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“From my Forehead Bursts the Sword of Light”

I’ve noticed that I start every post with “yesterday..”. You’ll have to excuse me; as a history major I cannot help but live in the past. I suppose since it is already morning (how did that happen so quickly?), it would be more correct to say “two days ago”. Anyway, the other day, we were in Ramallah, Palestine (a.k.a. the West Bank). I believe I have reached a new turning point in my life. I’ve decided to give up on grad school and move to Ramallah after graduation. Now, I use the term “decide” loosely. Over 99% of all decisions I make are derived from pure impulse alone. Living like this may seem highly problematic to most people. But considering the fact that I still have all four limbs intact and attend a prestigious liberal arts college, I would say that my life is working out pretty damn well.

Today, I love Ramallah. I love the friendliness of everyone there. You just don’t see people with the “OMG I AM SO HAPPY THAT YOU EXIST IN THIS WORLD” look on their faces in the States. In the States people don’t welcome you on every street corner and they usually don’t bring you a variety of beverages every few seconds. They also most certainly don’t decide to pay for the meal of about fifteen people at a cafe, as one generous couple did. Then again, it might just be the fact that we’re Americans and Palestine does not encounter many visitors from that part of the world, so they probably want to make a good impression. Even if that is the case, who cares? I feel a closer connection to someone walking down the streets in Ramallah than I do to a Smithie who is somehow too cool to even acknowledge an acquaintance with a head nod at  the CC. (Oh come on, like this has never happened to you).

I love the hustle and bustle of Ramallah and the way people meet with their friends in the middle of a busy street. I love the sense of community felt by almost everyone there and the passion felt towards a brighter future. Am I glamorizing things a bit? Possibly. No city is without its internal dilemmas and external problems. But one thing is certain: Ramallah has a booming economy, which is not something that usually comes to mind when people hear the word “Palestine”. I did not realize how little I knew about Palestine until I got here. I used to think that I had it all figured out and I knew exactly what I wanted in life, but now I’m not so sure anymore. I’ve only seen a tiny, tiny fraction of the world and to me that is the most unsettling thing of all.

~Karina

May 31st, 2012 | Category: Uncategorized

764 comments to “From my Forehead Bursts the Sword of Light”