Among the misconceptions about Palestine, there may also be the one that houses are run down and lack basic features that we would consider “modern”. This is, of course, far from true.
Just like most places, housing here can come in very different shapes and sizes, according to income, culture, area of the city where you will be staying and style.
If you have an old traditional house with a big family, you may end up in a spacious multi-floor family house on a hill, as did a fellow volunteer. My host family, on the other hand, lives in a small apartment on a busy shopping street.
Some common features of all houses are:
– large open spaces for family time, which is very important for Palestinian culture. Families tend to spend time together in the afternoon and in the evening after supper. My hosts and I often sit out on the balcony drinking coffee while eating biscuits. Other times we sit in the sitting room and eat fruit together. It’s important to try and participate in these family moments and avoid spending too much time in your room. Everybody needs time alone, but you’ll be surprised how much you’ll learn while chatting to your hosts over a cuppa!
– you might be very surprised to find a little spray pump next to toilet seats, used to clean up. As an Italian, I found this to be very similar to our bidet, but many internationals are very skeptical when they first encounter it. Give it a go! It can be very refreshing to wash after using the restroom.
– even if you were to end up in the most basic of houses, remember that Palestinian hospitality is world renowned. I can guarantee that there will always be a lovely company, delicious food and piping hot coffee for you to enjoy.
Palestinians will also be very happy to tell you all about their culture, so feel free to ask about anything that you see on the house that catches your eye. A funny anecdote about my stay: I was staying in a bedroom that is usually of a little boy, thus there were no mirrors. For some reason I was convinced that this was some religious practice, so I asked my host mum is mirrors were Haram! She laughed and told me the only reason there were no mirrors in my room was that little boys don’t need mirrors. So don’t be scared of asking, even if it seems stupid! Your interest will be appreciated.
