Four Palestinians in the Trieves

16-24 January 2009

Zaid, Abdelhamid, Mahmoud Jr. and Jumah arrived in Monestier de Clermont late Friday afternoon on the 16th of January.

 

After two days of traveling, they had landed at noon, with Mahmoud, at the Geneva airport, where Beatrice and Justine picked them up to drive them to the Bardonenche castle in Monestier.  It was cold outside and the fields were covered with snow, but Thierry's castle in Monestier  de Clermont was warm, all the mores was there , people from the Trieves -- Andre, Lucien, Carmen, Marie-Jeanne... and Marie (who was very happy once again to see their friends from Ma'ssarah!) -- were waiting for them.

 

Tired after two days of travel, they soon left with those who would be their hosts while  in the Trieves; Zaid and Abdelhammid with Lucien and Carmen, and Mahmoud Jr and Jumah with Beatrice.  A long night's rest!

 

Saturday, 17 January

 

After going cross-country skiing in Treminis with the Leenhardt family (4 persons), Cathy, Henriette and Daniel, the group was joined by the mayor of Treminis, members of his council and a few local residents to share the picnic they had prepared.

 

Afterwards, some went to Grenoble to take part in the demonstration against the Israeli invasion of Gaza.  That evening, the four Palestinians were joined by about 80 people from the Trieves at" Chante Matin" in St Sebastien to share a meal ("couscous"), watch a slide-show about Ma'ssarah, and talk about the conflict.

 

Sunday, 18 January

 

After a leisurely morning, the group went to Mens to the farm of the Nicholas family.  They had their lunch there, along with members of a Palestinian group in Grenoble, and then visited the farm, where saffron is grown.

 

Monday, 19 January

 

9:30 to 11 am:  First French class with Marie and Claudia at the "Espace Cultural" in Mens.  Afterward Justine picked them up to take them to Patrick and Bernadette's gite in Anvers, a hamlet in the Trieves close to the Vercors mountain range.

 

Despite the inclement weather, the group drove to Menee Pass from where they snow-shoed up to a little cabin beneath Jiboui Pass, where they could picnic under cover.  The fog and the winter silence created an eerie impression, and despite the wind and the cold and the fact that we couldn't see very much, everyone seemed to be happy. Mahmoud Jr rhythmic the way back with song.  What was particularly strange was that here in the middle of nowhere in France, in a thick fog, were four Palestinians from Ma'ssarah!  After the meal, we talked with Jumah while the boys threw snowballs at each other....  Jumah told us stories that touched us very much and explained to us things about their situation in Palestinian, which is quite unbearable; he said that no matter what they do everyone is collectively implicated and the situation does not improve.

On the way back we stopped off at Andre's in Mens, and then a lady who lives in La Croix invited everyone to eat at her house.

Tuesday, 20 January

 

9:30 to 11 am: French class at the Granjou in Monestier de Clermont with Marie and Claudia. Afterward, Claudia took the Palestinian to Clelles to see Serge Reynaud's "flying machines."

 

At noon, Sarah and Jean-Pierre Harold, with some friends, prepared a terrific meal for us all at their home in Le Percy.  Followed an animated discussion until 3 pm, after which we went to the municipal library, where Gisele and Sandrine showed us around and explained how things work;  we saw the temporary exhibition on basket weaving.  Patricia Floriet used this occasion to offer to the library -- in the presence of Mayor Guillaume Gontard -- a silkscreen poster of Mahmoud Darwhich, the renowned Palestinian poet.  The poem was read by Andre and translated by Jumah, who seemed very moved.

 

Next we went to the Percy community center, where the residents of the village and their mayor proposed that we partake with them in eating the "galette des rois" (for the Christian festival of Epiphany).

 

From Percy we walked several kilometers to Patrick's farm in Longefonds, where after a visit of the farm the Palestinians helped milk the cows. After supper at Catherine and Patrick's, we shelled walnuts, all the while singing in Arab and in French; the walls surely still resonate with our songs.

 

Wednesday, 21 January

 

9:30 to 11 am: French class at the Granjou in Monestier de Clermont with Marie and Claudia.

 

Then Liliane drove our friends to Gresse for cross-country skiing and a picnic.

Snack at Rivoiranche, the theater-restaurant cultural center that Beatrice runs.

Mahmoud arrived in Mens around 1:30, accompanied by Annick Kerrien.

6 pm:  Reception for the mayors and elected officials of the Trieves, at the mayor's office in Clelles.

Evening meal in Villard Julien at the Girard's.

 

Thursday, 22 January

 

9:30 to 11 am: French class at the Granjou in Monestier with Marie and Claudia.

Andre and Beatrice drove the Palestinians to Grenoble for a meal at Karkade's in the presence of adolescents from the UNESCO club.  Afterward, a tour of Grenoble led by Andre.

Evening meal in Saint Sebastien at Joelle Jail's house.

 

Friday, 23 January

 

9:30 to 11 am: French class at the Granjou with Marie and Claudia.

 

Friday noon we were invited to eat lunch at the Longo home in Mens. A young plumber who has taken his retirement, Rocco Longo and his wife, Gisele, want very much to go to Ma'ssarah to help install the water pipes for the medical center.  The meal helped establish first contacts.

 

That afternoon we were invited to the junior high school at Monestier de Clermont by the principal, Mr Lacroix.  A counselor, Mrs Dienot, showed us around.  The Palestinians were impressed by the material put at the disposition of students, notably technology and documentation.  They were invited to Mr Cudel's history-geography classroom, where ensued a rich exchange between the young students (11-12 years old) and, more particularly, Zaid, of the same age, on lifestyle, school curriculum, etc. Then, accompanied by educational supervisors Guillaume and Antoine, they met with older students.  This time the questions were more about the concrete situation in Al Ma'ssarah and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (seizure of agricultural lands, the Wall, roadblocks, the difficulties going to work, ID controls and other harassments).  Mrs Dienot offered the Palestinians a poem by Jacques Brel, "Je vous souhaite", which seemed to move the Palestinians.

This last evening, a public meeting at the community center in Monestier.  Some 50 people showed up to say "adieu" to the Palestinians.  Mahmoud gave a talk and everyone partook in eating an enormous cake (and blowing out the candles). Gifts offered among friends.  

 

The five Palestinians spent the night at Beatrice's, to be ready to leave with her the next morning for the airport.

 

Saturday, 24 January 

 

8:30 am: Departure for Geneva.