By: Abood Wiliam – Canada

Being part of Zajel September 2018 Camp was one of the most incredible things I have done in my life. The trip to Palestine was full of fears to me and I have always kept thinking of how it will go once I am there. Through this camp I had the opportunity to visit and see different parts of my country that I used to hear of but never had the chance to visit, such as Nablus, Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Jericho.

Every city I visited left me with something memorable, especially Nablus which was my best city that I would not mind spending the rest of life living in it because of how much safe, welcomed and happy I felt when I was there. The old of city in Nablus is where I felt I want to spend my whole morning, walking in the beautiful roads and buying delicious food.

The local volunteers I met during this camp were not just volunteers to me, in fact, they were a family after just one day of meeting them. Each one of them never stopped asking me if I need anything and never stopped offering me help. Those people are actually what made my stay full of happiness and energy.

The camp has been made of different social activities and trips which made me enjoy every single moment of it. From the time I wake up until I go back to bed I did not stop having fun with some of the most amazing international and local volunteers.

As a Palestinian who lived in the diaspora for his entire life, I am glad that I had the chance to come visit my country for the first time and establish links with my own people through this very well-structured program. If I can describe my feelings about the two weeks I spent in Zajel, I would say they were the best in my life. In fact, being part of it will be always something I want to do again and again.