I was so nervous about going. By the time I had finished school
and was packing to go I felt like calling it all off and going to bed instead
of travelling for three hours on a train on my own. But I knew it would be an incredible
experience and it would be worth it.
By the time Sumayah and I had got to know each other over a
kebab in downtown Northampton I felt a lot better about the whole thing and our
home-stay couple were so friendly and had made us up amazing beds- and even made
me a hot water bottle!
I had no idea about what the Palestinian women would be
like, for some reasons I thought they would all wear hijabs and be in
traditional Arab dress (I have no idea why). As it turned out at the beginning
it was hard to establish who was from Palestine and who wasn't- everyone wore
the same clothes and most spoke almost perfect English.
On the first day (Saturday) everyone got to know each other.
Like everything at first it was a bit awkward, no one really knew what to say,
I didn't want to ask too many questions or be rude and I found it so difficult
to remember everyone’s names, especially as I can’t roll my ‘r’s!
In the evening we watched ‘the Promise’ and I felt I learned
a lot about Palestine from the debate the ensured afterwards and it really made
me think. After the film was over with everyone up in the dorms in their pyjamas
it felt like a massive sleepover, everyone chatting about secrets,
straightening hair, eating chocolate and playing the most hilarious card games.
On Sunday it was the Palestinian
day with stories from the Palestinian women. Some of the stories were so sad,
but so strong, and really inspiring. I was so shocked, as someone who thought I
had an idea about what it was like to live in Palestine under occupation I realised
I had no idea about what it was like to live under occupation in my day to day
life.
That evening Dalia, Rana and some of the other girls made
the most amazing food for us. I was so impressed at how delicious it was as it
was made in a tiny kitchen in basically a shed! I felt so emotional when I was
leaving, as I had to leave early to go to school I knew everyone was still
there having fun.
Thank you everyone for a brilliant weekend and to all who
answered my questions and gave me a small insight into their lives.
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