Politics on the mind

As you’ll see in my article in the upcoming, most excellent first WUPR issue of the semester, I spent this past summer in Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. I did a lot, saw a lot, and learned even more.

The landscape over these three nations is quite possibly the most varied I have seen, and one of the most beautiful. Pristine beaches next to lush forested hills next to Mediterranean olive groves next to jagged cliffs next to desolate deserts.

It’s no wonder civilizations have been fighting over it as long as we can remember.

Standing on what is known as “the Holy Land,” it’s impossible not to be awed by sheer amount of human history which has occurred under your feet. It’s also quite humbling to consider all the blood that has been shed, and which continues to be shed today, over this very same land.

And here, today, this fact is impossible to avoid.  As apolitical as you may try to be, as much as you see yourself as a disinterested tourist , there’s no getting away from politics. Particularly in the lands of Israel and Palestine–known amongst academic circles (and not radical left-wingers, mind you) as “historic Palestine”–every averted stare, every careful decision of nomenclature, every innocent question about a local’s origins is politics, first and foremost.

And in the West Bank, in Palestine itself,  let’s just say that every day is a reminder of the Israeli political, economic, and social  occupation.

So for a while I’ll be blogging about my experiences day-to-day life in the Holy Land. I have lots of pictures, and I’ll post those up. I met lots of interesting people, and we’ll be Skyping with them. Most of all, I have lots of stories, so listen up kids. Stay tuned.