I wrote this for my Women & Gender in Islam class this semester. Enjoy, and let me know what you think! (The footnotes didn’t transfer, but my bibliography is included at the bottom.) The Evolution of Masculinity and Views on Male Homosexuality in Qajar Iran (1785-1925) Throughout much of Iranian history, homoeroticism was not seen…
Category: Middle East and North Africa
Weekends in the West Bank: Hebron
Hebron (El-Khalil) I arrived on a bus from Jerusalem to Hebron in the middle of the night, with no idea where I was going exactly. Palestinians are incredibly friendly people, so when I couldn’t find my Airbnb, a random guy brought me into his house. There, his two children were eating dessert, a sugary noodle…
Weekends in the West Bank: Nablus
Nablus is the economic capital of the Palestinian West Bank, but also known for its cuisine, soap, and religious diversity. I had the opportunity to stay with friends in Nablus for 3 nights, and had an incredible time!
Horseback Riding and Camping in the Judaean Desert
One weekend, Khadija and I met my friend Mohammed in Bethlehem and drove out to the Judean desert. Near the Mar Saba monastery, we met Abu and two other friendly Bedouin men, Feris and Mohammed (not to be confused with my friend Mohammed). We mounted our horses and rode out into the Judaean wilderness. Yalla!
Tel Aviv, “The Nonstop City”
When most people think of Israel, they don’t think of beach parties, street art, or electric bicycles. That’s because they haven’t been to Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is a modern, largely-secular, LGBT+ friendly city with a large vegan population located along Israel’s Mediterranean coastline. It’s always sunny in Tel Aviv, making it a great, nearby…
Exploring Northern Jordan: Amman, Madaba, and Jerash
Known to the ancient Greeks as ‘Philadelphia’, Amman, Jordan’s capital, is full of ancient ruins, and authentic markets. I spent a month in Amman, studying Arabic, last January, and ventured down from Jordan University into the Wasat Balad (Amman’s old town center) every chance I got. Below are some of my favorite spots, as well…
A Weekend in Wadi Rum and Petra
Deep in the deserts of southern Jordan, lie two incredible sights: the mysterious ancient city of Petra, and the boundless Wadi Rum. You could spend one day and one night in each place and see the highlights, or, you could spend days exploring each and every crevice. Petra, known as the “Red Rock” or “Rose…
Visiting the Druze Village of Horfish
This weekend, our program visited the Druze Village of Horfish, in the rolling hills of the upper Galilee region of Israel. Here, we met Sheikh Kasem, and learned about the Druze faith. The Druze are one of many interesting minorities in Israel and they kindly welcomed us with open arms and black coffee.
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in a Nutshell
Today in Hebron, a city in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank territory of Palestine, I was at a small corner store buying hummus for lunch, when IDF soldiers and Palestinians began to clash on Shariya Al-Shuhada. But before I tell you that story, I have to tell you this story. (You may want to pull up…
A Month in Egypt: 15 Travel Tips
I spent most of my winter break traveling around Egypt, and these are some of the most important lessons I learned. If you plan on visiting Egypt, this will help; I wish I’d known all this before I went!
Aswan, the Ancient Gateway into Africa
Aswan, the largest city in Upper Egypt, is a Nile-front paradise, where felucca sailboats gracefully navigate the river and its many islands. Aswan was regarded in the ancient times as the gateway into African trade routes, and today maintains its unique mix of Arab and Nubian culture. Across the water, West Aswan and Elephantine island are brimming…
Tristan's Expeditions 