Mine fields, camel rides and life with the Bedouins: a trip to the Middle East
Betsy Cohen
Issue date: 9/11/09 Section: Editorial/Opinion
9/11/09 - This summer I cheated death a few times, lived with a group of Bedouins in the middle of the desert, excavated ancient bones and hiked to one of the ancient wonders of the world.
The Middle East is not your typical family vacation, but nonetheless the experience of a lifetime.
During the time I was awake on the 14-hour flight to Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel, I made three promises to myself: I vowed to be open minded and to try anything new at least once, to immerse myself in the culture whenever an opportunity arose and to come home with no regrets. My motto is pretty simple; I have one life to live, so I better make the most of it.
During my time in the Middle East, I felt as if I had completely immersed myself in a foreign culture. I learned about customs I'd never heard of and heard words I didn't even know existed. Unlike more common vacation destinations to Paris, London or Cancun, the western civilization had not affected the areas I visited. I had left my comfort zone and entered a lifestyle ranging from exotic foods to driving through live mine fields.
Throughout my stay in Israel, I experienced different climates and terrain. One of my most memorable parts of the experience was the time I spent playing in the dirt - that is, ancient dirt. For a part of my journey, I worked as a volunteer at a dig site in Israel. The particular excavation site I was stationed at was an underground city from the time of King Herod, around 8-12 B.C..
Contractors are required to cease all construction if human remains are found within the boundaries of the worksite, and they are required to do so until all of the ancient remnants have been excavated. This can be costly for their company, so rather than hiring professional archeologists, many companies charge a small fee to allow volunteers to dig up the remains.
Further south, I visited Timna Park, an area that was once inhabited by Egyptians who scoured and drilled into the dry landscape for the purpose of mining minerals. Although thousands of visitors drive - or hike in my case - through the scorching 105-plus degree weather to view the still-visible mining wells, the park remains as it was thousands of years ago. Ancient Egyptian cave drawings are etched into the multi-colored sandstone cliffs that have been slowly eroded and deformed by the wind.
I crossed the border into poverty-stricken Jordan, a predominantely Arab country, ruled by a monarchy.
Here, men are expected to be polygamists and women are required to wear burkas - dark-colored, bleak headdresses that cover their entire body and face with the exception of woven, mesh-holes which allow them to see and breathe.
I was astounded by the lifestyles of some members of Jordanian society. Wealthy sheiks sat in the shaded cliffs of Petra. Families lived in desolate tents, making do without running water or electricity.
But one thing's for sure, I returned to the United States with a strong sense of thankfulness for simple things such as running water, gender equality and not having to fear unmarked mine fields.
The Middle East is not your typical family vacation, but nonetheless the experience of a lifetime.
During the time I was awake on the 14-hour flight to Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel, I made three promises to myself: I vowed to be open minded and to try anything new at least once, to immerse myself in the culture whenever an opportunity arose and to come home with no regrets. My motto is pretty simple; I have one life to live, so I better make the most of it.
During my time in the Middle East, I felt as if I had completely immersed myself in a foreign culture. I learned about customs I'd never heard of and heard words I didn't even know existed. Unlike more common vacation destinations to Paris, London or Cancun, the western civilization had not affected the areas I visited. I had left my comfort zone and entered a lifestyle ranging from exotic foods to driving through live mine fields.
Throughout my stay in Israel, I experienced different climates and terrain. One of my most memorable parts of the experience was the time I spent playing in the dirt - that is, ancient dirt. For a part of my journey, I worked as a volunteer at a dig site in Israel. The particular excavation site I was stationed at was an underground city from the time of King Herod, around 8-12 B.C..
Contractors are required to cease all construction if human remains are found within the boundaries of the worksite, and they are required to do so until all of the ancient remnants have been excavated. This can be costly for their company, so rather than hiring professional archeologists, many companies charge a small fee to allow volunteers to dig up the remains.
Further south, I visited Timna Park, an area that was once inhabited by Egyptians who scoured and drilled into the dry landscape for the purpose of mining minerals. Although thousands of visitors drive - or hike in my case - through the scorching 105-plus degree weather to view the still-visible mining wells, the park remains as it was thousands of years ago. Ancient Egyptian cave drawings are etched into the multi-colored sandstone cliffs that have been slowly eroded and deformed by the wind.
I crossed the border into poverty-stricken Jordan, a predominantely Arab country, ruled by a monarchy.
Here, men are expected to be polygamists and women are required to wear burkas - dark-colored, bleak headdresses that cover their entire body and face with the exception of woven, mesh-holes which allow them to see and breathe.
I was astounded by the lifestyles of some members of Jordanian society. Wealthy sheiks sat in the shaded cliffs of Petra. Families lived in desolate tents, making do without running water or electricity.
But one thing's for sure, I returned to the United States with a strong sense of thankfulness for simple things such as running water, gender equality and not having to fear unmarked mine fields.
Be the first to comment on this story