Thursday, June 4, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Back in London!!!
Yeah!!! We made it back to London. Quick update of our last moments in Gaza. Joel, our traveling companion, came with us for a layover here. He and Madeline did a quick run around London, hitting the high notes. Then we 3 had a wonderful meal at Mondelo's, with wine!!!! Lovey!!!!! Have I said, I never warmed up to the Egypt/Gaza food. This trip has been somewhat of a weight loss program for me!
Our last day we went to a hospital that had been severely bombed, but it is still functioning despite the devastation. It was confusing to me, though, because there did not seem to be many patients. We went to a patient floor where I was told there were 4 patients, 3 nurses, and one nursing student. I was able to see a room with a patient and his family in it, and it was very spacious. I was told they do 150 elective surgeries a month as well as emergencies. There were no patients in the emergency room. I asked about payment of the elective surgeries, and if I understood correctly, they are private pay. There is also another hospital in Gaza that we were not taken to, so I would have been curious to see what the census at that hospital was.
Side note: The term "refugee", refers to people who lost their land/homes to Israelis 60 years ago, and they still remain in this status. They receive education, health care, money, and food from UNRWA, which is separate from the rest of Gazans. I heard that Gazans are known to say they would like that status to receive those benefits! Ibrahim's family were refugees, but they have become successful business people and were able to leave the refugee camps, and now consider themselves Gazans. However, if the topic comes up with his grandmother, she becomes very agitated with the topic, as the history is still alive and well with her. Apparently, these refugees are still holding out hope that they will be returning to their homeland, and they have the keys for these homes they left so long ago. Ibrahim took me to a refugee camp the morning of our departure, as it was not on the delegation schedule. The main characteristics of a camp is a narrow main road not wide enough for a car, and extremely narrow side road where a person may have to walk sideways. The homes are very dense, but despite it all, quite tidy. I later learned that one of the reasons Gaza is so much cleaner than Egypt is the trash service that is provided by the UNRWA every day.
Later that day we ended up at a hotel on the coast to unwind for a bit. The kids ordered sheeshas (hookas), and sat around smoking. If I have not said earlier, sheesha smoking is done everywhere. There are many, many tea bars that also serve sheesha, and the kids really enjoy it. While at the hotel, a group from ISM came, which I learned is an organization that provides human shields for humanitarian causes, such as the fishing boats of Gaza that are constantly getting shot at by the Israelis. An Italian man was with them who had been on a boat, seized by the Israelis, and tortured by them with cigarette burns on his arms. I was not with the group when they were there, but was concerned that they may have been looking for recruits!
Back to Ibrahim's. Tara and Ib had bought a carpet earlier that day, as Ib said it was the ultimate gift that a person could give. As I really wanted to express my thankfulness to his family, I had them pick one up that day, and Tara and I gave it to them. They seemed very pleased. Madeline picked up an orange tree for her family, which I thought was a lovely gift, too. According to her, the father kept rubbing the leaves throughout the evening.
Side note: Madeline and her student buddy went swimming with their host family in the sea. Women can swim, but they have to be fully clothed. She said they had a great time out past the waves and were there for an hour. The father had a life ring tied with a rope to his waist. Apparently, he has saved many a swimmer from drowning, and goes out prepared to do so.
That evening, Ib's family had a couple of health issues that they wanted to discuss, and wanted my opinion. It is very challenging to give advice when the health care seems sketchy. Ib's dad had gone to Cairo for health care as apparently, what he needed he could not receive in Gaza. As he is wealthy by Gazan standards, he had the personal funds to make the trip for more advice. But I was told that Palestinians are not treated well by the Egyptians. Ib's father has cardiac disease, diabetes that has not been controlled, and who knows what else. When I met him in Cairo, he showed me his foot with a sore on it, and he kept saying something like "high blood sugar". Fortunately, it did not look infected......... He had nothing done in Cairo. He and his wife have been waiting in Al Arish waiting for enough Palestinians to gather there to make it worth the Egyptians time to process them for entry back into Gaza. side note, because of his ill health, he was allowed an exception to leave Gaza in the first place.
The following morning was our departure day. We all gathered at the hotel to board the bus. Tara was staying. She has plans to get a job with UNRWA, and apply for graduate school in the UK along with Ibrahim, and to possibly eventually marry. It appeared to be very hard on her to see us leave, as she was very emotional. And I have to say, it was hard on me, too, to be leaving my niece in Gaza. Another student is staying as well, as she was offered a temporary job with another organization that was an exceptional opportunity. So I am glad that Tara has someone to connect with right away.
We drove to the border for entry back into Egypt. One of the Gazan organizers was to go with us who had an Egyptian passport, but, sadly, she was not allowed. It took several hours for our processing, but we were finally back in Egypt, a land of the more free than Gaza world. We drove back to Cairo, and this time I was able to enjoy the drive. How beautiful it was!!! The sand dunes mixed with palm trees. The Bedouin camps with the camels!! The Suez Canal! Wonderful drive.
Madeline, Joel, and I rechecked into the Hotel Pension Roma, and it felt like a 5 star hotel. We re-slathered with bug spray, ate some dinner, retired to bed where we listened to the loud-speaker of the call to prayer amplified into our bedroom. Ahhh......back in Cairo!!! Next day, London!!!!!
Joel will leave today. Madeline and I are looking forward to having Stephanie Graf and her girlfriend, Paige, come visit us for a few days. It will be fun showing them London, and mabey a side trip out of town. Following that, Madeline and I may be going to Barcelona for a few days, then back to Portland, Oregon, USA!!!!!!!! Yeah galore!!!!!
please excuse any typos and grammatical errors!!!!
Our last day we went to a hospital that had been severely bombed, but it is still functioning despite the devastation. It was confusing to me, though, because there did not seem to be many patients. We went to a patient floor where I was told there were 4 patients, 3 nurses, and one nursing student. I was able to see a room with a patient and his family in it, and it was very spacious. I was told they do 150 elective surgeries a month as well as emergencies. There were no patients in the emergency room. I asked about payment of the elective surgeries, and if I understood correctly, they are private pay. There is also another hospital in Gaza that we were not taken to, so I would have been curious to see what the census at that hospital was.
Side note: The term "refugee", refers to people who lost their land/homes to Israelis 60 years ago, and they still remain in this status. They receive education, health care, money, and food from UNRWA, which is separate from the rest of Gazans. I heard that Gazans are known to say they would like that status to receive those benefits! Ibrahim's family were refugees, but they have become successful business people and were able to leave the refugee camps, and now consider themselves Gazans. However, if the topic comes up with his grandmother, she becomes very agitated with the topic, as the history is still alive and well with her. Apparently, these refugees are still holding out hope that they will be returning to their homeland, and they have the keys for these homes they left so long ago. Ibrahim took me to a refugee camp the morning of our departure, as it was not on the delegation schedule. The main characteristics of a camp is a narrow main road not wide enough for a car, and extremely narrow side road where a person may have to walk sideways. The homes are very dense, but despite it all, quite tidy. I later learned that one of the reasons Gaza is so much cleaner than Egypt is the trash service that is provided by the UNRWA every day.
Later that day we ended up at a hotel on the coast to unwind for a bit. The kids ordered sheeshas (hookas), and sat around smoking. If I have not said earlier, sheesha smoking is done everywhere. There are many, many tea bars that also serve sheesha, and the kids really enjoy it. While at the hotel, a group from ISM came, which I learned is an organization that provides human shields for humanitarian causes, such as the fishing boats of Gaza that are constantly getting shot at by the Israelis. An Italian man was with them who had been on a boat, seized by the Israelis, and tortured by them with cigarette burns on his arms. I was not with the group when they were there, but was concerned that they may have been looking for recruits!
Back to Ibrahim's. Tara and Ib had bought a carpet earlier that day, as Ib said it was the ultimate gift that a person could give. As I really wanted to express my thankfulness to his family, I had them pick one up that day, and Tara and I gave it to them. They seemed very pleased. Madeline picked up an orange tree for her family, which I thought was a lovely gift, too. According to her, the father kept rubbing the leaves throughout the evening.
Side note: Madeline and her student buddy went swimming with their host family in the sea. Women can swim, but they have to be fully clothed. She said they had a great time out past the waves and were there for an hour. The father had a life ring tied with a rope to his waist. Apparently, he has saved many a swimmer from drowning, and goes out prepared to do so.
That evening, Ib's family had a couple of health issues that they wanted to discuss, and wanted my opinion. It is very challenging to give advice when the health care seems sketchy. Ib's dad had gone to Cairo for health care as apparently, what he needed he could not receive in Gaza. As he is wealthy by Gazan standards, he had the personal funds to make the trip for more advice. But I was told that Palestinians are not treated well by the Egyptians. Ib's father has cardiac disease, diabetes that has not been controlled, and who knows what else. When I met him in Cairo, he showed me his foot with a sore on it, and he kept saying something like "high blood sugar". Fortunately, it did not look infected......... He had nothing done in Cairo. He and his wife have been waiting in Al Arish waiting for enough Palestinians to gather there to make it worth the Egyptians time to process them for entry back into Gaza. side note, because of his ill health, he was allowed an exception to leave Gaza in the first place.
The following morning was our departure day. We all gathered at the hotel to board the bus. Tara was staying. She has plans to get a job with UNRWA, and apply for graduate school in the UK along with Ibrahim, and to possibly eventually marry. It appeared to be very hard on her to see us leave, as she was very emotional. And I have to say, it was hard on me, too, to be leaving my niece in Gaza. Another student is staying as well, as she was offered a temporary job with another organization that was an exceptional opportunity. So I am glad that Tara has someone to connect with right away.
We drove to the border for entry back into Egypt. One of the Gazan organizers was to go with us who had an Egyptian passport, but, sadly, she was not allowed. It took several hours for our processing, but we were finally back in Egypt, a land of the more free than Gaza world. We drove back to Cairo, and this time I was able to enjoy the drive. How beautiful it was!!! The sand dunes mixed with palm trees. The Bedouin camps with the camels!! The Suez Canal! Wonderful drive.
Madeline, Joel, and I rechecked into the Hotel Pension Roma, and it felt like a 5 star hotel. We re-slathered with bug spray, ate some dinner, retired to bed where we listened to the loud-speaker of the call to prayer amplified into our bedroom. Ahhh......back in Cairo!!! Next day, London!!!!!
Joel will leave today. Madeline and I are looking forward to having Stephanie Graf and her girlfriend, Paige, come visit us for a few days. It will be fun showing them London, and mabey a side trip out of town. Following that, Madeline and I may be going to Barcelona for a few days, then back to Portland, Oregon, USA!!!!!!!! Yeah galore!!!!!
please excuse any typos and grammatical errors!!!!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
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