The life of an American in Tel Aviv in the summertime - or at least my life - can basically be summed up in one word: visitors! I have had nonstop visitors for a straight 3 weeks now. It's the season that Americans come to Israel so I guess it makes sense. Everywhere you go in Israel now you hear English on the street... I think the Israelis are starting to feel outnumbered :-) Upon my brother's departure arrived Ezra and Noah, 2 old friends from Camp Yavneh, followed by Josh, a friend from high school who had just finished a taglit-birthright trip, followed by Erik, a good friend from Boston, followed by my sister Rachel's arrival! Not to mention all the other random visitors I've seen who haven't been staying with me. This also coincides with the start of a higher level ulpan class - an adventure unto itself. But it's all good things.
I was really inspired by Josh's birthright group. Most of them decided to extend their return ticket after the end of the trip so they could explore Tel Aviv for a few days. I took them all out to the most popular club in Tel Aviv and they had the time of their lives. It was so exciting and inspiring to see them and talk to them - you could tell they were so emotional and intimately bonded after their 10 intense days traveling Israel together. For some of them it was their first time in Israel, and they had already made up their minds that they would move here. For others they told me about how they now really care about their Jewish identity and heritage and want to explore the religion more and get more connected to the community. Birthright is really an amazing thing.
While Josh was here we also visited "water war" in Kikar Rabin (as you can see in the video I posted). That was a sight to be seen! Apparently they do this one day every year in the peak of the summer, despite the widespread complaints that it's a waste of water in a country suffering a serious water shortage. Nonetheless, great fun was had and everyone got to cool off for at least a few minutes! It was quite hilarious actually watching how intense people got with the water - some were even filling up garbage bins and dunking it entirely over someone's head. The channel 10 newscasters were there and interviewed my roommate, and in the middle of the interview a sneaky man came up and drenched them. It was shocking and hilarious.
It's getting extremely hot here and the beach is a necessity. Even though the water is as warm as a bathtub, it's simply too hot to be anywhere else. Yesterday the waves were enormous in Tel Aviv, bigger than I've ever seen them. When the waves are like that the water is mostly filled with boys. Rachel likes them but it's too much for me.
Rachel also took me to an Israeli wedding last night, a good friend of hers from New York who married an Israeli (and the couple happened to be a former Birthright participant and a Birthright security guard! a real love story). The wedding was so beautiful it took my breath away. I didn't know the couple very well but everyone was moved to tears, the ceremony was so touching. The wedding took place in a kibbutz north of Tel Aviv at night with all the trees and flowers and gardens lit up in beautiful lights and flame torches along a high stone wall with hauntingly powerful singing from the speakers surrounding the chupa. We danced until 3 in the morning. It was so different from an American wedding - not to mention the fact that half the guests were in jeans and flip-flops - but I loved it.
And tomorrow, my mom and stepdad arrive! More fun to come.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
A word about ulpan
There is no better word to describe ulpan than balagan. It’s like being in kindergarten, a soap opera, and a comedy routine all at the same time. I understand now how people survive the 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, 5 month Hebrew class – it’s because ulpan is a hilarious scene. My teacher doesn’t just teach us Hebrew, she puts on a show for us. Probably she might have been an actress in a different lifetime. She uses all tactics possible to keep us engaged in the Hebrew lesson, hour after endless hour. I don’t know if it’s just our teacher or if all of the teachers are like her (I certainly hope so because I’m moving into a higher level class next week, and I couldn’t bear to be with a teacher less entertaining than my current one!) Our teacher is addicted to chocolate and stuffs her face with it all day long. It’s probably how she gets all her energy. She sniffs empty chocolate wrappers and whiteboard markers and takes food from people’s desks without asking. For no reason at all she’ll open the window and stick her head out or momentarily leave the classroom and come back. She’s always playing tricks on people and making inappropriate jokes to get us to laugh. Humor and silliness are definitely her approach to getting us to learn Hebrew. If we want to understand why everyone is laughing, we have no other choice! It’s the best motivation. Also, it’s good because learning Hebrew can be so hard and frustrating and exhausting, that ultimately there is nothing else you can do but laugh. Or cry, which happens from time to time. Or fall asleep, which is a daily struggle for all of us. No one survives a day in ulpan without coffee. Sometimes a student will fall asleep in class and my teacher will throw a paper airplane at them or send them out to buy her a coffee. She’s one of the best teachers I’ve ever had; we all love and adore her.
Every individual in my class lends a certain stock character to the group dynamic. There are about 25 of us, from all over the world – France, Argentina, Uzbekistan, Canada, Belgium, Russia, Greece, etc – roughly between the ages of 20-40. It’s a conglomeration of personalities in a setting that would make anyone turn ADD. My friend Aliza pointed out that Israel should make a TV series about ulpan and she’s right, it would be the funniest show on television. But back to the group dynamic – so we have the Frenchies (it seems that half the Parisian Jewish population up and transplanted to Ulpan Gordon, but anyway) who speak Hebrew with such thick accents that if I’m not paying close attention it sounds like they’re speaking French. (due to all the translating going on I’m actually learning quite a bit of French simultaneously). There is a Belgian pothead in my class who hides joints in the bushes outsides ulpan and gets high during the breaks (I only discovered this when I found him searching anxiously through the bushes one day and I asked him why; his joint had gone missing into nature); there is the apathetic Canadian who comes to class exactly one hour late every day and endures word-for-word the same scolding every morning; there is a Russian girl who is always randomly laughing and most of the time no one really knows why; and of course the American party boy who comes into class 20 minutes before the end of the day wearing shorts, a tank top, sunglasses and sun hat, holding a fresh fruit juice, strolling in like a movie star. The teacher shouts that she would kill him except that he’s going into the army to defend and protect her so she won’t say anything. Oh, the army boys get away with everything…
I'm definitely the quiet one in the class. When I do speak, my teacher yells at me to speak louder. We're basically encouraged to yell. There's no such thing as "classroom voices" in Israel! Sometimes my teacher raises such a commotion in the classroom that even she gets overwhelmed and starts screaming for quiet, when in fact she's the only one really making all the noise! It's quite amusing.
There is really no way to illustrate the extent of ridiculousness in my class. Literally, we laugh all day long. I never know what trick my teacher is going to pull out of her sleeve next. She is something special.
(Oh and by the way, we’re actually learning Hebrew too) :-)
Every individual in my class lends a certain stock character to the group dynamic. There are about 25 of us, from all over the world – France, Argentina, Uzbekistan, Canada, Belgium, Russia, Greece, etc – roughly between the ages of 20-40. It’s a conglomeration of personalities in a setting that would make anyone turn ADD. My friend Aliza pointed out that Israel should make a TV series about ulpan and she’s right, it would be the funniest show on television. But back to the group dynamic – so we have the Frenchies (it seems that half the Parisian Jewish population up and transplanted to Ulpan Gordon, but anyway) who speak Hebrew with such thick accents that if I’m not paying close attention it sounds like they’re speaking French. (due to all the translating going on I’m actually learning quite a bit of French simultaneously). There is a Belgian pothead in my class who hides joints in the bushes outsides ulpan and gets high during the breaks (I only discovered this when I found him searching anxiously through the bushes one day and I asked him why; his joint had gone missing into nature); there is the apathetic Canadian who comes to class exactly one hour late every day and endures word-for-word the same scolding every morning; there is a Russian girl who is always randomly laughing and most of the time no one really knows why; and of course the American party boy who comes into class 20 minutes before the end of the day wearing shorts, a tank top, sunglasses and sun hat, holding a fresh fruit juice, strolling in like a movie star. The teacher shouts that she would kill him except that he’s going into the army to defend and protect her so she won’t say anything. Oh, the army boys get away with everything…
I'm definitely the quiet one in the class. When I do speak, my teacher yells at me to speak louder. We're basically encouraged to yell. There's no such thing as "classroom voices" in Israel! Sometimes my teacher raises such a commotion in the classroom that even she gets overwhelmed and starts screaming for quiet, when in fact she's the only one really making all the noise! It's quite amusing.
There is really no way to illustrate the extent of ridiculousness in my class. Literally, we laugh all day long. I never know what trick my teacher is going to pull out of her sleeve next. She is something special.
(Oh and by the way, we’re actually learning Hebrew too) :-)
Aaron's visit
My dear younger brother Aaron came for a whirlwind 48 hour visit which was so fun it felt like he was here for 4 days. Him and his friend Jason concluded their vacation in Greece with an extended "layover" in Tel Aviv to visit me and have some fun in the holy land. It made me so happy to see him, but also sad because it really hit me how hard it is to be so far away from my family. I love having my brother around. But I try to focus on the positive; I'm fortunate to have such a wonderful brother and that he supports my aliyah and comes to visit me and we have such a great time together. Not everyone who makes aliyah is so lucky.
Of all the things Aaron and Jason loved about Tel Aviv, I have no doubt that the Tel Aviv women had the strongest impression on them of all. They couldn't get over the fact that all the women here are Jewish, and how beautiful they are! After struggling to find a Jewish girl their whole lives in the diaspora, going out in Tel Aviv is like a child's visit to the willy wonka chocolate factory. They were simply in heaven! I am the same way; I absolutely love the fact that every guy I talk to here I could potentially date (in terms of the religion issue.) It's such an exciting, freeing feeling. The world is your oyster! Well, Tel Aviv certainly was for Aaron and Jason for 2 long, wonderful days. :-)
It was a little heartbreaking to see them go but I felt happy at the same time, because we had such a great time together. I wouldn't have done a single thing differently. Love you Aaron!
Of all the things Aaron and Jason loved about Tel Aviv, I have no doubt that the Tel Aviv women had the strongest impression on them of all. They couldn't get over the fact that all the women here are Jewish, and how beautiful they are! After struggling to find a Jewish girl their whole lives in the diaspora, going out in Tel Aviv is like a child's visit to the willy wonka chocolate factory. They were simply in heaven! I am the same way; I absolutely love the fact that every guy I talk to here I could potentially date (in terms of the religion issue.) It's such an exciting, freeing feeling. The world is your oyster! Well, Tel Aviv certainly was for Aaron and Jason for 2 long, wonderful days. :-)
It was a little heartbreaking to see them go but I felt happy at the same time, because we had such a great time together. I wouldn't have done a single thing differently. Love you Aaron!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
My first poem in Hebrew! so proud of myself :-)
שיר על עלייה
שלום אני עולה חדשה
אני בישראל פחות משנה
כל איש ברחוב שואל אותי למה
עלייתי לארץ איפה אין לי משפחה
האמת בגלל היא מקום מיוחדת
הלב שלי פה, פה אני מרגישה מושלמת
כן אני מתגעגעת אל אמריקה
אבל המזג אוויר אין השוואה
אני מאחלת שיום אחד יהיו
כל האנשים אהובים שלי גם פה
כי זאת האדמה לכל היהודים
אין מקום יותר טוב אנחנו יודעים
שלום אני עולה חדשה
אני בישראל פחות משנה
כל איש ברחוב שואל אותי למה
עלייתי לארץ איפה אין לי משפחה
האמת בגלל היא מקום מיוחדת
הלב שלי פה, פה אני מרגישה מושלמת
כן אני מתגעגעת אל אמריקה
אבל המזג אוויר אין השוואה
אני מאחלת שיום אחד יהיו
כל האנשים אהובים שלי גם פה
כי זאת האדמה לכל היהודים
אין מקום יותר טוב אנחנו יודעים
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
In my new home!
I write this first blog post from my new apartment and I couldn't be happier :-)
I'm living now with 2 girls, one American-Israeli and one Belgian-Israeli, in a gorgeous duplex in the center of Tel Aviv, 2 minutes from the beach. (pictures to come once it's all set up!) we have a view of the ocean from our balconies (one on each floor) and watched the sun set over the sea last night from the comfort of our home. Living here feels too good to be true.
In talking to my sister Rachel this week, she pointed something out to me that's really amazing and I hadn't quite formulated for myself yet - I am like an emissary of Israel to so many diaspora Jews. Between all the friends from different stages of my life, family friends, and random acquaintances, for many people I am the only person they know who lives in Israel. In just a month here I've gotten several messages from people wanting to know if they can visit me or if I can help them visit Israel. It's nice to know that I can be like a port of support for so many Jews who don't have a strong connection to Israel themselves. I have a feeling my apartment is going to be like an international hostel! But it's a wonderful thing.
My friend Zeev also made an interesting insight to me this week - when we look at the past 2,000 years of history and under what circumstances Jews moved to Israel, the vast majority of Jews came to Israel as a safe haven from persecution. The number of Jews who actually chose to leave a safer "better life" (such as America) to come struggle in Israel for no reason other than that it's the Jewish homeland, is an extremely small number. I'm like a "statistical anomaly" Zeev said. And it's true - after 2,000 years of praying to God to be able to return to Israel, it's like a metaphorical slap in God's face to not follow up on our prayers. I don't know how so many religious Jews in the diaspora justify it to themselves. But, we all can make Israel stronger in our own way.
When I was out buying paint 2 days ago for my apartment, there was a man standing beside the salesman staring at me while I was explaining what I needed in broken Hebrew. He was making me very uncomfortable. After the salesman walked away he asked me where I was from. I said Boston. He said, what are you doing in Israel? I said, I made aliyah! He responded, why? I said, "because I'm Jewish, this is my home!" and he responded, "no, not exactly." I was caught off guard - my stomach just went cold - and my friend pulled me aside and told me he was Arab. I would have responded to his last comment but the moment had passed. It made me sad though. Especially when I walked outside and I saw a band set up on the street playing music and people dancing, and a huge banner behind them read: "Rotzim Shalom". (We want peace). It seems like it's impossible to get that message across sometimes.
Anyway - off now to a Shabbat lunch and then the beach.
Shabbat Shalom!
I'm living now with 2 girls, one American-Israeli and one Belgian-Israeli, in a gorgeous duplex in the center of Tel Aviv, 2 minutes from the beach. (pictures to come once it's all set up!) we have a view of the ocean from our balconies (one on each floor) and watched the sun set over the sea last night from the comfort of our home. Living here feels too good to be true.
In talking to my sister Rachel this week, she pointed something out to me that's really amazing and I hadn't quite formulated for myself yet - I am like an emissary of Israel to so many diaspora Jews. Between all the friends from different stages of my life, family friends, and random acquaintances, for many people I am the only person they know who lives in Israel. In just a month here I've gotten several messages from people wanting to know if they can visit me or if I can help them visit Israel. It's nice to know that I can be like a port of support for so many Jews who don't have a strong connection to Israel themselves. I have a feeling my apartment is going to be like an international hostel! But it's a wonderful thing.
My friend Zeev also made an interesting insight to me this week - when we look at the past 2,000 years of history and under what circumstances Jews moved to Israel, the vast majority of Jews came to Israel as a safe haven from persecution. The number of Jews who actually chose to leave a safer "better life" (such as America) to come struggle in Israel for no reason other than that it's the Jewish homeland, is an extremely small number. I'm like a "statistical anomaly" Zeev said. And it's true - after 2,000 years of praying to God to be able to return to Israel, it's like a metaphorical slap in God's face to not follow up on our prayers. I don't know how so many religious Jews in the diaspora justify it to themselves. But, we all can make Israel stronger in our own way.
When I was out buying paint 2 days ago for my apartment, there was a man standing beside the salesman staring at me while I was explaining what I needed in broken Hebrew. He was making me very uncomfortable. After the salesman walked away he asked me where I was from. I said Boston. He said, what are you doing in Israel? I said, I made aliyah! He responded, why? I said, "because I'm Jewish, this is my home!" and he responded, "no, not exactly." I was caught off guard - my stomach just went cold - and my friend pulled me aside and told me he was Arab. I would have responded to his last comment but the moment had passed. It made me sad though. Especially when I walked outside and I saw a band set up on the street playing music and people dancing, and a huge banner behind them read: "Rotzim Shalom". (We want peace). It seems like it's impossible to get that message across sometimes.
Anyway - off now to a Shabbat lunch and then the beach.
Shabbat Shalom!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
While turning into a strawberry...
I love Israel so much.
But since this is my blog, I get to use it for all my selfish purposes - including occasional venting sessions :-)
I had to pee so bad today walking down the street in Tel Aviv. I went into a hotel and the doorman stopped me. I told him I had to use the bathroom, and he said no. I was so taken aback, like please? He shook his head no. A little stunned, I continued down the street and went into a restaurant. May I please use the bathroom? No, the woman said flat out. I'm like, are you serious? At this point I almost started to cry; why will no one let me use their bathroom?! As panic is slowly setting in I continue down the street and go into a bar. I walk in and beg the barman to use the bathroom. Now he was the one taken aback - I don't know if it was more from seeing a girl like me in his bar in the middle of the afternoon, or the fact that I was pleading for a bathroom. Anyway he nodded in permission and I finally relaxed! Also it annoys me so much how some people here walk down the street. You'll be two people walking towards each other on the sidewalk, with plenty of room, and they'll just charge straight ahead right at you, and don't turn to the side until right before they'd be about to walk into you. I'm like, people, go right!! There is such a widespread tendency to be aggressive here, in everything. Everything is an argument. People here actually enjoy arguing. It so does not suit my personality. But I'm learning how to argue when I have to to get what I need. For example, the bank. The bank here is amateurs. No one actually knows what they're doing - sometimes I'm surprised this country functions as well as it does. I went back to the bank yesterday to pick up my long-awaited atm card. I had ordered it when I set up a bank account 3 weeks ago. Everything here takes a week, so when I went back a week later, they told me they had not put in an order for my atm card, so they would do it that day, and to come back in a week. (because who with a bank account would actually want an atm card? Such an unusual request). So of course when I go back a week later, they tell me no one ordered an atm card for me. This has continued week by week until yesterday I had a fit and threatened them if I come back in a week and they still don't have an atm card for me - there will be trouble. But the thing is, there's nothing you can really do. Loving Israel requires laughing at Israel.
Now on to the latest delights of life here. I smile in the morning when I see the weather forecast: "abundant sunshine. 80 degrees." every day, hot and sunny. and its just getting hotter and hotter.. I love it. I had my first doctor's visit and the co-payment was 6 shekels. (approximately $1). wonderful. Also, I am dying over the strawberries here. I bought a kilo of strawberries for 5 shekels, went home and eagerly washed them, and just exclaimed to myself in delight as I stood alone in my kitchen eating them. They are the most delicious strawberries I've ever tasted -bursting with sweetness, lush and red and perfectly ripe. The smell emanates across the room. And the cherry tomatoes. I've never eaten cherry tomatoes the way I do here - they're better than candy. Perfect and fresh and sweet and crunchy - I could eat pounds of them. Speaking of pounds - burekas are going to be the death of me. I have allowed myself to indulge since I've been here, but I have to start seriously avoiding the burekas. An hour and a half of running might make up for one bureka. It's the worst.
Tonight in Tel Aviv is "Layla Lavan" - White Night - an annual tribute to "the white city" (tel aviv), and in honor of Tel Aviv's 100th birthday, celebrating with all-night parties and events throughout the city. Everything in the whole city is open all night. There will be music and performers and all kinds of festivities along Rothschild street, the street where I'm temporarily staying, so I've been told not to expect to sleep tonight before 6am or else to sleep elsewhere. It's going to be crazy!!!
Tomorrow morning I sign the lease on my new apartment, and I can't wait. June 1 is moving day.
On Sunday I take the Hebrew placement test to see which level Hebrew class I will be in. I'm ready to take it on!
But since this is my blog, I get to use it for all my selfish purposes - including occasional venting sessions :-)
I had to pee so bad today walking down the street in Tel Aviv. I went into a hotel and the doorman stopped me. I told him I had to use the bathroom, and he said no. I was so taken aback, like please? He shook his head no. A little stunned, I continued down the street and went into a restaurant. May I please use the bathroom? No, the woman said flat out. I'm like, are you serious? At this point I almost started to cry; why will no one let me use their bathroom?! As panic is slowly setting in I continue down the street and go into a bar. I walk in and beg the barman to use the bathroom. Now he was the one taken aback - I don't know if it was more from seeing a girl like me in his bar in the middle of the afternoon, or the fact that I was pleading for a bathroom. Anyway he nodded in permission and I finally relaxed! Also it annoys me so much how some people here walk down the street. You'll be two people walking towards each other on the sidewalk, with plenty of room, and they'll just charge straight ahead right at you, and don't turn to the side until right before they'd be about to walk into you. I'm like, people, go right!! There is such a widespread tendency to be aggressive here, in everything. Everything is an argument. People here actually enjoy arguing. It so does not suit my personality. But I'm learning how to argue when I have to to get what I need. For example, the bank. The bank here is amateurs. No one actually knows what they're doing - sometimes I'm surprised this country functions as well as it does. I went back to the bank yesterday to pick up my long-awaited atm card. I had ordered it when I set up a bank account 3 weeks ago. Everything here takes a week, so when I went back a week later, they told me they had not put in an order for my atm card, so they would do it that day, and to come back in a week. (because who with a bank account would actually want an atm card? Such an unusual request). So of course when I go back a week later, they tell me no one ordered an atm card for me. This has continued week by week until yesterday I had a fit and threatened them if I come back in a week and they still don't have an atm card for me - there will be trouble. But the thing is, there's nothing you can really do. Loving Israel requires laughing at Israel.
Now on to the latest delights of life here. I smile in the morning when I see the weather forecast: "abundant sunshine. 80 degrees." every day, hot and sunny. and its just getting hotter and hotter.. I love it. I had my first doctor's visit and the co-payment was 6 shekels. (approximately $1). wonderful. Also, I am dying over the strawberries here. I bought a kilo of strawberries for 5 shekels, went home and eagerly washed them, and just exclaimed to myself in delight as I stood alone in my kitchen eating them. They are the most delicious strawberries I've ever tasted -bursting with sweetness, lush and red and perfectly ripe. The smell emanates across the room. And the cherry tomatoes. I've never eaten cherry tomatoes the way I do here - they're better than candy. Perfect and fresh and sweet and crunchy - I could eat pounds of them. Speaking of pounds - burekas are going to be the death of me. I have allowed myself to indulge since I've been here, but I have to start seriously avoiding the burekas. An hour and a half of running might make up for one bureka. It's the worst.
Tonight in Tel Aviv is "Layla Lavan" - White Night - an annual tribute to "the white city" (tel aviv), and in honor of Tel Aviv's 100th birthday, celebrating with all-night parties and events throughout the city. Everything in the whole city is open all night. There will be music and performers and all kinds of festivities along Rothschild street, the street where I'm temporarily staying, so I've been told not to expect to sleep tonight before 6am or else to sleep elsewhere. It's going to be crazy!!!
Tomorrow morning I sign the lease on my new apartment, and I can't wait. June 1 is moving day.
On Sunday I take the Hebrew placement test to see which level Hebrew class I will be in. I'm ready to take it on!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
The hunt is over!
When people say apartment hunting in Tel Aviv is horrible, it's an understatement. I don't understand how so many people in this city live in such crap. But, there are the rare gems to be found - and thanks to my good fortune, I will be moving into a beautiful and brand-new apartment on June 1! It's with two girls, one Israeli-American and the other Israeli-Belgian, who are very sweet and I think we'll have a lot of fun together. The apartment is 2 floors, completely renovated, full of sunlight and we each have our own bathroom. Not bad! :-) (that's a big smile on my face)
Apartment hunting, while at once stressful and depressing, also has its perks - I met some really nice girls along the way, a few of whom I'm becoming friendly with. Also, it presents an opportunity to really practice Hebrew. I visited at least a dozen apartments where the roommates spoke only Hebrew to me, which forced me to step up my comprehension level rather quickly. It's amazing how quickly the gap is widening between my comprehension skills and my speaking skills. I am understanding more and more each day, but when I open my mouth to speak, I sound like a retarded person who never graduated past kindergarten. It's embarassing and frustrating. But even in just three weeks I've learned so much. Last night I went to a Shabbat dinner in Herzliyah with some family friends and the entire evening was in Hebrew. I was exhausted by the end of it but proud of myself for how much I was able to understand and communicate. My success and confidence in speaking Hebrew is very interconnected with the attitude/behavior of the person I'm talking to. Some people are very patient and speak clear, slow Hebrew, and we are able to communicate - while others get too frustrated and immediately switch to English. So depending on who I'm talking to I have varying degrees of confidence, which impacts my verbal skills. But I know these things take time, and once I start the ulpan it will get better and better.
On a side note - I had a successful shopping spree on dizengoff street the other day, using my "olah chadasha" (new immigrant) status to get 100 shekels off the bill. I thought the salesman was being zionistic and generous. After I left the store and continued down the street, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder and it was the salesman - he ran after me to ask for my phone number. Ah, Israelis. so persistent!
Apartment hunting, while at once stressful and depressing, also has its perks - I met some really nice girls along the way, a few of whom I'm becoming friendly with. Also, it presents an opportunity to really practice Hebrew. I visited at least a dozen apartments where the roommates spoke only Hebrew to me, which forced me to step up my comprehension level rather quickly. It's amazing how quickly the gap is widening between my comprehension skills and my speaking skills. I am understanding more and more each day, but when I open my mouth to speak, I sound like a retarded person who never graduated past kindergarten. It's embarassing and frustrating. But even in just three weeks I've learned so much. Last night I went to a Shabbat dinner in Herzliyah with some family friends and the entire evening was in Hebrew. I was exhausted by the end of it but proud of myself for how much I was able to understand and communicate. My success and confidence in speaking Hebrew is very interconnected with the attitude/behavior of the person I'm talking to. Some people are very patient and speak clear, slow Hebrew, and we are able to communicate - while others get too frustrated and immediately switch to English. So depending on who I'm talking to I have varying degrees of confidence, which impacts my verbal skills. But I know these things take time, and once I start the ulpan it will get better and better.
On a side note - I had a successful shopping spree on dizengoff street the other day, using my "olah chadasha" (new immigrant) status to get 100 shekels off the bill. I thought the salesman was being zionistic and generous. After I left the store and continued down the street, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder and it was the salesman - he ran after me to ask for my phone number. Ah, Israelis. so persistent!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Best time of my life
My life is too good to be true right now. Last night was one of the best nights of my life - in all honesty, it might have been the best night of my life. I went to my first "monsoon party" which is like a massive rave out in nature, usually in a forest or the desert. The selected location for this party was Kibbutz Beit Oren, a kibbutz situated at the top of the tallest mountain in the Carmel. To get there we had to drive up a slightly terrifying, twisting road on the edge of a cliff up the mountain. Mount Carmel national park is there, it looks beautiful. We made it to the top in one piece, parked and hiked up to the entrance. The sight took my breath away. A glimmering swimming pool on one side overlooks a magnificent view of the mountains and the sea in the distance; hundreds of people are having picnics and basking in the sun; one tent sells food and drinks and another tent opens up to the entrance to the dance floor. 'Dance floor' isn't even the right term - it was simply a massive, open space with hundreds of people dancing. The thing I loved the most about the place was that everyone came there to dance. Not like a dance bar where people are concerned with how they look and socializing, but a place where everyone completely lets go, does their own thing and dances freely and naturally and happily. I loved it immediately. I loved the energy; it was impossible to keep your body still. After a short dip in the pool and a food break, my friends and I danced for six hours!!! I was completely absorbed into the music. It felt amazing and so freeing -- these exciting trance beats building to intense crescendos that you just throw your body into, the wind blowing across your face, everyone around me smiling and dancing like they don't have a care in the world - and thinking that I'm here in Israel, surrounded by Jews, in the place that I finally always wanted to be, dancing openly to the wind and the sky and the mountains, with the sweet fresh air and the distant smell of horses from the kibbutz, and the creak of crickets and other animals in the underbrush - I almost cried I felt so happy.
I could have danced all night.
The one downside was that I wanted so badly to dance barefoot; I felt I could have felt even freer barefoot! but the dance area was covered with pieces of hay and dirt and pebbles that were quite painful. I ended up getting one painful splinter for which I had to enlist the lifeguard's help in removing, and after that I put my shoes back on :)
The other amazing thing about the party was the diversity of the crowd - whole families came to dance, even with babies! Children and dogs ran loose through the dance floor and they loved it. I couldn't believe it at the end of the night when I was leaving and I saw two boys, about 8 or 9 years old, still playing and dancing together. I hope I could be that cool of a mom to bring my future family to a party like that! I also saw a mom with a body better than mine holding her child and I was stunned - I simply don't understand how you can give birth and have a body like that. (it's easy if you're a celebrity and have personal chefs and trainers - but how do these Israeli women do it?!?) ah the mysteries of life.
My Tel Aviv apartment hunt continues - no luck yet but I'm staying optimistic! :-)
and spent another beautiful afternoon today on the Tel Aviv beach... it's getting hotter every day :-)
Even though I have yet to find a home and master the language and all the other tasks that lay before me, I feel absolutely content, so completely happy and fortunate, that I can do nothing but smile :-)
I could have danced all night.
The one downside was that I wanted so badly to dance barefoot; I felt I could have felt even freer barefoot! but the dance area was covered with pieces of hay and dirt and pebbles that were quite painful. I ended up getting one painful splinter for which I had to enlist the lifeguard's help in removing, and after that I put my shoes back on :)
The other amazing thing about the party was the diversity of the crowd - whole families came to dance, even with babies! Children and dogs ran loose through the dance floor and they loved it. I couldn't believe it at the end of the night when I was leaving and I saw two boys, about 8 or 9 years old, still playing and dancing together. I hope I could be that cool of a mom to bring my future family to a party like that! I also saw a mom with a body better than mine holding her child and I was stunned - I simply don't understand how you can give birth and have a body like that. (it's easy if you're a celebrity and have personal chefs and trainers - but how do these Israeli women do it?!?) ah the mysteries of life.
My Tel Aviv apartment hunt continues - no luck yet but I'm staying optimistic! :-)
and spent another beautiful afternoon today on the Tel Aviv beach... it's getting hotter every day :-)
Even though I have yet to find a home and master the language and all the other tasks that lay before me, I feel absolutely content, so completely happy and fortunate, that I can do nothing but smile :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
