As I took off from Newark Aiport I realized I was about to start the best experience of my life to date and I had no clue what Israel had in store for me. I was nervous because of not knowing what would happen and excited to see what would happen.
The flight was really long and I didn't get much sleep. I schmoozed with Marissa, a fellow Rothberger (Rothberg International School is the name of the program). I got the airport and was greeted by my Cousin Avraham. It was nice to see family in an unfamiliar place. We then went to our apartments where I didn't meet any roommates all day. Then I went on a trip to a mall in the city where I met more Rothbergers
Later that Night I met roommate number 1: Jenny. She was away for the weekend but left some goodies to welcome roommates. She's an American from Kentucky/Virginia who's here as a grad student.
Then the balagan of Ulpan began...I went to the first class which I, along with my classmate Jessie, realized this wasn't the right placement since we both had taken Hebrew for a year already. So we talked to the teacher who told us to go talk to someone who told us to talk to someone else...and after all that I was placed into Alef Intermediate (rather than begginer).
I walked in and the teacher was talking in Hebrew and was trying to tell me that they were playing bingo...but I was a bit overwhelmed and she said "Ata medaber ivrit?" (do you speak Hebrew?). I finally realized that we were playing Bingo and then ended up winning! So, I was overwhelmed, but that's what Ulpan is supposed to be... you feel like your drowning in Hebrew and then you learn more and reach the surface. It's a great class with great teachers. We have people fro all over the world. The US, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Germany, Slovenia, and Israel. It's weird, I've never been in a class with so few Americans. It gives you a real global perspective. Then you start hearing all of them talk in other languages and wish that Americans were able to speak more than just English and Un poco de espanol. Well, that's another story for another blog.
After the first day I met roommate number 2: Alma. She's in the same program as I am and from California.
That week the Madrichim (couselors/RAs/guides) organized get to know you games which was a lot of fun. I then went to look for the shuk with some friends...
We waited a while for the bus and then finally got on it and the bus driver told us when to get off. So we did, and got lost so one of the people who spoke hebrew decently asked a security guard how to get to the Shuk. He told us it was closed and to come back at 1 for the bars, with him. So, we decided not to take his advice and started walking to see what we would find and lo and behold we ended up on Ben Yehuda (major pedesteridan/tourist area) in the City Center. We had falafel and watched a mime on stilts walk around. And then a dance broke out in the middle of the street and I was about to join when I saw Anat from UMass walking by me and we were both equally shocked to see each other and then we schmoozed for a bit. Only in Israel.
That night I realized that this wasn't just an experience to be had once and then it's over like my 10 day trip with Prozdor...I'm going to be here until January so I'll have more fun times like this in the future.
That weekend the OSA (Office of Student Activities) organized a Shabbat Dinner at the nearby hotel. we had good food and fun singing Shabbat songs while I helped some people along who wanted to learn the songs. A few of us walked back and schmoozed for a bit after the dinner. The next day they had lunch sponsored by the shul on campus in an apartment in the Kfar HaStudentim(Student Village...where I live). There was also a Sedua Shlisit (Third meal/Dinner) at the Jeff Seidel Student Center. Basically a place for learning and for international students to go.
The next week after assuming that Alma, Jenny, and I would be the only people living in the apartment...I met Roommate number 3: Yitz. He walked in with his full army uniform and gun after being in the reserve duty of the army. I wasn't to sure what was going on until I realized he was my new roommate.
Now, that day I also got Internet from the evil of all evils: Bezeq. I had called them the day before and asked for the internet to be hooked up and the guy said "Ok, I will make the construction and you will be surfing the internet tommorow...ok, Mr Josh?:" The "construction" was the set up...altought he was translating it wrong. This line has become a running joke with my roommates and I. That line unleased the curse of Bezeq onto the apartment.
So, then the next day I hooked it up but it wasn't working...it would freeze whenever I turned it on. So, Yitz, Alma, and I called someone else from Bezeq to ask for wireless and he said that he would put a modem into all of our rooms. So, we agreed but the next day the guy never showed up and my computer was still freezing. oy gevalt! (will be continued later)
So, that night I ended up having dinner at a friends apartment (the same group I went to Ben Yehuda with). We had a nice time and a lot of laughs.
That weekend I went up to the
Golan for another trip with OSA. We hiked to Gamla...an synagouge that they found where the Jews died fighting the Romans. It was a hot day and was hard to get through but we got through and we were all encouraging each other. It wasn't as but the Shabbat was nice and relaxing after a long hike. We made Kabbalat Shabbat (Shabbat evening prayers) with the group outside. It was nice to see all the mountains in the distance while davening (praying). We also played some fun games with the Madrichim at night. The next day we walked to a cemetery where there was a statue of an Trumpeldor, an Israeli hero. Later on we swam in a pool, had dinner, made Havdalah (end of shabbat) and went back. So, it was a nice time but then I was back to Ulpan and Bezeq craziness. I called Bezeq up to help me with the freezing problem...but they said that they couldn't do anything, it was my computer's problem. So, I didn't feel like wasting money to fix my computer for 4 months of internet use so I decided to cancel. Then they decided to give me a "special deal" after I called them again trying to cancel. So, The guy with the deal, called me back later and said it would be for 9 months which I said wasn't good...and then he said he would give it to me for free and would have to talk to the wire providers to see how much they would charge (In Israel, the ISP and equipment suppliers are 2 different companies). So I did but they didn't speak English. So, I decided to forget it and cancelled.
That week Roommate 4 moved in: Eric from New York who I had met on the group flight. He's here for a year, doing the same program I'm doing.
That weekend I went to spend a Shabbat with my Family in Efrat. Had a nice time there, met a few cousins. They were speaking Hebrew a lot, which I could understand somewhat, which meant Ulpan was helping me. The other funny thing was that I found out that one of my cousins is friends with my Roommate Yitz, since my cousins lived in Philli for a while and Yitz grew up there. Ah, Jewish Geography.
The next week I decided to venture across Jerusalem with my roommate Jenny to get internet with a Talk N' Save wireless modem after I cancelled Bezeq once and for all! And we did...finally I had internet. At the same time I got a call from Rebecca, a friend of mine and my families from New York to meet since she was visiting Jerusalem with her parents.
Jenny, Eric, and I met them the next day on Ben Yehuda...and then we went with Rebecca to a bar where they gave Eric and I Nachos that was really Doritos or as the waitress put it "They're like Doritos but Mexican."
That week we had a midterm in Ulpan which I did ok on. I had to write a story, so I wrote one about Harry Potter.
Then I met Rebecca again this time with the whole crew from the apartment. While wating for Becca I ran into my cousin who knows Yitz and Yitz introduced us, since he wasn't there the weekend I was in Efrat. It was yet another random Ben Yehuda meeting.
My roommates and I decided to go to an Argeninian steak place, El Gaucho which was a nice place and Becca came a little later. The waiter spoke Spanish, Herbew, and English...which was weird because Alma was talking to him in Spanish and Yitz was talking to him in Hebrew. So, the 2 languages I sort of know were being spoken. I wasn't sure if I was in Israel or Argentina.
The next day I left for Tel Aviv with John from Ulpan/group flight, Ryan from the group flight, Meira from Ben Yehuda trip 1, Marissa...the one I sat next to on the group flight, and Sam from Sudbury, and Tammy from the Ben Yehuda trip. We got there and checked into the hostel and then shmyed around at Nahalat Binyamin, an outdoor artsy market. John, Ryan, and I then walked to the beach and schmoozed for a bit there with them. We then met Sam and Mallory from UMass and ate dinner while watching the sun set. At night we went to the beach where we sang Jewish songs and I also entertained them with Master of the House.
The next day John, Ryan, and I walked to Yafo. An ancient city with much history. It's the place where Yonah got his ship when he didn't want to go to Nineveh. There was a church we went into which was having a service all in Latin, we didn't stay that long though...none of us knew what was going on. Then, we went back and met everyone else, had lunch, and then we to the beach. The water was so warm! Then we went back to Jerusalem in a sherut (shared taxi).
The next day I met Becca and her parents for dinner and we talked about all things Israel.
Later that week, I went to a wedding of one my cousins and met the whole family! It was nice to finally see everyone. It was in a cave which was interesting, they were all dancing the hora and such...after the Chuppah they played "shout" which everyone was suprised about.
The next day I had an Interview for an internship with the Ethiopian National Project. It seems like I would be possibly teaching theater with teenagers while blogging about it, or maybe fundraising, it sounds like a good oppurtunity with a lot of things to do
That weekend I stayed in the Kfar HaStudentim. Went to Kabbalat Shabbat outside and then had dinner with Ryan. The next day the Shul on campus sponsored another lunch and Sedua Shlisit in an apartment.
This week, I had Ulpan as usual, we went on a field trip to the first neighborhood outside of the Old City. It was built by the Monetefiori family. It was all in Hebrew and I understood it! My hebrew is getting better.
Today I had a test in Ulpan and then went to Audition for "Annie" (in English). It's a musical put on by the Hillel. I sang Master of the House and then he had me improv for a few charecters. It's a big time commitment but it should be a lot of fun. Theater in Israel!
That brings us to today. I hope you enjoy reading it and I'll try to update weekly from now on.
That brings us to today. I hope you enjoy reading it and I'll try to update weekly from now on.
L'hitraot! (see you later)
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