Political Violence (part 1) It took place in an off-the-beaten path classroom, not a modern lecture hall. We were maybe 30 students, and the few times we had met before – maybe it was two? Three? – we had already covered some ‘basics’: what peacebuilding is, Rwanda, a bit of Bosnia. When I registered for... Continue Reading →
6 quickies from visiting for 3+ weeks in the States
Just because. There are some things I must remember. So the ’90s are back. This I swear, I was thisclose to buying Doc Martins with my adult money. I don’t feel old. I feel great. I guess I’m so over it, I forgot to get a doughnut? Obviously my T-Mobile customer rep, who was digging to find out why I’m... Continue Reading →
Meat counter convo liz: So I guess I’m that person now
Standing at the meat counter in the local supermarket. Guy to meat counter girl: "Yeah, everything is crazy, how are you doing?" Meat counter girl: "It's so scary!" Me: "Hey, at least we know exactly when it'll hit, it's been evenings and that's it." Guy: "It'll be quiet till tonight, till they've eaten and organized... Continue Reading →
Nightmare: being a black boy’s parent in America.
I'm gonna do a lil Jon Stuart here and shift the focus to Camera 2: America. May I have your attention? I have a question for you. For us. It goes like this: What the fuck? The Trayvon Martin story. This 17-year-old boy was killed in cold blood when a 28-year-old community nightwatchmen (not a... Continue Reading →
This is America and we’re gonna get DRUNK.
No where else in the world (except maybe Australia?) can you go to Costco and buy vodka. I mean, VODKA. I MEAN VODKA. Dedicated to my Pops. You know why.
United States of YAY!
Aside from being a seemingly social paradise, Australia can now boast a stronger dollar than the United States: Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out how to get an hour's flight away to Sydney without running out of U.S. of Yay cash. Oh, how the tables have turned. Here's to 2011.
On citizenship, mistakes and boobs.
Today started out with traveling (yes, it felt like traveling) over to East Jerusalem to arrive at the American Consulate to report my 1/3 American son's birth and apply for a passport for him. Well, almost 1/3 American. Apparently there was a chunk of the application process which I missed: proof I've lived stateside for... Continue Reading →
Bigger.
I just returned from a week in the States. Flew out for work, but I wasn't going to let an opportunity like that go by without doing some shopping. What kind of Israeli would I be? What kind of woman would I be? And most importantly, what kind of pregnant Israeli woman - who doesn't... Continue Reading →
For purple mountain majesties…
The following are 1/10 the amount of photos I took in the last 48 hours I've been in Colorado visiting family. It was hard to pick out just ten, and even that is a ridiculous amount to post. But guess what? The Colorado Rockies are breathtaking and I'm a country girl now. Ok, the Judean... Continue Reading →
What exactly is a 'happy' Memorial Day?
Can a Memorial Day be happy? Isn't the essence of the concept to reflect, to introspect, to national-spect? I find that with national-specting comes a bit of shame, a dash of pride and a whole lotta tears either way. To some, Israeli and American Memorial Days might be categorized as fraternal twins, if related at... Continue Reading →
President Bush to arrive in Jerusalem.
Couldn't President Bush just hold a conference call with the Middle Eastern leaders? I'm sure between the American and Israeli governments, someone could afford a couple of web cams. Didn't Israel invent web cams? ICQ? Tiny USB sticks? Wouldn't they be more comfortable discussing the impossibility of peace in a resort in Eilat? Couldn't they... Continue Reading →