I was happier when I was in a refugee camp in Palestine
It still feels strange to be back in The Netherlands after working in a refugee camp in Palestine for The Freedom Theatre. Everything is different here. There are no more shots being fired at night, no more lock downs of the city that we live in, no more check points or a wall that separates countries. Also no more soldiers with guns that are bigger than your whole arm, no more stories of people being thrown into jail, sued and/or killed, mostly for no apparent reason.
Also no more passive aggressiveness in all the meetings and workshops, no more moral police to tell us what we can and can not do. No more covering up of almost every piece of skin you have if you are a woman, even though it is forty degrees outside. No more prohibition on dancing and singing in the street or laughing too loud (expressing yourself too much), no more being unable to walk outside without a local chaperoning us. Lastly, no more crazy time schedule of working day and night
The difference
Everything I wrote probably doesn’t sound very appealing to you. And if you know me, it really doesn’t sound like the place for me, because I love to express myself and be as free as I can possibly be. I was raised to be an independent woman and I am a huge supporter of radical honesty combined with non-violent communication. So why was I happier there than here? What was so good or different about being and working in Palestine, in the refugee camp and for the organisation The Freedom Theatre, even though the circumstances were difficult and working there was a big challenge (because of the circumstances, different culture and religion)?
Happy
Here it comes: I think I have never felt more at home and connected in my life than in Palestine, in the refugee camp at The Freedom Theatre than anywhere in the world. Why? Because:
*We (me and LightWorks project partner Chantal) were welcomed as long lost friends.
*Every day the employees said ‘good morning’ or asked us how we were doing. Not just for the sake of being polite. It felt that they really took a moment to connect and where really interested in our answer. Some of them even invited us in their house and/ or made delicious dinners for us.
*When one of the employees was sick for almost two weeks her colleagues would bring by food for her and her family and even helped to clean the house. People are there for and take care of each other!
*They work for a higher cause that is bigger than themselves. They are freedom fighters who fight about life and death. They feel the urgency to do well and keep going, no matter how risky it gets or how hard they have to work.
Move to Palestine?
So if everything is so good there, why didn’t we stay there? They even offered Chantal (my business partner) to find her a husband if she would stick around ;-). I guess I want the best of both worlds and have the luxury to do so. I have traveled back and forth to Palestine for the past year and have worked with people who are loving a life of purpose and service and by doing so ARE making a difference and create impact. The people I’ve met and we’ve worked with in Palestine are truly living even though you would think their circumstances would prefect them to. In the Netherlands or the western world we have so many opportunities and a lot of us don’t even know how to truly live. When we were in Palestine I felt I was among people who also fight to make the best out of life, do well for others AND made me feel I was welcome and cared for. I had an immense sense of belonging because of this.
Grateful
I am happy and proud that both me and Chantal worked for The Freedom Theatre on capacity building (translated in LightWorks terms: Natural Leadership & Team development) the past year. I am truly honored that we worked besides freedom fighters that have so much heart for the cause they are working for. I think they are truly amazing people who are ambitious from the heart, who were willing to be vulnerable, realized amazing results within the project besides all the other regular theater productions they were running and developing and have so much impact. They have everything in house they need to excel and realize their ambitions. I am happy that we have been able to guide them to become more equipped to utilize all this human potential more and work together more effective and better.
The choice is yours
A lot of the Palestinians don’t have the luxury to choose where they want to life and/ or work. Most of them have been living under oppression all their life, living in (refugee)camps and have family members and/ or friend that where killed or thrown in jail. We DO have a choice! We belong to the financial richest people on the planet. Do you choose to live life to the fullest or do you think that it’s okay to feel stuck, not to for fill your potential or just live a mediocre life…. There are two moments in your life that matter the most: when you were born AND when you discovered why & start living it/ according.
If you take anything from this blog….
please remember this: We are all wonders of life. It is a miracle that you were born. So make it count. Are you living your life to the fullest? Are you utilizing your potential? Are you contributing to the world, your community and/ or family by being all you can be?
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Shanti deelt haar verhaal in de serie van LightWorks over Natuurlijk Leiderschap
Shanti Silos (30-er), voelt zich meer thuis in een vluchtelingenkamp in Palestina dan in haar geboorteland Nederland. Shanti is een globetrotter die individuen en teams begeleidt om eruit te halen wat erin zit.
Meer aanvullende informatie over haar kun je vinden op http://www.light-works.nu/shanti/
De thema’s van LightWorks’ komende twee interactieve boeken zijn: ‘Self Love’ en ‘Natuurlijk Leiderschap’. Vond je deze blog over ‘natuurlijk leiderschap’ inspirerend en ben je benieuwd naar Shanti’s hele verhaal? Dat is mogelijk. Vertel ons waarom en/ of wat van haar verhaal jou inspireert en wellicht wordt Shanti één van de inspirerende mensen die met haar verhaal in een van de twee interactieve boeken zal worden opgenomen.
Of wil je het verhaal over jouw pad van zelfliefde of natuurlijk leiderschap ook delen en daarmee anderen wellicht informeren, inspireren en/ of activeren? En wil je daarnaast kans maken dat we deze naast een publicatie op de website ook in één van de twee boeken opnemen?
Dat kan, door contact met ons op te nemen. Stuur een mail naar shanti@light-works.nu en wij zenden je de richtlijnen toe. En volg ons ook op Facebook om up to date te blijven!
