it's been a few weeks since Neil and I reunited and made our way slowly back to the Midwest. we've both had a chance to reflect a bit on our experiences overseas this summer, reconnect with family and friends, and of course enjoy being together before i return to Indiana in just a few days. i've not spoken Arabic now for almost longer than i spent studying it!
for me, anyway, this has been a wonderful forum to share what was going through my mind (or going on in front of my eyes) while in Israel. i found out during the course of the summer that many, many more people were reading this blog than i had originally thought - - i hope you've enjoyed it :)
but this is mostly to say that i'm wrapping up - for now. starting sometime next summer, i'll be back in Israel for a longer period, delving into data collection for my dissertation. and Neil will be back in Mongolia, hopefully riding his horse. we'll definitely be posting again.
for now, though, it's time to dive back into the academic year!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
the deepness of Mongolian generosity
i kid not, the title doesn't do justice to the depth of Mongolian generosity.
i have long known how generous Mongolians are. i've known it now for more than a decade. but, what happened yesterday still brings tears to my eyes.
on my first trip to Mongolia, i studied up on Mongolian culture via Lonely Planet. they said how if you showed up at a ger [also known by the Russian moniker, yurt] and the family fed you or let you spend the night and you tried to pay them, it was considered rude. this was really hard to take on the first trip. 'mericans, in general, like to give as well and really like to give money as a gift. so, when you show up at someone's home and they put on a big spread, and you can tell they obviously have little monetary assets [and you often see a couple of children running around], you really want to give back some how; to at least show your appreciation. it is hard not to do that.
it is hard not to do that when you show up at someone's house and they drop what they are doing, no matter what, pour you a nice bowl of piping hot Mongolian tea [1/2 milk, black tea, perhaps some butter and salt in the west (little to no salt in the east)]. this offering is quickly followed up by a big bowl of hard candy and, often, a bowl of dried yogurt and cheese. if you stay for nearly an hr and it is August, airag [fermented mare's milk] will be pulled out and a small drinking ceremony begins. airag is roughly 1.5%, so it isn't overwhelming, alcohol-wise. if you stay longer, let's say for 2-3 hrs, they will cook you a meal.
and here is the tricky thing: the longer you stay, the more they give. you don't want to leave quickly for seeming rude. and, back in the 1990s when westerners were rare, they enjoyed the company and were very curious of us. more so, they wanted to share what they could share with their American guests. having an American in your home was seemingly a great thing - almost a thing of pride. we'd talk, ask questions back and forth, joke...etc.
in reflection, their generosity is an amazing thing, especially during the slightly 'hunger years' of the post-communism 1990s.
what we would often do during the 1990s was pull out the Polaroid and take pictures of the family with us and give them to them. these pictures immediately went up on the bureau that was full of family pictures from the past 30-50 years. we could often study family trees via this display. there were the parents of the grandparents in this home. there are the pix of the grandparents newly married or entering the military. there are the parents and their siblings and then some pictures of children.
and then there was our picture with them. right up there with the family pictures. it was an amazing thing to me.
ahh, but that was 11 yrs ago in rural, western Mongolia where few people lived and fewer westerners visited. what about today?
today, i can tell you, that among my colleagues, their families and friends, the generosity culture has not worn thin with rapid cultural change & westernization. our host sleeps very little when we are in town. he does EVERYTHING for us - everything to make our visit successful, enjoyable and comfortable. and, he is the head of his department in the #1 university in Mongolia. his students work just as hard.
so, what happened yesterday, however, just blew all of this experience and knowledge away.
i hosted a Mongolian student for about 3 months in the spring. on this trip she said many times that she wanted me to meet her parents. as time was short before i left, i suggested that next yr would be better. she didn't give up [and heard through the grapevine she shed some tears when her supervisor suggested the same thing - it was that important]. so, as the August crew was headed through her parent's town to conduct one more field trip, we decided to follow them out for lunch at the parent's house.
lunch - HA!
it was Thanksgiving. out came the Mongolian tea [unfortunately for me, no salt - i like salty, Mongolian tea]. then the candy [hershey's kisses, tootsie rolls & hard candy, no less]. then, khushuu [fried meat dumplings about 2.5" wide X 4-5" long X 0.5" thick]. then, pickles. then, "Russian" salad [pickled carrots, peppers and some other veggies - kinda sweet, very nice]. then, orange juice. then fresh airag - the best airag i've had yet in my five visits. her father wasn't eating much. when i asked why, he said he was waiting for the real food....i instinctively stopped eating. this was the warm up. out came nicely cooked mutton on a large platter. again, the best mutton i've had in Mongolia. the platter about about 18" in diameter. the food was piled up about one foot. it also had carrots and potatoes. it was very fine. after a few minutes, the drinking ceremony started for real. first airag. then, suddenly, unexpectedly, out came Elijah Craig bourbon. she knew this was my favorite bourbon and somehow got it all the way to eastern Mongolia from Kentucky. all carry on....well, this really hit the spot. so, i partook more than usual to show appreciation.
though we cannot pay, we can show our appreciation by knowing the rituals and eating & drinking deeply. even if you are painfully shy and do not eat much, you can make this all up by draining a bowl of beverage in one slug. thus, i did this.
after about 30 minutes, a blue scarf came out. these blue scarves are sacred. you can find them on sacred trees and oovas. they wrapped the scarf around a copper drinking bowl filled with what i thought was airag, but turned out to be milk [whew! i knew i had to drink deeply again]. they gave the first one to our Mongolian host and then a second one to me.
well, i was touched and drank very deeply. i drank all of it.
but, the bowl, scarf and honor was not the real gift. as i was finishing, they informed me that my student's parents bought each of us a horse. really. seriously. a horse. there is a horse in the country side that i 'own'. seriously.
[her Mongolian teacher, our host, actualy has his choice between a cow or a horse]
"my" horse is only a young horse right now, apparently. when the student sees it, she will take a picture. i was/am stunned. it took about 10 minutes to understand what happened. the copper bowl, scarf and honor was enough. it was so hard to accept it. i made a crude joke to try to ease my feelings. i said that next yr i would eat it [horse really tastes good]. they said no, that it would live out its natural life on the Mongolian Steppe. so, i was then shamed again.
"of course i wouldn't eat it!", i clarified. they joked i could race in Nadaam next yr. while i am still young-looking for my age, i think they will notice that a) i am not Mongolian [that might be a close one. i might be able to sneak through] and b) i am a bit older than the other riders, who are typically 6-10 yrs old.
but, think about it. i hosted and trained their daughter. i taught her some field and lab methods. she created three chronologies for me and assisted my students. i only taught her a little bit. i'm actually kinda embarrassed at the host i was during her visit compared to how i am treated in Mongolia. it is embarrassing.
but really, think about it. what they essentially gave me was a car. the horse in Mongolia is the equivalent of a car in the U.S. they gave me a car for doing my job, a job i wish i had performed better before the horse.
i was stunned for the next three hrs [i still am when i think about it]. i cried, internally, for hrs.
unbelievable.
unworthy.
_____________
last night over dinner my host said that when you are fed in Mongolia, you are supposed to feed those feeding you more than what you were fed next time you have the chance.
what do i do? any ideas?
_____________
afterword:
yesterday was really an emotional day for me. the horse is obvious. after we parted from the August crew, however, my host and i headed back to Ulaanbaatar, we first stopped at the Kherlen Gol [gol = river]. i went to wash my face, hands and neck in Kherlen water. this is a river i had never seen before, but i am deeply connected to. see, this river was the main subject of my first, true scientific paper. it is a paper with a long personal history. it was initially & harshly rejected by reviewers on the DAY i was accepted into my phd program. it was a day when i wondered if the path i was now moving along was the right one for me.
eight years later i have to say yes. washing in the Kherlen brought full circle the real beginning of my scientific career and my initial ventures in Mongolia
i have long known how generous Mongolians are. i've known it now for more than a decade. but, what happened yesterday still brings tears to my eyes.
on my first trip to Mongolia, i studied up on Mongolian culture via Lonely Planet. they said how if you showed up at a ger [also known by the Russian moniker, yurt] and the family fed you or let you spend the night and you tried to pay them, it was considered rude. this was really hard to take on the first trip. 'mericans, in general, like to give as well and really like to give money as a gift. so, when you show up at someone's home and they put on a big spread, and you can tell they obviously have little monetary assets [and you often see a couple of children running around], you really want to give back some how; to at least show your appreciation. it is hard not to do that.
it is hard not to do that when you show up at someone's house and they drop what they are doing, no matter what, pour you a nice bowl of piping hot Mongolian tea [1/2 milk, black tea, perhaps some butter and salt in the west (little to no salt in the east)]. this offering is quickly followed up by a big bowl of hard candy and, often, a bowl of dried yogurt and cheese. if you stay for nearly an hr and it is August, airag [fermented mare's milk] will be pulled out and a small drinking ceremony begins. airag is roughly 1.5%, so it isn't overwhelming, alcohol-wise. if you stay longer, let's say for 2-3 hrs, they will cook you a meal.
and here is the tricky thing: the longer you stay, the more they give. you don't want to leave quickly for seeming rude. and, back in the 1990s when westerners were rare, they enjoyed the company and were very curious of us. more so, they wanted to share what they could share with their American guests. having an American in your home was seemingly a great thing - almost a thing of pride. we'd talk, ask questions back and forth, joke...etc.
in reflection, their generosity is an amazing thing, especially during the slightly 'hunger years' of the post-communism 1990s.
what we would often do during the 1990s was pull out the Polaroid and take pictures of the family with us and give them to them. these pictures immediately went up on the bureau that was full of family pictures from the past 30-50 years. we could often study family trees via this display. there were the parents of the grandparents in this home. there are the pix of the grandparents newly married or entering the military. there are the parents and their siblings and then some pictures of children.
and then there was our picture with them. right up there with the family pictures. it was an amazing thing to me.
ahh, but that was 11 yrs ago in rural, western Mongolia where few people lived and fewer westerners visited. what about today?
today, i can tell you, that among my colleagues, their families and friends, the generosity culture has not worn thin with rapid cultural change & westernization. our host sleeps very little when we are in town. he does EVERYTHING for us - everything to make our visit successful, enjoyable and comfortable. and, he is the head of his department in the #1 university in Mongolia. his students work just as hard.
so, what happened yesterday, however, just blew all of this experience and knowledge away.
i hosted a Mongolian student for about 3 months in the spring. on this trip she said many times that she wanted me to meet her parents. as time was short before i left, i suggested that next yr would be better. she didn't give up [and heard through the grapevine she shed some tears when her supervisor suggested the same thing - it was that important]. so, as the August crew was headed through her parent's town to conduct one more field trip, we decided to follow them out for lunch at the parent's house.
lunch - HA!
it was Thanksgiving. out came the Mongolian tea [unfortunately for me, no salt - i like salty, Mongolian tea]. then the candy [hershey's kisses, tootsie rolls & hard candy, no less]. then, khushuu [fried meat dumplings about 2.5" wide X 4-5" long X 0.5" thick]. then, pickles. then, "Russian" salad [pickled carrots, peppers and some other veggies - kinda sweet, very nice]. then, orange juice. then fresh airag - the best airag i've had yet in my five visits. her father wasn't eating much. when i asked why, he said he was waiting for the real food....i instinctively stopped eating. this was the warm up. out came nicely cooked mutton on a large platter. again, the best mutton i've had in Mongolia. the platter about about 18" in diameter. the food was piled up about one foot. it also had carrots and potatoes. it was very fine. after a few minutes, the drinking ceremony started for real. first airag. then, suddenly, unexpectedly, out came Elijah Craig bourbon. she knew this was my favorite bourbon and somehow got it all the way to eastern Mongolia from Kentucky. all carry on....well, this really hit the spot. so, i partook more than usual to show appreciation.
though we cannot pay, we can show our appreciation by knowing the rituals and eating & drinking deeply. even if you are painfully shy and do not eat much, you can make this all up by draining a bowl of beverage in one slug. thus, i did this.
after about 30 minutes, a blue scarf came out. these blue scarves are sacred. you can find them on sacred trees and oovas. they wrapped the scarf around a copper drinking bowl filled with what i thought was airag, but turned out to be milk [whew! i knew i had to drink deeply again]. they gave the first one to our Mongolian host and then a second one to me.
well, i was touched and drank very deeply. i drank all of it.
but, the bowl, scarf and honor was not the real gift. as i was finishing, they informed me that my student's parents bought each of us a horse. really. seriously. a horse. there is a horse in the country side that i 'own'. seriously.
[her Mongolian teacher, our host, actualy has his choice between a cow or a horse]
"my" horse is only a young horse right now, apparently. when the student sees it, she will take a picture. i was/am stunned. it took about 10 minutes to understand what happened. the copper bowl, scarf and honor was enough. it was so hard to accept it. i made a crude joke to try to ease my feelings. i said that next yr i would eat it [horse really tastes good]. they said no, that it would live out its natural life on the Mongolian Steppe. so, i was then shamed again.
"of course i wouldn't eat it!", i clarified. they joked i could race in Nadaam next yr. while i am still young-looking for my age, i think they will notice that a) i am not Mongolian [that might be a close one. i might be able to sneak through] and b) i am a bit older than the other riders, who are typically 6-10 yrs old.
but, think about it. i hosted and trained their daughter. i taught her some field and lab methods. she created three chronologies for me and assisted my students. i only taught her a little bit. i'm actually kinda embarrassed at the host i was during her visit compared to how i am treated in Mongolia. it is embarrassing.
but really, think about it. what they essentially gave me was a car. the horse in Mongolia is the equivalent of a car in the U.S. they gave me a car for doing my job, a job i wish i had performed better before the horse.
i was stunned for the next three hrs [i still am when i think about it]. i cried, internally, for hrs.
unbelievable.
unworthy.
_____________
last night over dinner my host said that when you are fed in Mongolia, you are supposed to feed those feeding you more than what you were fed next time you have the chance.
what do i do? any ideas?
_____________
afterword:
yesterday was really an emotional day for me. the horse is obvious. after we parted from the August crew, however, my host and i headed back to Ulaanbaatar, we first stopped at the Kherlen Gol [gol = river]. i went to wash my face, hands and neck in Kherlen water. this is a river i had never seen before, but i am deeply connected to. see, this river was the main subject of my first, true scientific paper. it is a paper with a long personal history. it was initially & harshly rejected by reviewers on the DAY i was accepted into my phd program. it was a day when i wondered if the path i was now moving along was the right one for me.
eight years later i have to say yes. washing in the Kherlen brought full circle the real beginning of my scientific career and my initial ventures in Mongolia
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
what a difference a word makes
dear readers,
i do not foresee too many more posts this summer (on my end, at least) - next week is my last week here and i am overwhelmed by the things that need to get done before i leave, not to mention the words that must be memorized before my final exam next week! but i wanted to share with you just how inspiring it's been to be able to use my arabic, as full of errors as it may be.
as i think i mentioned in an earlier post, i have been spending an afternoon or two a week in the old city, doing homework with classmates and speaking arabic as much as possible. our conversations are full of mistakes and many english words (or hebrew, depending on who i am with) make their way into our sentences - - but the effort is there.
and the effort has been met with such warmth! arab hospitality at its best - - just for speaking a few words of a shopkeeper's mother tongue.
i plan on continuing with my arabic as much as i can this given year and in the future - but the response i've received in the past few weeks has proven to me that even just a little bit makes a huge difference. this is so important for the kind of work (and research) i do, and i knew that before - - but it's been made all the more clear during my time in jerusalem this summer.
i do not foresee too many more posts this summer (on my end, at least) - next week is my last week here and i am overwhelmed by the things that need to get done before i leave, not to mention the words that must be memorized before my final exam next week! but i wanted to share with you just how inspiring it's been to be able to use my arabic, as full of errors as it may be.
as i think i mentioned in an earlier post, i have been spending an afternoon or two a week in the old city, doing homework with classmates and speaking arabic as much as possible. our conversations are full of mistakes and many english words (or hebrew, depending on who i am with) make their way into our sentences - - but the effort is there.
and the effort has been met with such warmth! arab hospitality at its best - - just for speaking a few words of a shopkeeper's mother tongue.
i plan on continuing with my arabic as much as i can this given year and in the future - but the response i've received in the past few weeks has proven to me that even just a little bit makes a huge difference. this is so important for the kind of work (and research) i do, and i knew that before - - but it's been made all the more clear during my time in jerusalem this summer.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
one city, three worlds...
the city i refer to is jerusalem.
i've been thinking about this city recently, and i think there are at least three worlds somehow coexisting here - definitely not peacefully, but coexisting nonetheless.
first, there is the city i most identify with - secular (or at least not super-religious) west jerusalem. this is where i live, where i seek out culture and nightlife, where i run in the mornings, where i do my grocery shopping, where i meet my friends.
but recently i've been discovering east jerusalem - part of the same city, yet an entirely different world. a world where i hear arabic rather than hebrew, and where i have plenty of opportunities to practice my arabic - at a coffee shop, at the shuk, or asking directions. believe it or not, despite having lived here for more than two years (at different points in my life), i am only just now discovering this 'world' in jerusalem. it's got an entirely different vibe than the west side of town, and no, i don't feel like i am going to get shot when i am there (not that i've spent that much time there). i was talking with a friend the other day, though, and we were discussing the fact that as jewish israelis we've somehow been taught (indirectly and directly) that we shouldn't go to this side of town because it is dangerous/unsafe/bad/all of the above. it's been an interesting challenge for me over the past few weeks to try to break this mindset somewhat. i can't say i've totally succeeded, but i am definitely feeling more comfortable in the christian/muslim/armenian quarters of the old city. (and no, i haven't ventured deep into east jerusalem beyond that). it's made me think quite a bit about the way we're taught to see the world and how this differs so greatly depending on what side of the line we grow up on - in israel, and elsewhere. and how much of what we're taught is reality, and how much of it is not.
anyway.
i mentioned three worlds. the third world, and, quite honestly, the one i least understand, is the world of the ultra-othodox jews (both in east and west jerusalem). this world has been crashing into my world the last few days - the haredi (ultra-orthodox) community instigated a series of violent riots throughout the city in response to the arrest of a mother accused of starving her son. the riots have been blocking major thoroughfares in the city, which is a major pain, but my morning commute is nothing compared to the fact that they've been setting fires, vandalizing traffic lights, and clashing violently with the police. this is in additon to the ongoing demonstrations that have been held in protest against the opening of a parking lot near the old city on shabbat...
i like to think of myself as a pretty open-minded person, ready to hear the views of almost everyone, but this has really thrown me for a loop. who are these people? what in the world are they thinking? and why are none of their leaders telling them to stop?? sheesh.
like i said, one city, three worlds. it's definitely an interesting place...
i've been thinking about this city recently, and i think there are at least three worlds somehow coexisting here - definitely not peacefully, but coexisting nonetheless.
first, there is the city i most identify with - secular (or at least not super-religious) west jerusalem. this is where i live, where i seek out culture and nightlife, where i run in the mornings, where i do my grocery shopping, where i meet my friends.
but recently i've been discovering east jerusalem - part of the same city, yet an entirely different world. a world where i hear arabic rather than hebrew, and where i have plenty of opportunities to practice my arabic - at a coffee shop, at the shuk, or asking directions. believe it or not, despite having lived here for more than two years (at different points in my life), i am only just now discovering this 'world' in jerusalem. it's got an entirely different vibe than the west side of town, and no, i don't feel like i am going to get shot when i am there (not that i've spent that much time there). i was talking with a friend the other day, though, and we were discussing the fact that as jewish israelis we've somehow been taught (indirectly and directly) that we shouldn't go to this side of town because it is dangerous/unsafe/bad/all of the above. it's been an interesting challenge for me over the past few weeks to try to break this mindset somewhat. i can't say i've totally succeeded, but i am definitely feeling more comfortable in the christian/muslim/armenian quarters of the old city. (and no, i haven't ventured deep into east jerusalem beyond that). it's made me think quite a bit about the way we're taught to see the world and how this differs so greatly depending on what side of the line we grow up on - in israel, and elsewhere. and how much of what we're taught is reality, and how much of it is not.
anyway.
i mentioned three worlds. the third world, and, quite honestly, the one i least understand, is the world of the ultra-othodox jews (both in east and west jerusalem). this world has been crashing into my world the last few days - the haredi (ultra-orthodox) community instigated a series of violent riots throughout the city in response to the arrest of a mother accused of starving her son. the riots have been blocking major thoroughfares in the city, which is a major pain, but my morning commute is nothing compared to the fact that they've been setting fires, vandalizing traffic lights, and clashing violently with the police. this is in additon to the ongoing demonstrations that have been held in protest against the opening of a parking lot near the old city on shabbat...
i like to think of myself as a pretty open-minded person, ready to hear the views of almost everyone, but this has really thrown me for a loop. who are these people? what in the world are they thinking? and why are none of their leaders telling them to stop?? sheesh.
like i said, one city, three worlds. it's definitely an interesting place...
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Jerusalem dialogue
Last night I facilitated a dialogue about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for a group of non-Israelis living in Jerusalem. The dialogue was sponsored by this organization, which I consult/facilitate for on occasion. Although the group has facilitated over 200 dialogues in the USA on this issue, last night was the first one to take place in Israel.
It was a fascinating conversation, but the most interesting comment that was made was, essentially, "Why does this matter?" In other words, what's the importance of dialogue, and more importantly, dialogue about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while we're in Israel?
It's a good question - in fact, it's the one I've been asking myself for years, and the question that I hope is the basis of the dissertation I start working on imminently (I guess you could say I already have begun to work on it, since all my meetings here - or the large majority of them - have focused on preparations for next summer's research). So I was intrigued by it last night. The interesting thing is, nobody really had a clear answer. It's not that people didn't think that this dialogue wasn't important, it's just that they couldn't answer *why* it is. Interesting...
Anyway, my apologies otherwise for not posting much lately - it's been super busy. But, I have some pictures from a trip last Saturday to Israel's "Orchid Park," and those should be posted soon.
It was a fascinating conversation, but the most interesting comment that was made was, essentially, "Why does this matter?" In other words, what's the importance of dialogue, and more importantly, dialogue about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while we're in Israel?
It's a good question - in fact, it's the one I've been asking myself for years, and the question that I hope is the basis of the dissertation I start working on imminently (I guess you could say I already have begun to work on it, since all my meetings here - or the large majority of them - have focused on preparations for next summer's research). So I was intrigued by it last night. The interesting thing is, nobody really had a clear answer. It's not that people didn't think that this dialogue wasn't important, it's just that they couldn't answer *why* it is. Interesting...
Anyway, my apologies otherwise for not posting much lately - it's been super busy. But, I have some pictures from a trip last Saturday to Israel's "Orchid Park," and those should be posted soon.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
You've come a long way (baby)/Whiffs of the ADKs/Where is my Mongolia
I will not be able to post as much or as in depth as I had hoped. There is little down time on this project so far. We've completed the first leg of our field research. it was great getting into the Mongolian countryside again. anyhow, so this post will almost be a grocery list of thoughts & observations [i wish blogging/internet cafes were common on my first trip 11 yrs ago. the experience was so much more intense. i had much more to say about Mongolia then].
act I - You've come a long way (baby) - i cannot believe how 'far' China and Mongolia have come in the last 3-10 yrs. the Beijing airport is something to behold - it really is lovely. the changes in Mongolia in the short time since my first visit in 1998 borders on unfathomable. they've remade Sukh Bator Square so now there is a wonderful statue of Chinggis Khaan overlooking the square. 10-11 yrs ago the parliment building on the square was a drab, communist building [like the 1st beijing airport i traveled through]. now, it is a wonderful tribute to Mongolia's long history. yet, it is touched with a wonderful glass facade. it is really interesting to see how Mongolia blends the old with the new. Mongolia went from the 1600's [or 1900s] to the 21st century in about 20 yrs. it is interesting to se how they honor the Mongolian Empire while consuming the modern world. i'll try to dig up pix from 10 yrs ago sometime when back in the states. the change is unreal.
act II - yesterday we were deep in the Mongolian landscape, yet relatively close to the cap[itol city of Ulaanbaatar. what struck me the most was how much one part of the landscape reminded me of the southern Adirondacks. in the past, i traveled to the coldest or driest portion of the Mongolian forest. yesterday we were in one of the wettest. we came upon a jeep trail that petered out at the base of a curving mtn range. to our left was a large wetland complex filled with shrub willow and potentilla. the surrounding forest was a mix of boreal conifers & hardwoods. it was lovely. it smelled wonderful. the scent in the air told me i was in the boreal forest, yet, in combination with the landscape of low mtn and large wetland complex, it transported me to the southern Adirondacks north of the West Canada Lakes region. as i have been extremely fortunate in seeing many patches of the world, i have constantly been trying to find a place like the ADKs. a part of Siberia was close in geology. but, it lacked the water & wetlands. yesterday's location was the closest yet that i've seen. i really wanted to camp there for a while. it was the first place in Mongolia that the reminded me of home.
- speaking of home, as you know, Mongolia is like a second home to me. i had no idea at the time, in 1998, at how lucky i was to be here so soon after the fall of communism. i saw a very basic Mongolia - little religion, communist architecture, pure Mongolian food and shopping. it was physically hard on westerners. the food is a acquired taste. now, however, you can buy almost everything from western civilization that you possibly want. we got organic raisins from Whole Foods, for Pete's sake. i could almost come here with only my research equipment and some clothes and buy all i need to conduct a month's research. it is so far from 1998. so far that i almost miss it. but, it makes me think of what is happening internally. i cannot even conceive of the culture wars happening between generations, the sexes and rural VS urban. the culture wars in the US are nothing, i would guess.
apologies for typos. gotta run for a meeting. try to get more out over the weekend. we ar attending Nadaam. i'm really excited about this.
btw, i did realize which piece of meat that i ate yesterday was horse. it was really fantastic meat!
act I - You've come a long way (baby) - i cannot believe how 'far' China and Mongolia have come in the last 3-10 yrs. the Beijing airport is something to behold - it really is lovely. the changes in Mongolia in the short time since my first visit in 1998 borders on unfathomable. they've remade Sukh Bator Square so now there is a wonderful statue of Chinggis Khaan overlooking the square. 10-11 yrs ago the parliment building on the square was a drab, communist building [like the 1st beijing airport i traveled through]. now, it is a wonderful tribute to Mongolia's long history. yet, it is touched with a wonderful glass facade. it is really interesting to see how Mongolia blends the old with the new. Mongolia went from the 1600's [or 1900s] to the 21st century in about 20 yrs. it is interesting to se how they honor the Mongolian Empire while consuming the modern world. i'll try to dig up pix from 10 yrs ago sometime when back in the states. the change is unreal.
act II - yesterday we were deep in the Mongolian landscape, yet relatively close to the cap[itol city of Ulaanbaatar. what struck me the most was how much one part of the landscape reminded me of the southern Adirondacks. in the past, i traveled to the coldest or driest portion of the Mongolian forest. yesterday we were in one of the wettest. we came upon a jeep trail that petered out at the base of a curving mtn range. to our left was a large wetland complex filled with shrub willow and potentilla. the surrounding forest was a mix of boreal conifers & hardwoods. it was lovely. it smelled wonderful. the scent in the air told me i was in the boreal forest, yet, in combination with the landscape of low mtn and large wetland complex, it transported me to the southern Adirondacks north of the West Canada Lakes region. as i have been extremely fortunate in seeing many patches of the world, i have constantly been trying to find a place like the ADKs. a part of Siberia was close in geology. but, it lacked the water & wetlands. yesterday's location was the closest yet that i've seen. i really wanted to camp there for a while. it was the first place in Mongolia that the reminded me of home.
- speaking of home, as you know, Mongolia is like a second home to me. i had no idea at the time, in 1998, at how lucky i was to be here so soon after the fall of communism. i saw a very basic Mongolia - little religion, communist architecture, pure Mongolian food and shopping. it was physically hard on westerners. the food is a acquired taste. now, however, you can buy almost everything from western civilization that you possibly want. we got organic raisins from Whole Foods, for Pete's sake. i could almost come here with only my research equipment and some clothes and buy all i need to conduct a month's research. it is so far from 1998. so far that i almost miss it. but, it makes me think of what is happening internally. i cannot even conceive of the culture wars happening between generations, the sexes and rural VS urban. the culture wars in the US are nothing, i would guess.
apologies for typos. gotta run for a meeting. try to get more out over the weekend. we ar attending Nadaam. i'm really excited about this.
btw, i did realize which piece of meat that i ate yesterday was horse. it was really fantastic meat!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
more of Jerusalem
i took this picture from the mt. scopus campus of the hebrew university of jerusalem (where i'm taking my arabic class). it's not the best photo, but (i hope) it gives you a sense of what it's like to look over the old city from the university. (this picture is the result of me trying to put together a panoramic...it didn't come out so well, sorry. neil, you'll have to help with this when you get a chance!)
the arabic class, by the way, is really kicking my butt (and no, to all interested parties, i don't know how to say that in arabic yet). i have become very, very good friends with both of my dictionaries, and i've been listening to israeli radio in arabic (i learned the word for "junction" the other day!), but there's no doubt about it - there are days when i feel completely overwhelmed. however, this afternoon after class, i went with two of my classmates to the old city, where we found a cafe at which to sit and do our homework...and speak lots of arabic with others sitting there. it definitely felt good to be using the language in a setting other than the classroom - after all, that's why i'm learning it!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
pictures from Neil...
so, as of right now, neil is stuck in beijing, waiting for his flight to mongolia. the blog is censored, so he can't post his pictures here, but he took some fantastic photos during the flight (and of the beijing airport). since he can't post them on the blog, they are posted here.
enjoy! and cross your fingers that his flight takes off soon...
enjoy! and cross your fingers that his flight takes off soon...
Saturday, July 4, 2009
happy 4th of july!
american independence day is celebrated here in israel. not quite the same way as in the USA - no parades, or displays of red white and blue - - but the days' symbolism manifests itself in various ways over here. for example, one of the government radio stations was playing american music all day yesterday.
and tonight in herzelia (just north of tel aviv), the free concert in the park consisted of a brass quintet that played music by various american composers in honor of independence day. it wasn't the patriotic music you might hear in the states (i kept waiting for "god bless america," which never came) - - more like ragtime, jazz, etc.
personally, i thought the concert was kind of hilarious. the quintet was made up of five musicians from the former soviet union. the musician who introduced the group spoke in a heavy russian accent - announcing that the next piece would be one by "dook elleengton", for example. standard for israel, thought certainly a bit odd for an "american" concert.
but the kicker came when he introduced the final song as "the holy people will march" (in hebrew) - apparently this is the translation for "when the saints come marching in." nice, eh?
i thought nothing could beat that, but then the encore? 'heveinu shalom aleichem', followed by the hora...
and tonight in herzelia (just north of tel aviv), the free concert in the park consisted of a brass quintet that played music by various american composers in honor of independence day. it wasn't the patriotic music you might hear in the states (i kept waiting for "god bless america," which never came) - - more like ragtime, jazz, etc.
personally, i thought the concert was kind of hilarious. the quintet was made up of five musicians from the former soviet union. the musician who introduced the group spoke in a heavy russian accent - announcing that the next piece would be one by "dook elleengton", for example. standard for israel, thought certainly a bit odd for an "american" concert.
but the kicker came when he introduced the final song as "the holy people will march" (in hebrew) - apparently this is the translation for "when the saints come marching in." nice, eh?
i thought nothing could beat that, but then the encore? 'heveinu shalom aleichem', followed by the hora...
Thursday, July 2, 2009
the perch of two continents
i'm on the perch of two continents. tomorrow i fly out to Beijing to begin the Mongolia '09 field excursion.
"Mongolia it is so exotic!"
indeed, it is. but, this is my 5th trip. so, while it is exotic, in a strange way, it feels like home, a second home. the Mongolians i work with are really great people. smart, hard-working, down-to-Earth and laid back [mostly]. for some reason my mind connects them to native Vermont-sters. in fact, Baatar and Sanaa both loved their visits to Vermont.
anyhow, after studying Mongolian customs and such, it feels like home when getting back in touch with the land and the people. so, in one sense, it is less of an exotic adventure as a return to home.
it will, however, be an adventure. we will be conducting research in a new part of the country for me. we will be working in a transect almost due north of Ulaanbaatar, the capitol [sometimes spelled Ulan Bator - check it on Google maps - their Mongolian coverage has increased significantly over the last 2 months]. we will be working from an area just north of where the Mongolian forest zone meets the Gobi Steppe up to the forests south of Siberi. in the northern forests I expect much more moist, dense and diverse forests versus the ones i've worked in in previous trips. that will be an adventure.
it will also be an adventure because i will be partnering with new colleagues. i've known them both for a while. but, you do not get to know someone more fully until you spend days in jeeps in conditions that can be physically and, occasionally, culturally challenging while eating different foods. and, the odd thing to me is that i will be the senior American in terms of field experience in Mongolia. so, i'll have to lead more than in the past. luckily for me, my new colleagues are great - thoughtful, hard-working, smart....should be a blast.
the first part of the adventure begins tomorrow. i fly from Newark to Beijing direct. i've done this trip once before. it is such an improvement versus my first trip, which took me from Newark to San Fran to Tokyo to Beijing in "one-trip". It was 33 hrs door-to-door. this one should be about 15-16 hrs. tomorrow i will go up over Canada to the northern edge of North America and then south down eastern Asia. the scenes out the windows are really neat.
so, i need to sign off. time to figure out how to get clothing and gear for all weather over the course of the next 28 days into four bags, bags that i can lug around mostly by myself.
just being...
just to let you know at the outset - this post isn't about travel, or Jerusalem, or sights i've seen. it's not about anything, really - mostly i'm writing it because i felt like sharing my evening with you.
let's start by saying that the evening capped a really nice day. i understood about 90% of my arabic class today (a vast improvement over sunday's ~60%), and after class, i got a bunch of non-arabic related things done that have been hanging over my head for a while. then i went for a run, in a new part of the neighborhood, and a few minutes into it, i saw: a waffle bar (as in, a cafe serving waffles).
can you guess how the rest of the evening went?
i just came home from sitting at the waffle bar, outside, for the past two hours, reading a book, and eating a waffle with hot belgian chocolate and bananas. pure decadence. but i was sitting outside on a perfect jerusalem summer evening (and you really can't get much better than summer evenings in jerusalem - cool, with a light breeze - the ideal complement to the heat of daylight hours), eating my waffle, and it felt like things couldn't get any better. of course, it would have been nice to share the evening with someone (um, neil, why didn't you fly over here this afternoon? oh right, it must be because you're flying to mongolia tomorrow...) - but even on my own, i was perfectly content.
i just got home from walking through the perfect jerusalem evening (smelling smells that i can't really describe, except to say that they smell like jerusalem on a summer night), and i think i just had the perfect start to my weekend...
let's start by saying that the evening capped a really nice day. i understood about 90% of my arabic class today (a vast improvement over sunday's ~60%), and after class, i got a bunch of non-arabic related things done that have been hanging over my head for a while. then i went for a run, in a new part of the neighborhood, and a few minutes into it, i saw: a waffle bar (as in, a cafe serving waffles).
can you guess how the rest of the evening went?
i just came home from sitting at the waffle bar, outside, for the past two hours, reading a book, and eating a waffle with hot belgian chocolate and bananas. pure decadence. but i was sitting outside on a perfect jerusalem summer evening (and you really can't get much better than summer evenings in jerusalem - cool, with a light breeze - the ideal complement to the heat of daylight hours), eating my waffle, and it felt like things couldn't get any better. of course, it would have been nice to share the evening with someone (um, neil, why didn't you fly over here this afternoon? oh right, it must be because you're flying to mongolia tomorrow...) - but even on my own, i was perfectly content.
i just got home from walking through the perfect jerusalem evening (smelling smells that i can't really describe, except to say that they smell like jerusalem on a summer night), and i think i just had the perfect start to my weekend...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
hiking up north
this past weekend, my friend kornit invited me to join her and a group of friends on a hike through nahal yehudiya, which is up in the golan heights. the hike is beautiful, and as you hebrew speakers might have guessed, it includes a lot of water hiking [the word nahal in hebrew means stream]. we started up above the stream, then hiked down and along the stream. during a few points, the trail literally goes through pools of water, necessitating a swim (not that anyone minded on a hot summer day!). it's only a 5km trail, but it took us a while, mostly because we kept stopping to jump in the water. also, the hike back up the trail from the stream is pretty excruciating - it felt as though we were hiking straight up!
because of all the water, i didn't have my camera out all that much (it was a bit of a pain to keep unwrapping it from the layers of plastic bags i wrapped it in to keep it dry), but below are a few of the highlights...mostly scenery. for more people pictures (taken by effi, one of the group members i was hiking with), go here. in the meantime, enjoy!
looking down at the stream at the start of the hike:
on the trail, heading down the side of the mountain towards the stream:
one of the water crossings. the first one was equipped with a metal ladder, but this one, later on in the hike, only had hand-holds. you can see the close-up of effi as he gets ready to descend (the 2nd picture). kobi is already across the pool and climbing out of the water, trying not to get bitten by the fish!
kornit enjoying the hike:
that's it! effi's pictures will give you a better sense of what the hike was like. and yes, when you come visit israel, we can go on this hike again...
because of all the water, i didn't have my camera out all that much (it was a bit of a pain to keep unwrapping it from the layers of plastic bags i wrapped it in to keep it dry), but below are a few of the highlights...mostly scenery. for more people pictures (taken by effi, one of the group members i was hiking with), go here. in the meantime, enjoy!
looking down at the stream at the start of the hike:
on the trail, heading down the side of the mountain towards the stream:
one of the water crossings. the first one was equipped with a metal ladder, but this one, later on in the hike, only had hand-holds. you can see the close-up of effi as he gets ready to descend (the 2nd picture). kobi is already across the pool and climbing out of the water, trying not to get bitten by the fish!
kornit enjoying the hike:
the rock wall over one of the pools we stopped at. it kind of reminded me of petra (only not pink). pretty cool nonetheless:
if you look really closely, you can kind of-almost-maybe see the kinneret (the sea of galilee) between the hills. only part of the reason it's hard to see is my fault. the water level is so low that the sea is about to disappear:
these last pictures aren't from the golan heights. when we got back to the tel aviv area, i was dropped off, and as i crossed a bridge over the highway, i looked back and saw the sun setting over a field in back of me. i'm a big fan of the sun and the clouds...
that's it! effi's pictures will give you a better sense of what the hike was like. and yes, when you come visit israel, we can go on this hike again...
Sunday, June 28, 2009
pardon the interruption...
of the wonderful pix from Israel. want to share some garden pix w/ Karen.
hey Hon - look at how much the potatoes and tomato plant has grown since you left:
the potatoes are shooting up!
and the tomato is 3' high and flowering!
pictures...well, a few, anyway
ok, here's the first batch of much promised photos. let's take a tour of jerusalem...
first off: the shuk, or market - - produce, meat, and anything else you can think of, galore. my pictures aren't as good as the ones neil took in tel aviv this past december, but here are a few to start off with:
on the left you see the shuk itself. the other pictures give you a sense of what's sold there...and in what piles! the best part, in my opinion, is the hawking of wares - - "fresh watermelon!!! tomatoes - best price!! freshly baked pita bread!!" and, even though they say the army is the melting pot of
israel - - you'll se
e a full cross-section of jerusalem society at the shuk - hassidic jews in their various shades of black,
muslims, soldiers on guard and on break,
older russian women, younger arabs, nuns (i saw
two the other day - one in white and one in black), tourists, and more.
i walked to the shuk the other day and stopped there for a smoothie - banana, strawberry, mint, and dates on an orange juice base. mmmmmmmm. just the thing for a hot day...
on my way to the shuk, i passed by my favorite place in
jerusalem - the montefiorie windmill:
the windmill stands in the neighborhood of yemin moshe, which was the first neighborhood built in jerusalem outside of the gates of the old city. the neighborhood is really beautiful (in my opinion, anyway), and it looks towards the old city. here are a couple of pictures of the old city as seen from the windmill:
i could spend hours sitting there...and i have, in the past.but on this day i was headed towards tel aviv, so the walk continued. i got my fruit juice at the shuk and headed onwards towards the central bus station...and was quickly confronted by the force of orthodox judaism:
for those of you who aren't hebrew readers, here is a translation: "shabbat begins at 7:12. every wife and daughter lights shabbat candles." [it sounds much better - and it rhymes - in hebrew...]. actually, this is a pretty mundane sign - much less offensive than most of the ones i see around here. but seriously - where else do you see signs (sheets?) hanging out the windows admonishing you to fulfill your religious obligations? what a place...
anyway, shortly after seeing that sign, i got to the bus station and climbed aboard a bus to tel aviv, so that's the end of the pictures. next up: pictures from my weekend hiking trip to the golan heights...
first off: the shuk, or market - - produce, meat, and anything else you can think of, galore. my pictures aren't as good as the ones neil took in tel aviv this past december, but here are a few to start off with:
on the left you see the shuk itself. the other pictures give you a sense of what's sold there...and in what piles! the best part, in my opinion, is the hawking of wares - - "fresh watermelon!!! tomatoes - best price!! freshly baked pita bread!!" and, even though they say the army is the melting pot of
israel - - you'll se
e a full cross-section of jerusalem society at the shuk - hassidic jews in their various shades of black,muslims, soldiers on guard and on break,
older russian women, younger arabs, nuns (i saw
two the other day - one in white and one in black), tourists, and more.
i walked to the shuk the other day and stopped there for a smoothie - banana, strawberry, mint, and dates on an orange juice base. mmmmmmmm. just the thing for a hot day...
on my way to the shuk, i passed by my favorite place in
jerusalem - the montefiorie windmill:the windmill stands in the neighborhood of yemin moshe, which was the first neighborhood built in jerusalem outside of the gates of the old city. the neighborhood is really beautiful (in my opinion, anyway), and it looks towards the old city. here are a couple of pictures of the old city as seen from the windmill:
i could spend hours sitting there...and i have, in the past.but on this day i was headed towards tel aviv, so the walk continued. i got my fruit juice at the shuk and headed onwards towards the central bus station...and was quickly confronted by the force of orthodox judaism:
for those of you who aren't hebrew readers, here is a translation: "shabbat begins at 7:12. every wife and daughter lights shabbat candles." [it sounds much better - and it rhymes - in hebrew...]. actually, this is a pretty mundane sign - much less offensive than most of the ones i see around here. but seriously - where else do you see signs (sheets?) hanging out the windows admonishing you to fulfill your religious obligations? what a place...
anyway, shortly after seeing that sign, i got to the bus station and climbed aboard a bus to tel aviv, so that's the end of the pictures. next up: pictures from my weekend hiking trip to the golan heights...
quick comments
i'm working through photos of my trip this weekend and from around jerusalem - they will be posted soon. before that, though, a few quick tidbits of information from the holy land:
- israel had a 'first' this past week with the round 1 draft pick of an israeli basketball player to the NBA. Omri Kaspi was the #23 draft pick, by the Sacramento Kings (aren't you impressed that i know this???)
- vending machines here are taken to a whole new level. in addition to machines selling coffee, soft drinks, and snacks, yesterday i saw a vending machine for...french fries. comes complete with 2 packets of ketchup and 1 salt packet. craziness.
- how often do you see an archeological dig on your way to school/work? today on the bus, as i passed by the walls of the old city, i looked out the window at the work that is being done to construct the new light rail in jerusalem, and saw not one, but two sites labeled "archeological dig." just goes to show you - - people have lived here for so many thousands of years that you can't dig anywhere without discovering the artifacts of a past civilization.
i started my arabic class today. it was enjoyable, but HARD. in the last 6 years i've forgotten much of the arabic i studied before that...well, here's my chance to get it back!
- israel had a 'first' this past week with the round 1 draft pick of an israeli basketball player to the NBA. Omri Kaspi was the #23 draft pick, by the Sacramento Kings (aren't you impressed that i know this???)
- vending machines here are taken to a whole new level. in addition to machines selling coffee, soft drinks, and snacks, yesterday i saw a vending machine for...french fries. comes complete with 2 packets of ketchup and 1 salt packet. craziness.
- how often do you see an archeological dig on your way to school/work? today on the bus, as i passed by the walls of the old city, i looked out the window at the work that is being done to construct the new light rail in jerusalem, and saw not one, but two sites labeled "archeological dig." just goes to show you - - people have lived here for so many thousands of years that you can't dig anywhere without discovering the artifacts of a past civilization.
i started my arabic class today. it was enjoyable, but HARD. in the last 6 years i've forgotten much of the arabic i studied before that...well, here's my chance to get it back!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
always something interesting going on...
it took me more than an hour to get to the university today.
why so long, you ask? well, several main streets were closed today - as i knew in advance - because today was the day of the jerusalem gay pride parade.
as a result, today was also a day of many protests - specifically, from the orthodox jewish community here. lots of black hats on the loose - and lots of really infuriating signs and posters around the city. seriously - i go back and forth between being absolutely fascinated by the religious community here, and feeling like my peace-loving self is going to explode as a result of their closed-mindedness. arrgggh. hello, jerusalem.
in any case, the road closings meant that my bus to the university took a different route than usual, so i was treated to a different part of the city. i think my goal in the next month is to walk as much of jerusalem as possible - this city is such a treasure trove of history and character.
and yes, i promise to post pictures! i actually have some to post, but it's too late for me to write the accompanying text. i promise to do it soon!
why so long, you ask? well, several main streets were closed today - as i knew in advance - because today was the day of the jerusalem gay pride parade.
as a result, today was also a day of many protests - specifically, from the orthodox jewish community here. lots of black hats on the loose - and lots of really infuriating signs and posters around the city. seriously - i go back and forth between being absolutely fascinated by the religious community here, and feeling like my peace-loving self is going to explode as a result of their closed-mindedness. arrgggh. hello, jerusalem.
in any case, the road closings meant that my bus to the university took a different route than usual, so i was treated to a different part of the city. i think my goal in the next month is to walk as much of jerusalem as possible - this city is such a treasure trove of history and character.
and yes, i promise to post pictures! i actually have some to post, but it's too late for me to write the accompanying text. i promise to do it soon!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
it's a small world...
as a follow up to what i wrote a few days ago regarding israeli warmth and willingness to help/make connections, here is a short excerpt from a conversation i had last night with my mom's cousin (roughly synthesized and translated from the hebrew):
cousin: so, what exactly is your doctorate about?
me: [something about israeli jews and arabs, education, etc...]
cousin: oh, you know, my husband's son is involved with something in that area.
me: really?
cousin: yes, he's finishing up his PhD and he also works for an organization that is involved in bringing israelis and palestinians together...
me: oh, what's the name of the organization? i'm familiar with many of the ones here.
cousin: i don't remember.
my aunt: well, what's his name?
cousin: [names name]
me: oh! he and i have been emailing! we're supposed to meet soon!
this person, who i reached via an israeli friend in bloomington, happens to be my mother's cousin's stepson. so typical for this country...
so, in any case - - i write this post from the apartment i'll be living in for the next month. it's located in the German Colony [in Jerusalem], a nice little residential/commercial neighborhood not too far from the city center. my apartment is located on a small side street off of the main drag. it's nice to feel like i'm somewhat settled, and it's wonderful to be back in Jerusalem - it's been 15 years since i lived here. just walking home tonight, after meeting a few of my cousins for dinner, made me smile.
for those of you who have asked - i promise to post some pictures soon! i suppose that will require me to take some first :)
cousin: so, what exactly is your doctorate about?
me: [something about israeli jews and arabs, education, etc...]
cousin: oh, you know, my husband's son is involved with something in that area.
me: really?
cousin: yes, he's finishing up his PhD and he also works for an organization that is involved in bringing israelis and palestinians together...
me: oh, what's the name of the organization? i'm familiar with many of the ones here.
cousin: i don't remember.
my aunt: well, what's his name?
cousin: [names name]
me: oh! he and i have been emailing! we're supposed to meet soon!
this person, who i reached via an israeli friend in bloomington, happens to be my mother's cousin's stepson. so typical for this country...
so, in any case - - i write this post from the apartment i'll be living in for the next month. it's located in the German Colony [in Jerusalem], a nice little residential/commercial neighborhood not too far from the city center. my apartment is located on a small side street off of the main drag. it's nice to feel like i'm somewhat settled, and it's wonderful to be back in Jerusalem - it's been 15 years since i lived here. just walking home tonight, after meeting a few of my cousins for dinner, made me smile.
for those of you who have asked - i promise to post some pictures soon! i suppose that will require me to take some first :)
Sunday, June 21, 2009
complexities of the conflict
i had a meeting today with one of the directors of Peace Child Israel, an israeli organization that promotes coexistence between Israeli Jews and Arabs by means of theater. in theory, the meeting was about potential dissertation research, but over the course of the 45 minutes or so of our discussion, the conversation brought up a lot of interesting thoughts about the israeli/palestinian, israeli/arab, jewish/arab conflict.
one of the interesting things that came up was the amount of disagreement within organizations about objectives of the organization's work, and, more broadly, about desires for the future of an israeli state. what happens when a coexistence organization, staffed by both jewish and non-jewish israelis, tries to keep its momentum going during war (as in, during the gaza war this past winter)? the cracks widen, disagreements abound, and the true complexities of peace-building in israel (note: within israel, not between israel and her neighbors) become painfully obvious. as i was told today, an israeli and palestinian state might exist side by side...but even once they do, it will take 5 generations for relations between all the citizens of this state - the state of israel - to normalize. whatever 'normalize' means.
it's an interesting dilemma, especially for an organization committed to working jointly to give youth an opportunity to see a different future than the one that exists. the words i heard today were, "we agree to disagree, and it's a starting point." but that can only go so far, when at the end of the day the political issues have to be dealt with.
one of the interesting things that came up was the amount of disagreement within organizations about objectives of the organization's work, and, more broadly, about desires for the future of an israeli state. what happens when a coexistence organization, staffed by both jewish and non-jewish israelis, tries to keep its momentum going during war (as in, during the gaza war this past winter)? the cracks widen, disagreements abound, and the true complexities of peace-building in israel (note: within israel, not between israel and her neighbors) become painfully obvious. as i was told today, an israeli and palestinian state might exist side by side...but even once they do, it will take 5 generations for relations between all the citizens of this state - the state of israel - to normalize. whatever 'normalize' means.
it's an interesting dilemma, especially for an organization committed to working jointly to give youth an opportunity to see a different future than the one that exists. the words i heard today were, "we agree to disagree, and it's a starting point." but that can only go so far, when at the end of the day the political issues have to be dealt with.
prepping for a longish field season
in preparation for a longish field season - less to take care of - thanks Dave!
Friday, June 19, 2009
more on the israeli psyche...
well, i don't have a whole lot to say in the way of arabic, dissertation research, and the like. the past two days have been pretty quiet - a chance for me to catch up on some work i brought from the USA, to see some friends, and to (finally) sleep past 6AM (i think i'm over jet-lag now).
i just came home from spending the evening with a good friend, her husband, and their two kids. as i was walking home, i thought again about the man on the bus i described in my last post, and i wanted to contrast it with another 'typical' israeli characteristic. (i apologize in advance to those of you reading this who are israeli, who are family, or both - - i'm not actually sure who is reading this blog, so hopefully i'm not preaching to the converted...entirely...).
despite the abrasive nature of the man on the bus, one of the things i love most about coming back to israel is how warm and welcoming everyone i know here is. i'm not talking about politeness - this country could certainly use a good dose of that. rather, i'm referring to the warmth and helpfulness, the willingness to share, that emanates from every person i speak with here (for more than 10 seconds). every single friend of mine here has offered me a place to stay if i need it. the director of one of the organizations i am interested in researching, at the end of my first conversation with him, asked if i knew people in israel, if i needed a place to stay, if he should help me find some professional/social outlets, etc...and it seems that everyone i know is more than thrilled to introduce me to their cousin's brother's wife's uncle's boss whose wife happens to work in the coexistence field or who lives in my neighborhood or who has a daughter my age, and so on. it's really a nice feeling, and different than the type of warmth that exists in the USA.
anwyay, i just wanted to give a different perspective than the one i ended with the other day!
i just came home from spending the evening with a good friend, her husband, and their two kids. as i was walking home, i thought again about the man on the bus i described in my last post, and i wanted to contrast it with another 'typical' israeli characteristic. (i apologize in advance to those of you reading this who are israeli, who are family, or both - - i'm not actually sure who is reading this blog, so hopefully i'm not preaching to the converted...entirely...).
despite the abrasive nature of the man on the bus, one of the things i love most about coming back to israel is how warm and welcoming everyone i know here is. i'm not talking about politeness - this country could certainly use a good dose of that. rather, i'm referring to the warmth and helpfulness, the willingness to share, that emanates from every person i speak with here (for more than 10 seconds). every single friend of mine here has offered me a place to stay if i need it. the director of one of the organizations i am interested in researching, at the end of my first conversation with him, asked if i knew people in israel, if i needed a place to stay, if he should help me find some professional/social outlets, etc...and it seems that everyone i know is more than thrilled to introduce me to their cousin's brother's wife's uncle's boss whose wife happens to work in the coexistence field or who lives in my neighborhood or who has a daughter my age, and so on. it's really a nice feeling, and different than the type of warmth that exists in the USA.
anwyay, i just wanted to give a different perspective than the one i ended with the other day!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
israeli snapshots...
well, i've been here about 48 hours - - long enough to have several amusing anecdotes to relate which will give those of you without much knowledge of this place some insight into the israeli psyche.
yesterday morning began with a bus ride to jerusalem, which for me is always a good way to catch up on the latest sign-age, since political slogans seem to be posted anywhere and everywhere they might be seen. yesterday was no different - among the most interesting was one rougly translating as, "if there's removal [of settlements], there's no government" (it rhymes in hebrew - definitely a catchier slogan in that language), and a poster depicting Barack Obama wearing a keffiyeh in the style of Yassir Arafat, with the words - in hebrew and english - "jew hater, anti-semite." nice, eh? oh, and a poster - posted all around jerusalem as well as on the way - urging "bibi [prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's nickname] - protect our country!!!" no slogans from the political left, though.
i'm not sure how long these posters have been posted, but my guess is that they are a response to the broader situation in Israel since Obama and Netanyahu took office, as well as more specifically to Obama's speech in Cairo on June 4th and the response given in the form of a speech by Netanyahu just a few days ago, on the 14th. Netanyahu's speech has been all over the news since i arrived here, as well - there is lots of discussion about whether his speech actually was a step forward, whether it was just verbal maneuvering, etc. etc. personally, i don't really know. but it's interesting to note that among the people i have spoken with, most of the ones who are here within israel think that Netanyahu's words actually meant something, while those who are elsewhere in the world are pretty dismissive. i wonder what that means...
anyway, that's it for the posters. now for a snapshot of what i saw when i got to jerusalem's central bus station: soldiers with M-16s, muslim women with head scarves, secular israelis - fairly scantily clad females, in particular, orthodox jews of every shape and form (american, modern orthodox jews in their fashionable just-below-the-knee skirts; hassidic jewish men in all black...you name them, they were there). and that was just in the bus station! that snapshot was repeated all throughout the city, not to mention today during my trip to jaffa [just south of tel aviv] - - although with fewer hassidic jews there.
in any case, i spent the day in various parts of jerusalem, had my first arabic lesson, and checked out the apartment i will be living in as of next week. all in all a successful trip, i would say. it was followed today by a couple of dissertation-related meetings, one of which depressed me immensely, while the other renewed my faith in both academia and the potential for social change here in israel. but that's for another blog post...
for now, let me end with one last anecdote that for me captures perfectly a certain segment of israeli society: i was sitting on the bus back from jaffa when a woman got on with a small child in a stroller - he was probably about 1 and a half or 2. the boy seemed to be in a pretty good mood, but periodically let out some really loud yells. to be expected, right? anyway, a few minutes after this boy and his care-giver got on the bus, an older man boarded as well, and was standing immediately behind them. the first time the boy opened his mouth and yelled, the older man screamed at him "be quiet!!!", to the astonishment of the boy's care-giver (and several others on the bus, including myself). the boy and his care-giver got off at the next stop, and the man, far from being embarrassed at his outburst, proceeded to lecture anyone who was listening about the need for quiet on public buses. seriously. makes you wish you were here, eh?
yesterday morning began with a bus ride to jerusalem, which for me is always a good way to catch up on the latest sign-age, since political slogans seem to be posted anywhere and everywhere they might be seen. yesterday was no different - among the most interesting was one rougly translating as, "if there's removal [of settlements], there's no government" (it rhymes in hebrew - definitely a catchier slogan in that language), and a poster depicting Barack Obama wearing a keffiyeh in the style of Yassir Arafat, with the words - in hebrew and english - "jew hater, anti-semite." nice, eh? oh, and a poster - posted all around jerusalem as well as on the way - urging "bibi [prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's nickname] - protect our country!!!" no slogans from the political left, though.
i'm not sure how long these posters have been posted, but my guess is that they are a response to the broader situation in Israel since Obama and Netanyahu took office, as well as more specifically to Obama's speech in Cairo on June 4th and the response given in the form of a speech by Netanyahu just a few days ago, on the 14th. Netanyahu's speech has been all over the news since i arrived here, as well - there is lots of discussion about whether his speech actually was a step forward, whether it was just verbal maneuvering, etc. etc. personally, i don't really know. but it's interesting to note that among the people i have spoken with, most of the ones who are here within israel think that Netanyahu's words actually meant something, while those who are elsewhere in the world are pretty dismissive. i wonder what that means...
anyway, that's it for the posters. now for a snapshot of what i saw when i got to jerusalem's central bus station: soldiers with M-16s, muslim women with head scarves, secular israelis - fairly scantily clad females, in particular, orthodox jews of every shape and form (american, modern orthodox jews in their fashionable just-below-the-knee skirts; hassidic jewish men in all black...you name them, they were there). and that was just in the bus station! that snapshot was repeated all throughout the city, not to mention today during my trip to jaffa [just south of tel aviv] - - although with fewer hassidic jews there.
in any case, i spent the day in various parts of jerusalem, had my first arabic lesson, and checked out the apartment i will be living in as of next week. all in all a successful trip, i would say. it was followed today by a couple of dissertation-related meetings, one of which depressed me immensely, while the other renewed my faith in both academia and the potential for social change here in israel. but that's for another blog post...
for now, let me end with one last anecdote that for me captures perfectly a certain segment of israeli society: i was sitting on the bus back from jaffa when a woman got on with a small child in a stroller - he was probably about 1 and a half or 2. the boy seemed to be in a pretty good mood, but periodically let out some really loud yells. to be expected, right? anyway, a few minutes after this boy and his care-giver got on the bus, an older man boarded as well, and was standing immediately behind them. the first time the boy opened his mouth and yelled, the older man screamed at him "be quiet!!!", to the astonishment of the boy's care-giver (and several others on the bus, including myself). the boy and his care-giver got off at the next stop, and the man, far from being embarrassed at his outburst, proceeded to lecture anyone who was listening about the need for quiet on public buses. seriously. makes you wish you were here, eh?
Monday, June 15, 2009
i've not gone yet.....
yes, Karen is already on another continent...bummer.
I hadn't planned on blogging yet because: 1) I'm still in the U.S. and 2) we can easily communicate on a daily basis. However, what happened tonight changes this.
see, I was wandering the street with a map and a list of potential restaurants looking for dinner. I walked by one of the restaurants two times before I decided thrice is a charm. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was an Israeli? Jewish? [man, i still get confused on those terms] establishment. I'm positive I was the only goy. I overhead one family gathering where the conversation reminded me of our pre-wedding gatherings, "so glad you could be with us in the States...". The complimentary food looked familiar, too - you know, those light, fushia slices of some kind of vegetable [hey, i even heard a non-goy wonder aloud what it was!] in one bowl, sliced califlower, carrots, celery [?] and olives in another.
I wanted to Tilapia patties that came with a special, spicy sauce. But, they have a run on that offering and were out of stock. So, I had beef stew - go figure! The mashed potatoes were calling my name. It was delicious [and i didn't use my knife].
Anyhow, the point of this is that, somehow, I likely ate similarly to how Karen ate on her first full day on another continent.
I hadn't planned on blogging yet because: 1) I'm still in the U.S. and 2) we can easily communicate on a daily basis. However, what happened tonight changes this.
see, I was wandering the street with a map and a list of potential restaurants looking for dinner. I walked by one of the restaurants two times before I decided thrice is a charm. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was an Israeli? Jewish? [man, i still get confused on those terms] establishment. I'm positive I was the only goy. I overhead one family gathering where the conversation reminded me of our pre-wedding gatherings, "so glad you could be with us in the States...". The complimentary food looked familiar, too - you know, those light, fushia slices of some kind of vegetable [hey, i even heard a non-goy wonder aloud what it was!] in one bowl, sliced califlower, carrots, celery [?] and olives in another.
I wanted to Tilapia patties that came with a special, spicy sauce. But, they have a run on that offering and were out of stock. So, I had beef stew - go figure! The mashed potatoes were calling my name. It was delicious [and i didn't use my knife].
Anyhow, the point of this is that, somehow, I likely ate similarly to how Karen ate on her first full day on another continent.
and away we go!
For those of you joining us here, a brief introduction: this is our way of keeping in touch with one another, and with you, while we spend time on different continents. I'm in Israel until the start of August, and Neil will be in Mongolia for all of July...so we plan to use this forum as a way of sharing our experiences and adventures.
My adventure just started about 3 hours ago, when I landed at Ben Gurion Airport, following the flight filled with requisite screaming babies and the obligatory clapping when we landed in Eretz Israel. Not even on an El Al flight, at that! I don't have a whole lot to report yet, except that it's hot (not that I expected anything different). But tomorrow my work here begins, with meetings in Jerusalem and an Arabic tutoring session.
I'll post more once I have something interesting to say. Until then, much love to all!
My adventure just started about 3 hours ago, when I landed at Ben Gurion Airport, following the flight filled with requisite screaming babies and the obligatory clapping when we landed in Eretz Israel. Not even on an El Al flight, at that! I don't have a whole lot to report yet, except that it's hot (not that I expected anything different). But tomorrow my work here begins, with meetings in Jerusalem and an Arabic tutoring session.
I'll post more once I have something interesting to say. Until then, much love to all!
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