At this particular moment I am sitting in a cafe overlooking greater Jerusalem (AKA, Al-Quds).
This is a very big change from where I was in Jordan, and before now, in a Palestinian camp set up and provided by the UN.
The best way to describe my feelings right now are different. I haven't quite decided what to make of my experience I just had in the PA camp, especially in comparison to Israeli-Jerusalem, where I am surrounded by so much Western-influence I'm not sure where their culture is. The camp was basically like Amman, but dirtier, smellier, more populated, constantly in repair, and full of oppressed, and anxious inhabitants ready to get out of their jail as soon as possible. Nonetheless, I really appreciated meeting them, and blaring Justin Bieber through the streets of Bethlehem.
To try to put it the economics in perspective, I was just eating falafel with my friend before we left the camp: it was 4 sheckels. Now, I just paid a little under 30 sheckels for an Americano and a very fancy but delicious apple-cheese pastry. Granted, I am in tourist land---as the Old City is to my right, which means there is a lot of khaki-white shirt-camera-around-the-neck tourists in their Jesus-sandals walking about who drive up all the prices. But here, things are clean. The walls are not peeling, the people are bare-shouldered (something I am thoroughly enjoying, especially when having to carry around my backpack and a duffel), and there is green. What does green mean? It means water. What does water mean in the middle east? Money.
In any case, today I stay in Jerusalem. Tomorrow I grab the bus to Tel Aviv--I am slowly leaving the East, the camels, and the falafel, and trading it in for overpriced lattes, soups, and salads. This isn't despair, or disappointment, its just different.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to see if I can negotiate leaving my bags at this cafe for 2 hours to go take a look at the Old City without 50 pounds on my shoulders--
This is a very big change from where I was in Jordan, and before now, in a Palestinian camp set up and provided by the UN.
The best way to describe my feelings right now are different. I haven't quite decided what to make of my experience I just had in the PA camp, especially in comparison to Israeli-Jerusalem, where I am surrounded by so much Western-influence I'm not sure where their culture is. The camp was basically like Amman, but dirtier, smellier, more populated, constantly in repair, and full of oppressed, and anxious inhabitants ready to get out of their jail as soon as possible. Nonetheless, I really appreciated meeting them, and blaring Justin Bieber through the streets of Bethlehem.
To try to put it the economics in perspective, I was just eating falafel with my friend before we left the camp: it was 4 sheckels. Now, I just paid a little under 30 sheckels for an Americano and a very fancy but delicious apple-cheese pastry. Granted, I am in tourist land---as the Old City is to my right, which means there is a lot of khaki-white shirt-camera-around-the-neck tourists in their Jesus-sandals walking about who drive up all the prices. But here, things are clean. The walls are not peeling, the people are bare-shouldered (something I am thoroughly enjoying, especially when having to carry around my backpack and a duffel), and there is green. What does green mean? It means water. What does water mean in the middle east? Money.
In any case, today I stay in Jerusalem. Tomorrow I grab the bus to Tel Aviv--I am slowly leaving the East, the camels, and the falafel, and trading it in for overpriced lattes, soups, and salads. This isn't despair, or disappointment, its just different.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to see if I can negotiate leaving my bags at this cafe for 2 hours to go take a look at the Old City without 50 pounds on my shoulders--
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