I Hate Ramallah

by: Tala Abu Rahmeh


Most of the time (at least). I hate the random piles of garbage, heat, abrasive cab drivers, loud children singing along to horrible pop songs at 11:00 pm, guys with disastrously oily hair hitting on everything that walks by, noise and more inconsistent noise. It’s shocking that a town this small manages to entirely overwhelm me. It’s even more shocking that I have grown to resent it after so many years of constantly falling in love with it. What is it that makes us grow so apart? Cities are like lovers; we fumble into their bodies and brains at the beginning, then as time goes by, we either grow more comfortable in loving them, or start banging our heads against the wall for wanting them in the first place. Ramallah and I go way back; but what’s worth mentioning is that the last time I was here was for my mother’s funeral, who I watched melt from cancer during my summer break in the city. Whether I like it or not, I blame Ramallah for my mom’s exhausting departure, and her sky that one time housed everything I ever loved, is now an empty vessel holding a sun I can barely stand. That’s exactly why I came back. Being the utter fool that I am, I decided to reconcile with the city before I depart, perhaps forever, to greener pastures. These sporadic blog entries will chronicle my disjointed journey; I hope you find some of yourself in them. Pray with me for some healing and an upcoming, abundant love.


Tala is perhaps one of the most talented young Palestinian writers. Her prose is beautifully composed, but it is her poetry that will heal your soul, and send you an abundance of love. Tala will write regularly for this blog. If you wish to send her any comments please do so on our email: ramllahthebigolive@gmail.com