fly , run and sail deeply with us ,melt in our words

When I traveled out of my country for the first time, last year (2013). It was an amazing, wonderful experience to be far away from everything I used to do, all the people whom I have known, and all the places I used to see.

The first time I breathed the air outside of my county was on my trip through Rafah Crossing to Egypt, and then on to Jordan, where I stayed to attend a work-study program. It was all new, to experience freedom for the first time. It was a great trial also, to know I am responsible for everything I do in my new life.
I got to stay with family members I had never met and made new friends. It was definitely a new world. I thought deeply about every single new thing I faced, and everything I left behind in my old life. I spent most of my free time alone, walking and pondering this new world, which was hidden from me until now. I missed my old life but I loved this new one very much.
The first night, I was very excited. The people who I met were very nice and kind. That day, I had felt freedom without any walls surrounding me and my family. No obstacles set by the Israeli military occupation, obstructing our path and roads, restricting every breath we take. In Jordan I found a new life.
I could go anywhere and do whatever I liked, without anyone opposing or offending me. In that period, I acquired a new grace, the blessing of the freedom to enjoy "sailing in the world of books." Whenever I had free time, I was reading history, poems, philosophy and politics. I had been prevented from this wonderful blessing of free reading in the past, because in my country, the type of books in Gaza is not varied. Many books are banned by the Israeli government and we are not allowed to to buy books from outside.

The second grace, was that I had the opportunity to enjoy international tourism. It gave me great pleasure to get to know other cultures, meet new people, and take photos in these places, which I was not able to see like this before. During this trip, I improved my photography skills and learnt more about this art from professional photographers who kept me company during my trip.
And another thing I discovered in this short period, is how much my family and friends missed me. I felt such overwhelming love and caring and yearning between us. All the happy memories, which passed through my imagination, made me feel like they were beside me and encouraging me.
This short breath of freedom gave me the positive energy to feel capable of success.