Of what value is the Sea without the Sun?

I didn't know the crazy roller coaster ride I was about to embark on when I decided to study Hebrew. When I started studying Hebrew I knew nothing about the Arab-Israeli or Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. I started off by trying to decipher what I thought was an impossible language to learn and by the time I finished university I had become one of the few experts of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict that isn't a Jew or an Arab. Nope, just a Mexican-American girl from a small town with no Jews and no Arabs. How did this happen? Well, I ask myself the same thing. People often ask why I studied the Middle East. Why I chose to focus on Israel and Palestine? Frankly, I don't know. But what I do know well is the adversity I have faced in the field. Not many people that aren't directly involved in the conflicts choose to study them. I've only met a handful of individuals who do. Let's face it, its hard to study something that you're not connected to. And often p...

The sound of the ocean waves All I think of is the bright yellow sun, the soft sand, the cool breeze, and the light blue sky. The sound of the ocean waves A child speaks to you in the language of your oppressor yet you reply to the innocent girl in that language that you so despise. The sound of the ocean waves I stop for a second there in the shade and promise myself I'll never forget this moment and every detail no matter the circumstance. The sound of the ocean waves My mind wanders somewhere else yet I lay there next to you. The sound of the ocean waves You sing me a song, a song meant for the oppressor, I sing along too. The sound of the ocean waves We walk along the shore and talk about the future, you share your dreams, your aspirations with a stranger. The sound of the ocean waves Who would have thought that your dreams would become my reality yet I'd be here feeling so distant, so troubled? The sound of t...

As a child, I never thought about my identity. The first time I had to reflect on how I identified was in a Poli-Sci course on the topic of minorities in Israel. Soon after this, I started to question my identity. The question always came down to whether I was more Mexican or more American? And I can tell you guys with complete surety that until today I can't give a straight answer. I'm an American by birth and I uphold certain values that some would deem as "American values" but for me these values are universal. I'm Mexican by descent. I speak Spanish- the Mexican kind, cook Mexican food, listen to Mexican music, follow traditions like using Vicks Vapor Rub when I'm sick; because it doesn't matter what I'm sick with, Vicks Vapor Rub or 7 UP can fix it. But most importantly I never go a day without eating chile. It's funny because my mom warns me not to eat so much chile but hours later I find her eating chile. It's very likely that I will n...

In light of recent events, I have seen many people asking if going to specific areas in Israel is safe. When I was getting ready to study abroad in Israel back in 2014, I asked myself the same question. The Israel-Gaza Conflict had erupted. My friends had friends that were directly impacted in areas like Ashkelon and Sderot. I decided to wait a few months to see if a cease-fire would occur. Months later when I arrived, even though the conflict had quelled I remember feeling uneasy. But after spending a few weeks in Jerusalem, I was glad that I had decided to go. When I first arrived I didn't know what to expect. I'm not Jewish, I'm not Palestinian. I'm a Mexican-American that grew up in So Cal so what did I know. Even though I had taken courses on Israel, the conflicts, and religion I wasn't prepared. Books and reality are two different things. Books offer the convenience of comfort.  At the Jerusalem Municipality After spending a few months in Jerusalem I ...

I'm young and for the 23 years of my life, I've been living life in the fast lane. It wasn't until this year that I started thinking about the concept of aging. Yes- so much that I've started wearing anti-aging creams and sunscreen whenever I remember. I have even taken interest in taking supplements, something I thought I would never do. It's not just the physical aspect of aging that has been lingering on my mind; I've also been reflecting on the mental aspect and how it affects us. It all started at the beginning of the year when I went on a trip to visit the village my grandparents and my mother and her siblings grew up in. It's somewhere in Jalisco, Mexico in the middle of nowhere, 5km away from the closest paved road. You can see more mountain tops than houses. The youth have all moved away to town and cities and what's left of the population is about 40 elderly family members. My brother and I couldn't even last 2 weeks there. It's hard ...