslims but in High
Nazareth live Jewish people. The transition between the two cities isn’t
gradually…Over a length of two meters you can see the difference so clearly! The
buildings in Nazareth are built close to each other because the Arab people are
not allowed to build where they want to. Only a few places are provided for them.
The streets are narrow, there is garbage everywhere and the buildings look
neglected (paint is missing on the walls and the Electricity cables are visible
from the outside). In High Nazareth there is more space because the Jewish
people can build where they want to. The streets are clean and well maintained.
The budget that the state provides for the Arab people is 70% less than the
budget for the Jews. Because of the limited budget, their neighbourhood looks
untended.
After I arrived back in Haifa, I wanted to
walk and discover the area. I took my map and start walking tin the direction
of the Carmel peak. The streets in Haifa are connected by stairs but if you
miss one, you’re lost…and so was I. An older man, 50 – 60 years old, offered
his assistance to me. I heard immediately that he was an American. He told me
his story: he’s a Jew and after his studies at the University of New York, he
wanted to live in the Promised land. Every Jew has the right to return to ‘his’
land: Israel (as discribed in the Balfour Declaration, 1917). We said goodbye
and I was back on track. My first stop was in the Sculpture Garden. I watched passers
and children who where playing. Because of the religion, the girls and women
have to cover their legs and cleavage. The younger girls (teenagers) follow
those rules but I ask myself questions about the way they couver their female
forms. In Illut, Nazareth, Tel Aviv and in Haifa I saw so many girls with very
tight pants, more like leggings. So their legs are coverd, but you can see
everything trough those ‘pants’. In my opinion those pants are more sexy than a
piece of exposed leg…But of course that’s my way to look at it! I respect the
way they want to dress and it’s nice to see their fashion sense. Most of the
girls are very fashionable.
I walked in small streets without using the
map. I just wanted to enjoy the view and see the people (there houses, their
shops, the way they live…). Eventually I ended up in the Balfour Street, known
from the Balfour Declaration. I visited the Memorial Park that belongs to the
JNF (= Jewish National Fund). This organisation wants a green and fertile (for agriculture)
land. They invest money in projects like this park. On my way home I bought a
big watermelon for my host family. They were so glad with the refreshing gift.
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