Thursday, October 27, 2011

במבט קדימה

With the Chagim in the past, all the holidays finished and over with, everybody in Israel is back to normal, everyday life. We can officially call ourselves teachers having completed our first full week at school. No observations, no tours, no Seminar, straight up teaching students English. As with anything, there are high's, low's and everything in between. I love the school, the students, and the staff. The overall dynamic is happy and easy-going. The actual Israeli culture of the classroom is the complete opposite of an American classroom. The kids here are like wild animals just released back into the jungle. They yell and scream uncontrollably, they beat the shit out of each other, and they do not listen to their teacher - ever. And then there is the fact that no one puts a stop to it. Of course there are good students that listen and love to learn, but they sadly fall through cracks because of the difficult ones who spend all day disrupting the room. Anna and I have come to save the day. We take a group of four students into separate rooms and teach lessons depending on their levels. Today I was a lone soldier because Anna had to get her Visa (she was on the verge of deportation, but it's all good now). I approached the school, honestly a little nervous, but the day ended up being amazing. When we are able to remove the crazy kids from the classroom, everyone benefits. They like to come with me because I am way cooler than their regular English teacher, Ira, and the kids who like to learn stay in class and finally get the education they deserve. It's amazing how much they already know though, whether it be from movies or from previous years of English class. Every student reported back to Ira how much fun they had with me in my lesson and I left school feeling very accomplished...now think of how it will be in 8 months! I can't say enough how incredible this opportunity is. 
Our other exciting weekly event was Ulpan (intensive Hebrew learning courses). We had our first class on Sunday and our second on Wednesday. Each class is three hours and it will be this way every week until the program ends. There are two levels and I was placed in the higher of the two, so at least I know some of my college courses at SDSU paid off! I can't say I understand 100% of when the teacher talks, better yet I don't think I understand 60%....but I will get there, I am sure. I can say learning and trying to speak another language on a daily basis is exhaustinggg. I love that my brain is always working here - creating lesson plans, trying to speak Hebrew, converting prices, etc., but phew. Siesta's are usually necessary. 

Other than school and Ulpan, it's been quiet around these parts. As a new college grad on a budget, being at party animal status is on the low. However, last night was an exception and a small group of us went dancing at a club called Kinsey. Just relieving some of that stress that builds up when you are a teacher :)

L'hitraot!


Friday, October 21, 2011

Holiday in the Sun

More and more I believe Israeli's are some of the craziest people I have met. It is a guaranteed great time when you are in Israel, and I understand exactly why I feel at home here - because I'm crazy too. I spent the past few days out of Netanya and in Tel Aviv and in the North. I went out to clubs both nights in TLV, first YaYa who was having their last night of the season. Amy, Anna, and I went and danced until they kicked us out around 3 am. We proceeded to an amazing sandwich stand where somehow we convinced the sweet 19 year old sandwich maker to give it to us for practically free. Tastes even better that way! The next night I went to a Merhav Yarkon, which used to be a police department. Danced the night away again and had an amazing time. 

The next day was the return home of Gilad Shalit. I wrote about it in my last entry, but I also mentioned I didn't want to jinx anything. There is still the chance for a jinx because only half of the Arabs have been released, and we never know what they will do. However, he IS home with his family. I watched the news all morning and witnessed his long process of getting home. Even though he was only being help captivate 9 km away in Gaza, they first had to bring him to Egypt for reasons I am not positive of. I watched a terrible interview done with Egyptian media that he was forced into. Of course it is all in Hebrew and luckily I have friends who are able to translate for me. All I can think is how this all is for him. He was in a basement for five years, things do not just go back to normal after that. He was in good health besides his sun deficiency and all the weight he lost, but he did tell his mom that his last two years he was treated well - whatever that means. I pray for him and his family and friends still because this will be a long recovery process. I am SO happy he is home and so happy I can be in Israel to experience it as an Israeli is. Also that day, Amy and I discovered the most delicious hummus restaurant with the best service in Israel. This is shocking because customer service in this country is useless, I would say a 1 on a scale of 10. I will hopefully be going back there again very soon! That night the three of us girls plus two of Anna's friends from home in Chicago started our adventure to "Neverland." We were going to Neverland Electronic Music Festival near the Kinneret. The location of the music festival stays a secret until an hour before it begins, then you have to call a phone number that gives you directions. Sketchy, I know, but totally worth it. It was pitch black when we got there and setting up our broken tent was nearly impossible until our nice neighbors, Tal and Naor, helped us set up our little home. They connected our tent with their roof made of tapestries and let us sit on their mats. Thank goodness for them! 

Not many people had arrived when we did, so we just hung out at home base for a while. When we got antsy we migrated to one of the two music tents and the 50 people inside were dancing like wild Indians to intense Dubstep. From then on it was party central. No one slept, we watched the sun come up, danced, made friends, and flat out had an amazing time. It was exactly like a 24 hour Coachella, except worse music and all Jews :)

It was so fun to be a part of it and be one of very little Americans at an event like this. I love that I get to experience stuff like this. When I think about going home, I think of how strange it will be to walk into a bar, grocery store, mall, etc. and NOT be surrounded by Jewish people. It will be so strange to start my work week on a Monday and not a Sunday anymore. It will be weird when everything is open on Shabbat and every other Jewish holiday. All these things are what I am loving about living in this country. I am loving that every person I meet tells me how happy they are that I am here. I am entering my real job here, teaching English, with such a positive attitude and such a fun month and half behind me. I couldn't ask for anything more! Well, I could pray that my family comes to visit me :)

L'hitraot!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Rocky Boats and Lots of "Meshugaga"

There is a lot to celebrate right now here in Israel. We are in the middle of Succot - a holiday where the Jews re-enact how our ancestors once dwelled in Sukka's while they wandered in the desert for over 40 years. It is also a time to celebrate the beginning of the Fall Harvest. Today, I walked to the beach in Netanya and passed many different Sukka's throughout town. It is so fun to see! Back home, we have a Sukka at temple, but never all over the streets. So awesome to see here.

Last week we took a late night trip to Jerusalem. Between the days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are the "Selichot." These are the days were we really ask for forgiveness and repent for our sins. Jerusalem is home to the very famous Wailing Wall, aka Western Wall, aka Kotel. During the days of Selichot Jews from ALL OVER Israel come to this destination to pray together for 30 minutes (I believe from 11:30 pm - 12 am). This 30 minutes is intense and strongly united. To actually reach the wall you must push and fit you way through the body-to-body crowds of people. It does not make it easy when the elderly have taken chairs in the midst of the balagan (chaos). You don't see them and then all of a sudden you are stumbling over them. Another obstacle is the fact that when you are ready to walk away from the wall, you must never turn your back to it. The women trying to walk backwards through this crowd make it almost impossible for the rest of us to walk forward. Sound ridiculous? It is! But is powerful and amazing. It is an experience that you must have at least once in your life.
ALL ABOARD!
After that we celebrated Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. For a 25 hour period we fast. Without satisfying our needs for food, we are atoning for all the sins we have performed in the past year. This is also a time to say all of our sorry's. Here is Israel, it is not only eating that we put off for 25 hours, it is also driving and TV watching. Try watching that TV and you'll get a whole lotta nothin'. Try getting in that car and possibly risk getting rocks thrown at you. The highway is completely empty, as well as our bellies. No eating also means no drinking, even water. After the 25 hours are up, we break fast with a big, beautiful, and highly anticipated meal. My personal experience was that Friday morning I went back to Miriam's home. Not much time passed, not even a new blog post, before I went back to spend with my dear friend and newly adopted third grandmother. We relaxed and watched movies and relaxed some more. Sunday she invited me to her weekly coffee date with her girlfriends at one of the biggest and best malls in Israel. I loved it! I met her girlfriends and chatted with them a bit in English a bit in Hebrew over a nice hot cup of Kafe Hafook (cappuccino) and then wandered the stores. I bought myself a very inexpensive and cute pair of mishkafe shemesh (sunglasses) and sandals. We headed home, ate some lunch, packed my bags and I headed to the Haifa port where I met up with my friends to board our ship!

In Cyprus at Larnaka Beach: Jenette, Amy, Alana, Anna.
The Royal Iris was waiting for us, ready to begin a wild three days cruisin' the sea to Cyprus. Much different than an American cruise line, this ship was not about all-day buffets and activities. It was about laying in lounge chairs and exploring the island of Cyprus (the Greek side). Not complaints though! Besides the heavy rocking and the very bad hangover on the last day, I had so much fun! It was literally spring break '07 and I loved it all. 

On the ship, our neighbors were a group of 16 year old boys. On the second night were passing their room to get ready for the night ahead when they stopped us to say, "Gilad Shalit is coming home." This statement didn't set in for at least a minute or two. Rumors have circulated in the past and after five years, you really doubt you are going to hear this statement. But they invited us to watch Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel's Prime Minister) speak about the deal that had been made between Israel and Hamas leaders with the help of Egypt and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Israel is to release 1,027 Palestinian terrorist prisoners in exchange for the release of Gilad Shalit. This is an agreement that has taken over five years to come to because it is heavily loaded. It is awful news for those victims of terrorist attacks, it is scary for what may happen in the future, and people aren't ready to really celebrate until he is physically home with his family. To be present in Israel for this historical moment leaves me speechless. I am so honored and feel so patriotic. As a Jew and as current resident of Israel, I entirely agree with Netanyahu when he explained in his speech that one human life is equivalent to this whole nation. To some it doesn't make sense how 1,027 lives is equal to one, but to me and to other Israelis, it does. We expect him home by next week! To stay updated on all of this please use www.JPost.com.
Bon Voyage!

There are 10 more days until we return to teaching and begin Ulpan lessons! I expect to go to concerts, go to the beach, and explore more of Israel. Therefore you can expect more blogs and more excitement :)

Monday, October 3, 2011

Back to School!

Miriam and I at Betzlet Beach.
Rosh Shanah was a relaxing few days in Haifa with the WONDERFUL Miriam Levy and her family. Miriam is the mother of a very dear friend of my Dad and Step Mom. I have met her before back in the states when she has come to visit her daughter in Redondo Beach and she always told me if I was ever in Israel to come visit and stay with her. So, I did! She invited me over for a nice new year's dinner and place to rest my keppi. It was awesome to just do nothing and hang out and have a grandma figure here in Israel. I was surrounded by Hebrew and did the best I could at conversing and learning new words. I already have a date to go back this weekend for Yom Kippur :)

The Sea from the Lebanon/Israel border.
 
Finally....the moment we have all been waiting for....
School has started! Yesterday was my first day visiting my school - Shorashim - that I will be at for the rest of the year. It is a 25-30 minute walk from my apartment and the kids are a mix of Israeli's and Russian immigrants. The young ones are adorable and polite and the older ones are animals. Of course, the small amount of English they know includes "Modder Fucker." We're gonna have to work on that. The school is like any other elementary school, very colorful with a very friendly staff. There is even a room where they have small, fury animals (rabbits, hamsters, and an iguana) for the kids to play with and learn about. My teaching partner for the year is my friend Anna. We randomly, and thankfully, got placed together which is awesome. We have a great time picking out which kids will be heart-breakers and which will be serial killers when they grow up. She also knows fluent Russian which helps her communicate with about half of the students. These two days have just been getting to know the school, the teachers, the kids, the way the system works, and observing it all. The kids get a long break for Yom Kippur and Succot so we don't actually start teaching and working with them until October 23. In the meantime, I will be going back to Haifa, then on a cruise to Cyprus! Then even maybe a music festival! Everything is better than I could ask for. 

As I went for a jog along the beach promenade last night, I realized how lucky I am. How much I hope everyone gets experiences similar to mine in their life. I really hope the things I do now will encourage others to do later. There aren't really words to describe how I feel I have grown as a person even in this short month and my predictions for the impact the next year will have. I feel God has blessed me with an amazing pair of eyes that have gotten to see the greatest things and the most amazing parts of the world. It is incredible to be traveling WITH PURPOSE. To be going out, having fun, making friends, but then stepping into a classroom to help improve a child's whole life. An incredible feeling.