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2009_11wwisrael_nazareth&betlehem, Palestine

the place we are working the 4th time

the last 3 time the world work seminar was hold in Tantur,

a little bit away from Jerusalem and 10 min. walk to a checkpoint to Palestine.

This time is hold in Nazareth, a city in the North of Israel.

It is totally different place。

Nazareth is living 70% Muslim and 30% Christians.

so, the place looks very Arabic, it is more closer culture what I saw last summer in Qualqilia.

So, the culture is different and also the people are different.

It is the 4th time to join this seminar with the team , but it has the similar beginnings atmosphere like the first time in Tantur. The people are more nice, more personal and more peace oriented.

But I feel also underneath of that deep pain and anger and also hopelessness.

On the same time, I also feel that this is not our first time to work with the team, many difficult topic was able to show up and be told by the people. Few topics like "Holocaust" took more time in the past that we could speak about it.

And such kind of hot keywords can show up already in the beginning.

The field is growing and the team is becoming also more skilled.

But also, many deep feeling is hold by the individuals so there is many body pain.

I wish I could offer the active meditation to just release the energy.....

in the evening I joined the dinner and we danced.

moving the body and release the feelings from the body was good.

world work nazareth already started!

arrived from Japan at 2:50 am at the airport,

I drived to the Israeli friends house and we wait there Argh who was coming from Palestine.

The place where my friend lives is the best place in Tel Aviv.

It was a big personal challenge for her and also exiting experience for Argh, to meet there.

And I was so happy that I could join this exiting moment.

I will try to share you the moments here and my thoughts around world work in Narazeth the next few days.

I will continue the dialog with Argh here personally, maybe I can share his story here when I have time.

This time it will be more the Israel inside conflict between the Jewish, Arabs, Christians, also the situaion in diversity of Jewish and Arabs will be coming up (just my own personal guessing!)

Also about money, about the world politics and religion I hope we are ready to talk.

And the topic of gender and sexuality shoul also come up (just my own personal guessing!!!)

now, the people from the team is arriving more and more,

many hallo and hugs is going around.

nice to be connected in that way.

to be continued...

[004]education and religion...

time is flowing.

the Tokyo time is very fast and lots of stress.

I miss the slow time flow and the space inside me what I felt in my journey in August.

and even I am living in a busy fast city,

sometimes I remember that moment,

and connect myself with the spot and space.

than, I can be in that moment.

so, often I remember you, Argh and the moment with your family.

I remember you,

my friends in Israel, the nice funny lovely time what we had. I also remember Switzerland and Portland.

I know, I can connect with you all in my soul.

and still, I miss you all so much.

Japan is far away from you.

Japan is an another world.

It took time, till I got the next answer from Argh.

But I remembered the life there and the trust to him, I just wait. I was just worry about him, is something happening there or to him?

But, no, it was everything OK.

He just changed his working time and than, it was difficult to find time to write me back.

Thank you Argh for the answer to my basic questions.

I know, how it is to be asked basic "normal" thing.

People are asking to me about Japan, about Switzerland.

So basic things, sometimes too basic, that I also do not know the answer.

(OH please, do not ask me the population and the other numbers from both countries!!)

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Daya: Can you tell me a bit about the education system and the situation of it in Palestine?
I saw in your profile, you went to a University?

Argh:

Yes I did and you can till that we are not in a great conditions in school's specially with the amount of population

we have here like in every class between 35 to 45 student

and in some school we have them like 50 to 55 student in the class

which not an easy way to handle them from the teachers

and he will never have the time for all of these student

and the education system here is like that elementary school its start from first class till sixth class

which is from age 6 years till 12

and then secondary school it start from the 7^th grade till the 9^th grade

and then high school from grade 10^th till the 12^th grade which is the last year

and the student get prepare to do the final exams which we call it here (TAWJIHI)

which is like the SAT

and after the pass it the start to apply for the universities and collages

they wont to complete there study on it to have the diploma or B.A or M.A or what ever the wont to do.

Daya:Is there some / many University in Palestine and are there many people going?

Argh:

will yes we do have around six universities in the west bank and another in Gaza there are more or less the same there too

and you can say the are around 50% to 35% of high school graduate they go to the university to continue there undergraduate degree

and almost 35% of them the continue there post graduate studied special

it cost a lot here compare to the person income its hard to do and the family needs

Daya:

I know you, and now I met your brothers and sisters. But it seems you are a little different than the other? Are they also going to school/ University? Are they also interested to study abroad?

Argh:

I don’t know but I don’t think the are interested to study abroad

but yes we consider as an educated family

we all did go to the university and the will start to graduate soon

Daya:

I know now there are in Israel many other people than Jews... Israeli Arabs, who are Christian and who are Muslim, bed wins they are also Muslim?

And in Palestine, is there all people Muslim or is there also few with another religion?

Argh:

No in Palestine we have Muslim's ,Christine's and Druze's which the are living in Nablus

And the Majority of the Christine are in Bethlehem and almost in every city of Palestine

Except in Qalqilia

Daya:
I think, about religion we did not talked so much in the seminar. Maybe too big edge....

Will I don’t know it’s a big edge or no one was interested to open the subject

I saw you, you are not praying 5 times a day or was it just because we were there?

Argh:

No I am not really practicing but I did while you with me but you was away from me and I am not so following the rules

So usually we have to pray 5 times a day and you can know more about Islam

In this link http://english.islamway.com/

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I checked the link and it was very easy, with Q&A.

For my , personally, I could not keep reading to it because there was no relationship between this information,

also the English letters was too much for me.

But for the people who has no problem to read English,

it looks very nice and very basic!

The time is flowing and the next world work seminar will be in November. I always do not know if I can join or not, until very close to the dates. But it is similar to their culture.

Argh told me too, he will starting to think about to join to something just 3 days before. 3 days!!!

But that's their life, that's their situation.

We do not know what will happen in next days.

The plan is often canceled because of the checkpoint is closed suddenly.

We have to be flexible, we have to life moment by moment.

I learned, to let it be, unclear and not fixed for a while.

My Swiss part, is getting crazy for it.

My Japanese part too.

But to learn how to life flexible gave me more space for something unknown in my daily life's happenings.

[003]confusing checkpoints, who can in and out...and how??

The school of my son started yesterday,

and my daily job to cook his lunchbox started too.

(the picture above!)

Our jet leg is also finally almost done

and my body is starting to detox something.

My body started draw out the infection and since yesterday evening,

I am fasting. For one or two days.

Oh, Argh told me something about fasting too,

in my last visit. Maybe I can ask once about it...

Anyway, our conversation on the Internet is continuing and this time,

I had so many detailed questions about checkpoints.

Who can go in and out, and how?

I experienced in my 1 day trip to him last week

3 form of checkpoints.

One, there we could not go through , they told me it is only for Palestine people and

I have to go to Jbara checkpoint which is 20 away by car.

Argh told me it is nonsense to go to Jbara, they have a checkpoint in Qualiqilia.

So I get confused.

When the taxi driver, a friend of Argh picked us up and brought to his house,

we drove through a checkpoint, there was really few solders

but no check.

after that, we saw also few Arab Soldiers, but there, also no check.

In the evening, we went back through another checkpoint and there was passport control.

================================================================

Daya:

this permission is it often so that the people from the Israeli side are trying to get ( for seminar like this, and for maybe work...)?

or,can also Palestine people try to get permission for them self, from their side?

what kind of reason do you should have to get permission? you get it as a international seminar, I heard, for working?

Argh:

for any thing if you going to Israel with any reason it can be but the Palestinian who is really butting there life in danger situation

because the need to work in Israel since no work here

there is some Arab Israeli smuggle them in there cars by making a special space in the car to hide them there

and to cross the check point only

and the get for that more than 50$ just by crossing them a few meters

and there's other way is by using other IDs for Arab Israeli people to cross the check point in the night

so wont really look in the car since the soldiers are tired to check them all

and to make sure of them so if the get caught the will be in jail for a while of time of there life

Daya:

I heard, you could not go to the wedding from our friend O&I... you did not get the permission?

How it is, if you want visit a Arab Israeli friend?

Arg:

yes that other situation i did wont to go to there weeding

so the story was is that i did have the invitation from them so i start to apply for a permit

which the have special application for it here

and after that the ask for the ID of my friend who is inviting me to make shore its not fake one

so i did call him

and he email to me after that the told you get refuse

and the said your friend should make it for you which is a way to let me go

so i did call my Friend

and he cant do it

so i did try again and again

and final answer was

only for relevant from the first degree likes a brother o sister or father or mother

and that the only case's we allow it so good luck next time and that was the end of the story

Daya:

How did you get the permission for the Intensive? I guess, you are going more often to outside from Palestine compare to the others?

Argh:

oh the intensive was BIG DRAMA

first i have to apply to an student visa to the U.S.A which is not easy at all

so i have to apply on line

and to have date with the embassy in Jerusalem for the interview

which usual for all of us as i think

so i got only after 3 weeks a date in that time

but now after many complain the make it in 2 week

so i have a Friend in the state who is the big help for me to get the visa by sending me the I20

and the affidavit of support to show that he is responsible of while i am gone be there

so make it to me and every thing went well

which is i a lucky for have him as a friend for me

because without him i wont grant it at all

and the funny thing in the day most of the people where coming to apply all of them in my line

the get refused except me

Daya:

You don't need some permission to go through West Bank, but you have to go through checkpoints?

Argh:

that was in the beginning of the intifada

the wont let go from city to city like from Qalqilia to Nablus

its only 27KM and we have like 4 checkpoint

and if you don't have the permit the wont let you cross

so most of us he really need to cross we used to go through off road's

and some time the off road was too off road for cars

so used to walk

and if some people get tired their was a donkey's and horses for carrying stuff and people

Daya:

What will happen, or which way you will take to come to Nazareh, if they can make it to get permission for you?

Argh:

if i get the permission to go to Nazareth

i think i will go cross from the check point where you did in your way coming here

and find taxi to go there that's the easiest thing to do ;-)

Daya:

And is it not so dangerous, curious about you if you are going so often in and out?

In Israel pass control, they asked me why I am coming so often and now, in August was my second time after few month, so it was much more often . And I am scared that they become critic with my if I want come in November too.....

Argh:

no not really i am not the only one coming in and out specially to Israel its only happen once a year but you some time

the wonder how i get the permit so double check me and the check it in computer

to make sure its not a fake permit

and the keep asking lot of questions about it like for what and how and what is the thing you doing there etc.

Daya:

sorry for bombing with question but few more:

what was this checkpoint what I came in to Qualqilia, without any check, and the taxi driver was with Israel number? they can come in and out?

Argh:

it called ALFEH MANASHEH check point

it have the name of the Gas station next to it

that's what we call

i don't know what the called officially in Israel,

so just before you come in one month the did remove a few checkpoint from the west bank so the make it easier for us to travel around

so since that time the allow to the Arab Israeli to enter the city without permit and you did noticed that

Daya:

Israeli friends are saying it is not allowed to go to Palestine, the Israeli people

but you show me a lot of Israeli cars was there in Qualqilia. SO, what is the situation right now ?

Argh:

its safe now but the Israeli still scared t do that

or i would say the have this kind of phobia from getting there

and i think the have right to be worried specially what happen during this Intifada

but its totally different know

(that's was breath taking writing )

===========================================================

I was "bombing" with questions!!

I apologized but he told me

"no no no that's right how the other will no if you didn't ask".

I really appreciate this friendship and connection with Argh,

and I have now much more clear understanding and

the image inside me , the picture is now much more in detailed form.

Relationships, is so powerful.

If I do not have a good friendship with D,

a Jewish Israel friend met in Portland,

and if I do not have Gary Reiss as one of my main teacher

who I feel getting very much learning and influences in my work and in my life,

I did not went to this world work seminar.

If I do not have a good relationship with Argh,

I did not had that idea to do such a project with him.

If I did not have all the friendship in Israel,

I will not have the motivation to come back again and again to this country.

Relationships are so amazing.

Friendships are so powerful.

[002] asked again and again...and the big eis between both side

Where shall I start to ask?

I feel, inside me there is two levels of questions right now.

One level is the "reality" level, how it works, what he has to do, etc.

Facts, realities.

The other level is more "feeling" level.

So I started to ask simply,

I also told him, I would like to ask him very simple, basic, naive questions like a child.

Maybe, it will sound very stupid.

He said (wrote) to me,

"don't worry. feel free. ask whatever you like.".

So called "beginner mind" is very powerful.

Often we feel ashamed that we have some basic questions.

"Am I the only one person in this room, who is asking such a basic question?
Am I the only one stupid beginner and can not follow the conversation?"

But if we ask, the basic questions,

often we get an answer and I feel that the topic becomes more clear.

I often say in my workshop

"please, ask if you are not clear,

your question will make the think much clear and understandable

and this is good for all of us.

Not only YOU are willing to ask,

I am sure, there is more people who are not clear in this room

and can not ask.

What you feel, is not just you.

There is others , maybe not so strong but feels a little part of the same thing."

In Process Work, I learned the concept of

"roles in the field".

What you feel strongly inside you,

it is a big part of you,

but maybe it is not only you....

I encourage with this concept myself ;-)

and started to ask.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Daya: how could you join and come out of your country?

Argh:

its really hard thing first i cant go to Israel without a permit

which is impossible to have it

without any reason like going to hospital or you are a business man

and they ask for a lot of paper

but because it was an international event and the coordinator of that WW (=World Work seminar) is really working hard

he did grant some of us permits and other the aint lucky the refuse them without saying why even

so that's the first part

and after i get the permit the trip has begin

bon voyage

i have to travel from Qalqilia to raamalah with many checkpoint in the way

and every one have to stop us

and check us again and again

every time and ask to where you going to

and for what

and if the mean soldiers the will try to make as longer as the can

by asking question out the subject like what you study,

what you doing for living,

where did you born,

why you did come back

and a lot of that and more

How was it for you to talk about the conflict between Israel and Palestine with Israeli people?

Argh:

to be honest

i was in the beginning a aware of what i am gone do

but when i did arrive there and start to look around me

and saw the eyes looking towards me

i felt like i have to do something for both of us

so all what i was thinking about is to break the ice between us

and then will See what happen from there

and i have to trust in the process or it will not work for us

--------------------------------------------------------------

I am so happy that we started this project.

To read your words, Argh is so real and also very simple that also I can understand.

Here are information and sharing what I can not read in books.

Thank you so much for sharing.

What was MY first trip to Israel and be there?

It was 3 years ago, so 2007?

I remember, there was really no useful information about Israel.

The Japanese Foreign　Ministry wrote,

that is too dangerous to go there so I should think one time more if I want really go there.

Also my friends and my parents was against my travel.

I also remember, that I was shocked the plane ticket was so expensive.

There was not a good connection to Israel, I had to go first to Europe and than fly a little bit "back"

to the east direction....

I also had problem to get information because of my little tendency of dyslexia (problem with reading),

so I gave up to prepare and just let it come, wondering how much I can follow the process...

I criticized myself for this unknown part,

"you should know what is going on there,

specially there is something terrible happening,

it is a shame not to know about it!"

But at the end, it was good so.

I could feel the atmosphere and I was really plain.

No idea, means, no stereotype.

Yes, I remember the first moment the air was so strain with the tension.

Not so much reaction...

Just, that we were togheter, that people came to meet and talk,

that the interest was there was already amazing.

I did not know, that Argh had so long way to come.

So many questions.

Yes, I had it too.

To be asked so many questions

at the air port from Israel.

They asked me too, where I know my friends,

what kind of seminar is,

why I am here,

etc.

It sounds not so much welcoming,

was my impression and also I felt the protection from this country.

But it was just one time.

And the atmosphere at the air port

and at the checkpoint are also different.

I know it now, after visiting you.

Argh, you are living next to Israel and inside your own country,

why you have to be checked so much?

Where is the freedom to move around, travel around whereever you want?

Who's property　is the planet Earth?

I really want know

how is that situtaion able to happen?

It is not logical,

I can not understand.

Like my son,

who visited with me this summer my friends

in Israel and in Palestine.

He loved the people there and become friends.

Like me, and could not understand

why the Israeli are putting sand on the street in Qualqilia

that the people can not go simply to the next village.

He could not understand,

why the Israeli friends can not visit Argh.

And I could not explain it.

Another Israeli friend told me next day

"it's true, it is not logical.

This situation is impossible to explain."

In one level I know people in both side want to have peace and freedom.

In another level, the reality of the Palestine are too injustice.

The conflict has so many layers and levels,

it is too difficult to say something about this.

So what I can is more to listen and to ask and get to know moe about it...