Well, it's nearly impossible to recap the last few months, but I'll take a stab at the most important parts. November and December were delightful in Cairo. I enjoyed great times with friends, and had a relaxed time with work. I started tutoring my friend's husband in English, which was great and I was able to spend much more time with their family. I also had a great Christmas with my friends in Cairo, complete with a full Christmas dinner, Christmas songs, and the Nutcracker Ballet at the Cairo Opera House.
In January, I moved to Kfar Qara - a small Arab town in Israel. I have been in Kfar Qara now for almost a month. The time is flying, and I am enjoying every minute. I am living with a great family here, consisting of the dad Mohamed who is a lawyer, the mom Afnan who's a math teacher, and the two girls, Fatima and Zeina (they are 10 and 8 years old.) They are known as Fofo and Zanzuna around the house. :)
I am working at a research center that is located here in the village. It is a scientific research center - so they focus on science projects and science education for the Arab towns in the area. There is a serious lack of good science education and knowledge within the Arab population in Israel, so the scientists at the center are attempting to catalyze some improvement. I am helping with various things, mostly writing and editing and helping to organize new projects.
Living in a different Arab context - especially among Arabs in Israel - is a very interesting contrast to Egypt. Here the Arabs live as a minority population in a relatively unstable and hostile political environment. There are literally Israeli Jewish politicians on the 5 o'clock news talking about how all the Arabs in the country should be kicked out. Open racism is a reality for them. Discrimination in work and schools is also widespread - and in general the Arabs here deal with very difficult circumstances. However, surveys (and my conversations) have also shown that the majority of Arabs here would not leave Israel if given the chance to live in another Arab country. They realize that there are merits to at least living in a democracy. I guess it's choosing the better of two evils (Israel or an Arab government). Sadly, another Arab country is a worse alternative.
It is so much more beautiful and clean here. I feel like it also affects the population. The people in Kfar Qara are unfailingly polite and hospitable. They also seem to respect their environment much more than Egyptians. In Cairo, I think that the population has been severely psychologically affected by the pollution and filth that surround their lives. Perhaps it damages self-respect, I don't really know. And I'm enjoying a change from the rudeness and harassment that often seems the norm in Cairo. I miss Cairo, too. I miss the chaos and the 'life' that infects you there..... the millions of people and the ability to learn something new every day. Here in Kfar Qara, I'm learning more by absorption, and beauty and time to reflect and meditate. It's a nice change.
That's all for now. Hopefully coming soon, I'll be able to write more about what I've been learning here. :)
