by Alex Ray, for Care International (2020) Eight o’clock in the morning Monday to Saturday is ‘rush hour’ in Timor-Leste’s Liquica municipality, when the area’s remote muddy roads are dotted with children grouped in camaraderie, walking long distances to school. For 265 of them, aged 5-12, their trip to Faulara primary school takes up to two hours each way, with regular river crossings in wet-season. … Continue reading HATUTAN: Communities empowered through school meals program

by Alex Ray

An Arabic poem written in 2017 while living in Beirut and traveling Lebanon’s coastline in beaten-up minivans. Published by Rusted Radishes in Volume 8 “Sea Change”. Translation to come soon.

Tuesday May 7 2019, Palmyra, Syria

The shelling had been non-stop from sundown to sunrise. Despite global headlines announcing the looming defeat of ISIS, dozens of  soldiers have been killed in swift ISIS raids in the steppes surrounding Palmyra recently.

Luckily we only learnt this after our visit.

by Alex Ray

As I wait alone for my pre-flight dinner of greasy sliced lamb, hoping not to ruin my last clean T-shirt, a tall impeccably groomed young man arrives at the counter, his teeth gleaming in competition with his watch. Continue reading “Beirut Journal – Barbeer Shawarma, 2am”

by Alex Ray

From the outside the booth looks respectable. Signposted in English and Arabic it creates a focal point among an expanse of empty concrete. Recent arrivals gather, anticipating onward – or perhaps return – journeys. Continue reading “Amman Journal – Queen Alia International Airport, 11am”