A few days ago, hanging from an olive tree branch, picking olives with Palestinians and some 10 Israeli volunteering friends, in Hebron, occupied territory, I asked Devorah; "you know what skype is?" she said: "honey, skype changed my life!". Then two other guys picking olives beneath us joined the conversation: "hey, I just installed skype this week" and the other dude: "I use skype-out to call land phones, just buy credits and…". It was a lovely sunny day; we're in Hebron, in the middle of living hell most days of the year, Palestinians living in terror and fear of soldiers, police and especially inhuman psychotic settlers with kill in their eyes (and guns). But all was quiet that morning, some nice young soldiers and 3 bored policemen talking about the weather with our Palestinian host Idris, birds singing, ripe black olives falling quietly on the ground beneath us, and we're discussing the new era of skype. How bizarre, how Israel. I too installed skype last week in a blessed momentary impulse after waiting impatiently for who knows how long for bezek – Israel's only telephone company, to kindly answer my call. I guess I wanted them to install a telephone line and adsl connection in my new future apartment in the Negev. How silly. Eventually the phone was slammed shut and skype was installed. Within minutes I was deeply engaged in a long, high quality sound, FREE conversation with Raf, in Italy.
I love alternatives, especially when they're free, better in any aspect, replace a previously one option choice (no choice), and when they also serve as a revenge tool, long waited for. However, my skype enthusiasm doesn't only derive from the "fucking bezek" element of it, as exciting as this may be. It was the communications and connections aspects of it. That's also the reason why I got so excited today when speaking with zax about old TV shows, I suddenly remembered and asked him to find the theme song from the '70 television series I loved so much as a kid - "Big Blue Marble". I was fascinated with the stories of children from other countries, different cultures, languages, clothes, faces... As a kid I've never been abroad, didn't meet almost any foreigners… and the highlight of my obsession was the Pen-Pal possibility at the end of each chapter (which I think I've never tried to use, probably from lack of belief it would work from Israel or insufficient knowledge of English at these ages). It was fantastically thrilling to think of the possibility of reaching other children, so far away from me, from these exotic places; Peru, Lapland, Switzerland, Iran… getting to know them, being friends, maybe being there a little in this way, being them…

Anyway good friends; download skype, pay less money on telephone bills, develop and deepen your connections, friendships...
(my skype name is: nobezek)



Big Blue Marble theme lyrics:
(click here to hear this...!)

The earth's a big blue marble when you see it from out there . . .
Closer, getting closer, perspective start to change things look a little strange, as we get closer.
Closer, growing closer, no need to be afraid our troubles start to fade, as we get closer.
Together is a word we must learn to understand, if we ever want to get to know each other better.
Together is a word that holds tomorrow in it's hand, tomorrow's just another day to get together, and... Get closer, closer, closer…