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Buthaine Salman (40) was born in Betlehem, Palestine..'I went to the Lutheran school in Beit Jala. In 1986 I received a scholarship in Germany, I was suppose to stay for 7 years, but I only staid one year, my mother felt it was too long, I was only 15 years old. I graduated in 1988, the first intifadah just started. I supported the uprising, but it affected my studies: universities were often closed because of strikes. I married in 1989 to a Samir Bandy, a Palestinian but who was living in Honduras. We moved to Honduras. It was very difficult in the beginning, I didn't speak any Spanish and it was so different. My parents in law didn't allow me to work because they felt they could pay for me. In 1993 I got my first job at the school of the Orthodox church here in San Pedro Sula. Now I am teaching Arabic, English and music. I went back to Palestine in 1992 and 2010, but I will not live there anymore, although I love my country so much. I have three children and they would have language problems if we move back. I really hope that a Palestinian state will come into existence soon.' ..It was as early as the late 1800's that the first Palestinians arrived in Honduras. It was the time of the Ottoman empire and many Christian Palestinians felt the pressure that they had to convert to Islam and enlist in the Turkish army. Many took the boat with destination ‘the Americas' and honduras turned out to be the final destination. When the state of Israel was created in 1948 many followed. With many more in 1967 (six day war, occupation of Gaza, Westbank and the Golan heights) and during and after the two Intifadah's..Nowadays its estimated that there are around 200,000 people of Palestinian decent in Honduras, making it probably the biggest Palestinian community in the Western hemisphere. They have been very successful on both an economic and a political level. Almost all are Christians and from the Bethlehem area. ..It was as early as the late 1800's that the first P (KEYSTONE/NOOR/Kadir van Lohuizen)