“a very valuable insight into the current situation in Palestine”
By: Eoin Martin – Ireland
This program afforded us a very valuable insight into the current situation in Palestine as well as into the Palestinian culture in general. There were activities, tours and lectures each day, given by experts in the area. It gave me a deeper understanding of just how the injustice is that are occurring in this region impact the everyday lives of citizens.
Hebron and Jerusalem demonstrated the division that the Palestinians experience under the Israeli occupation in their own country, as the Palestinians were not able to accompany us when we visited Jerusalem or the old part of Hebron.
I particularly enjoyed our trip in the desert, where we stayed for the night. This was a very unique experience. The workshops were a great learning experience for me. I conducted the CV and interviews workshop alongside another volunteer. The workshops were quit interactive and as well as teaching, we learned a lot from discussion with the students, all of whom seemed happy to share their perspectives.
We were hosted by a Palestinian family for dinner one of the evenings. The family (as well as all the volunteers throughout the program) were extremely welcoming and we were very well fed. The food was delicious and it was nice to witness ordinary daily life here.
Overall, this program is extremely comprehensive and backed with activities from the outset and provided us with a much clearer understanding of Palestinian culture and of the occupation that they are experiencing.