Last year I was lucky enough to spend three whole months traveling. I nearly made it all the way around the world from Europe, to the Middle East, through the US and around South East Asia. I saw some wonderful places, met fascinating people, and got to celebrate a few milestones with good friends. I … Continue reading
I have been traveling in and out of the Middle East quite a bit over the last couple of years, and I have become accustomed to the rigmarole. But on my latest trip, which took me to Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon, the level of ridiculousness reached record-breaking levels. For starters, getting to Lebanon from … Continue reading
I have a week off from school so I decided to hop on a plane to Tel Aviv to visit the Englishman. We are trying to keep the space between visits to under two months. Ridiculous by most standards of coupledom, but it’s an improvement for us. I arrived at the airport, and after surprisingly … Continue reading
Nablus in the West Bank in Palestine is known for a sweet called Kanafeh. I’d never tried it, and wanted to see more of the region, so the Englishman and I hopped in the car and made the 45 minute journey north to sample what is thought of as the best Kanafeh there is. In … Continue reading
The only word to describe Nice at the moment is: glorious. The summer is in full Mediterranean bloom and the weather is beyond perfect. The deep aqua sea is putting on its best sparkle for the hordes of visitors who stare in awe and the magic golden sunshine saturates every corner of the city until … Continue reading
More than four months after touching down in the US, I have finally booked my flight back to France. I have spent nearly as much time back here on the west coast as I have in France in the past months, which strictly speaking was not part of the plan. But it feels good to … Continue reading
Before I left for France, everyone had some advice or opinion about what I would find there: “Don’t take it personally, the French are going to be rude”… “Only order the house wine”… “Try the bouillabaisse”… Before leaving for Ramallah, I heard no such insights. Most people don’t have a ready-made image of what things … Continue reading
If adapting to life in France takes learning a new set of rules, spending time in the Palestinian Territories is a lesson in patience. The West Bank, where the Palestinian town of Ramallah lies, has been occupied by Israel since 1967. To get in or out of the city, you have to go through military … Continue reading
