Dressing Up in Palestinian Clothes

  Al-Ram, Palestinian Territory
Tuesday, March 27, 2007

At almost 8 pm, Asma phoned and said they were going to her parents house in a village near Ramallah and did I want to come.  So Maysa was driving and they picked me up to go to Al-Ram, a smaller village.  I met Asma's brother at his small store there and we were soon at her parent's house.  They live on the ground floor and the apartments above all belong to members of Asma's family.  Her father built the building before he retired.

The women decided to provide me with the opportunity to wear a traditional Palestinian dress.  The first one was my favorite color, blue, and had lots of embroidery with rhinestones and sequins. As I slipped it over my head, it was so heavy. I then wore a scarf on my head and we were ready for the first photos, by myself and then with Asma's father.

Next I dressed in the traditional red and black embroidery with the traditional Palestinian black and white checked scarf.  I felt right at home in this dress.

There were many children there enjoying their time together and laughing with joy at me.