July 7, 2003

Finding the simplest things can be daunting here. Marthame left the University after class, headed to the village of Birzeit with two things to buy: shoelaces and a phone cord. The phone cord was easy to find - the local electrician cut the right length of cord and crimped the two connectors on.

Shoelaces, however, were a different story. Marthame found a shoe store in Birzeit, which had only long white athletic laces for sale. Was there another store in Birzeit? "I don't know." Thanks. By this time, the sun had fried Marthame's noodle, so he headed back home. The phone cord didn't work, so in the evening (when it was cooler), it was back out to continue the hunt.

Our friend Jonathan from AAUJ is also taking Arabic courses at Birzeit this summer.

The electrician re-crimped the edges. Marthame went off to the Bible Society's Living Stones Student Center (which offers free internet and cheap snack foods - just what students need!) where our friends work. They tried the new cord, which didn't work either.

The third time was the charm and Marthame headed back to our summer home of Star Mountain with a 50% success rate.