There are a lot of special memories I will bring home from my internship at TYO. Many of them are moments I shared with my students in the English Conversation Course.
When I started my internship, I was assigned as teacher for an English conversation course for beginners; two weekly classes, where local youths and volunteers could practice their English…
Read MoreImagine leaving your country for a new one, adapting to a foreign culture, and then, within the framework of learning about this new culture, teaching a dance style from a third culture. Teaching Latin American salsa dancing to 40 Palestinian women was no small feat.
Read MoreSince I was little, I have been fascinated by languages and the thousands of combinations of sounds and symbols that human beings have developed to communicate. Whenever I have been travelling, I’ve always loved to hear people speaking their own language and to try to imitate the sounds of their words. When I found out I had been accepted for an internship in Palestine, I was really excited about the idea of living in an Arabic-speaking country.
Read MoreInterning at TYO has made me realize what a huge impact organizations like TYO have on the community. Being involved in the Family Psycho-Educational Intervention and Economic Support Program, Women's Empowerment and Parenting Program, and the Core Child Program has taught me what an invaluable facilitator for community development TYO is. I’ve seen children and women come out of their shell and grow confident in themselves and their abilities after only a couple of months in the children’s and women’s programs. And I’ve witnessed families overcome serious adversity through my work in the Family Psycho-Educational Program.
Read MoreTYO is very proud to introduce the Spring 2019 Intern Team! The interns have come to Nablus from five different countries to help TYO implement programs for children, youth, and women. Read more about them here!
Read MoreThe olive tree is very important for Palestinians, both as a symbol and as part of the economy: olive trees make up two-thirds of all trees in Palestine. Olive harvest season typically begins in September, and TYO’s international staff was invited by Nahawat, a central TYO figure for five years, to join her and her family for a day of olive picking. I’ve always found Nahawat’s presence at TYO to be both uplifting and motivating – her love for TYO is evident in her welcoming smile and the hot cup of coffee or tea that she brings you when you need it most.
Read MoreI don’t even know where to start. I have learnt and felt so much since being in Nablus, that summing it all up in a few simple words feels like an impossible task. So, I’m going to do it in the most British way I know how – through tea.
At home, tea is a focal point in many situations. When you visit a relative, there is an offer of tea. When you’re stressed at work, there is an offer of tea. Whether you’ve had a bad day, or are sharing good news, there is always the supportive response of, “Would you like some tea?” I didn’t realise just how embedded in me this ‘tea culture’ was until I arrived in Nablus.
Read MoreAs the internship draws to a close, it is time to reflect back on all of my experiences in Palestine. How can I possibly capture all of my thoughts, impressions and experiences inside a single blog post? The people of Palestine, my co-workers, students, and friends are all so incredibly warm and kind. The landscape of Palestine can only be described as breathtaking. My favorite past time had to be road trips between cities because it gave me a chance to look at the rolling valleys, the sprawling olive tree groves, and the mountains that cast their long shadows as the sun set.
Read MoreThere are many experiences that I could highlight as my time at TYO ends. I could talk about the joy of watching children discover their potential. I could talk about the teachers and the unfailing support they have given me. I could talk about local culture and opportunities I have had to witness how Nabulsis live, interact, and view the world. The common threads uniting all of these experiences, however, are the random acts of kindness that I have experienced since I arrived.
Read MoreThis session at TYO marked my first-time teaching 5th and 6th graders English, and with it the introduction to a huge group of students who seemed to have boundless enthusiasm and limitless amounts of energy. In the spirit of TYO, I looked for ways to redirect and focus this energy, rather than trying to suppress it and control it, and ended up introducing my favorite personal teaching style into the classroom: Competition.
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