January 30, 2007
Wow, time is flying already. Ulpan really does take up half of the day and an another hour for lunch afterwards… so essentially, I don’t get myself together until after 2 PM. Sort of like back in the old high school days. I’m getting the hang of getting up at 7:30 to attend a 8:30 AM class…. The class does really go by fast.
Yesterday, after class, I decided to take the bus to Jaffa Street to the Ministry of Interior to get a student visa. The bus ride was really entertaining because this bus (19) goes through Mea Sha’rim, a very Orthodox neighborhood. The people looked like they were transplanted from Eastern Europe to Israel. I saw a lot of children as the bus stops at a yeshiva. Just seeing the image of this Orthodox community captured my attention because not only did their dress stood out but also how their way of life differ from most part of Israel. Most of Israel is either conservative or liberal Orthodox (by this, I mean that the dress is less formal, more colorful). But this community literally shuts up on Shabbat- they place cones on the streets to prevent cars from going through. This neighborhood does have a reputation (by my guidebook) for having the best Judaic gifts.
After the bus driver told me to get off where I need to get off, I used my map to walk down Ben Yehuda. This street is a mall with lots of stores, mostly geared towards tourists. I figured out that Castro is Israel’s biggest shoe brand for dressy shoes as they seemed to be everywhere. I think international designers do feel that Israel is a big liability or it is still too much of a third world country. I found the falafel/schwarma shop that my birthright bus went for dinner called Moshiko’s. (Funny, I checked with the guidebook later and it’s definitely there and hails it as the best schwarma place in Jerusalem). I reached the Zion Square and made a right up along Jaffa. Jaffa Road literally goes from Jaffa Gate in the Old City to the city of Jaffa, near Tel Aviv. I imagined if there was ever a bike race.
The Ministry of Interior was a pain. I had to use my deafness as an excuse for I insisted on coming in to make an appointment when they mercilessly handed me the number to call to make appointments. The people at Hebrew University (which I did mention) told me that I was better off going to the office in person than to make a call which would take forever to get through. The first woman was helpful… the second one who helped me to make an appointment was so awful. Her English was terrible and she didn’t get why I repeated the date and time after her when she used them as a question. Basically, we both thought the other was an idiot. But I know that she doesn’t know that it’s customary in English to repeat in order to make sure that the person understands what the other says. Still, I felt pretty low after walking out that building. I began to think that maybe I shouldn’t bother leaving Israel after ulpan and just wait until Passover break. This way, I would not have to deal with this interview for a student visa.
Afterwards, I decided to walk back up on Jaffa towards Ben Yehuda. Downtown Jerusalem, from what I can see, is not the prettiest place to be- more of an eyesore. It’s very different from Madrid or Washington, DC. The products from the stores literally spill on the streets so there is almost no reason to go in the store. The store buildings are crowded together that it only takes several paces to walk across the front of a store. A lot of things are Israeli- no imports unless it was Nike or Puma. The only chains that Jerusalem has from the States are the Coffee Bean, Café Aroma, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Sbarro, and McDonald’s. You can feel that Israel, despite its modern technology, is still very much a third world country because of the living standards. Food is ridiculously cheap, especially cheese and produce. I bought a red pepper at Mane’ha for only 40 cents. A medium container of mozzarella cheese balls is $1.75. A large container of strawberries (perhaps around 2 quarts) is for only $3. And these strawberries around here are huge. All I could keep thinking that people who love produce and to cook would be in heaven.
I made sure to get back on the bus before sundown. I did stop by a bakery to buy some rugalech (Mom, where are your homemade rugalech? I’ve been asking for forever!), a chocolate crossiant, and a small cinnamon roll. The rugalech was terrible. The other two were delicious. In addition to the bakey, I stopped at Village Green on Jaffa, right near Ben Yehuda. It is the most amazing vegetarian restaurant that I have ever seen. I cannot wait to go back there with friends- they even sell whole grain breads!
Today, we had a language lab in the last hour of class. UGH!!!!! Fortunately, we only have two more to do for the rest of ulpan. We also had an academic orientation- the director of undergraduate studies at RIS, Yoel, is really great. He makes a lot of jokes and can connect with young people really well. I found out that Hebrew counts as a double class- 7 credits. We have to take a minimum of 16 credits- which I am used to do. So I can choose to stay with 3 classes including my internship or add another one…. I don’t know. Tomorrow, I am going to see my academic advisor. Yoel told us that Middle Eastern Studies political science classes and the Archaeology of Jerusalem class are super popular. The latter sounds interesting but it’s not worth it if the class is going to be huge. Someone asked about field trips- if there is one every week. Yoel reminded us that there is a lecture component so it’s not all fun and games….
Tonight, I went to Nathan and Tobi Bach’s house for dinner. The cab driver who took me wasn’t too knowledge about where their street was in German Colony. He was a nice guy though. But he did sort of rip me off because when I asked the cab driver who took me back to my apartment to turn on the meter, I was charged 10 shekls more. Humrph.
Anyway, Tobi welcomed me with open arms despite me being slightly late. They were simply wonderful and entertaining. She served butternut squash soup, some salad, salmon and potatoes, and some kind of fruit cocktail for dessert. Sophie remembered that I rode horses so she gave me some names for stables around Jerusalem. I was really excited to hear there- perhaps these stables might know of some horseback riding in the north and in the desert (I hate riding camels!) so I can explore Israel in nature. We also talked a lot about the Holocaust. The conversation flow was very smooth. Tobi told me a bit more about how to go about planning my breaks in terms of traveling, especially as women in Jordan and Egypt. They said that they would invite me over for Shabbat in April when Nathan feels better. I told Tobi that I would be more than happy to meet her in downtown for coffee or something. She did not let me go home without a box of cookies.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Sunday School and Mehane Yehuda Shuk
January 28, 2007
Everyone in the apartment felt intimidated by the idea of attending classes on a Sunday. Dena admitted that even though she has been doing this since August, she isn’t still used to doing it, especially for a 8 AM class. Needless to say, we somehow managed to roll out of bed in order to be in class by 9:30 AM.
In Ulpan, Michal taught the first 90 minutes, and then we had a 30 minute break. Much to my disbelief, we actually have a music class after our break. Memories of music class back in middle school came back to me as the choir teacher taught us songs and used her piano. I knew that it was a good way to get more practice in speaking Hebrew but it was not what I had in mind at all. If only there was a different option! Then we had a 15 minute break. Finally, Shira taught the last 90 minutes. We also had our first quiz today. I think I did fine except for maybe 2 questions. I think Shira is tougher than Michal in her manner of teaching Hebrew. Oh well. Two and half weeks to go! We did learn more food words (not different kind of cheeses yet…) and how to ask what we want or drink. The pace is really stunning. I think by Anat’s calendar at Colgate, we’d be in early November.
After classes, I met up with Jessica, Ashley, and few others for a trip to downtown. I got on the bus for the first time- it felt really natural. I’m used to it from riding around D.C. I also got a bus pass that was good for 10 rides. The bus itself was not crowded and we just rode along. It actually bypasses East Jerusalem. On the bus, we met Shirah, who was in the same program as Dena. Shirah mentioned that she was going to the shult, an open air market. The other girls were going to Ben Yehuda to shop. The idea of shopping did not really appeal to me and I had already been to Ben Yehuda on birthright. So I went along with Shirah and met a couple more new people along the way, who were mostly from GWU.
The market was quite interesting. It reminded me of one of the malls in Kyoto where venders line up along the walls and sold their stuff. The place was not very busy as it was late in the day. I saw the biggest lemons and red peppers that I have ever seen. The meat looked pretty sketchy and Shirah told me that I might be better off with grocery store. Everything else looked good and the bread smelled wonderful. There were stands selling dried fruits and nuts too. Apparently, this place is only bad when it’s Friday morning with everyone trying to shop for Shabbat. I bought some mozzarella cheese balls- yum! The security stood at the entrance to make sure no sketchy people would come through.
The weather outside did not look so good- getting kind of dark. It was also getting pretty windy. I talked with Amy, Wendy, and Elliot while waiting for the bus stop about traveling. Amy heard that the girls should not go to Arab countries by themselves, even if it would be a group of them. For every girl that wants to go, she has to find a guy to accompany her. I did not like that idea but I would not be surprised for Egypt. Elliot told us about his plans- two days of diving in Eliat and then travel to Petra. Sounds good to me.
We met up again to go to Hillel’s opening party later on. By then, the weather got very, very windy and we took the bus to the campus. The party itself had quite interesting entertainment- a drummers group! We all had drums and learned some drumming. The performers danced and showed some karate type of moves. They pulled a couple of guys to come up and to follow their lead. It was hilarious, especially when they were asked to try doing some cartwheels. The group also showed us some folk dancing moves and some other instruments too.
I went back with Ben, a classmate, and two of his friends. It was literally monsoon outside. I honestly did not think that Jerusalem could get that kind of heavy rain! We walked through a garage and the buildings to the pedestrian entrance. By then, the rain had stopped. Still, I nearly got soaked wet.
Still no one to go to Paris with me…
Everyone in the apartment felt intimidated by the idea of attending classes on a Sunday. Dena admitted that even though she has been doing this since August, she isn’t still used to doing it, especially for a 8 AM class. Needless to say, we somehow managed to roll out of bed in order to be in class by 9:30 AM.
In Ulpan, Michal taught the first 90 minutes, and then we had a 30 minute break. Much to my disbelief, we actually have a music class after our break. Memories of music class back in middle school came back to me as the choir teacher taught us songs and used her piano. I knew that it was a good way to get more practice in speaking Hebrew but it was not what I had in mind at all. If only there was a different option! Then we had a 15 minute break. Finally, Shira taught the last 90 minutes. We also had our first quiz today. I think I did fine except for maybe 2 questions. I think Shira is tougher than Michal in her manner of teaching Hebrew. Oh well. Two and half weeks to go! We did learn more food words (not different kind of cheeses yet…) and how to ask what we want or drink. The pace is really stunning. I think by Anat’s calendar at Colgate, we’d be in early November.
After classes, I met up with Jessica, Ashley, and few others for a trip to downtown. I got on the bus for the first time- it felt really natural. I’m used to it from riding around D.C. I also got a bus pass that was good for 10 rides. The bus itself was not crowded and we just rode along. It actually bypasses East Jerusalem. On the bus, we met Shirah, who was in the same program as Dena. Shirah mentioned that she was going to the shult, an open air market. The other girls were going to Ben Yehuda to shop. The idea of shopping did not really appeal to me and I had already been to Ben Yehuda on birthright. So I went along with Shirah and met a couple more new people along the way, who were mostly from GWU.
The market was quite interesting. It reminded me of one of the malls in Kyoto where venders line up along the walls and sold their stuff. The place was not very busy as it was late in the day. I saw the biggest lemons and red peppers that I have ever seen. The meat looked pretty sketchy and Shirah told me that I might be better off with grocery store. Everything else looked good and the bread smelled wonderful. There were stands selling dried fruits and nuts too. Apparently, this place is only bad when it’s Friday morning with everyone trying to shop for Shabbat. I bought some mozzarella cheese balls- yum! The security stood at the entrance to make sure no sketchy people would come through.
The weather outside did not look so good- getting kind of dark. It was also getting pretty windy. I talked with Amy, Wendy, and Elliot while waiting for the bus stop about traveling. Amy heard that the girls should not go to Arab countries by themselves, even if it would be a group of them. For every girl that wants to go, she has to find a guy to accompany her. I did not like that idea but I would not be surprised for Egypt. Elliot told us about his plans- two days of diving in Eliat and then travel to Petra. Sounds good to me.
We met up again to go to Hillel’s opening party later on. By then, the weather got very, very windy and we took the bus to the campus. The party itself had quite interesting entertainment- a drummers group! We all had drums and learned some drumming. The performers danced and showed some karate type of moves. They pulled a couple of guys to come up and to follow their lead. It was hilarious, especially when they were asked to try doing some cartwheels. The group also showed us some folk dancing moves and some other instruments too.
I went back with Ben, a classmate, and two of his friends. It was literally monsoon outside. I honestly did not think that Jerusalem could get that kind of heavy rain! We walked through a garage and the buildings to the pedestrian entrance. By then, the rain had stopped. Still, I nearly got soaked wet.
Still no one to go to Paris with me…
Friday, January 26, 2007
Old City and First Shabbat
This morning gave me a glimpse of Israeli life on Fridays. First, I went to the hospital to find out about getting a bone scan, figuring that if many places stay open on Fridays until 2 PM, there’d be a chance that someone would help me out. No such luck- the orthopedic department literally pushed me out and the nurse directed me to the x-rays. Apparently, people really do take Fridays off as the schedule showed Sunday through Thursday at the reception desk. Then I walked to the gym. Its craziness demonstrated how serious Israelis are about making the most of their day offs. I could not get any machine except for a rowing machine. So I did a mix of strength training and rowing.
Let me get this whole deal about Mount Scopus’ fitness center being Jerusalem’s ‘biggest” facility straight. It is not big by the standards of the major gyms I have been to in the States. The number and variety of machines and strength training equipment are rather incomparable. There are twice more treadmills than the number of elliptical trainers and stationary bikes at Mount Scopus. The total number of machine appears to be around 30% less than JCC Rochester’s and Colgate’s. I am still scratching my head over why I paid $250 for my membership throughout this semester. But it is cheaper than at the JCC in Rochester or San Francisco. Plus, as I discovered today on the bus to the Old City, Mount Scopus is really separate from the bustling downtown area. I do not have that kind of time anyway with these buses- if there is a subway, I might re-think where I want to fork over my money for a gym membership. Spinning classes are held at night- no 6 AM classes. I was surprised. I am wondering if Americans are really crammed for time that they need to work out at 6 AM. Well, I’ll learn over my time here to find out the typical Israeli attitudes towards living day to day.
Two buses took us to the Zion Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem. Our marcharims guided us around the Jewish Quarter. I recognized several places where I had been on my birthright trip- the bombed area that revealed the ground floor from the earliest days, the tunnel that hosted the Judica shop where I bought my menorah, and the gold menorah. Of course, we visited the Western Wall. We stopped at a falafel/schwarma place for lunch. They literally stuffed my schwarma with everything- did not even asked me what I wanted for my toppings! Needless to say, I did not finish that thing. Plus, it was not until I went to bed when I checked my change when I realized that they had given me incorrect change for 50 shekls that I gave them. Rrrrr….
The Old City itself was King David’s dream and the project was taken up by King Solomon some time later. It is the first capital of the Jewish people. The Babylonians came and destroyed the First Temple. Then the Persian empire took over and helped the Jews to rebuild the Temple, which became the Second Temple. That was only seventy years later. Next, we came under the Greeks and then the Romans came and destroyed the Second Temple. After that the Christians and Muslims took over- they basically battled constantly over the years for control. Meanwhile, the Jews stayed put. Then the Old City split between Israel/Palestine and Jordan. Very few Israelis know that during the War of Independence, Israeli troops did manage to take over a small portion of the Jewish Quarter. Then there was a power vacuum in which the Jordanians took over. Finally, the Israelis took over in 1967.
The buildings and stones are really beautiful- not grimy or dirty like in Toledo. Also the alleyways are wider. You can see how well preserved the place is- no signs of deterioration or wear except for the streets. It is hard to believe that people are walking on the same paths as their ancestors did many centuries ago. During our tour, we saw a lot of children running around with their backpacks. There must be a school nearby. I was surprised that the children go to school six days a week here but I guessed that it was a yeshiva. They were adorable in their kipaks and long skirts.
I did not go to Shabbat services as I was not clear on where to go. Oh well. I ended up walking around a little with Mitchell, who is from Florida, to explore French Hill a little bit. We could not go into the supermarket that he wanted to check out because it was already closed for Shabbat at 3 PM! We grabbed some stuff at a mini-mart nearby that was preparing to close. All I could think was how the heck I was supposed to entertain myself until dinner. I chose to nap and to watch Aly and Gina dressing up for dinner.
The program threw a Shabbat dinner for over 100 people at the Hyatt Regency. The hotel itself was really massive like any other Israeli hotels I have been to. I met a lot of new people throughout the night and I liked them a lot. When we began the Shabbat prayers, I then remembered why I loved Israel. The power of celebrating Shabbat nationwide felt stronger than any other holiday that I have experienced in the States. Everyone said the same prayers nearly at the same time. I would compare the magic and spiritual connection to Who-ville in Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Really, this whole experience of celebrating Shabbat in Israel is simply amazing and cannot be described in words..
I sat with a bunch of girls (from California and Michigan) and Mitchell. Next to me was a very quiet girl from Argentina and she told me a little bit about where Argentine Jews came from. We also talked a little bit about our birthright trips. What I have noticed from talking to a bunch of people that most of them came back to Israel because of their birthright trip. I made a theory that unless you have been to Israel and know that life is perfectly fine, you would not consider studying here. I think that if I did not go on that trip, I probably would not be so sure about coming to Israel for the semester.
After dinner, I met more new people and we hung out in the courtyard of the village and then moved to someone’s apartment. I found a “small world’ connection with a girl (Lexi) from Philadelphia who actually went to school with one of my friends at Colgate (Rob). I also found someone who wants to explore Jerusalem with me.
Now I can’t wait for the new week and see what it has in store for me.
Let me get this whole deal about Mount Scopus’ fitness center being Jerusalem’s ‘biggest” facility straight. It is not big by the standards of the major gyms I have been to in the States. The number and variety of machines and strength training equipment are rather incomparable. There are twice more treadmills than the number of elliptical trainers and stationary bikes at Mount Scopus. The total number of machine appears to be around 30% less than JCC Rochester’s and Colgate’s. I am still scratching my head over why I paid $250 for my membership throughout this semester. But it is cheaper than at the JCC in Rochester or San Francisco. Plus, as I discovered today on the bus to the Old City, Mount Scopus is really separate from the bustling downtown area. I do not have that kind of time anyway with these buses- if there is a subway, I might re-think where I want to fork over my money for a gym membership. Spinning classes are held at night- no 6 AM classes. I was surprised. I am wondering if Americans are really crammed for time that they need to work out at 6 AM. Well, I’ll learn over my time here to find out the typical Israeli attitudes towards living day to day.
Two buses took us to the Zion Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem. Our marcharims guided us around the Jewish Quarter. I recognized several places where I had been on my birthright trip- the bombed area that revealed the ground floor from the earliest days, the tunnel that hosted the Judica shop where I bought my menorah, and the gold menorah. Of course, we visited the Western Wall. We stopped at a falafel/schwarma place for lunch. They literally stuffed my schwarma with everything- did not even asked me what I wanted for my toppings! Needless to say, I did not finish that thing. Plus, it was not until I went to bed when I checked my change when I realized that they had given me incorrect change for 50 shekls that I gave them. Rrrrr….
The Old City itself was King David’s dream and the project was taken up by King Solomon some time later. It is the first capital of the Jewish people. The Babylonians came and destroyed the First Temple. Then the Persian empire took over and helped the Jews to rebuild the Temple, which became the Second Temple. That was only seventy years later. Next, we came under the Greeks and then the Romans came and destroyed the Second Temple. After that the Christians and Muslims took over- they basically battled constantly over the years for control. Meanwhile, the Jews stayed put. Then the Old City split between Israel/Palestine and Jordan. Very few Israelis know that during the War of Independence, Israeli troops did manage to take over a small portion of the Jewish Quarter. Then there was a power vacuum in which the Jordanians took over. Finally, the Israelis took over in 1967.
The buildings and stones are really beautiful- not grimy or dirty like in Toledo. Also the alleyways are wider. You can see how well preserved the place is- no signs of deterioration or wear except for the streets. It is hard to believe that people are walking on the same paths as their ancestors did many centuries ago. During our tour, we saw a lot of children running around with their backpacks. There must be a school nearby. I was surprised that the children go to school six days a week here but I guessed that it was a yeshiva. They were adorable in their kipaks and long skirts.
I did not go to Shabbat services as I was not clear on where to go. Oh well. I ended up walking around a little with Mitchell, who is from Florida, to explore French Hill a little bit. We could not go into the supermarket that he wanted to check out because it was already closed for Shabbat at 3 PM! We grabbed some stuff at a mini-mart nearby that was preparing to close. All I could think was how the heck I was supposed to entertain myself until dinner. I chose to nap and to watch Aly and Gina dressing up for dinner.
The program threw a Shabbat dinner for over 100 people at the Hyatt Regency. The hotel itself was really massive like any other Israeli hotels I have been to. I met a lot of new people throughout the night and I liked them a lot. When we began the Shabbat prayers, I then remembered why I loved Israel. The power of celebrating Shabbat nationwide felt stronger than any other holiday that I have experienced in the States. Everyone said the same prayers nearly at the same time. I would compare the magic and spiritual connection to Who-ville in Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Really, this whole experience of celebrating Shabbat in Israel is simply amazing and cannot be described in words..
I sat with a bunch of girls (from California and Michigan) and Mitchell. Next to me was a very quiet girl from Argentina and she told me a little bit about where Argentine Jews came from. We also talked a little bit about our birthright trips. What I have noticed from talking to a bunch of people that most of them came back to Israel because of their birthright trip. I made a theory that unless you have been to Israel and know that life is perfectly fine, you would not consider studying here. I think that if I did not go on that trip, I probably would not be so sure about coming to Israel for the semester.
After dinner, I met more new people and we hung out in the courtyard of the village and then moved to someone’s apartment. I found a “small world’ connection with a girl (Lexi) from Philadelphia who actually went to school with one of my friends at Colgate (Rob). I also found someone who wants to explore Jerusalem with me.
Now I can’t wait for the new week and see what it has in store for me.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
First Days in Israel
Shalom all! I’ve decided to open up a blog since it’s much easier for me to communicate with those who are interested in hearing about my adventures in Israel. I will do my best to update when I can.
After leaving Mom at Madrid (don’t worry, the security was just telling me “no toca fotographia por favor”- not interested in my camera), I flew to Tel Aviv. It was an interesting flight actually- I sat with a tour group filled with older people from Dominican Republic. They couldn’t read in English on their travel document to Israel so I had to translate some stuff for them. Fortunately for me, the airlines didn’t speak in Hebrew and Spanish as I feared. Just in English and Spanish.
When I saw Tel Aviv’s beaches through the heavy clouds, I felt a sudden emotional rush. It is hard to describe how I felt because I think those who have deep understanding of Israel’s place in their lives can only understand what I am talking about. As the plane made a wide circle (I guess El Al isn’t the only one who does this maneuver) around the city, I shed several tears. I just could not help myself but think how I was able to stay away from Israel for eighteen months. So in other words, I just cried.
Linda was right there with a big yellow sign welcoming me to Israel in both English and Hebrew. We drove to her kibbutz, which is much different than what people read about when learning about Israel’s history. The kibbutz had changed so much but the sense of the community was still there. When we walked around and Linda talked with several people, I could felt the connection. Everyone still help one and another like tribal groups all over the world. Kibbutz used to be agricultural and now most of the work is done in small factories. Children from the city come in for day care. Children used to have their own society in the “children’s house” and did not live with their families but now they live with their families. Cats and peacocks roamed around freely. The houses were very similar and small- about the size of the original space of the first floor in my house. I enjoyed it all- I am no-frills type of person.
I met the rest of the family except for the two older sisters who were away at school. That’s when I got my first taste of Israeli life that I did not see on my birthright trip. Two memorable moments were: how hot the water can seriously get in Israel and the constant subtitles in Hebrew on English speaking programs. It was really difficult for me to follow a romantic comedy that the son and I were watching because it was in English but the subtitles were in Hebrew. All I knew was that I’ll definitely pick up my Hebrew reading speed by watching television here! Additionally, I asked everyone tons of questions about Israeli culture, transportation, traveling, army, et cetera. I was beginning to understand the huge advantage of doing a home stay while abroad but unfortunately, my program does not offer it.
Linda dropped me off at the Hebrew University the following day. It took forever for me to be called for registration but I got everything done including moving in before the campus tour.
The campus, as I realized over the next few days, is huge. Even the student union, the Forum, cannot be compared to the Coop at Colgate. All the buildings are connected to one and another that other than the signs, you would not know that you are in the next building. It is about 20-25 minutes walk from my dorm to Boyar building, where my program is situated. There is a very old amphitheater behind Boyar that looks over the rest of East Jerusalem and the desert. Linda and my guide told me that on very clear days, you can see the Dead Sea, which is 45 minutes away through a heavily guarded road through the territories. The campus is very nice- a bit like Colgate with a mix of very old and new buildings. There is just a lot of Jerusalem stone that I feel like I can be blinded with all the sun reflection. I hope that I can eventually learn my way around, especially around the Forum. The Forum is a multi level that has an upper floor with three middle floors that it is sort of like a spiral shape. So the post office is not necessarily on the same floor as the travel agency. Down on the bottom floor is the bus station.
Allie told me that students have to pass an English exam in order to be admitted into Israeli universities. My impression thus far is that they probably just barely passed as many hesitated to use their English with me when I asked for directions. It is really hard to meet Israelis overall even though we live in the same buildings as they do. But the use of English in Israel so far is a lot higher than in Spain. I think some of them are afraid to use it because they could tell that I speak fluent English with no Israeli accent. So this means that I should jump in a few campus events in order to meet them where they might be asked to speak in English instead of Hebrew.
I had gotten to know a good number of people over the past few days through the tour, classes, activities, and a bagel brunch that my roommate, who was here last semester, threw. It is really exciting for me to meet people from so many different schools such as McGill, BU, Haverford, Washington University in St Louis, Emory, University of British Columbia, and so forth. In my ulpan class, there are several people who are not from the North America. One is from Turkey. Another is from South Korea. The third one is from Australia (who actually emigrated from the States and went to U of R for graduate school!). I also ran into someone from Argentina and I almost switched my language to Spanish before he deserted me. One of my friends, Allie, was right about the ulpan being the most exciting part in terms of meeting people from all over. One of my roommates said that someone came from Russia. I have enjoyed talking with them and learning a little bit about their cultural background.
The ulpan itself is going well. I am in Aleph 3, which is pretty good! I passed out of Aleph 1 and 2. The system is set up so there are mini-levels within levels. It starts with Aleph and ends at Heh. Aleph 1 is for people who have never seen Hebrew before. There are few in Dalet. The pace is going perfect for me- fast enough so I’m learning several new concepts in a session but we repeat often enough that it almost feels like I am studying in class too. Two instructors alternate days in which they teach. Their names are Shira and Michal and they are very sweet and outgoing. I am absolutely thrilled that I did not need to buy a book since I had checked in advance to see what text they would use. At the end of the day today, we are when it’d be mid-October when I took Hebrew at Colgate. I hope to graduate into Bet by the end of the semester.
My apartment is pretty nice. Maybe it is a little too white since we have light colored floors and bare white windows. We have a common room with a kitchenette (no oven or dishwasher). There are five single bedrooms, two toilet rooms, a shower room with a sink, and a hallway sink. So I have four other roommates. There is Dena, who is a freshman in the First Year Program and keeps kosher. Essentially, if we want to use her little grills, sponges, or utensils, we have to keep kosher. That does not bother me at all. She is from Ohio. The second roommate is Jessica, who is from Seattle and goes to UWashington at Seattle. The third roommate is Allison, who goes to Emory and is a sorority sister (I forgot which one). She told me that despite Emory’s high Jewish population (39%), she was one of the few to go to Israel. The fourth is Gina, who is from Boston and goes to BU. Also a sorority sister… and a business major (hint to Andrew). The third and fourth are alright- not really interactive with the rest of us. Jessica and I are trying to bond but it will take time. In all, they are tolerable to live with. The biggest challenge here is trying to keep the apartment clean between the five of us. Thus far, everyone has been doing a great job in keep the sink clean, which makes me really happy. Judging from their bedrooms, everyone’s fairly tidy. Believe me, you can tell a lot from how people keep their rooms. By the way, my room’s very tiny. I had to move one end of my bed to under my long desk to create a bigger floor space.
Next to the dorms is French Hill, which largely composes of Arabs. I have been told that is a very nice group otherwise the university would have not built their dorms at this spot. There is not very much in there- no real restaurants, cafes, or exciting stores. There is a supermarket along with several little mini-marts. It is just a small neighborhood. Basically, the campus is rather closed-off/isolated from all the action that occurs in downtown Jerusalem. I looked at the local and campus houses- everything generally shuts down by 9-10 PM. Verrryyyy boring at night.
Tomorrow, the program hosting a tour in the Old City with Shabbat services at the Kotel (Wailing Wall, Western Wall) and a Shabbat dinner at the Hyatt Regency. I am looking forward to Shabbat, especially that Israeli wine is really good. And I also miss eating challah.
Good night all!
After leaving Mom at Madrid (don’t worry, the security was just telling me “no toca fotographia por favor”- not interested in my camera), I flew to Tel Aviv. It was an interesting flight actually- I sat with a tour group filled with older people from Dominican Republic. They couldn’t read in English on their travel document to Israel so I had to translate some stuff for them. Fortunately for me, the airlines didn’t speak in Hebrew and Spanish as I feared. Just in English and Spanish.
When I saw Tel Aviv’s beaches through the heavy clouds, I felt a sudden emotional rush. It is hard to describe how I felt because I think those who have deep understanding of Israel’s place in their lives can only understand what I am talking about. As the plane made a wide circle (I guess El Al isn’t the only one who does this maneuver) around the city, I shed several tears. I just could not help myself but think how I was able to stay away from Israel for eighteen months. So in other words, I just cried.
Linda was right there with a big yellow sign welcoming me to Israel in both English and Hebrew. We drove to her kibbutz, which is much different than what people read about when learning about Israel’s history. The kibbutz had changed so much but the sense of the community was still there. When we walked around and Linda talked with several people, I could felt the connection. Everyone still help one and another like tribal groups all over the world. Kibbutz used to be agricultural and now most of the work is done in small factories. Children from the city come in for day care. Children used to have their own society in the “children’s house” and did not live with their families but now they live with their families. Cats and peacocks roamed around freely. The houses were very similar and small- about the size of the original space of the first floor in my house. I enjoyed it all- I am no-frills type of person.
I met the rest of the family except for the two older sisters who were away at school. That’s when I got my first taste of Israeli life that I did not see on my birthright trip. Two memorable moments were: how hot the water can seriously get in Israel and the constant subtitles in Hebrew on English speaking programs. It was really difficult for me to follow a romantic comedy that the son and I were watching because it was in English but the subtitles were in Hebrew. All I knew was that I’ll definitely pick up my Hebrew reading speed by watching television here! Additionally, I asked everyone tons of questions about Israeli culture, transportation, traveling, army, et cetera. I was beginning to understand the huge advantage of doing a home stay while abroad but unfortunately, my program does not offer it.
Linda dropped me off at the Hebrew University the following day. It took forever for me to be called for registration but I got everything done including moving in before the campus tour.
The campus, as I realized over the next few days, is huge. Even the student union, the Forum, cannot be compared to the Coop at Colgate. All the buildings are connected to one and another that other than the signs, you would not know that you are in the next building. It is about 20-25 minutes walk from my dorm to Boyar building, where my program is situated. There is a very old amphitheater behind Boyar that looks over the rest of East Jerusalem and the desert. Linda and my guide told me that on very clear days, you can see the Dead Sea, which is 45 minutes away through a heavily guarded road through the territories. The campus is very nice- a bit like Colgate with a mix of very old and new buildings. There is just a lot of Jerusalem stone that I feel like I can be blinded with all the sun reflection. I hope that I can eventually learn my way around, especially around the Forum. The Forum is a multi level that has an upper floor with three middle floors that it is sort of like a spiral shape. So the post office is not necessarily on the same floor as the travel agency. Down on the bottom floor is the bus station.
Allie told me that students have to pass an English exam in order to be admitted into Israeli universities. My impression thus far is that they probably just barely passed as many hesitated to use their English with me when I asked for directions. It is really hard to meet Israelis overall even though we live in the same buildings as they do. But the use of English in Israel so far is a lot higher than in Spain. I think some of them are afraid to use it because they could tell that I speak fluent English with no Israeli accent. So this means that I should jump in a few campus events in order to meet them where they might be asked to speak in English instead of Hebrew.
I had gotten to know a good number of people over the past few days through the tour, classes, activities, and a bagel brunch that my roommate, who was here last semester, threw. It is really exciting for me to meet people from so many different schools such as McGill, BU, Haverford, Washington University in St Louis, Emory, University of British Columbia, and so forth. In my ulpan class, there are several people who are not from the North America. One is from Turkey. Another is from South Korea. The third one is from Australia (who actually emigrated from the States and went to U of R for graduate school!). I also ran into someone from Argentina and I almost switched my language to Spanish before he deserted me. One of my friends, Allie, was right about the ulpan being the most exciting part in terms of meeting people from all over. One of my roommates said that someone came from Russia. I have enjoyed talking with them and learning a little bit about their cultural background.
The ulpan itself is going well. I am in Aleph 3, which is pretty good! I passed out of Aleph 1 and 2. The system is set up so there are mini-levels within levels. It starts with Aleph and ends at Heh. Aleph 1 is for people who have never seen Hebrew before. There are few in Dalet. The pace is going perfect for me- fast enough so I’m learning several new concepts in a session but we repeat often enough that it almost feels like I am studying in class too. Two instructors alternate days in which they teach. Their names are Shira and Michal and they are very sweet and outgoing. I am absolutely thrilled that I did not need to buy a book since I had checked in advance to see what text they would use. At the end of the day today, we are when it’d be mid-October when I took Hebrew at Colgate. I hope to graduate into Bet by the end of the semester.
My apartment is pretty nice. Maybe it is a little too white since we have light colored floors and bare white windows. We have a common room with a kitchenette (no oven or dishwasher). There are five single bedrooms, two toilet rooms, a shower room with a sink, and a hallway sink. So I have four other roommates. There is Dena, who is a freshman in the First Year Program and keeps kosher. Essentially, if we want to use her little grills, sponges, or utensils, we have to keep kosher. That does not bother me at all. She is from Ohio. The second roommate is Jessica, who is from Seattle and goes to UWashington at Seattle. The third roommate is Allison, who goes to Emory and is a sorority sister (I forgot which one). She told me that despite Emory’s high Jewish population (39%), she was one of the few to go to Israel. The fourth is Gina, who is from Boston and goes to BU. Also a sorority sister… and a business major (hint to Andrew). The third and fourth are alright- not really interactive with the rest of us. Jessica and I are trying to bond but it will take time. In all, they are tolerable to live with. The biggest challenge here is trying to keep the apartment clean between the five of us. Thus far, everyone has been doing a great job in keep the sink clean, which makes me really happy. Judging from their bedrooms, everyone’s fairly tidy. Believe me, you can tell a lot from how people keep their rooms. By the way, my room’s very tiny. I had to move one end of my bed to under my long desk to create a bigger floor space.
Next to the dorms is French Hill, which largely composes of Arabs. I have been told that is a very nice group otherwise the university would have not built their dorms at this spot. There is not very much in there- no real restaurants, cafes, or exciting stores. There is a supermarket along with several little mini-marts. It is just a small neighborhood. Basically, the campus is rather closed-off/isolated from all the action that occurs in downtown Jerusalem. I looked at the local and campus houses- everything generally shuts down by 9-10 PM. Verrryyyy boring at night.
Tomorrow, the program hosting a tour in the Old City with Shabbat services at the Kotel (Wailing Wall, Western Wall) and a Shabbat dinner at the Hyatt Regency. I am looking forward to Shabbat, especially that Israeli wine is really good. And I also miss eating challah.
Good night all!
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