I love living in the Old Village (Kfar Yashan) of Peqi’in (Buqei'a in Arabic) itself! It is so quaint and exotic. I absolutely relish this experience. Especially for the fact that it is the Eid Al-Fitr holiday for three days! There will be many firecrackers and fireworks blasting on the streets, as well as children and young people milling about. People buy new clothes for their children and they cook a lot – and I mean, a lot – of food. You can go and visit just about anyone and shout, ‘Eid Mubarak!’

Tomorrow alone, I have been invited to five families! I’m so excited. And it is so great to be finally living on my own with two of my Czech volunteer friends. I love the feel of freedom and independence – and especially being able to wander the cobblestone streets both in the day and in the night, it is really something to remember for a lifetime. I don’t think I’ll find this feeling anywhere else. This tiny little Druze village of 5,000 people will always hold a special place in my heart and my memory.

The volunteer house I’m staying in is so basic, and yet it is beautiful – because it was specially built and prepared by Nayif Zen and his lovely wife Daliah. Nayif was the man who wanted native-English speakers to come and teach the village children English. My room is austere to say the least. It has a mattress, a pillow, a blanket, a table, a lamp for reading and journaling, and a chair. No wardrobe, no fan, no air-conditioning, no cupboard, no decorations. Just the basic necessities – and I absolutely love it. No distractions, no clutter. I am really, truly happy with this. I mean, I could live like this.