Tripoli

1. Google comes up in Lithuanian here! Amazing, since it is on another continent 1,000 miles and at least six countries away.

2. Visiting Nahr el Bared refugee camp on my last day with UNRWA. It is only the third visit I have made here in my 8 months of working toward the reconstruction of the camp. This is actually the “Adjacent Area’ of the destroyed camp, as demining and rubble removal have yet to take place in the actual camp. Here, inhabited buildings alternate with bombed out ones, and bullet holes mark many structures. The roads are pitted and passable only at a very slow speed. There is nothing green to be seen. We have to pass a Lebanese Army checkpoint and present our UN IDs to enter.

In this forgotten, broken down place, a terrible place to live, we find the incredible shining star of PYCI--the Palestinian Children and Youth Institute’s center and program and its gentle, smiling coordinator, Nassim. He started by organizing games in the street for kids in the neighborhood. Now, with funds from Save the Children Sweden, and, thanks to my current boss, UNRWA, he runs a brightly painted, modest and wholly welcoming 5 room center. He doesn’t advertise. On the first day of the summer activities program 72 children showed up. By day 6 there were 350, then 500. Activities are well organized. We see photos of kids peering in the windows into the classroom, waiting for their chance to participate. Other photos show a 6 foot wading pool with 15 children in it, so happy. 15 6 – 12 year olds where we might have a couple of toddlers! Outside we notice bullet holes on the second floor; the first floor where the center is has had its holes filled and painted. Nassim tells us that the center is open from 8 am for morning activities, free play in the afternoon, and then teens come in the evening. “How late is it open?”, I ask. “’Til 11:00”. “What hours are you here?”, I ask. “All the time”, he smiles. “This is where I relax. These are my people.” Amazing.

3. Also my last day, two sweet Palestinian ladies I have worked with give me earrings in the colors of the Palestinian flag. I give one a pair of my favorite earrings in return. So many of us "internationals" are leaving our jobs here; the Palestinians have no choice but to stay.