Stay in Touch - Emma

Emma

I spent my first week in Nablus furiously writing down every little thing that happened to me, determined to never forget this experience.  As soon as I started teaching, I stopped writing because I no longer felt that I would forget my experiences without documentation; my time spent working at TYO this summer has changed who I am and opened my eyes to the world, and none of that is in any way forgettable.

Emma’s class proudly poses for a final picture after their drama production.

I am so thankful for this opportunity, especially for all of the amazing relationships I have formed since arriving here in Nablus just six short weeks ago; everyone I have had the opportunity to meet - from my students at An-Najah University to my translators - have made me feel so welcome and valued.  The work TYO accomplishes in Nablus has such an incredible impact for such a small organization, and I am grateful to have been a part of it.  My last week here has been bittersweet; while I am sad to be leaving the kids, I know that it will be immensely beneficial to them to continue to work with new international interns, each of whom will have a diverse and distinct impact in his or her students’ lives.

Any impression I may have made in my student's or volunteer’s lives seems diminutive in light of everything that I have taken from this experience; I leave Nablus with an entirely new appreciation for the amazing educational opportunities awaiting me in America and a greater positivity about the major changes that can be accomplished with dedicated work.  Looking at the wall of posters made by previous intern groups, I am proud to have been a small part of this wonderful organization.  I look forward to reading the blog posts of future interns and watching the kids we've worked with mature from afar.