Email me at shineyshirl@gmail.com
If you are interested in following my travels check out this page as I make regular posts of the progress of my journey!
Monday 23 September 2019 (Istanbul)
After enjoying a long and very hot summer there is now a chill in the air, especially at night and it is clear that Autumn is with us! Along with the cooler days we have had a couple of wet days…rain, heavy rain!! So…picture this…it’s pouring and I am feeling rather relaxed and perhaps a little light headed after leaving a really enjoyable lunch…it’s only a relatively short distance home…but, a long walk especially in the rain so I try and catch a cab. Now this is one of the great ironies of living in Istanbul! I can’t begin to explain the number of times that I have chosen to walk somewhere…the weather is nice and I need the exercise and taxis (yes plural!) drive past me and politely beep their horn to let me know that they are free if I would rather not walk BUT……on those days when you really need a taxi they become really elusive….such as on rainy days! So, no alternative but to jump the local bus…good plan!!? But as it was around 5pm and very wet the buses were packed!! So my bus number comes along and I and three others go to the front door of the bus (there are three doors and you leave from the middle and back door) but alas people are literally packed in like sardines and there is no way that any of us are going to be able to get in…the solution is simple…the driver opened the rear door to allow us to enter…but…still packed with all of us were jamned against the book door. Next challenge? How do we pay….you see…as you enter the bus you ‘tap’ your bus pass and then enter! The solution was surprisingly simple……no!! not what you think…don’t pay…right!!?? Instead one of the gentlemen that entered with me gathered all our bus passes and tapped the shoulder of one someone standing in front of him and then passed the cards forward…then just like magic the four cards made their way down the crowded bus to the front where ‘someone’ tapped the cards for us and then the four cards were quickly passed back up the bus and safely back to us! This level of co-operation says a lot about the people of Istanbul…how else could 20 million people living in such a situation survive!!
Manoeuvred my way off the bus but still a walk home but down a very steep hill this time….lesson in co-operation No. 2!! The area around our apartment is very steep…lots of VERY steep hills. I have a strategy to avoid this…. I always walk down the hill to catch a bus when I go somewhere but then always get a different bus which leaves me at the top of the hill when I am coming home so in this way I am only ever walking downhill and not up. Not so lucky was the bus driver (small 20 seater) that was transporting staff home on this same day. I watched as he made his way up the steep hill and his wheels were continually spinning on the slippery road………he was going nowhere…all the time the impatient drivers behind him edged closer and closer….I wondered what would happen if he was less skilful and his bus had slipped backwards! Somehow, he was able to back into a drive way and at a different angle (and gear I presume) edged his way up the hill for another 20 metre and again a standstill……with wheels spinning! Solution??? Shop owners came from both sides with old (large) flattened cardboard boxed that they put on the road in front of his tyres and then (don’t try this at home) they all got behind the bus and started pushing!! Eureka…the bus was now on its way!! But…the episode was repeated again and again as each new bus came up the hill!! Even despite the rain I was fixated by what I was witnessing and stood under my umbrella for quite some time watching!!
It’s hard fathom that I will be on the plane back home in just over a month…the feelings are mixed. Of course, I am looking forward to being in Melbourne again but will sadly be leaving Istanbul!
Istanbul has been described as a beautiful but cruel seductress who chooses her ‘prey’. Not all are seduced by her but those that are are firmly under her spell…she frustrates them, sometimes they even hate her but just when she feels the spell loosening she extends her charms on them again and again they fall under her spell!!
I have recently returned from Israel/Palestine…it was lovely to see all the folk at Mar Elias again! I spent a lovey couple of days taking photos around the school for use in their website…more about that later!
Later this week I am heading off to Kazakhstan for the week to be part of an accreditation visit to a school there. What is an accreditation visit?? Most international schools are part of an organisation called CIS (Council of International Schools) and must meet certain criteria before they can be accredited. As part of this process the school prepares a ‘report’ which is submitted to CIS and then an independent group of educators is sent to the school to ensure that all that is reported is factual and a report is prepared by the ‘visiting team’. It’s pretty full on but it will be nice to get the brain cells working again. It will be one of two such visits….on returning from Kazakhstan I will then do the same type of visit but to a school on the Asian side of Istanbul.
Have had many ‘nostalgic’ moments since I have been here but the most significant was my recent visit to the British International School….the school where I worked for 6 year prior to working at MEF International School (and prior to Overnewton). As I sat waiting patiently to meet one of my former colleagues, Leda…..’Jacki’ walked by and was very obviously shocked to see me….then six of the Turkish auxiliary staff and finally Leda and Cigdem…so many of the old and familiar faces. It seemed like no time had passed since I last saw them last and, in some cases, it has been 16 years!! My time at the British School was very special and it is a sentiment echoed my many of the staff who were there during that period! So many strong and special friendship were formed which reminds me that an old colleague from those days Philip, is visiting Istanbul tomorrow. He is currently working in Egypt and although we have had semi regular contact over the years I haven’t actually seen him for about 18 years!! Looking forward to it!
Yes, busy days!!
Thursday 15 August 2019 (Ulus – Istanbul)
What!!! It can’t have been a month since my last post!!? Sadly, my posts have been too infrequent however I am reluctant to say that I will post more frequently in the future …….. but I will do my best to put fingers to keyboard more often!?
We are now happily settled into the MEF flat in Ulus…just next door to MEF School. The flat is within a ‘compound’ of five blocks and there is a communal swimming pool which is lovely! Ulus is considered one of the ‘better’ suburbs so all pretty good except the extreme hills…weather is currently hot and very humid and the walk up the hill to the flat is very demanding…I am sure in time I will be sprinting up the hills but currently a walk home usually result in the need for a cold shower….for one that does not normally perspire I am finding the humidity (50-60%) a little challenging! Ironically the ‘hills’ here are much like the approach to the school in Israel/Palestine where I spent the month of May.
It truly is a full circle! I left MEF 16 years ago to return to Australia and here we are again. It was interesting to front up on the first day (our moving in day) and to find that one of the security guards remembered me from my time here…….sometimes it seems that much has changed but at other times very little changes!!
Spent a lovey week in Bremen Germany with Jutta and Reimund – could not ask for more superb hosts! The week was spent touring the sites of Bremen and surrounding areas…walking, driving and cycling! Bremen is in the north and it is the 11th largest city in Germany. A city of approx. 500,000 with a lifestyle that is very ‘civilized’…..it was the word I used to describe the city when I first arrived as it was in such contrast to the ‘bustle’ of Istanbul! Our last day was probably my favourite as we cycled through the most beautiful park (almost in the centre of Bremen) and then out into the countryside….a 25km round trip. Meadows, rivers, thatched roofed farmhouses..it was truly beautiful….even a very sore bottom (bike seats can be very uncomfortable!!) did not dilute the experience!
Spent a few more days in Bodrum prior to the trip to Germany and it was great to catch up with a long lost colleague from my British School days….I remember the recruitment trip to New Zealand at which she was recruited…both Graham and I agreed that she was a great candidate but were a little concerned that she was asking for a one year contract (2 years is the norm)…in the end she accepted the 2 year contract and 20 years later she is still in Turkey!! Despite the madness and stresses of living in Istanbul the place does get under your skin (in a positive way) and it’s not unusual for expats to stay for a much longer period than they had intended!
Have had some busy days in Istanbul but am now looking forward to being a ‘lady of leisure’ and doing ‘lunches’ etc! Just doing all those things that time did not permit when I last lived here will be lovely! I have a few tasks that will keep me occupied…….. I need to put in some pre-work for my trip to Albania next year and also need to spend a few days back in Israel/Palestine early in September. Oh, and I am booked on two accreditation visits with the Council of International Schools, one in Turkey and the other in Kazakhstan. So perhaps my time won’t be won’t be so leisurely after all??!!
Well….3.5 months down and 2.5 to go!!
Sunday 14 July 2019 (Balat – Istanbul)
Having previously lived in Turkey for nine years and returning most years leading tours of my own I am often asked…’how long do I need in Istanbul’ by those planning a trip to Turkey. It’s always a difficult question to answer as Istanbul (and Turkey) has so much to offer but…….at a bare minimum I would say 4 days to see the absolute ‘must sees’!! I now realise how inappropriate/wrong my response has been!!!
I have spent the last two days in an area called Balat. It is one of the older parts of Istanbul and was once an extremely cosmopolitan area that was a hub for the minorities living in Istanbul, the Armenians, Jews and Greeks. With the expulsion of some of these minorities the area had become very run down. The formerly beautiful buildings had fallen into a state of total disrepair and the very conservative people that now live in the area have not had the financial means to restore life into the formerly beautiful building and the area! But…..that seems to have changed as I have found out over the last couple of days. On one hand the area is still extremely conservative with lots of religious schools and mosques in the area. In terms of ‘dress’ it is unusual to see woman not wearing a headscarf! On the other hand there has now been an influx of contemporary/trendy folk who are restoring buildings and setting up the most trendy coffee shops I have ever seen….not just one, but streets of them!! It has truly been an interesting couple of days with almost a week more to explore! On my arrival yesterday I was gob smacked and at every turn I found myself uttering….wow….wow!!!
So now I ask myself the question….how long is sufficient in Istanbul?……..having lived here I thought I knew most parts of Istanbul but here is this area that has been right under my nose that I knew so little about!! So, no, not four days and not even nine years is sufficient to really understand Istanbul!
And…..who would have thought that I could take a gondola ride up the Golden Horn. Well….that’s what I did today! I went to the end of the Golden Horn on one of the ferry services to visit a place called Eyup and realised that across on the other side was a place called Minitaturk that I had not visited before so the most logical way to get there was on a water taxi type vehicle modeled on an Ottoman style vessel (which looks very much like a gondola)! I am being serious!!
Friday 12 July 2019 (Istanbul – Turkey)
Note to self……find the smallest suitcase I can for all future travels!! Why do we feel the need to pack everything…..just in case!! And….it is still a mystery to me how your clothes seem to double in size as your travels continue and what once fitted very easily into your suitcase now necessitates you sitting on your bag in order to zip up your bag??
It is now almost three months since I left home to commence my gap year and so much has happened….not that you would know it from my blog…the busier I have become the less prone I have been to write about it!!
Have enjoyed a lovely time with my brother Reg, his wife Nella and two of their four children….not that they are children…young adults really!!
It was a quick turnaround!! The tour finished and I said my goodbyes and then the next day the ‘family’ arrived. Our first stop was to the city of Bursa where my mother was born. It’s always difficult to catch up with all the relatives given that time is so restricted so the solution was simple and it worked very well!! We caught a ferry across the Sea of Marmara to a place called Mudanye and had a rendezvous at a restaurant between Mudanye and Bursa. It meant that we were able to catch up with everyone all in the same day!! It was quite an exciting time as it was the first time that many of them had met Reg and family and of course there were language barrier to overcome but regardless of all this….family is family….and the bonds are always there so a really enjoyable afternoon was had by all! Although I have visited my mum’s childhood home on lots of occasions the others had not, so it was a quick drive into Bursa….a tour of sorts!! We stopped by mum’s childhood home which in its heyday would have been lovely….a house very typical of the Ottoman era….interestingly the Ottoman empire was founded in Bursa!!
Of course the rest of the time was spent doing the normal touristy things that one must do in Istanbul….Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Aya Sophia………
Put aside all your concerns about the drop in tourism in Turkey…..never in all my time have I seen it so busy!! Although having said that, the ‘European’ tourist has been replaced by the Arab and Indonesian tourist. There is much more interest these day from tourist from other Muslim countries!
After a really busy couple of days it was great to hit Bodrum…we were staying at different hotels but we managed to catch up every day…mainly at dinner time! The days were very lazy…eating, sleeping, sunbathing and swimming….tough!! It quite amazing how tiring doing nothing can be!! My hotel was right on the beach and along a strip with lots of restaurant options so it was right onto the beach after breakfast…well actually breakfast was almost on the beach!! Also managed to catch up with some friends who are spending the summer/live in Bodrum which was lovely.
I am now back in Istanbul…..caught an overnight bus the night before last. Buses here are very well equipped….have television screens on the back of each seat etc……but it was quite a journey!! Left temperatures of 38degrees in Bodrum and was welcomed to pouring rain in Istanbul!! Aaaggghhh!! Met up with my niece Ally as she was flying out later that day and had flown back the night before. It was nice to have her all to myself….enjoyed lunch at Hamdi restaurant in Eminonou…those that have been on my tours will know it and then a coffee at the newly refurbed Pandeli Restaurant at the Spice Market. Pandeli is one of the oldest restaurants in Turkey and unfortunately had seen better days but it has been injected with life again and has a great vibe now!!
I am in limbo at the moment as my original plan was to embark on some travels to Greece but plans have changed. Have booked an Airbnb place for the next week in a place called Balat. It’s a really old neighbourhood……really old houses and a very conservative community….it was a place where minorities (Greeks, Jews, Armenians) lived in days gone by…the Greek Patriarch is there. Despite the very conservative vibe there is also a couple of streets of ultra-trendy cafes…it’s not an area I am too familiar with but I am sure the next few days will be spent getting to know it much better. Exploring and washing clothes!!! After almost three months of living in hotels and washing only the absolute minimum I am hanging out to do a couple of loads of washing….Oh, the simple pleasures!! Yes, it’s the very simple things that you miss most about being home….gardening, cooking, watching TV/tennis!!
Friday 29th June 2019 (Istanbul – Turkey)
The tour of both Albania and Turkey is now over and although I said goodbye to six of the travellers at the end of the Albania tour my goodbyes to the remaining six occurred today!
I sit in my hotel room and feel slightly lost…being on my own after enjoying the company of others for the past three weeks feels rather odd!!
As always, I reflect on what worked well and what I could change on my next tour and it’s pleasing to say that it all worked really well and there is only the odd/minor thing that I will tweak next time.
Albania (and also Turkey) has a great deal to offer travellers! Amazing landscape, historic sites….Roman, Ottoman, Communist, a lovely coastline, great food, wine, coffee and ice-cream and people who are extremely hospitable and so very pleased to welcome foreigners to their country! But it is the people that you meet that create the fondest memories, and for me it was the two young men from the special needs school who we met when they were raising funds so that they could compete in the “special Olympics”! Their pride when they explained that they were both very fast runners and did a quick sprint to prove their point will stay with me!! They were very excited about having their photo taken and made me promise that I would send them a copy when I returned home! They will have to wait a few months but you get to see it at the end of this post.
Having been in Turkey for the last few days provides a real contrast to Albania……a city of around 20 million people is frantic compared to a country of 3 million and a capital with just over 500,000. No queues, the ability to walk to most places without being bowled over is something you overlook until you hit the relative madness of a huge city like Istanbul. I could not help but notice the long queues waiting to get into major sights in Istanbul and remember that we didn’t have to stand in a queue once when we were in Tirana and Albania! YES, it is definitely a tourist destination waiting to be discovered and it will be discovered I am sure!
As a group we enjoyed some great meals together over the last three weeks…..not just great food but great locations; a terrace overlooking the beautiful town of Berat, the castle high on the hill overlooking Saranda, the restaurant at Mount Datji, 1,200 metres over sea level overlooking Tirana and many more!
With ‘phase two’ of my time away over and I now move into ‘phase 3’ with the arrival of my brother, sister in law and two nieces! I am very much looking forward to showing them the sights of Istanbul over the next few days and then we head to Bodrum on the Med Coast for a few days. A change of pace for a couple of weeks!!
Thursday 13 June 2019 (Korce – Albania)
Oh my goodness!! Has it been over a week since I last made a post!! Have been a little busy so bear (or is it bare??) with me!!
We are now into a fourth day of the tour and all seem to be enjoying what Albania has to offer. A busy couple of days were spent in the capital Tirana. The city has a lovely ‘vibe’ especially at night. It is lively and happening which is in total contrast to its very recent history. We visited a museum/art installation called BunkArt 1 and also The House of Leaves which was formerly a surveillance centre – both important places through the communist era. It really was an oppressive time in the history of Albania and only came to an end in the early 1990’s. These places and our visits to them were very sobering and a little depressing…at the House of Leaves there was an exhibit that listed (in alpha order) those that had been imprisoned and executed through the communist era for being ‘enemies of the state’ (an expression used very loosely for someone who had views which opposed the communist ideology). Was a little shocked quite a long list of ‘Seit’s’ on both boards although I don’t really know if any were related!
We hit the road yesterday and already it feels like we have seen so much! The country side is absolutely beautiful, lush and green with beautiful spring flowers everywhere. As you can imagine of a country that has only experienced independence for 25 years the infrastructure is a little lacking and in some ways reminds me of Turkey when I first visited there about 25-30 years ago. But the people are very progressive and forward thinking and are keen to move forward – which they are doing!!
Our travels today take us to Korce which is the city closest to my father’s village of Voskop and we actually drive past his village on the way to one of the sites (Voskopoja) so might pop into my cousin’s little shop on the way through and surprise them!
One of my colleagues (or should I say ‘former’ colleague??) Mike is traveling on the tour (his third tour with me) and he is doing such a sterling job creating Facebook posts so I have been rather lazy and have shared his posts as they have been giving a great descriptor of how we have spent our days and he really has a good eye and has managed to take some great photos that seem to capture the scene/moment! So, look out for Mike’s posts!!
Wednesday 5th June, 2019 (Tirana – Albania)
Eid Mubarak and Happy Bayram to all my Muslim Friends…..yes, it the end of the holy month of Ramadan and I find myself in Tirana the capital city of Albania.
My last few days in Israel had me reflecting on my time there and it was amazing how quickly four weeks had passed…I must admit that in my first few days it seemed like time was standing still and then all of a sudden four weeks has whizzed by! Lots of selfies were taken with my classes and of course many good-byes however my departure will not be permanent as I will returning for a few days in September to gather further information for their website….so only very temporary good-byes!
In my last couple of days in Israel I was able to visit the city of Akko…about half an hour from the village of Ibillin. My favourite word ‘rustic’ springs to mind as we made our way through the old city….a labyrinth of stone buildings and winding streets and of course the obligatory souk!! Just LOVE these sorts of places…..love the character, the charm and yes, even the grubbiness of them. Lots of work is being done to restore the old city…buildings that were formerly rendered are being ‘un rendered’ and brought back to their former glory!
My last day in Ibillin saw me travelling to Nazareth for the inauguration of the new Melkite Archbishop…a big affair at which Father Chacour was in attendance. Quite a occasion with all those that were important in the church and the rest of us outside in the square watching on the screen…all followed by a Mass….so 2.5 hours later!!!
I have a question for all the travellers out there…..why is that it is always far more difficult to pack your bags when you leave a place than when you arrive even despite the fact that you have literally bought nothing new!!? It’s a common problem I am sure! So, bags packed (with difficulty!) I said good bye to Ibillin and made my way down the hill, yes, the 45-degree hill and soon discovered that although it was very difficult dragging my bags uphill it was even more difficult managing them down the hill!! A long wait for the bus to Haifa and then onto the train to Ben Gurion Airport! It was with some trepidation that I approached passport control as I had heard horror stories of people being questioned on departure but no such horror story for me…’have a good flight” and I was off!
After four weeks of brilliant sunshine, no clouds and certainly no rain, I hit Istanbul late in the evening and yes, it was raining! It was a relief to get to the Valide Sultan Hotel and the familiarity of the place and its staff!
The girls will understand the next para and the boys can just skip it!! But I was dying to hit a hairdresser…women of a certain age need to make fairly regular trips to ensure that we don’t develop a grey stripe…I am sure you all know what I mean!! Was worried that as it was Bayram the shops might be closed and I would have to soldier on with a ‘grey strip’ and legs that badly needed waxing! God was on my side and I managed to find my old hairdresser (who had moved since last time I was there) and got pampered for 2 hours….colour, cut, blow wave, manicure, and some major waxing…wait for it…..for only the equivalent of $50AUD!! It left me feeling human again and ready for my evening flight to Tirana!
My second day in Tirana and my group (for the most part) does not arrive until the weekend so I have been buzzing around looking for restaurants and ensuring that I am up to date with what has been happening here. A city of only approx. 500,000 but I suspect that they ALL come out for the obligatory evening walk….or at least they all did last night. All ages….all dressed up…very civilised!!
Am staying at a lovely Airbnb in the Blloku area. The area was once only accessible to the communist elite and the average Albanian could not enter as it was where the communist dictator Enver Hoxha had his residence. All that is now changed and the area is full of fancy shops, bars and restaurants and is heaving with people in the evening. A really popular area of the young people of Tirana. It is said that there are more coffee shops in Tirana than any other city in Europe…I won’t challenge the statement as they are definitely heaps of coffee shops everywhere! What you won’t find in Tirana is a McDonalds….one of the only cities in Europe without one….but no loss!!
Made my way to Mount Dajti yesterday….a cable car on the outskirts of Tirana takes you up over a national park to over 1000 metres above sea level. It’s quite spectacular and a little scary but the views are amazing. It was quite amazing as it was hot and sunny in Tirana and the temperature dropped about 10 degrees when I got to the top. Had to check out the restaurant as it will be one of the places that I take the group early next week. It was very fortunate that I did so as I discovered that they close for maintenance on Tuesday which was the day that I had scheduled our trip so now it looks like some minor adjustments will need to be made to the itinerary…as I always say to my groups…..the most important thing to pack is your ‘sense of humour’!! Actually, it is good advice for any travels!!!
Tuesday 28th May, 2019 (Ibillin)
So today I walk out of the Learning Centre buzzing…..I had the BEST class…actually I had a great class yesterday too…..are they getting used to me / am I getting used to them??? The kids were great…attentive and interested! It’s a challenge to find activities that stimulate and keep the students interested and it’s amazing how you think you have ‘nailed it’ and plan an activity to find that it falls flat then conversely the activities you feel nervous about engage and excite the kids and fun is had by all (pseudo teacher included)!
The four lovely girls I had today were (coincidentally) all Muslims and all have been fasting over the month of Ramadan so to attend an afterschool class takes some commitment and not once did I sense a lack of concentration from any of them. Regardless though….kids are kids and they have the same dreams, aspirations and hopes that kids all over the world do! Admittedly the families and students that live in this area are quite privileged (relatively speaking) to the Palestinian youngster that live in the Gaza or West Bank but I have no doubt that the youngsters in both these areas also share very similar dreams. The girls told me of their desire to be lawyers, engineers and accountants when they graduate…..let’s hope their dreams come true! I was touched yesterday when I asked all the students in my class what they liked most about Mar Elias school ….the answer that resonated most with me came from a student who attends another school and comes to the Learning Centre for extra support…he said that ‘he loves the fact that the teachers at Mar Elias treat him like their own child’. It is the ethos and feeling that is very evident in all parts of the school.
Have had a couple of opportunities to meet with Father Chacour (the founder of the school) and he has a very strong presence around the school. He is a man in his early 80’s and is a visionary and a peacemaker in the truest sense of the word. Despite is advancing years he makes regular trips abroad as he is often invited by church groups, those that are interested in the Palestinian/Israel situation or those that are interested in the plight of refugees to address various groups or act as a keynote speaker at conferences etc. He is currently in the US on one such trip and will travel to Germany in October and to Australia in January 2020.
Much of the interest in him comes as a result of the first book that he wrote which is a story of his early life and the beginnings of what is now the school that he established. The book is called Blood Brothers and provides a summary of his early life but also provides factual information about the reality of the Nakba(as Arabs call it) or the formation of Israel. Don’t know whether I have actually said too much about the school but it’s a Grade 1-12 co-ed school. Although founded by Father Chacour there is not restriction based on religion so approx. 65% of the students are Muslim and the remaining 35% are Christian with an equal mix of boys and girls. Many students travel a long distance (up to 80km) to attend the school as it is very highly regarded in terms of academic outcomes.
On a MUCH lighter note I finally tasted the ‘famous’…… well famous in this area at least….Sh’faram ice-cream…….very nice it was too!! Last Sunday we were kindly invited for a BBQ lunch to by a lovey family who have very generously extended amazing hospitality to me during my stay! They live in the neighbouring town of Sh’faram and as we were literally stuffed after lunch and even an ice-cream would have been a stretch – yes, even for me, so they promised to deliver some to the guesthouse today…true to their word they did, so we basically had an ice-cream dinner tonight….heaven!!
Only a few days to go now so this may be my last post from Ibillin!?
Friday 24th May, 2019 (Ibillin)
With the weather hovering around the 40 mark over the last few days I can’ help but notice that the weather in Melbourne was a sunny 22 degrees a couple of days ago….the heat has been oppressive with overnights temps in the high 20’s…relief is in sight however as it is predicted to be in the mid 20’s tomorrow.
Ironically, despite the heat I have managed to get a cold…. consequently I have been feeling heady and far from well but I think I am now over the worst of it which is great is in just over a week I will be on the move again…heading to Albania.
The guesthouse where I am staying is on the top (5th floor) of the Mar Elias Elementary School so as I look out of my window in the mornings I see the playground and children being dropped off as early as 7am which I guess is understandable as classes start at 8am. Students then finish or the day at around 1.30pm. Something that has gained my attention as I look out my window as been the young sports teacher who has been doing a sterling job in turning a very grey and dull playground into a more colourful space for the children. Brightly coloured hopscotch and a ‘snakes and ladders’ board painted in the playground are adding a touch of colour that is very badly needed….mind you the high temperature don’t provide the ideal ‘painting conditions’ however I have been so inspired by his efforts that I have gone out on a couple of days and offered my assistance. It’s hard to actually help as once the kids see me out in the playground they are more intent on ‘using’ me to practice their English than allowing me to actually help so I have to time my sessions so that they are not at break times, otherwise I am not actually helping but being a hinderance as the children crowd around creating a concern that they will step on the wet paint etc.
It is currently the month of Ramadan, when Muslim fast between sunrise and sunset and as approx. 65% of the student population here are Muslim many of them are fasting so as you can imagine this impacts a little on my students in the after-school classes. In addition, they are coming up to their exams as their school year finishes at the end of June so the stress levels are high! Last night we hosted a group of 100 (YES 100!!) elementary students for the break of fast meal, Iftar! So, on mass they arrived at 7.30 ready to break their fast at 7.40! Chaos springs to mind….it as all a bit of a frenzy but interesting never the less.
An enjoyable couple of hours was spent yesterday with our American visitors…..my first tour of Mar Elias….it was enjoyable and I was able to draw on my experiences dong such things at my previous schools. The weather made it tough going as it was around 40degrees and movement between the three schools is up and down hills.
A trip to do my ‘chicken run’ started my day today and I was treated to a ‘display’ by Father Chacour’s peacock…there is truth in the saying to ‘strut around like a peacock”. The display was stunning as he tried to impress me the grandeur of his stunning tail feathers.
Initial steps in preparing for the first ever Mar Elias Enlgish language website are progressing well! So many great people both here and at home pitching their resources and expertise!! Father Chacour’s PA has been brilliant in providing material that will be very useful…I don’t anticipate that much will come together until the end of the year but will keep you posted!
Three weeks down and one week to go until I head back to Turkey for a night then on to Albania to commence the tour on which there will be 12 others joining me. Am looking forward to the change of pace and hearing of the adventures of those that will be joining me. One of my fellow travellers is currently spending a couple of months in Iran and another is on extended leave and has spent the last few months travelling so I am sure that there will be many stories to share.
Monday 19th of May (Ibilin)
How to tell the lovely young women that I didn’t really want a lift?? The words came out….’Yes, thank you I would love a lift” but I was enjoying the walk and was almost home anyway so would have preferred to continue my walk. I had decided to walk to the neighbouring village Sh’faram and was almost on my way home when a car stopped ahead of me and reversed at speed…a really quiet section of road so initially I was a little worried and breathed a sigh of relief when the windows were wound down and the young mum, her mum and a child about five offered me lift. It’s kind of hard to say no without appearing rude so the easiest thing to do is to jump in and offer thanks. On the plus side it did mean that I was also driven up ‘that’ hill!!
Sh’faram is the adjoining town and is a lot bigger than the town where I am staying, Ibillin. Those in Ibillin are primarily Arab Christian however in Sh’faram it is a mixture of Christians and Muslims. There is what they call the ‘old town’ in Sh’faram, a old fortress that sits high on a hill (as most fortresses do) and the other thing that the town is famous for is it’s ice-cream…….mind you I couldn’t find this ‘famous ice-cream’ as I was more intent on remembering every landmark and turn that I took in order to safely find my way home again. Being so hilly around here the streets definitely don’t work on a grid but rather meander hence it can be quite confusing and of course easy to get lost. Will hunt down the ice-cream on my next visit!
Yesterday was day two of the weekend….day two?? Well, the weekend here is Friday and Sunday for some reason. Mind you I don’t think that’s the case in all places? I took advantage of the day off to get the bus into Haifa (the port town where I spent my first two days here) – it all felt so familiar in stark contrast to my feelings when I arrived two weeks ago. Easily caught the buses from the main station into town and then to the beach. A beautiful day with a lovely breeze….a perfect beach day!
There have been a couple of parades over the last couple of days and as I witnessed in Haifa the parades have been made up primarily of local scout troops loudly (very loudly!!) banging drums. One such parade made its way down the main streets of Ibillin earlier in the week entering the grounds of the school and was then followed by a Mass at the Church in the school grounds. The school and its grounds are used by local community and as its one of the few relatively flat areas around it is busy with people wearing sports clothes and doing laps of the grounds in the evenings. The sports courts are also open to anyone who wants to use then so there are often a few young people throwing a ball around the basketball courts…such facilities are rare here so it’s great that the young people (and others) can easily access them.
Friday 17th of May (Ibilin and Hebron, West Bank)
Not sure what so more confronting…..the lesson I just had with 10 exuberant teenagers or my Breaking the Silence tour!!? Only joking of course, as nothing has been more confronting to me (ever!) than seeing Hebron and hearing of our guides experience as former army offices while serving their military service there.
Unbeknown to any of us at the time one of the tour participants was a journalist from the UK and he published an article that I stumbled across the next day….an excerpt as follows:
“What are they trying to do, protect you from the sun?” asks Issa Amro, a prominent Palestinian activist, flanked by Israeli soldiers who have just issued a military warrant to a group of tourists who had come to meet him to immediately leave the area.
This is Hebron, the largest city in the occupied West Bank and the only one with an Israeli settlement directly inside it.
At the last point of the tour when the group was due to meet Palestinian peace activists, the Israeli military issued a warrant temporarily designating the area as a “closed military zone”.
Everyone had to leave.
“Enjoy Eurovision,” Amro shouts to the retreating group he was not permitted to meet.
“One day we’ll have Hebron-vision. I promise,” he jokes.
So, what is the relevance of Hebron. Hebron is the largest city in the occupied West Bank so in real terms it is a Palestinian city however illegal (Jewish) settlements have been established in the centre of town. A city of 200,000 Palestinians and roughly about 600 Jewish settlers however this is where it gets complicated…..the Israeli army guards the settlers to ensure that levels of friction don’t escalate to violence. Any violence whether from Palestinians or settlers results in Palestinians being punished. An example of this a shooting that occurred in the early 90’s when a Jewish man shot dead 60 odd Palestinians in a mosque. To ensure that such violence did not occur again the solution was to shut down the main street of the town and make sections of it a ‘sterile zone’ which basically means that only the settlers are able to use it. Such restrictions have meant that living in the centre of the city becomes impossible for the Palestinians who are then forced to leave their houses and business. This of course is a very simple explanation of a rather more complex situation!!
On our tour we experienced some minor of harassment of our own……..as you can imagine the Breaking the Silence group is not popular with many right wing Israelis and this is particularly so with the settlers so we were ‘escorted’ on our tour by 10 Israeli army personal…heavily armed Israeli personnel!! Then half way through the tour we were joined by two ‘settlers’ who tried to intimidate us by chatting happily with the army personal and filming our every move. Interestingly our guide plus two helpers all carried ‘Go Pros’ to ensure that they had proof of all that happened during the tour. The whole experience was very sobering and makes one grateful for the privilege that we enjoy in a country like Australia.
Some of the participant of our group were also very interesting….about 20 in total. Three students (American and German) doing a semester at Haifa University, a young Dutch activist who has been part of the Eurovision demonstrations, a young girl who has spent three months ‘protecting’ such people as Palestinian shepherds from harassment and violence and filming/documents such incidents. I also heard of a group of 30 Swedes who travel to the West Bank every year to help with the olive harvest…..they are all professional people and their presence and help means that the Palestinian farmers are less likely to get harassed (and worse) by the settlers.
Who exactly are Breaking the Silence….they are an amazing group of Jewish people who are speaking out about the occupation….following is an excerpt from one of their Facebook posts.
Hey Eurovision, thanks for coming to party with us! Enjoy the sunny beaches and exciting nightlife, just don’t forget that there’s a lot more to this place than fun and games.
We know it’s hard to tell by looking at Tel Aviv, but there is another side to Israeli society. An hour away from your hotel, throughout the occupied territories, millions of Palestinians are still living under military rule. We know this because we were the soldiers sent to serve in the territories, and we would like to show you the full picture.
During Eurovision week we will be guiding daily tours from Tel-Aviv to Hebron. You can take on an important role in supporting Israelis and Palestinians who are working towards ending the occupation, so get started by seeing the reality for yourself.
The tour is led by soldiers who broke their silence about their military service in the West Bank and Gaza. The tour explores the harsh consequences of the policy of separation, the heavy military presence in the city and will include meeting with Palestinian residents.
So how else have I been spending my time??? Well I have a regular gig at the Learning Centre. The Learning Centre is basically an after-school activity in which students who need extra support are able to attend and receive extra tuition. So, I started out with a small group of four students and now I have a class of 10 or so students every day! I now have a greater respect for teachers as I try and control my class of 90 minutes every day!! The concept of one person speaking and the rest listening is lost on my students so we struggle along with every one of them feeling the need to make their voices heard a the same time! Having attended a couple of normal classroom lessons I was astonished at the level of grammar being taught however despite this they need practice with conversational English which is the point of my classes.
The guesthouse where I am staying has hosted a group of American over the last few days and it was interesting to learn a little more about them. An interesting group in lots of ways…for the most part an older group and quite a few had been/are ‘activist’ for different causes……one of the ladies had spent a lot of time in Palestine in her youth ……another of the ladies and her husband (when he was alive) would spend three months every year in the West Bank helping local Palestinians…..it’s a weird place and the actions of the settlers in the West Bank can be rather agressive!! As part of their tour they visited Father Chacour (the founder of this school and former Archbishop of Galilee and writer of the book Blood Brothers) destroyed village called Baram. Having read the book, I was really keen to see for myself the village I had read about so was thrilled when they asked me to join them! Sometimes not everything goes to plan and our bus breaking down was one of those things however we were still able to visit the village and also take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.
One of the really great things about travel is the people you meet and two such people were two Italians who are walking a trail of some religious significance in ‘the holy land’…..they spent the night here and continued their journey the next day….they are covering between 20-30 kilometres every day….two delightful men who were happy to chat even despite very serious language barriers! They have done many treks and amongst them is the Camino walk….all 800km of it and not just once!!
I met with Father Chacour this morning in order to gather some information…get this!!! So that I can do a tour of the school for two visiting Americans who will be here next week! Lucky, I have had lots of practice at doing this at OACC!! I learnt at the meeting that Father Chacour will be visiting Australia in January 2020….he has been invited by some “students he met” but was uncertain what city it would be….I am hoping it will be Melbourne.
The Guesthouse is very quiet as I write this…one of the two staff members who is normally here is in Jerusalem for a couple of days and the other is having the day off, so I am really enjoying the solitude. In addition, there is no school today, Friday. It’s rather odd as they have no school on Friday and Sunday!!
So much for the quiet….there is some beautiful music coming from the local church…..apparently there is a period of special commemoration for a nun of significance Mariam Barwardi who was from this area and was canonised by the Catholic Church. Not totally sure what they celebration/commemoration is about but the music coming from the church is quite beautiful never the less.
I’ll sign off for now….more soon.
Thursday 9th May (Ibilin, Israel).
It’s now Day 4 in Ibilin and I reflect on my time here….so what springs to mind!!??? Firstly, the amazing young teachers who ‘crowd control’ a group of 40 exuberant students every day with the aid of very rudimentary recourses….a white board and white board marker! The buildings that house the students would be considered unsatisfactory even by teachers in the poorest/ underprivileged suburbs in our cities. The students are rather boisterous or at least they are by our standards and the teachers who I have managed to spend time with do an amazing job despite all this! The warmth and friendship of those in the Mar Elias guesthouse is not something I can overlook. I happened to arrive on the birthday of Samar (who is kindly looking after me at the guesthouse) and the first afternoon was spent enjoying a feast of tabouli and other middle eastern delicacies with her friends!
Ibilin is categorised as a ‘village’ but in fact I think a ‘town’ is a more fitting description. The Mar Elias school where I am volunteering is a major landmark and sits high on the hill….which reminds me!! The Hill!! To travel to Ibilin I took a local bus from the main bus station in Haifa and was dropped off at the bottom of the hill below the school in Ibilin. ‘The hill’ provides an incline of 45degrees up to the school…….it was hot and my bags were heavy so it was rather a harsh introduction to the school!
The school is the vision of Father Elias Chacour and educates children from the surrounding area from Elementary to High School. It is at capacity and has long waiting lists with a roll of over 2, 500 students. By our standards the school would appear to be under resourced however entry into the school is much sought after and its reputation is that of a school that provides a superior education. Students are taught in Arabic but also Hebrew and English. Although Father Chacour is of the Melkite faith, 65 % of the students at Mar Elias are Muslim with the remainder Christian. His vision is simple….the way forward for the Palestinians is to educate the young. I spent over an hour chatting to five such young people and it was an eye opening experience to hear their view of their lives as Palestinian Israeli or perhaps I should say Arab Israeli! Today happens to be a public holiday…for the Israeli’s it is “Independence Day’ celebrating the formation of Israel but on the other hand for Palestinians it is referred to as The Nakba (The Catastrophe!!) – the views about this same day are polar opposites!
On my second day I was introduced to a Year 5 class and as the class progressed it was very apparent that the students were very interested in this strange visitor from Australia…so much so that at the end of the class the students lined up for my ‘autograph’…….a real ‘rock star’ experience.
I accompanied Samar into the village and her church that same afternoon …..a small shopping precinct near the church was interesting….tiny little shops that for the most part that looked like they were closed but were in fact open…..no one in attendance but open never the less. Being a really hilly village, it was quite a relief to be offered a lift home by one of the locals who was going in our direction. Immediately we jumped into the car and Samar started to introduced me, he said ‘ I know, the lady from Australia….my son told me all about her”……the rock star experience continued!!
The ‘guesthouse’ often host visitors….I am one example however, at the moment there is a group of 20 plus Neocatecumenal Christian staying here on a retreat for the next few days. I have been helping host the visitors which has meant helping to provide them three meals a day! Again, this is another faith that I knew nothing about prior coming to Israel! Have just spent the last hour speaking to one of the visitors about her faith journey….formerly from a Jewish family she has converted after a series of experiences that could only be described as extraordinary!! This group will be here until Sunday and then early next week there is an American group staying for three nights. This second group of visitors, ‘The Pilgrims of Ibilin’ as they are called are a very special group as they do a lot of fund raising for the school….funds which are put to very good use and are very much needed.
Have met Father Chacour a couple of times now…he is very visible around the school and everyone loves him! I must admit that I feel rather nervous around him but it’s not often that I am confronted with such wisdom and goodness in the one person!!
I can admit that the last few days have left me feeling like a fish out of water…totally out of my comfort zone!! I have fleeting moments of feeling useful but generally speaking I have real concerns that my usefulness will be very limited! However, I think I have found my niche!!?? It surprises me that the school does not have an English language website and given the need to spread the word about the good work that happens here and more importantly the need for the school to attract funds and philanthropic gifts, a website is really important in providing visibly. So this could be my way of contributing and making a difference….stay tuned!!
As I sit writing this it is early evening and I hear the Islamic call to prayer. Earlier today the church bells were ringing such is the diversity of the population here. Ironically, I still have trouble distinguishing the Israeli’s and the Arabs and I mentioned this to Samar (an Arab Israeli herself) and she wisely said the ‘we are brothers and sisters, we are the same”! So simple is the solution to this conflict!
So…the highlight of today was…wait for it!!! Taking the kitchen scraps down to Father Chacour’s chicken coup and feeding the chickens, ducks and even a peacock who spread his tail feathers for me in a beautiful display!! The joys of life can be very simple indeed!!
One week down and three more to go! The highlight of next week for me will be a tour of Hebron conducted be a group of former Israeli soldiers called ‘Breaking the Silence’…..it may be confronting particularly given the current conflict in Gaza at the moment.
Stay tuned!
Sunday 5th May (Haifa/Ibilin Israel)
Life is full of surprises!! “The manager David will be here at 9am on Sunday and only he can give you a refund”…in my mind I thought ‘yeah right…get ready for a fight’ but to my surprise David offered me a full refund and didn’t even charge me for the one night I stayed at his hostel!! He agreed that I had not been given what I had booked (a room with a bathroom!!)…mind you the refund is yet to hit my account so I shouldn’t get too excited!!
My education on the Israel/Palestine conflict is beginning. I admit I have a lot to learn but it was confirmed yesterday that much of what I know and feel is correct. On the surface all appears harmonious but tensions bubble just below the surface!
SUNDAY MAY 5, 2019 (Israel).
Arrived in Haifa the day before yesterday…so where is Haifa? Haifa is in the northern part of Israel and is a major port city on theMediterranean Sea. Its most notable attraction is the Baha’i Gardens (more about that later!) . An interesting city and the third largest in Israel. What has been most surprising is the strong German influence here…..in the late 1800 a group of German Christian, the Templars settled in the area and remained until the formation of Israel in 1947. Thank you Michelle Morrell for making me aware of this! Michelle’s in-laws once lived in Haifa and were part of the Templar’s. My ignorance amazes me sometimes…there is so much to learn and to know about what surrounds us!!
I spent most of yesterday roaming the city (and getting lost I must admit). the city is build on a hillside and is very steep. The day started with a very traditional breakfast of hummus, olives, cheese, tomatoes etc, a walk around the German Colony and then many steps up the hill to the Baha’i Gardens. So who are the Baha’i??? I now know that they are a religious faith founded in the mid 1800’s and their teachings incorporate all previous faiths…their founder is buried in the grounds of the garden which included 18 terraces and a huge amount of steps!! The gardens themselves are beautiful and are tended to by 100 gardeners working full time!!
As I wandered around the city it stuck me that I couldn’t really tell who the difference between the Arab Israeli and the Jewish Israeli?? Disclaimer here…of course I was able to distinguish the Orthodox Jews but other than that the only way I could tell was by asking. The owner of the family run hotel (Haddad Hotel…wonder if they are related to the famous ‘model’ Haddads?) where I am staying is Arab Christian and I am realising that the Arabs/Palestinian are not only Muslims but there is a huge number of Christian Arabs as well! What came as a slight surprise was the harmony between all the people that I encountered…somehow I expected disharmony, conflict and segregation? Why then is my Facebook feed full of posts about the bombings in Gaza over the last few days?? How can this be so in a country that is only about one tenth the size of Victoria?? I am sure that over the next couple of weeks many of my questions will be answered!!?
One of the great things about travelling is the diversity of people that you meet and the subsequent realisation that there are many ways to live your life!! One such example was the German guy I met at the guesthouse where I spent my first night. Not being able to stand my shoebox room one minute longer I went to the communal lounge and of course a conversation started. He sounded German but lives in Greece and is setting up a couple of guesthouses in the area around Haifa?? All very confusing!! A doctor who has worked for the UN and has decided that the time is right in his life to do ‘what he wants to do’!! Maybe another ‘old person’ on a gap year??!!
May 3, 2019 (Istanbul)
Whoa, is it only three days since I left Australia?? It seems like an eternity!! Arrival into Istanbul was a little different to normal as I came into the new Istanbul Airport……miles from anywhere and not the lovely drive along the Sea of Marmara that normally sets the tone for each visit! An hour and a half a later I was dropped off at Sultanahmet Square and then dragged my bags to the hotel……the drive from the airport felt strange and unfamiliar but that feeling was quickly dispelled when I arrived at the familiar surroundings of the Valide Sultan Hotel in Sultanahmet. It’s where I stay with my tours and I think I have clocked up over 20 years of staying there now! I almost feel like family!
Good news is that Istanbul is back!! The flavour and colour that seems to have disappeared in the last few years is back again and the place was buzzing! Tourist of all types everywhere….a much better atmosphere now than in the last few years. It was really pleasing to see and feel the difference. I don’t normally visit so early in the season and was pleasantly surprised by the colourful displays of tulips around the city. Sultanahmet Square is the location of a very beautiful display with planting made to look like a Turkish carpet design! Even after all the years that I have either lived in or visited Istanbul the city never ceased to surprise me!
Day Two was rather a bleak day weather wise and it reminded me how ‘grey’ the place can look. Travelling there in summer see the city bathed in sunshine and with the warm days and balmy evenings and it is easy to forget that it is not always like this. The winters are harsh and the greenery is replaced by stark barren streetscapes and it’s easy to forget this! So as I walked through the rain I remembered (and experienced) something that anyone who has lived in Istanbul can relate to……the splash of water when you step on loose paving! It was a rather nostalgic day as I lunched with a good friend from my days at the British International School and also visited a friend at MEF School.
A very early start this morning (3am to be precise) and an early morning flight to Tel Aviv. The plan was simple…..fly into Ben Gurion airport, train to Haifa, a short walk from the station to my pre-booked guesthouse…what could possibly go wrong!!? I was relieved to pass through Customs without even a question about what I was doing in Israel or how long/ where was I staying etc…all good so far!! But….no trains running from the airport today…instead ‘leave the terminal and turn right and catch the shuttle bus to ???”. Followed the instructions and jumped on the bus…all good??? Until I realised that after 15 minutes travelling we were just doing a lap of the car par!! Back to the terminal and onto the right bus this time……onto the train and into Haifa…relief!!! Walk to guesthouse/hostel!! OMG, I have stayed in more luxurious tents!! A room I can’t even stand in, a bed on the floor…I was prepared to rough it but this is ridiculous!! Move out tomorrow to something a little more comfortable…can’t wait!! I sit in the communal lounge room as I write this and make polite conversation with a couple of young Israeli guys and listen to their funky music as my fingers hit the keyboard.
Have I only really been away from home for three days…..it seems like an eternity!!! More to come!! I will play the tourist for the next two days….might even hit the beach before I head to Ibilin to begin my time as a volunteer at the Mar Elias School!
April 30, 2019. (Melbourne) I sit here at my laptop surround by piles of clothes and wonder how on earth I am going to manage to get myself organised before I leave tonight. Another week at home would have been great but alas amidst the mess that is my spare room I am trying to avoid the inevitable…..packing my bags in readiness for the flight this evening. All the important stuff is prepared…..I have my Arabic phrase book in my bag and of course all the tour notes for my Albanian Adventure tour have been neatly filed. The Turkey leg of the tour is a breeze…done it tons of times before so no need for that to take up much headspace! My head is buzzing…with apprehension and also excitement……I am almost about to head off on my ‘gap year’!! First stop Istanbul for two nights and then off to the town of Ibilin in northern Israel for a month at Mar Elias school.
April 12, 2019 . Today I leave my position at Head of Community Development at Overnewton College in Melbourne to embark on what can only be described as an “old person’s gap year”.
The next few months will see me travel to Israel, Albania, Turkey and Greece……if you are interested in following my travels check out this page as I make regular posts of the progress of my journey!