Upon making my way through the security zone, a new friend, accompanied by two Israeli men, a German man and one Jewish American woman, picked me up at the Jerusalem side of the Wall and my first excursion into Israel commenced. The six of us, crammed like sardines into the rental car, sped away from the line of division (both a geographical and a cultural one) and headed for the Old City. It was an amazing sight to see, the timeworn wall, the Al-Aqsa mosque, and the new ultra-modern mall across the street. I was fortunate enough to have two Israeli tour guides in the car, both of whom quickly entered into a guide-off to see which one held the most esoteric information about each unique historical landmark. It was quite amusing, and informing as well.
Our inter-ethnic entourage was headed up to a small hamlet, Tay Beh, just north of Ramallah. Tay Beh is a city know for many things, including being a wholly Christian village and the sight of the only brewery in Palestine. It was the villages Oktoberfest celebration that led us there, and it turned out to be fantastic. The entire community seemed to join in the fun, and so did a great number of international journalists and beer/cultural connoisseurs. Although the festival was a hit, it was actually the journey there that made the most impact.
You see, two of my friends in the car were Israeli, and it is illegal (under Israeli law) for its country's citizens to enter the West Bank. In fact, my comrades had hardly ever travelled in the West Bank at all. Although we could have chosen to take the quick and easy route ( the bypass roads, an exclusive luxury) we chose instead to drive right through Palestine's most thriving city. Needless to say, there was an air of tension and vulnerability in the car. But, a serendipitous encounter sucked all of that air out as quickly as you could say Hoover.
We didn't really know our way to Tay Beh, and so we stopped to ask a taxi driver if he could direct us. What he did deeply affected all of us, particularly my Israeli friends. After our query was delivered the taxi driver shouted out, "Yala" (let's go), and gestured at us to follow. This complete stranger led us nearly the entire way to Tay Beh, saving us a lot of anxiety because we probably would have been lost for hours, and that wasn't even the greatest part. The most significant thing occurred when he stopped at a local convenience store, ran in, and emerged with a large bottle of lemonade and a stack of cups, saying, "Welcome to Palestine." It was a welcome that my friends had never expected, and with one simple cultural intimation, their perspectives opened like desert flowers after a spring rain . That one experience, combined with the beauty that can be found on the road from Ramallah to Tay Beh, held transformational qualities that nothing like a first hand encounter can convey.
The past week has been a challenge in acclimating to a new culture, environment, and reflecting upon my own ability to adjust. Yet, the people here have been open and supportive and it has been a remarkably easy transition for me given their 'nourishment' (there is no shortage of great food!). I feel that four months is hardly enough time to genuinely adapt to a new culture but I am hopeful that it will allow me time enough to come to realize, not simply understand, this part of the world more accurately. A new week and new perspectives begins today.
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