Palestinians are hailed for their hospitality forwards foreigners. As a foreigner, you are welcomed in Palestine as an honored guest. From the moment you travel to Palestine until the day you leave, you will be surrounded by the welcoming spirit of Palestinian culture, even when just walking the streets or taking a taxi. However, apart from the day-to-day interactions with Palestinians on the road and in a cab, you will likely develop genuine friendships and connections with Palestinians when you spend some time in Palestine. Therefore, we would like to devote some words to friendships between the visitors and locals in this article. 

Language Barrier? Who Cares?

Language is fundamental in almost everything we do. So you may expect difficulty connecting with Palestinians if neither your Arabic nor their English is fluent. But language does not only exist in words. Very often, having a connection with someone is a matter of feeling. You can look someone in their eyes and knows they are a good person and have a spirit that you like to be around. So don’t worry about language barriers; genuine connection goes beyond that. Moreover, it is a fun and beneficial experience to help each other become more knowledgeable in another language. 

Cultural Differences?

Another thing you may regard as an obstacle to friendship with Palestinians is the cultural barrier between you and them. Every Palestinian is different from any other Palestinian. All of us are different. Thus, you may meet people with different opinions and ideas. In general, however, Palestinian society is religious and closed. Most people know each other or at least each other’s families and the family’s reputation is vital to maintain.

This naturally implies some things are not done – alcohol, drugs, and intersex relationships. However, these differences do not prevent building relationships. Even though Palestinians may prefer their lifestyle rather than, for example, your Western lifestyle, the curiosity still goes both ways. We all become wiser and more open-minded if we meet people who think differently. So don’t shy away from differences. As long as you treat each other with respect, nothing stands in the way of true friendship. 

Open Doors 

The tourists in Travel to Palestine have managed to make friends with Palestinians without exception, despite so-called language and cultural barriers. For example, Tom (24) went out with one of the locals. ‘During Ramadan, he invited me to iftar with his friends in a village nearby. We hung out, had a barbecue, and smoked some shisha. After that, we regularly hung out. We get shoarma or konafa and smoke more shisha. He speaks good English and translates for his friends, which is good practice for him. I am happy with this friendship because it opens doors for me in Palestine. I get to meet his family and see how they live here.’

Tom says making friendships and connections with Palestinians is a good way of opening doors, especially without a host family. The more Palestinian friends you have, the more likely you will be invited for dinner. Homecooked mansaf and maqloubeh are unequaled.

Being a Foreigner

Being a foreigner means that everyone wants to say “hello’’ or ‘’how are you’’, Tom explains. ‘So even with a little bit of Arabic to make some conversation with people, coupled with the inherent hospitality of the Palestinian people, means that despite barely knowing you, they will invite you to dinner quickly. And from one thing comes another.’

Niche

Another of our customers, Nick (23), has found a niche and befriended some locals who share his interest in chess. ‘In the evenings, if I am not studying for my Arabic lessons or preparing lesson plans for my classes, I play chess in a local cafe.’ He regrets not bringing his chessboard: ‘There is something about having your chessboard, and if I knew I would make friends I could play chess with so fast, I definitely would have brought mine to Hebron.’

Joint Physical Activities Help Foster Friendships and Connections with Palestinians

A week ago, a group of our visitors at Travel to Palestine joined a hiking tour that a local organization organized. They met a lot of Palestinians there with whom they now regularly go to the café. ‘The hike was a wonderful way to meet each other because we were all suffering from the heat and our feet hurt, but we bonded over it,’ says Rose (24), one of the present guests. ‘The past week, we have been going places together every night. We usually played games and smoked shisha in a café, but we also went horse-riding and ate with one of the Palestinians’ families. Palestinians are very funny, and it is a pleasure to hang out with them. They can answer all the questions you have about living under occupation and how it makes them feel. For them, it is a good feeling that foreigners have a genuine interest in them.’

Host Family

Many of the people staying over make friends with the children or grandchildren of their host families. Matilda (22) tells us how she and her host mother’s granddaughter immediately connected. ‘Right away, I knew we would be friends. She speaks some English, which was helpful in the beginning as I was stumbling with my Arabic.’ One day, her host mother had to go away because one of her daughters was going into labor. ‘Then, her granddaughter came to the house to spend the evening with me and make sure I was not alone.’ Rosa tells us that after her visa expires and she travels to Jordan, she plans on coming back for her friend’s wedding in Hebron.

Concluding Thoughts

Making Friendships and Connections with Palestinians is not hard, as Palestinians are incredibly curious about foreigners and eager to learn about other countries and languages. You may meet people on the street, in the center, or in your accommodation. As the family is central in Palestinian culture, your newly made friends will most likely invite you to their families and treat you as one of their family members. Making friends is a perfect way to practice Arabic and learn about life in Palestine. Most of our guests stay in close contact with the friends they meet here long after leaving Palestine. Do not worry that cultural differences or language barriers prevent you from making friends because the difference is significant, and connection goes beyond words. 

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