Wednesday, 15 May
~ By Amy Shircel

Today we had the opportunity to visit Mar Elias High School in Ibillin, and interact with both students and staff at the school. While meeting with the director of the school, I was shocked to find out how open he was with discussing the injustices committed against him, the teachers, and the students as Arabs and Palestinians. He told us that many of the teachers were much too qualified to be teaching at a high school, but could not get hired at any of more elite universities due to their minority identities. He told us of the importance of representation in politics, and how hopeful he was with the election of Barack Obama in 2008, reminding us that this was a step in the right direction for America, and that countries that look to America as a role model.

We then got to visit with some 10th graders at the high school. They spoke very good English, and told us that they all speak three languages: Hebrew, English, and Arabic. Because my sister and I were relatively close to these kids in age, it was easy to relate to them, and we found we had more commonalities than we had differences. We liked the same celebrities, and watched the same TV shows. They even offered to show us around Ibillin and Haifa themselves! In retrospect, I wish I would have gotten their perspective on some of the violences and injustices currently being committed against them and their families, as it would have been interesting to see how politics and unrest can intersect with the lives of young people.