Global Village V.I.P.

Our last day at al-Najah was beautifully unexpected.

After the ‘Arabic speech’ (I must admit I have never been so nervous speaking in public), I was really touched by the Prezi presentations a group of students prepared for us. I wished I could have stopped time to sit and enjoy that moment. I did not know that this desire would have continued throughout the morning.

Cutting the red ribbon at the entrance of the Global Village exposition was another strong emotion. I have never thought I would be asked to cut a red ribbon! The ‘cut of the ribbon’ initiated one of the most exciting hours of my life.

It was definitely over whelming to be in the spot light. As Kirsten pointed out, in our sessions during Recrear-Apply! we stressed the importance of sharing your story to connect with others. Our students got the point! The Global Village was a manifestation of different stories. Every conversation I had in that short time has been important and telling.

I tried to shut down the rest of the universe for those few minutes and dedicate my full attention to the person that was sharing something precious and unique with me. I was truly on a high while hearing about every school project and village, tasting traditional food, admiring paintings or playing ping-pong.

I want the al-Najah students and volunteers to know that those moments were very special for me.  I wish I had the chance to express my gratitude for all the efforts they have put in preparing such a beautiful and flattering event for all of us.

Gioel

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Mia bel Mia

As I write, I am in a state of pure euphoria. The last session of Recrear-Apply! was today and I am SOO proud of all the work  that all of us did together. It is 1.00 am and the Recrear-Beta team is working on a final report after an amazing evening.

Giving Mia bel Mia to this projects just feels right!

– GG

Ideas in practice

The emotions that I experienced in the last two weeks have added another piece of heart to my mind. After a semester of intense studying and reading on “development”, getting on the ground and putting my ideas into practice is stimulating.

In so many moments during this trip I had déjà vu of my courses at Cambridge University. The people I have talked to in Nablus should be all PhD students. Discussing their struggles and aspirations, they were encompassing in simple, straightforward words the concepts that I have been thinking of intensely. But they speak with a level clarity that makes their words so profound.

Delivering Recrear-Apply! was illuminating through highlighting the gap between the knowledge that you can gain in a class environment and the epiphanies that only face-to-face, heart-to-heart interaction can generate. I hope that the students that attended Recrear-Apply! can feel the excitement that I have felt organizing this workshop and their projects.

This project took the dust off of my ‘WHY’ (In Kirsten’s Recrear-Apply language). My aspirations, ideas and vision are fertile around people and I strive for a balance between loving people around me to death and learning by doing.

– GG

Scholarships at Cambridge University

Dear all,

I hope you enjoyed today’s session and you are feeling prepared for tomorrow’s presentation.

If you are interested in attending a program at the University of Cambridge (UK), here are some interesting scholarships you should consider applying for.

To read about the scholarships available in Cambridge, plase visit:

http://www.cambridgetrusts.org/scholarships/search/?country=123&submit=Search

I would particularly draw your attention to the IDB Cambridge Scholarships for PhD, where a separate application should be made to the Islamic Development Bank, and the Said Foundation Cambridge Scholarships for one-year postgraduate study.

Here is a list of other scholarships available in Cambridge that are specific for PhDs:

• Gates à 800 UK/ 7000 int’l applications : 50 offered!
• Cambridge Trust
• CHESS Cambridge Home and European Scholarship Scheme includes Allen, Meek and Read Scholarhips (Bursaries)
• Doris Woodall Studentship (Economics and allied subjects)
• Wyse Studentship in Social Anthropology
• Nightingale Research Studentships (Arts, Humanities, Mental Health)
• Churchill College studentship in the Arts
• Donald & Beryl O’May Studentship (Arts and Social Sciences including Law)
• Graduate Research Scholarship: Girton College
• Graduate Studentships Kings College
• Guggenheim Studentship Pembroke College
• Hughes Hall Bursaries (College Fee only)
• Hughes Hall Scholarships
• Leslie Wilson Research Scholarship Magdalene College
• Lewis Graduate Scholarship Robinson College
• Lord Frederick Cavendish Lucy Cavendish College (women only)
• Mary Ann Ewart Studentship Newnham College
• Newnham Major Studentships
• Peterhouse Research Studentships
• Rapson Scholarship (Classics, Oriental Studies, Indian Studies, Iranian Studies)
• Robert Gardiner Memorial Scholarships
• Root Studentship (Pembroke College)
• Wilkinson Studentship (Pembroke College)

I hope this helps. If you have questions, please ask!

Gioel

On My Happiness

During my last visit, I remember leaving Palestine with a sense of deep happiness. I went back to my daily life with the comforting awareness of knowing there is another pocket of the world in which I can feel at home. My second visit is being equally powerful and engaging.

I am taking some time to reflect on my experience during Recrear-Apply! while sitting in a lively coffee shop after a long day touring Jerusalem. We were given an incredible amount of information by a Palestinian tour-guide who took the time to walk for about 6 hours with us presenting an overview of both the politics and history of the city.

A big chunk of the history of the world is contained in the wall that surrounds the old city of Jerusalem. The city is packed with dense, important, spiritual history that is to me very hard to distill. Palestine is a land in which potentially powerful lessons for humanity are playing hide and seek behind politics and religion.

Just as I cannot easily digest and make sense to the information I received today, the people and the places I have visited in the last week are generating a ton of reflections that I have had little time to explore. In a land famous for its conflicts, I find myself being constantly positively amazed.

There is something almost irrational about the sense of satisfaction I feel after a leading a session during Recrear-Apply! As I answer students’ questions, I feed off the students’ sense of gratitude for our work. Similarly, it is simply priceless to be assisted by a number of people that are so genuinely glad to support and help your initiative.

To make justice to the happiness of the last days I need to thank few people – Mr. Mohammed, Yazan, all the volunteers at al-Najah deserve a humongous THANK YOU from me. To the students at Al-Najah a sincere MUA’ (which in Italy is the sound a big kiss makes!) Virtually every person we are meeting on our way in Palestine has donated to us a healthy dose of positive energy. While more articulated, transferrable lessons play hide and seek, I feel content with my joy.

GG