On Sunday night I stayed over at the Daragmeh's (five of my students') house in Tubas. We picked up barbequed chicken and beef on the way home and feasted. Then we skyped their other sister in Nablus, who invited me to stay with them next week. Then their dad requested that I sing a quiet song, and I sang the first verse of "Power of Two" by the Indigo Girls.
We all went upstairs and smoked argheelah on the balcony of the second floor, and talked about English and Arabic and the news. Saed had been in Israeli prison for four years. I asked what for, he said, "Hamas." They'd come and arrested him in his house for his political affiliation. That was during the Second Intifada. Some of the people he knew in prison were being released for Gilad Shalit. Again, the news was hitting home.

We saw police car lights going around the block. I asked my students what the number was for calling in an emergency, and they said they didn't know. 100? 101? 102? "I think, 102 is the ambulance...but we don't call the police." Not like in America.

I could see it too. This place didn't seem to have many murderers or robbers or pedophiles or prowlers. Everyone was at home, with their family, every night...

We drank Nescafe and their aunt (I think) made me some soup, then we went to bed. It was a nice visit. The next morning after class, Haj Sami asked, "when you get home in the evening?" I said I stayed over in Tubas, and he said, "no, only sleep in Al Aqaba!...the police, he ask me about you. I tell him, you sleep in Al Aqaba."

These guys must be pretty bored...