Saying goodbyes...

Here I am, sitting behind the same computer in the same hostel in Jerusalem as two weeks ago.
We're back where we started, and our time in Nablus seems to be a dream.

For the last three days we've been gradually saying goodbyes to all the people who have come so close to us in the last two weeks. All the volunteers from project Hope, with whom we have spent such intense experiences. Today we gave our final performance in Jericho, in the morning with the circus and at night just the music. After this mornings performance, the last circuse-people from Project Hope went back to Nablus. They were really holding on to their clowning-skills, because I think we all were near tears.
It is amazing to see how close you can get with people who at day one were complete strangers and today dear friends. As the Palestinians put it: family.
Before we departed to this country I had been thinking a lot about what to expect, but I would have never gessed that the Palestinians we would be spending our days with would be the way they are: the most warm, integre and open people you can imagine. They completely welcomed us into their lives and homes, without any hesitation, which has been the most beautiful thing I have experienced here.

So tomorrow our last day in Jerusalem, then a flight back to Amsterdam to the "real" world, with a sad feeling to leave but very thankful for this amazing trip.

Ryanne