Baqa’a Clean Up!

There is a huge problem with trash in Jordan. It comes from a lot of factors, which I’ll skip over theorizing on now, but the point is litter is everywhere and people take a very nonchalant attitude towards it. In fact, it is not strange to be walking behind someone and see him drop a wrapper/cigarette/coffee cup onto the ground as he walks – without a second glance.

In Baqa’a this problem is even more evident, exasperated by the fact that there are even worse services than in Amman (trash pick up, sewage, etc).

House in Baqa’a Camp

Trash outside a school

The OWA is not immune.. in fact the outside area we play in has been almost unuseable due to trash, glass, and stones strewn across it.

So for “Earth Day,” Marah, Nadine, and I decided to do something about it. We organized a “Baqa’a Beautification Day” to teach the children about respecting the environment and take action by cleaning up our own center.

Nadine filmed our class as we discussed why its important to clean the earth — the problems currently faced in our community — and what we can do about it. Then, of course, we sang songs and colored pictures. To close, Nadine interviewed some students and made a 60 second film for us:

“It’s Earth Day at the Orphan Welfare Association! Baqa’a is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan, with more than 100,000 registered refugees. A few excited kids tell us, in 60 seconds, how we can live more sustainably and care for the environment. They remind us what we already know, but sometimes forget: we all share the Earth.”

Isn’t she amazing? Aren’t the kids adorable? I truly believe that education is the only way to change a huge, complicated, societal problem like littering here in Jordan. Our kids will be on the front lines, telling their friends about how Miss Julie and Miss Marah never throw trash on the ground and yza3lu (get sad) whenever someone does..

Here are some shots from our clean up of the center:

Brewing for Peace

“An unusual occupation in an occupied land”

My roommate Nadine has done it again. Check out her mini-documentary below, “Brewing for Peace.” It is the story of a small, Christian village in the West Bank and its famous beer brewery that puts a different face on Palestinian resistance.

Brewing for Peace from Nadine Ajaka on Vimeo.

 

“Brewing for Peace” gives voice to a beautiful story, a story that we (read: Americans) can relate to and understand. Its a layered story: its about a family – its about the first beer brewery in the Middle East – its about the last exclusively Christian village in Palestine – and its about peaceful resistance to occupation.

I think its an important story to tell, for a lot of reasons. To start, Palestine is something pretty unrelatable to most Americans. Its a charged word, a political word, that invites fierce opinions and debate. Palestinians are people who are different from us – Arab, Muslim, conservative, you name it. Even if we don’t hold outright stereotypes, Palestine still feels like a very different place – literally and culturally.

This story turns that upside down.. because its about Palestinian Christians doing what we love best – drinking good beer. It seems like a silly thing, but it actually means a lot. “I can imagine sitting having a beer with him” really does lead to a feeling of connection – feeling of shared culture or similar daily lives.

 

Its also an important story because it gives a new face to Palestinian resistance. Peaceful resistance never seems to get enough coverage in the media, which tires out the audience with stories of political standstills, hate, and violence. Yet there is a strong non-violent resistance movement in Palestine, and the Khoury family looks at their beer brewery as a contribution to it. In their microcosm, one sees the detrimental effects of the occupation on normal people, trying to live normal lives and run a normal business. As Medees says, “We just want to live like everyone else.”

 

I hope the Khoury family is right… and that someday soon we will “Cheers” to peace with Taybeh beer.

 

 

PS. This is also a “MUST SEE” place to visit while in the region and hosts an amazing Oktoberfest. Highly recommended.

 

 

The Revolution is Being Televised

A powerful mini-documentary about media activists in Homs, Syria.. if you have 25 minutes to spare, definitely worth a view.

Now whenever I see films like this, I think of Nadine – who a) was the first to share this on her blog and b) always says that a video is the best way to tell a story. People respond to videos, and we are reminded of the people’s faces that are often hidden behind a larger story.

“A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic”