Making friends in Hebron, Palestine: From my week long experience in Hebron, Palestine I have found to make friends quite easily. Not only have I bonded with my international colleagues at the Excellence Center, but also with the locals I have met while teaching at the center, while shopping, at family gatherings or through the means of mutual friends.
My country, Canada, is often praised for its over friendly and respectful people. I find Palestinians reach much further in their friendliness than Canadians. When you walk in the streets, a shop or any room, you are greeted by smiles and “Asalam Walekoum” by everyone. People always ask how you are and what they can do to help you, which in my case is to help me with my Arabic or with my general living in Hebron. Of course, I realise that my nationality and its good reputation, as well as my fair skin and blond hair, have a tendency to draw people’s attention and curiosity, which does contribute to my meeting and socializing with many people. However, Palestinian’s friendliness and desire to socialize is not only aimed at me.
They seem to be amicable with each other and always take the time to stop and ask others about their well-being, which is more than I can say about us Canadians, who tend to be rather cold and to avoid eye contact with strangers. It is like this- my Palestinian friends stopping to talk to people we pass- that I have had the chance to meet and befriend many other residents of Hebron.
In the little days I have spent in Hebron so far, I have been invited to multiple dinners, late night shisha or coffee shop gatherings, and guided tours of the city. Of course, it is up to you to accept or decline these invitations. Thanks to my host family, the many Palestinian friends I had made in during my last visit in Jordan, and the other volunteers at the Center, I reckon having a pretty strong network here in Hebron. In addition to this, I have purchased a SIM card to use here. Taking these factors in consideration, I feel confident in accepting some of these invitations, as long as I do not find myself alone with people I do not know and that someone from my family or the Center always knows where and with who I am.
In sum, I find it quite easy and enjoyable to make friends here in Hebron. If internationals are not comfortable doing like me, and taking the chance to spend time with locals I have only briefly met, becoming friends with the other teachers and volunteers at the Center is also a good option. We are all from different countries and backgrounds, but we all share the experience of being here in Palestine, so I would definitely recommend a newcomer to socialize with other internationals and participate in after-work activities. Written by Caroline Vary-O’Neal
