First impressions

Its already five days since we arrived in this part of the world, and it seems to be five weeks. The environment is so different, the smells, the sounds, the colors of the houses and the city; around every corner there is always another thing to see. The rhythm of life seems to be stretched here, and we have to deal with the events of the day. Today for example, we had to cancel a workshop because of the death of a neighbor due to Israeli invasion. But its also amazing to see how the people here live with this events on a daily basis in their lives; they recieve it so calmly.

We started to work with children, and this experience is also quite surprising, because the children appear very happy to see us. They are so open and ready to welcome us, that its hard to imagine what they have already experienced in thier young lives. I even feel that is was easier to make music with them than in some of the schools in Europe. Perhaps because they seek real refuge in the music from living in such tension on a daily basis. They really know when they are happy, it happens so little. Today is already friday, the day of rest, so we'll breath a little; but I'm looking forward to do more in the coming days.

After these four days in Nablus we will go to a smaller village not too far from here to make some more workshops. After that we will head south to Jericho, then return to Europe. There is so much to be done here, sometimes it feels like the drop in the bucket just isn't enough.

Until the next post, Florian and Thomas.