Border crossing between Jordan and Israel.
Trip Start
Sep 08, 2007
1
23
Trip End
Dec 30, 2008
Eilat,
Israel
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Age: 21
Family status: Single
Job: Works on a kibbutz
Religion: Jewish
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I started chatting with Nami, or rather she started chatting to me, at the border crossing from Jordan to Israel. We were both coming back from a day trip to Petra, an ancient town carved into a magnificent red rock canyon. Petra's Hollywood moment was when it hosted the filming of Indiana Jones III. Remember where he found the Holy Grail? It is that beautiful
Nami
.Nami struck me as a cheerful, friendly teenager, so I was surprised when she told me that she finished her 2-year army service last year. Now she lives on a kibbutz up north. Kibbutzim are popular collective communities across Israel. Nami was born and raised on a different kibbutz, where her parents still live. In the old days, the kibbutzim were different - everything was shared. Her mother didn't have her own clothes or jewelry. No one was paid and people worked and lived together as a big family. Kibbutzim have changed since then. Many have been privatized. Most people that live on kibbutzim nowadays are paid for their jobs.
Nami is an idealist in a very cute youthful way. After the army, she moved to Evron, a young kibbutz that is different. Nami and her friends want to live there together forever and make a difference by providing better education to the children in the region. Nami will start university next fall to study as a teacher. She thinks the education nowadays is not good enough. She will change that when she starts teaching. Teachers are not as well regarded as lawyers and IT people, but she doesn't care. She will make a bigger difference as a teacher. Her parents tell her she will change as she grows older and she'll want to have more things for herself. She doesn't think so, although she winks and makes a face saying - oh well, maybe my parents are right, we'll see.
I wonder what truly makes you happier in this world - owning things or making a difference. No, seriously, if it is that easy of an answer, why are we all so focused on accumulating stuff.
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WORLD CHANGE STARTS WITH EDUCATED CHILDREN! Give a girl the life long gift of education! Support my appeal 100 GIRLS BACK TO SCHOOL! Donate at: www.justgiving.com/100GirlsBackToSchool
Hugs & Kisses, Vik
