Ramallah Wedding

I had no plans for Thursday, at all. I thought "I'll go home and write a blog entry, eat dinner, and get an early night." If there is one thing about my life, however, it's that there is rarely (well, never) a boring moment. I just had to rely on my philosophy of saying yes to the world, and tada! This story below unfolded.

Manar, a friend of mine at work, asked if I would like to come to a celebration of a community project that was done at the African Community Centre, an all-Arabic community centre that supports African immigrants to Jerusalem. I was nervous, because I do not know enough Arabic even to have a basic conversation yet, but I said yes. How could I have said anything else?

The event was amazing! All these youth in the centre took training courses and learned to play music, sing songs, write poetry, make documentary films, design local clothing. It was incredible! Granted, I couldn't understand a lot of the content, but with the help of Manar as a translator, and by just soaking up the energy of the place, I was overtaken by joy. It was the coolest event I've been to in Jerusalem.

On my way out of the event, I figured I would stop at my friend's market stall in the Old City. In Palestine, it seems to me there is no such thing as just dropping by for a few minutes, at least not for me. A few hours later I was in a car on my way to Ramallah for a pre-wedding party - a bachelor's party. The party was out of this world! There were fireworks and lights in the sky, a live band with a dance floor and professional lighting, a film crew documenting it all, men dressed in traditional robes with large golden instruments that served date juice going around and serving people, Kanafi (a local dessert), and hundreds of people.

Of course, Jack took me up to dance. It was so fun, we danced Dabkeh, the local Palestinian dance. It was honestly the most fun I've had in a while. Some other Palestinians came to dance with me, and some kids too. It felt like Ghana. I kept looking around for Leon, wondering where my dance brother was!

Afterward, we went to the same nargila (shisha) bar that Jack and Robert took me to last time we were in Ramallah, with Brigitte and Margaret. We met more of their friends, and had a great night talking, laughing, sharing nargila, and genuinely enjoying one another's company.

When we left, Jack told me it was one of the best nights of his life, which may have been a translation issue meaning a really, really great night. Either way, I agreed with him and am so grateful for the experience and the friendship these two guys have shared with me.

Again, I have a few pictures to show just how epic this party was. Let's say that it was even more lively and enjoyable than most large street concerts in Canada - and it was just one guys bachelor party!!!