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Photo Gallery
 One last look...the only goodbye I really got |  A teacher sent this to me when she learned of my sudden departure--from our first barbecue back in September |  A memory of early times at the EEC |
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 Back in the fall, making cookies with Sarah and Quais |  A final Makluba made by Gabi |  BABY SNAIL |
 Sea of Galilee |  SOG |  SOG |
 Looking at all the different languages written on the wall next to the jordan river |  Olivia <3 |  JORDAN RIVER |
 cuties at the jordan |  nazareth |  nazareth |
 nazareth! |  pomegranate art |  rooftop view! |
 more nazareth sunshine |  friendz |  ICE CREAM |
 this is the cliff that jesus almost got thrown off |  friend-os |  a hapy familyp |
 nazareth |  poppy |  i like this flower |
 a nice little coffee shop |  caesarea aquaducts |  pals at the sea! |
 kafea-wearing gals by the Mediterranean |  oranges at the veggie market |  An abandoned truck. |
 More window views. |  Yusif, the tour guide, was eight when he was forced to leave his home in Lifta. He had many amazing (and heartbreaking) stories. |  Some poppies |
 View from the town's mosque. |  To make sure its inhabitants could never return to their homes, they removed the center stone from the roof. In the majority of structures of this nature, this would mean the immediate collapse of the building, but these structures were built so well that they still stand. |  View from the window of a home in Lifta |
 view from inside a home in Lifta |  Lifta |  Lifta's source of water. Each family worked together to share this water for their gardens and homes. |
 Lifta |  Lifta--a historical Palestinian village which was seized by the Israeli occupation by violence. |  more Beit Sahour beauty |
 I can't stop taking pictures of the lemon tree outside my house |  Some post-Ash Wednesday chats with Pastor Ashraf and the wonderful receptionist at Beit Ibrahim--Basma |  Post-Ash Wednesday service falafel <3 |
 some cotton candy clouds |  sun beginning its descent in Beit Sahour |  not even going to apologize for all the pictures of Al-Makhrour |
 soaking in the sun! |  I drank some ginger tea |  the always beautiful Al-Makhrour |
 an afternoon beer overlooking Al Makhrour valley with my cohortmate Megan |  more market views |  we went into the tomb of Abraham and Sarah, half of which is a mosque and half is a synagogue. we wore these Handmaiden's Tale-esq gowns to cover ourselves as requested. |
 marketplace view |  some love for Palestine |  This is an old sesame-mill-turned-souvineer shop. A camel (blindfolded) used to walk around this mill, churning sesames into Tahini. |
 Marketplace shopkeepers have installed this fence above their market, because the Israeli inhabitants throw down trash, sometimes including bottles of urine, into the market in protest of their continued presence. |  Hebron views. |  The kafaeas are made on large (and very loud) weaving machine |
 |  Our next stop was a textile factory, where traditional kafaeas have been made for many years. |  cool glass art |
 more glass for sale |  Some of the products for sale in the Hebron glass shop. Many people around the West Bank bring their glass recyclables here to be melted down and created into something beautiful. |  pottery throwing |
 Glass blowing! |  |  One of the women let me paint in two of the leaves on the plate she was painting! |
 Our February "continuing education" was to Hebron, where we visited a glass and ceramic factory. |  spring! in February! |  beauty in my own backyard |
 this is just what I came home to after school...wild |  This olive branch is now a part of me forever. From the second I first laid eyes on olive trees here, I was in love. Nature is always how I orient myself to new places, and olive trees are everywhere in Palestine. My love for these trees only grew when I picked olives alongside some people I had (and continue to) love here. It's a tradition as old as time, and one which requires getting up close and personal with these trees. Finally, olive branches are biblically & symbolically a sign of peace. |  The Razzouk family has been tattooing people since 1300 in this very spot. |
 Anna got an olive branch as well. |  |  Wassim, my artist, is a 26th generation artist. His son, pictured behind, will carry on the legacy soon as well as a 27th generation. |
 |  Before our tattoo adventures, we went to see the site where Mary allegedly died. I liked this mosaic of most of the women in the bible. |  Dormition Abbey. |
 Making new friends on a hike! |  Eslam treated Lyndsay and I to wine after the hike. She had a lot of interesting things to say about being an Arab-Israeli, perhaps one of the most complex identities to ever exist. |  Fire-cooked kanafe! |
 happiness <3 |  heaven with a view |  <3 (this flower was already on the trail, I did not pick it) |
 these are Palestine's national flower! They are so vibrant and beautiful. |  watching magic unfold |  hiking buds! |
 I lost it when this dog came around the corner of our hike wearing sunglasses |  some beit sahour viewz |  This is sahlab!! it's a delicious, coconut/vanilla/cinnamon drink that makes you feel all warm and happy inside. |
 more selfies with Joan :) |  sunny! view from Singer Cafe before Arabic lesson |  it was Maher's birthday today so I took his sunglasses. then he took Jeremeis's. |
 today this student just came up and stole my phone to take a selfie. |  composting in ACTION! at ELS |  my YAGM family |
 my EEC family |  Beit Sahour at sunset |  church of nativity |
 Baby Basel! |  I got to release one of the birds! |  January in Palestine is very spring-like often. |
 Freedom! |  Carrying the birds to the bird monitoring station. |  The Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority caught smugglers with 84 birds at the border of Jordan and Palestine, so they brought them to the EEC to be banded and released. |
 Joan and I at the gym! |  Anna's birthday celebration! |  Red Sea! |
 Me in the Red Canyon. |  Megan by the Red Canyon |  My cohort took a little trip to Eilat, on the Red Sea. |
 My host sisters, aunt, santa, and I on New Years Eve. |  Sunrise on New Years Day |  Some Christmas lemons. |
 A Christmas Day Anna and her host brother Basil |  |  Christmas! |
 Not much success lighting the candle in the wind. |  Bethlehem! |  Attempting to light a candle for an outdoor pic. |
 Manger Square! |  Christmas Eve! |  Christmas Eve feast after our choir sang a Christmas Eve feast! |
 Some Christmas Eve french fries, footsteps away from Jesus's birthplace. |  The ELCJHL Christmas Party! |  the lemon tree outside my house |
 city lights |  Sham and Arom, Joan's kids |  They gave these out to everyone after my choir sang at Christmas Lutheran in Bethlehem |
 We found a new bar in Bethlehem |  Last night with Erik and Elsa :(( |  Lina passed her Master's defence! |
 We got a free magnet! |  My host sister Lina and I at the Christmas market in Bethlehem |  A woman at church gave me these earrings!!! |
 Me and Joan! |  Our last day together at the EEC post-work celebration |  My host sister Emili and I at a night out <3 |
 sunset on our drive home |  Olivia and Ethan in their matching ELCJHL t shirts |  Gabi being a fun dad. |
 Mediterranean! |  Lil Natalie looking pretty with flowers in the background. |  Exploring the Bahai Gardens in Haifa |
 Dinner in Eilaboun! |  Gabi made an impromptu decision to take a boat ride and it was pretty amazing. |  JWBros take the sea |
 wavy |  Ruins from Caesarea of Philipi |  Olivia looking pretty from Nimrod's castle |
 Cringing at the steep drop below or Megan's love? |  Album cover from Nimrod |  cheesin |
 Nimrod! |  Taking in the views of the Golan heights! |  We stopped and bought apples from a member of the practicing Druz community in Golan heights. He told us about the 6 day war between Syria and Israel, which he experienced at the age of four. |
 Gabi ran into his niece at the Nazareth Christmas festival! |  SANTA! |  Nazareth nightlife. |
 Nazareth nightlife pt. 2 |  Car Kanafe! |  We're a tree! |
 Basilica of Annunciation |  Some friends at the Sea of Galilee |  Can't walk on water unfortunately |
 Sea of Galilee! |  SOG continued! |  :) |
 |  Olivia at the church on the Sea of Galilee. |  Homegirl Mary Magdalene's hometown!! |
 First glimpse of the Sea of Galilee. |  Nazareth's Old City. |  The BEST baklava (and its maker) |
 baklawa baklawa baklawa <3 |  Dinner in Eilaboun made by Gabi's sister Marcel! |  some block playing with lil Lukey |
 Goofin at Caesarea where Herod spent his vacations. |  And more mediterranean madness. |  Ancient Roman aqueducts! |
 lunchy |  Olivia |  Olivia is a beach model. |
 jumping for joy at the start of retreat! |  we had to |  look I can balance |
 The squad with the Turkey (which I of course did not eat). |  We love Thanksgiving. |  Thanksgiving Day Sweet Potato Souffle! |
 My host cousin, Chris, spelled out our names on the fridge when I went to bring him cookies I made. |  workin hard |  Al Makhrour Valley |
 Elsa and Erik, my Swedish friends who work with me at the EEC this fall. |  Just Beit Sahour being pretty after Arabic lessons. |  An old pic, back from Fadi's birthday making zarb with Dr. Bob. My host uncle, Issa, recently sent this to me. |
 Oooooold city! |  Atop the Swedish building in the old city after our trip to the Swedish bazaar. |  More rooftop fun. |
 We celebrated Joans birthday with a cake! I love everyone in this picture so so much. |  From the Environmental Conference! |  We took a lot of pictures at this conference. |
 Palestinian Conference for Environmental Education and Awareness |  More conference pals. |  Joan and I pre-Environmental conference! |
 Post choir concert with some celebratory wine! |  Uno with the cohort. |  Our Arabic teacher, Ustaz Rishmawi and his wife, had us over for lunch one sunny Friday afternoon. |
 A baby turtle! |  |  Me and the Garden of Gethsemane. |
 Garden of Gethsemane. |  I take too many pictures of the Old City. |  A baby chameleon! |
 More olivesssss. |  Olive picking with the YAGMs on the Mount of Olives. |  Out one night and this cat wouldn't leave my lap!! |
 just the beautiful EEC |  we tried really hard to get a good picture with this gang |  three best friends! |
 more rooftop action, this time with a camera-shy Ethan |  Thankful for a supportive and caring coordinator like Gabi |  Olive Harvest Festival! |
 some singing souls |  view from rooftop of Church of the Redeemer, Bethlehem |  smiling students who asked me to take and post this picture! |
 sunny olives |  hey guess what? more olives! |  some marketplace action |
 Olive-themed artwork as part of a Palestinian Identity Exhibition |  Aaaaaand more olive picking with my Swedish friend Erik! |  Rainy trick or treat with some YAGM folk |
 more ground work |  Salameh and Frederick in the tree |  groundwork |
 Anna and I way up high |  i love it! |  olive picking round 2, early morning breakfast before the real work begins! |
 not a full bucket of olives |  Meghan + olives |  Salameh with the batch just from his house! |
 First olive picking EVER |  just some Jerusalem cakes in the sun |  We were very privileged to be able to go inside this amazing monument. |
 |  the gang |  Dome of the Rock |
 Olivia came to visit the EEC when I was working on my free day |  We had a lil work breakfast last Friday |  water!!!! in the middle of desert!!! |
 again, I was awestruck |  this is in the middle of the desert...what???? |  hiking with my students |
 Fadi and Dr. Bob making zar (I helped too, don't worry) |  We found a library in the old city of Beit Sahour |  Fadi and his birthday cake!! |
 A poorly angled cover album pic at Rally Day in Ramallah |  Rally day fun! |  Aida refugee camp. |
 The apartheid wall. |  View from Rampart's wall, which runs around the Old City |  Me and the Old City Wall. |
 Anna! |  Looking over the Old City |  Old City market |
 Sunset over the Al-Makhrour valley |  Trash clean up in the Al-Makhrour valley feat. the Right to Movement group! |  2,600yr old olive tree in Battir |
 Zar (?), made in the ground, where fire is contained by tightly sealed mud. |  Yummy yummy yum |  My coworker from the EEC and me! She's the best. |
 Jericho mountain. |  High up in Jericho. |  Exploring the Monastery. |
 More Monastery views |  Window view from the Monastery atop the mountain off of which Jesus supposedly was tempted by the devil to jump. |  Sunny |
 View from the inside. |  Gaining some elevation in a cable car! |  "What do I do with my hands??" -Anna |
 Desert Maddi |  and another group shot! |  JWBros get a little bit higher. |
 JWBros get low. |  Desert buddy. |  Normally I'm not the biggest fan of aquariums, but hearing about the educational role it plays for students learning about marine biology makes me reconsider. |
 Spent a Wednesday morning in an aquarium for work. |  There was a slight hiccup on my way to the aquarium on Wednesday. |  View walking to my coworker's house, Beit Sahour. |
 View coming home from the gym. I went for the first time with my host mother, Abeer, who goes every day and Jeremais, the German volunteer who also lives with my host family and works at the same school as me. |  The brave that ventured all the way to Ramallah for beer |  Yummy beer!! |
 Jesus watching over us |  Anna being artsy (I made her pose for this) |  Taybeh Oktoberfest 2019 |
 Very grateful for cohortmates like Anna (pictured) and Olivia (behind the camera) |  music from a swedish? band? pretty random and also fun |  Anna in downtown Beit Sahour at a music event! |
 Gabi and Superintendent of all ELCJHL schools in the West Bank, Salameh with their sweet treats |  yummy ice cream in Ramallah! |  Overlooking Jerusalem area from the highest point in the West Bank, the top of a school adjacent to the EEC. |
 Some grapes at the EEC. |  My future place of work! This is the "wooden path" at the Environmental Education Center in Beit Jala where I will work 2 days a week. |  sun setting in Jerusalem |
 more exploring |  Exploring west Jerusalem after dinner at the market. |  BAKLAVA <3 |
 Confirmation Sunday at the Mount of Olives. |  beachy pals!! |  (Maddi)terranean. |
 Me and a non-native palm. |  Making Ethan take a selfie with me. |  Sunset on Olivia and Jaffa. |
 Oh look! The Mediterranean sea! |  Old City scene |  JWBros at Herodium! |
 From inside Herod the Great's summer home. |  Van break. Herodium. |  Herodium! |
 Inside the church which houses Jesus's alleged birth site. |  Downtown Bethlehem shortly after seeing the place Jesus was born. |  From a cave where the shepherds who famously "tended their flock by night" and were visited by an angel bringing news of baby Jesus may have slept. Beit Sahour, Palestine. |
 View from Gabi and Meghan's house at sunset. |  Old City girl |  Spicy! |
 Us enjoying freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. |  The best pomegranate juice you ever did taste |  Eggplants for sale!!! |
 Old City, Jerusalem |  Jaffa Gate, Old City |  Happy hikers! Taken by Osama. |
 Our view from dinner at Betir. |  Some Roman water infrastructure (still) at work with the loving guidance of the dedicated Palestinians working the land in Betir. |  From our hike to Betir |
 Betir sights |  Osama, our hiking guide to Betir. He shared his deep love for this land with us, in addition to the fear that the next couple years may hold restrictions on his ability to hike this land. |  First *real* falafel experience |
 First view of Jerusalem from Mount of Olives! |  The journey is LONG |  Ready to go! |
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