Lying awake in bed with insomnia one night recently, I tossed restlessly, confronted with the many uncertainties of my life. Should I continue to pursue my dream of advanced study abroad, or give it up as foolhardy? As a girl who recently completed my bachelor's degree in English literature, I am challenging myself to make a bright future in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
I was searching for a candle of sorts to illuminate the darkness I live in, a source of spiritual inspiration. Fortunately, I have Faten and her daughter Ameera. They are my heroines and I have a close bond with both of them. Faten used to live next door to me, and we grew up spending time together. She is in her 30s and is like my older sister; I always ask for her opinion on my future plans. We have family gatherings and meals together, go on outings to the beach and have picnics.
Inspiration from friends
Faten has struggled against much hardship to achieve success in her life. Because of her hard work and patience, she holds a prominent position at the UN headquarters in Gaza.
Ameera follows in her mother’s footsteps and has inherited her mother's diligence. In her final year at high school, she worked very hard to get a high grade-point average. She earned a 97.2 GPA upon graduation. This should have ensured that her dream of studying medicine would be fulfilled. And if she had grown up anywhere else, it would have.
However, Gazan universities are facing a crisis. The number of new students seeking to enroll in medical school has been increasing faster than the universities’ capacity due to lack of funds. Thus, the standards for admission have become ever more restrictive. To be admitted to the school of medicine, Ameera needed a minimum GPA of 97.3. Ameera had just missed it.
Thus, Ameera decided to look abroad. She eventually received admission to study medicine at Mansoura University in Egypt.
The journey
After being closed for six consecutive months, the border crossing between Egypt and Palestine opened for just two days in early December of last year. Twelve thousand travelers were included on the approved list to enter Egypt. Most were sick or en route to universities. To actually obtain a permit to enter Egypt, however, many travelers pay 2,000 USD—basically, a bribe. The $2,000 is given to the officers in the Palestinian border office and it is shared between the Palestinian and Egyptian authorities. The buses that take travelers from the Palestinian side to the Egyptian side of the crossing are guarded by Palestinian officers equipped with a list of names. The names of people who paid the “fee” are moved to the top. Thus, merchants and other well-to-do individuals are able to seize the seats of students and the sick. The selection is based on who pays, not who deserves.
On the first day the border was open, Faten and Ahmed (Faten's husband and Ameera's father) went to the Rafah Crossing to see Ameera off. They submitted Ameera’s official papers, then they went to the buses that take the travelers to the Egyptian side. They tried to get Ameera on the bus, but the officer prevented her from entering. Ahmed explained to the officers why Ameera should be permitted to travel. Yet the officers refused to reconsider. Ahmed recalled his own days as an officer at Rafah Crossing. He had been flexible when it came to humanitarian issues.
He stood speechless for a while, before leaving to search for a solution. Faten could not bear to see the fearful, despairing eyes of her brave daughter, who had been dreaming about being a doctor her entire life. Without thinking, she found herself striking the officer and shouting at him, saying “Just as there is no doubt that God created you, there is no doubt my daughter will enter the passenger bus.” Faten pushed the officer away and told Ameera to enter the bus. Faten’s anger defeated his. People who were already sitting in the bus gave Ameera space to move deep inside, so the officer could not easily drag her out.
Another girl, observing what was going on, approached Faten and said, “I am also a medical student.” Faten pushed her inside too.
Ahmed returned to find Faten dissolved in tears and trembling. Not finding Ameera next to her, he completely lost his mind, until another man explained what had happened. Ameera looked out of the bus window at her father and grinned.
Ameera is now settled in Egypt, where she has joined the Faculty of Medicine. When I spoke to her recently, she told me she is incredibly thankful to Allah and her mother for the great opportunity, especially because almost all of her friends were unable to travel.
Putting a positive spin on her struggles, Faten told me, “I am grateful for being Palestinian. The hardships we face daily help us be strong, feel good about ourselves and develop creative ways to solve problems.”
Being Gazan is really tiring, what with the rising rate of unemployment, the extreme lack of resources, and the blockade of our sea and land. I sometimes find myself disappointed and depressed because I can’t travel abroad to start a master’s degree program. But Faten’s example always keeps me motivated and shows me the way forward.
Mentor: Steve Fake
Posted October 15, 2016
