Journal, March 7, 2006

Dreaming , for a change, about IP events, the night before last, while residing at F hostel, I dreamt that I'd overslept and missed looking for a cell phone with H. I awakened with a start--I'd actually slept late, later than usual for me--and pushed myself up to make sure I did indeed find him still at F.

Now a sort of waking dream. Yesterday I serviceed to Birzeit University to see the student photo exhibit about the effects of occupation on education, the topic I'd been employed to coordinate one yr ago. I went with some trepidation. The journey spurred many painful associations: my high hopes, those of the other personnel and students, a home base, some college level teaching, helping with the craft most meaningful to me, and then the discouraging results, students dropping out, R wondering if I could do anymore than teach basic photography, my blundering in introducing myself with a set of photos that were largely about Israelis and American Indians, some feeling that I was merely a generic documentary photographer, a growing--rapidly growing--realization that I was not the right person for this position, and the final severing of our ties. Of course, this led to better things for me, the range of photography that I was able to do, the intimate connection I formed with the Ramallah Friends School, and finally Gaza and a-Tuwani. All maybe not possible had I stayed at BZU. But who's to know?

Not sure where the photo exhibit was, I inquired and finally found someone who knew. The kind man from the arts dept pointed out Nasser hall. As I entered the building, twice actually, as I stood in front of the doors confused, noticing the poster for the show "students under occupation take a stand," J strode thru the door. Who is J?

A young man, initially part of the project that I coordinated, one of the few asking me my opinions about his or her photos--I helped him select images for a competition he was entering--thin and handsome, with the habit of shaking his head side to side when confused, as if to ask, what do you mean?--J! He remembered me, seemed pleased to see me, and took me to the small exhibit area housing the photos.

He explained that he had graduated, took part in an earlier incarnation of the photo project, but didn't have time to join the second phase, the one concluding with this show and book. That first phase had toured out of the country. He is now employed by the university, as a technical assistant for the Palestine virtual gallery project, a service of the university promoting Palestinian art. He told me that R had had a major hand in the student photo project, and that R had coordinated and was no longer at BZU. How the project succeeded was slowly becoming clear to me.

I'd written congrats to H, the main right to education person, when I'd first learned about the completion of the project. And mentioned my plans, in effect inquiring if she'd like a visit. This was maybe one wk before my arrival, I'd not heard anything from her. So the question remained, would she appreciate me dropping in on her?

LINKS

The Paltel Virtual Gallery at Birzeit University

Students Under Occupation: Photographs from the Right to Education Photography Project