I Already Miss Things about the U.S.

Things I most immediately miss about the US:

• Alcohol- liquor is illegal here, and I already miss it very much. I mean, I miss getting drunk, but I also miss the bar scene as a nightlife activity. It's nice to go out and get a drink with people, and watch other drunk people do and say ridiculous things. 
• Women without a hijab- Most women in Jenin wear a headscarf, or hijab. The women that don't wear a hijab still dress pretty conservatively. I miss seeing pretty women is nice skirts or dresses, or tight jeans and a tight shirt, etc...It's not necessarily a sexual thing, just that aesthetically pleasing things are nice to look at. I also miss the prospect of meeting and flirting with women. I don't see that happening at all here. Relations between the genders tend to be very formal. Men don't shake hands with women. I learned that the hard way. I met a girl on the campus of the Arab American University, and when she was leaving she extended her hand, so I shook her hand. She seemed shocked and drew her hand back. It was only then that i realized that she was trying to hand me a piece of chocolate. I mean, I also miss just hanging out with women. In Jenin, men and women don't even walk together, let alone hang out together. 
• Free water- I did not know this, but water isn't free here. You can't drink the water from the tap, and there are no public water fountains here. And filters for the tap are also non-existent. If you want drinking water you have to buy a bottle. I got a big bottle of water and I fill up my reusable bottle whenever I'm home. When I'm around town and I use my reusable bottle, people look at me weird. 
• Showering everyday- showering everyday doesn't seem common here. It sucks. Enough said. 
• Diversity- There aren't many different types of people here. Just Palestinians. You don't really hear other languages, or see people from other countries. Most importantly, though, I have no access to Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Cuban, or Indian food. It's really a killer.   

However, there are some very nice things about Jenin that I have experienced so far. 

• The best falafel and Shwarma that I have ever had- There is nothing like getting fresh, hot falafel from a stand on the street. Its fucking amazing. And it's everywhere. And super cheap. 
• The endless flow of Arabic coffee- Arabic coffee is amazing. It has this very unique flavor that I have never tasted before. And it is everywhere. On the streets there are people walking around with a pot and small cups that sell coffee for a shekel. I went to get some lunch and had several cups of coffee offered to me for free after my meal. Every 15 minutes someone offers me coffee. At work, or in the house, etc...It is intensely caffeinated. I feel like I've been light-headed from a caffeine rush for the past three days. 
• Hookah- The hookah here is amazing. You go to a hookah place, and everyone gets their own. I tried to share, and one guy gave a really weird look and bluntly said "no thank you", and then I saw that we had gotten his own hookah. The tobacco is amazing. Every ten minutes, someone comes around and changes your coals for you. I never knew the joy of smoking hookah until I came here. 
• The most friendly and hospitable people I have ever met- No matter who I meet, they are always extremely friendly and welcoming. I am constantly asked if I need anything, or if I am hungry, or want more to eat. People offer o pay for my meals or my taxi, or offer to make me tea or coffee. Everyone is super friendly, and that has certainly helped me feel at home here. 

I am sure that with time the things that I really miss about America will become abundantly clear, as will the things that make Palestine a truly special place.