A NEw Home, a new Culture

Beit Sahour, Palestine

The Palestinian culture is very traditional and family orientated. It has been almost a week in my new homestead here in Beit Sahour, West Bank, living with a Palestinian family. I visited here two months ago for a journey of understanding the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. I came home thinking there was nothing better I could be doing with my life than moving all my belongings to the land and learning from an in-depth perspective about these people and this deeply rooted historical conflict. Musahala, a Peace and Reconciliation Organization took me on as a volunteer, and gave me a Palestinian family to live with in the Best Sahour, a city in the West Bank.

Living day-to-day with a family of another culture immerses you in a way you could never understand from an outsider’s perspective. I have noticed the repetition in daily activities, which highlights the values of this culture to me. I once heard a good friend say, “If there is not something you do all the time, then who are you?” I love that, what we do makes us who we are, our lifestyle reflects our culture and identity as people. Palestinians have a strong cultural identity that has a deep generational inheritance.

Being in a Christian Palestinian family’s home might be a little different than Muslim or secular Palestinian home, but common themes across Palestinian as well as Arabic culture is family, hospitality and food. I am constantly finding myself seeking ways to possibly eat all the food given to me. “Eat, eat,” they say, as I look down at my plate thinking, “how can I possibly eat another bite?” But I try my best. To be fed is to be loved in Arabic culture. And from the moment I arrived in my new home I have felt nothing but kindness and hospitality.
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It is Sunday afternoon, the men are finally home for a day, resting from a hard week of work. Fathers, brothers and brothers-in-law stand outside by the fire grilling chicken ka-bobs over a cold refreshing beer. Wives, sisters, mothers gather around the kitchen counter chopping cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers and mix together delicious varieties of salads with olive oil so fresh you could drink it alone. Loud Arabic conversation is thrown around the room, each woman increasing the volume as she speaks over the other. And just when you think they are arguing, they all break out in laughter, and continue on. Meanwhile children, cousins, brothers, sisters run around playing with anything and everything. Mops become swords, shoes are weapons, dirt is for playing and the endless running makes you think one of them is “it.”

Beit Sahour, Palestine

When all the prepping is done, everyone sits down to a feasting festivity. This is when volume level is at its peak, and every conversation seems to be very exciting, the whole family is involved, one popcorn-ing the other, increasing the volume each time. An endless pit of fire keeps producing more and more ka-bobs, and then out of nowhere you turn around and someone is pouring you a glass of straight whiskey, I couldn’t possibly imagine the excitement level getting any greater, but I have learned to have no expectations anymore. Chicken, beef, grilled onions and peppers, cabbage salad, beet salad, tomato salad, garden salad, bread and hommus, thank God there is a big family together to share such a spread!

Lunch lasts all afternoon, followed by watermelon and then Arabic coffee and finally, sitting back watching the children get into all sorts of chaos. I am currently taking rest, knowing good and well that soon I will be called back for tea and cookies. I’ve learned that a full stomach is usually complemented with a full heart. What a rich day of family, friends, food and love.

Beit Sahour, Palestine