#december
WINTER IN PALESTINE: A Swedish Perspective
- Hanan (Interpal A/W 2016 Intern)
When you think of ‘winter’, you are probably imaginingSweden. Snow, ice, reindeer, we have them all. During winter-time the temperature falls below zero, encasing the land in a thick blanket of snow that doesn’t melt for months. You might think that by our standards, the Middle Eastern winter in Palestine isn’t so much of a big deal. How wrong you’d be…
The big difference is that we have lots of warm clothes, cosy, heated houses and enough food to keep us snug and comfortable for the whole season. The Palestinians, despite it rarely snowing, face months of relentless rainandwind, with inadequate shelter and protection due to ramshackle housing and poor electrical facilities.
Despite the freezing temperatures in Sweden, we rarely ever feel cold. However, for the Palestinians, the drop in temperature has a severe impact, resulting in disease epidemics,poor sanitation anddisruption to healthcare and educational services. Back home in Sweden, we have buses to take us safely to schoolandploughs to clear the roads so that daily life can continue as normal despite the severity of the weather. The people of Palestine however, especially in Gaza, face environmental hazards and are particularly prone tocatastrophic flooding. Left unprotected from these seasonal risks, Palestinians are forced to always consider what their next step will be. The most we think about in Sweden is whether our boots will be slightly damp from the snow.
The2014 assault on Gaza left thousands of buildings damaged and rendered houses unliveable. During the winter months, conditions deteriorate until people are living precarious existences in the midst of poverty. I cannot imagine a winter exposed to the elements in this way. The thought of it makes me shiver.
This winter, Interpal are asking that we come together for Palestine to bring people #OutOfTheCold. You can donate to our Winter Aid appeal by calling us on 0208 961 9993, visiting our website www.interpal.orgor clicking the link on our Facebook page. Our hands might be cold but our hearts will surely be warm if we come together to help Palestinians in need.
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Balls of November by popoks on deviantART en We Heart It. http://weheartit.com/entry/89111040/via/ViridianaLz
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December 29, 2016
A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specializing in chansons is known as a “chanteur” (male) or “chanteuse” (female); a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.
As for the Chanson cafe in Ginza, Ginpari literally means ‘Silver Paris’.
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December 27, 2016
Peter Pan syndrome is the pop-psychology concept of an adult who is socially immature. The category is an informal one invoked by laypeople and some psychology professionals in popular psychology.
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December 23, 2016
And it continues!
Shirataki are thin, translucent, gelatinous traditional Japanese noodles made from the konjac yam (devil’s tongue yam or elephant yam). The word “shirataki” means “white waterfall”, describing the appearance of these noodles.
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December 21, 2016
A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or other sequence of characters which reads the same backward or forward.
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December 18, 2016
International Migrants Day is an international day observed on 18 December as International Migrants Day appointed by the General Assembly of United Nations on 4 December 2000 taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world.
This day is observed in many countries, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations through the dissemination of information on human rights and fundamental political freedoms of migrants, and through sharing of experiences and the design of actions to ensure the protection of migrants.
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