September 15, 2003

We went back to an-Najah university to meet with Jane Doe and see if we could meet with someone from administration to talk about our project, and get permission to film Jane in her classes. When we came to the university gate, there were university security officers there. "Are you a student?"

"No, I'm here to see a student."

"Do you have permission to enter?"

"Do I need it? We were here the other day without any problem."

"I'm sorry but if you are not a student you need permission to enter. Please stand over here."

"Wow, getting into into an-Najah is harder than entering Qalqilia!" Everyone laughed.

An-Najah University of Nablus, Palestine.

"I'm sorry it's just we have to be very careful these days." Eventually Jane showed up and we got a security escort to the Public Relations office, where everyone was very friendly and apologetic about us being stopped at the gate. "We have to be very careful these days, you understand."

After a very pleasant visit and plenty of tea, we were given the red carpet to film at the University, as long as we give them a copy when we finish. Easy enough.

Then we headed off to the Rosary Sisters' school, where two other of our film subjects study. We arrived just in time to see the principal, whom we haven't seen in over a year, have some cool orange juice, and follow the boys as they headed over to their father's goldsmith shop, where they go every day after school. They sit and chat and sometimes help him until it is time to close. Business is very slow these days - no one has money to buy much jewelry. So most of the father's business is jewelry repair and cleaning work - even that is light at best. Around three we all left and went back to their home for a big delicious lunch of stuffed squash and eggplant.

In the evening we called Jane Doe and we met up with her and a couple of her friends, one from Tubas and one from Zababdeh. We all went to a local restaurant for knaffe, a Nablus specialty. Nablus is known for sweets, but knaffe is the ultimate Nablus goodie, sweet cheese and pastry threads or crumbly crust with syrup and pistachio bits. It can be like a meal in itself. We chatted over our steaming plates of knaffe and Marthame even filmed how they make it (making the proprietor excitedly bashful). After filling ourselves with the good stuff, we went back to our home away from home away from home for a good night's sleep.