Reports from Amman Jordan
by Samah Sabawi
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INTRODUCTION:
 August 2004 - After
spending a life time away from home,
I have undertaken a giant
step to live in Amman with my children for one year hoping to get a
taste of what life would be like in a predominantly Palestinian
society. Here in Amman, I am as close to home as I
can be without
putting my life and my children’s lives in danger of Israeli
aggression.This diary is about our journey to physically reconnect with our roots. I say physically because we were never disconnected spiritually. In fact we have always lived and breathed the Palestinian experience. Shortly after I was born in Gaza my family fled the 1967 war, took shelter in a refugee camp in Jordan and settled for a while in Saudi Arabia before emigrating to Australia. Later I was married in Syria to a man I met in Egypt and we ended up living in a series of cities before we finally emigrated to Canada. Today, my children speak three languages, carry dual citizenships, and when asked they identify themselves as Palestinian/Australian/Canadians. How we were able to retain with pride our Palestinian identity has been a miracle. To be able to withstand the negative propaganda and to manage to teach our children that to be a Palestinian is to be a part of one of the most tenacious, generous and proud cultures in the world has been our greatest achievement. I hope you enjoy reading my Amman diary. Samah Sabawi, originally from Gaza and whose permanent residence is now Ottawa, is a writer, playwright and well-known activist. Her articles appear in several popular online journals. Her Palestinian Diary is exclusive to YayaCanada. YayaCanada Photo by YayaCanada: Samah Sabawi addressing protesters at Sept. 27, 2003 rally against occupation Boycott Israeli Apartheid
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