Football

Having walked past a school near to Project Hope countless times every day I was itching to join in with the football that seems to go on in the evenings. Having dropped enough hints about doing so the Project Hope International All Stars played their first match yesterday. As there were only small children there at first we played mixed teams (Palestinians and Internationals) but the word soon got round and scores more people turned up. The kids loved the fact that we went and joined in and chanted our names after asking what we were called the ubiquitous fifty times. Like the games we played in the school at Jenin it was great to see so many people of different backgrounds enjoying themselves.

We went back again today and actually managed to win this time! The Palestinians are ultra competitive even the tiny ones but this shows in everything they do not just the football. My last class of the day, a group of uni students, played word tennis is as if their team winning was the most important thing in the world. That there wasn't even a prize for winning was completely irrelevant. Every class has been the same. This makes for very draining lessons but it's also very rewarding because everyone gets stuck in. It also makes the time go quicker and the lessons more fun. I would like to be able to do the same back in the UK but I'm not sure I could maintain the pace for twenty lessons a week.

With today being the start of the week I can't get over how quickly the day has disappeared. When I'm teaching the time flies by. Before I know it it will be the weekend again. At the moment I feel that I am 'in the zone' when it comes to teaching the lessons. I know what the classes will find interesting and I am managing to make the sessions fun whilst educational at the same time. Seeing parents taking their children for uniforms reminded me that I only have three weeks left here, as they go back when my time is up. It's good that when my classes finish they will go back to school and not just be left with someone for one week.

The footballers were disappointed that we couldn't play tomorrow but we always have a Project Hope meal on a Monday night. After both games of football we have ended up drinking tea at a house of two brothers who always join in with the matches. They invite us in so readily and the whole family makes us feel so welcome that it would be rude not, plus the sugary tea is just what's needed after the football.

Tomorrow will be my first proper session in Balata refugee camp and the class will be for 2 hours. I think this is too long (though some volunteers have lessons for 3 hours which is completely absurd) but I will try to turn it into two with maybe a break in the middle. The group appear to be the weakest in terms of their current level of English but I'm sure this is entirely due to the fact of where they live. Schools there are much more likely to be disrupted.

I learned from one of the local volunteers today that Palestinian children start to learn English as soon as the begin school and carry on with it until they leave. That will be why they are infinitely better at languages then. They finish school at 18 not 16 so that means an extra 8 years of language learning. 13 years compared to the 5 years (of German) I received. In the UK we have made it compulsory now at primary level but that contines in secondary up until the age of 14...

Speaking to the American volunteers they too seem to have a much better system of education than we do at home.