This blog documents journals of one of the participants in Public Achievement's International Youth Camp in Northern Ireland.
Long time no write!! Oh I wish I could lock myself up somewhere away from everything and spend hours and hours just writing everything that’s lurking in between whatever is left of the grey cells up there…
I am dreading the coming Monday more than I could possibly tell through words.
Yesterday was the official Arab cultural night… where we collaborated with the Palestinians and the Arab Israelis and put together the LOUDEST show this place has seen since we got here. I just wasn’t sure people would actually show up at the cree for it or that they’d enjoy the dabkeh and the wedding and stuff… but it just surpassed my expectations. Us girls dressed in the traditional dresses, and we got all the food ready… and then everyone just started coming in, and the party got kicking
oh we arabs are just so loud
it was beautiful seeing everybody get up and learn the “dabkeh” steps, and I was so happy that they liked the “baqlawa” and the “ka3k b 3ajweh” my mom made, it gave me sheer joy to see people enjoying it. Although the music we played wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for, but the dancing was a lot of fun… them Finns sure know how to do oriental dancing and shake those hips ;p so does Teuta, who’s from Serbia. We had a nice traditional wedding celebration, and it included Henna, which we used to draw fake tattoos everyone with their names in Arabic.
Ok I have to tell you, I soooo want to go back and start that fashion line idea with my friend and fellow blogger Roba… you know, the one with all our traditional dresses and prints. Everyone was asking me as I was wearing my dress when and where I wear it back home, and they’d find it pretty surprising when I say “practically never”! They’d be like “oh what a shame it’s so beautiful”. And I know it, I mean, I love the dress and the material and the prints, and I’m telling ya; I’m going back home, getting a really nice traditional dress for the dressy occasions (one of those handmade), and then I’m gonna work on getting prints and embroideries on everyday stuff, and I will wear them everywhere… for all you know; it could be the next Ammani fashion ;p
01:03
Well, just so you know, it’s practically still Wednesday, and we all just got back from a wonderful Irish night at the pub. This was the Irish Cultural night. There was a local band playing, and we went in two buses… the place was full of us
lively exotic young people up for a party! LOL
The atmosphere was really nice, class, grand ;p deadly… well ok I’m not using these words in their proper places but I’m too in love with Irish accent I have to pick up as much as I can before I go home, and tone down whatever American accent I have… just a bit
this actually brings me to the whole issue of the language barrier… now a lot of people have been asking how come the Jordanians here speak good English, and the only answer I could think of was that schools (especially private ones) in Jordan teach good English, and that we get A LOT of English media – or American media to be exact!! In my case you could probably add to that the fact that my cousins came from the states a couple of times and spent summers in Jordan so we’d practice well and pick up an accent, then you could add all the books… because –sadly- in the past four years, I’ve only read about 5 Arabic books, and then a whole lot of English!!! BUT, as much as I am determined to re-connect with writing in Arabic and the beautiful material and literature we have, I am SO GRATEFUL for the fact that our English is good… Ah I soooo wish I could speak a few more languages, besides French – which I’m not getting to exercise and improve at all
you just need to connect with people, and a basic knowledge of any language is not sufficient for you to get through and express what’s really on your mind. I look at some of the most interesting and most amazing people around here, and I feel so bad for not being able to really talk to them and listen to their stories and experiences and thoughts…
Before we went to the pub we had the American presentation, and this one was very interesting because Shelly preferred to give room for questions instead of just talking. People asked a lot of questions, and it was very valuable to realize that America is not just what we see in Hollywood movies and TV series in terms of social values and culture!! We all have stereotypes, and we all tend to be judgemental sometimes, but it’s great when you have the opportunity to ask whatever questions are on your mind and when you get someone who’s open and honest to answer and give you their first hand experience.
A quick note about today; it was a very rainy day! Our group stayed in Ballycastle, we had an evaluation session in the morning, and then we had booked seats on the ferry going to Rathlin Island. It was just seven of us who went, and even though it was raining the whole time, it was nice! We had lunch in a small restaurant on the Island. I had fish and chips even though I don’t eat chips
The ride back to Ballycastle was just a wee bit uncomfortable because I was all wet and the weather was windy so it felt very cold!!!
