AA: Adventures Abroad

People always say, "life can pass you by in the blink of the eye", or something along the lines of that, and it's true, life moves at a fast pace and if you don't stop and appreciate it, you will miss out on many opportunities. This past weekend was a perfect example, while many people on my program were traveling away in parts of Israel (that being my original plan to), I ended up staying local, cooked Shabbat dinner with my roommates and a couple friends, trying to get my tan on at the Gordon Beach on Saturday and spontaneously decided to take a day trip with my 3 other roommates to Jerusalem on Sunday (it might have been a decision we made while intoxicated but that's besides the point). Because when you're in a country as small as Israel, it's imperative to take advantage of every and all opportunity. While in Jerusalem, we walked down Ben Yehuda street and admired all the small Judaica Jewelry shops and wandered throughout the Mahane Yehuda Shuk. Although I've been here for a little bit over a month, this was the first time that I've really hung out with my roommates, just us four as a room and it was really nice. The night before our adventurous trip we checked out the club Solo, this time in the back in the "Green Room" where we met a new and upcoming Rapper from Israel, it was super casual, he gave us his CD too...bringing that back to America, everyone get ready for it! Flip-flop to Monday where I decided to skip class because I'm sick, again. Might as well just call me the sickling, hopefully my immune system will get stronger with the air out here (one can only hope). In case you were all wondering, I am taking classes here - they're just not that important to talk about...my favorite so far is called Jewish Education. And tonight we have our first walking tour of the surrounding areas of campus during my 100 Years: The History of Tel Aviv and Jaffa walking class! In the next coming weeks I have so much to look forward to: the OSP (Overseas Studies Program) South trip to Masada and the Dead Sea, one of my best friends from camp is coming next weekend, and then my brother comes to Israel!!!!! Finally, I cannot wait for the two Marines to be reunited, it's going to be magical. And then Purim is in three weeks!!! The time is flying by, so I have to savor every moment and seize every day!

Education(vacation) Abroad

I know you've all been dying to hear the updates of my life, it's okay to admit it, I've been dying to write this blog post, but I've actually been pretty busy this past week. So, this past week my "vacation" has turned to a reality and classes have started...like what, who takes classes abroad??!?!?! Blech. My schedule is as follows, two classes on Monday, two on Tuesday, two on Wednesday and one on Thursday. I figured that I wanted to have something every day, because what I've realized since being here is that I crave structure. As much as I love my downtime, I need some planning in my life.
My classes are decent, the one I like best is called: Jewish education, my teacher has a funny little accent and the class is very interesting because it puts my education into perspective since I was a public school kid. Another class I'm taking is called 100 Years: The History of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, we go on walking tours all around the city of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. I'm excited to finally learn my way around, hopefully by May I'll know where I'm going. OOOOhhh more updates, I got my Rav-Kav (bus card) and today I received a small package from home from a family friend on Shenkin street, who just arrived in Israel. Finally, I got my gummy vites and my pearls, thanks m&d, so much appreciation, so happy to have my pearls back (even if they're twice the size of my original pair). Shenkin street is super hip and trendy, a side street from the area by the Shuk in central Tel Aviv. I bargained with my two taxi drivers for a ride there and home of 45 shecks, when it probably should've cost me 60....I'm getting a lot better at my bargaining game (kindasortanotreally). Then because I was feeling adventurous, I decided to walk back down the street that I came from, for a good half hour before getting in a cab. I passed familiar stores and restaurants, and actually for the first time since being here, felt like I got the directions down, like I actually knew where I was, me, knowing my way (#notreallife)! It was a great feeling.
A little while after I got home, my roommates and I made dinner. We sautéed vegetables, made Israeli salad, guacamole, and I made a frozen veggie patty that I got at the super market the other day. We finished the quarter filled bottle of wine on our table and then ran out to the 24/7 store on the corner for a bottle of raspberry bubbly and white Riesling, until we got back to see that we didn't have a bottle opener....oy. I've started a challenge with myself of daily journaling and exercise, both are perfect additions to my crazy life, they provide me with some down time, some me time that I've been missing. And for the biggest update, I booked my final destination flight for spring break to Berlin! I'm so excited to travel! And I had my first Shakshuka, poached eggs in a tomato sauce with onions, chili peppers and cumin, so so so freaking delish. Time for da bubbly, ta ta for now.

The Life of a Rasta

Now that I've finally finished Ulpan, I can successfully say that I am fluent in Hebrew, okay just kidding, I'm not really at that level yet, but I'm a lot better than I was when I started! It's a cool feeling, being able to understand when other Israeli's talk and I've even been trying to talk to Israeli's that I meet, רק בעברית (only in Hebrew...it's not going too well, but I'm working on it). Anyway, this week was a mishmash of events. I'm finally starting to feel better, I've had a bad cold for basically the entire time since we've been here and I'm beginning to feel more cultured in Israel. Crazy enough, we've been here for just a little over a month and I know that the short month of February is going to fly by! Anyway, since I've finally been feeling better, I figured why not go out and start a cycle of getting sick, feeling better, then going out...it's pretty messed up if you think about it, but I guess that's just part of being abroad? LOLZ, no judgement plz. Last night in honor of the best holiday ever, Valentine's Day, we decided to go to this big Valentine's Party on the Nemal (the port of Tel Aviv) at a club called Hangar 11. The party was poppin' and the venue was cool, the club was both inside and outside and crowded with people. There were a couple girls studying at Haifa University who came to Tel Aviv for the weekend and I ended up meeting up with an old friend from pre-school! Hey HZT, there are three of us here in Israel...such a small world, but really cool too. I'm spending the weekend here in Ramat Aviv, staying local. We start real classes next week and one of my classes is an internship as well, so I'm excited for that to begin. Next weekend a couple friends and I are thinking about going up north to Tzefat or Haifa or both. Welp, that's my life, this past week it hasn't been 2exciting. I promise, I'll make up for it next week. Can't wait to not have Sunday classes and be able to be more relaxed rather than always feeling "on-the-go". OH BTW everyone, I got a hair wrap at this little joint called "Kundala Rasta", it's gold and multi-colored! And I made homemade chicken soup on the little hot-pot stove in my room to cure my cold. Anyway, hope everyone back home is staying safe in the crazy snow, ya'll should come to Israel, the weather's gorgeous. Tata for now, שבת שלום!

On that Northern Grind

"This is the most adventurous thing I think I've ever done", I said to my two friends as we climbed aboard the All-terrain vehicle (ATV) in the Golan Heights. The wind was blowing in our face and the engine was revved up, ready to go. Was I ready? That I was a little unsure about. This past weekend, I went on a Shabbaton to the Golan Heights, an area in the North of Israel. I only knew what I read on the itinerary which was short, sweet, but left the details out. Anyway, my time in Israel is scarce and I want to be able to do everything and anything provided, to live out the experience to the fullest...but before we go to far, I put the limit at driving the ATV, I only wanted to be a passenger. Me + driving an ATV = 2much2handle. Boy what a freaking ride. It was the most amazing, scary, exhilarating, crazy and definitely most adventurous thing I've ever done. We stopped halfway to see the view at the Ramot Naftali lookout - a view of the Hula Valley, the Golan Heights, Mt. Hermon and southern Lebanon. Wow. What a view!!

After we ATVed, we ventured to the Galil Winery, where we swished our cups and took in the grapey smells of the wine. If I'm going to be honest though, the wine wasn't that good...not that I'm a connoisseur of any type, but I like my wine White and bubbly (Moscato is my fave). After that, we took the bus to our Hotel up north. I use the term hotel very lightly, as that was what it was explained to us on the itinerary, but a hotel....not so much. We had the pleasure of staying in hostel-like quarters in the Keshet Moshav in the Golan heights. We learned, once outside the Moshav, which is a cooperative community of famers, we were about 4 kilometers from Syria...kewl. We celebrated Shabbat dinner in the חדר אוכל (dining room) of the Moshav and then slept a respective 11 and a half hours, even with the semi-icky bed conditions, we passed out immediately. It was a long weekend, but full of new experiences. I met some new people on my program and bonded with them, which was great. I'm happy to be back "home" in Tel Aviv or Ramat Aviv, whatever you want to call it, and our last week of Ulpan starts tomorrow. ברוך השם (thank God), not that I don't enjoy Ulpan, I just don't enjoy waking up for it. On a good note, I'm fluent in Hebrew on the DL (down-low)....okay, fluent might be a stretch, but I am definitely rocking it out in the real world. It's really a great feeling being able to understand a once "foreign" language, which is now becoming extremely familiar.

Jerusalem, If I Forget You

Yesterday was probably one of the longest days of my life, but worth every moment. The day started at 6:15 AM when I woke from my alarm to get on a 7 AM bus to Jerusalem. Having not been back to Jerusalem since 10th grade, I was extremely excited but exhausted as well. Our itinerary for the day was as follows: a tour of the Knesset (Israel's Parliament Government Building), a stop at the Tayelet (a look-out of the city of Jerusalem), Mahane Yehuda Market (Jerusalem's Shuk), the Kotel, Old City of Jerusalem and the Jewish Quarter, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, then a buffet dinner, with some free time thrown into the crazy day. As we pulled into Jerusalem, I was filled with a rush of emotions - familiarity, love, warmth, spirituality and culture. I was instantly happy and the scenery was gorgeous with a bright sunny day that definitely needed a pair of sunglasses.

To put it simply, Jerusalem is amazing. I was so happy to be back, to experience some of the same adventures that I had in 10th grade, but with a different group of people and a well-balanced maturity now that I never had back in high school. Everything was extremely different than the life I've been living in Tel Aviv - a more social, young, vibrant, international city whereas Jerusalem is more spiritual and religious. Both have their perks, I am very happy to be living in Tel Aviv, but Jerusalem is the perfect diversion, I'm excited to go back and spend a weekend there. At the Shuk, I purchased some dried fruit and nuts and tasted bits and pieces from each stand - the ginormous strawberries were delicious, the fruit is so fresh here.

As a foreigner in Israel, the Kotel/Western Wall is a huge tourist attraction and even though I've been there a handful of times while living in Jerusalem on TRY, the wall never ceases to amaze me. I value the different experiences I have there every time, I wrote wishes and stuck them into crevices in the wall and was able to see my friends' emotions as for some of them it was their first time there. And the best yet was being able to see two of my closest friends from Indiana University who are studying abroad at Hebrew University come to see me - I haven't seen them in about a year --- you know what they say, "next year in Jerusalem" which was where we all ended up being. 

Since the day was so jam-packed, each activity was extremely short...I'm already ready to go back to Jeru, who wants to come?. I can't believe how quickly the semester is flying by, with it already being February I need to take advantage of everything here. I'm excited to start traveling more and trying new things. Oh and just btw to everyone, I got an 100% on my last Ulpan test, I'm trying to use it more and more in public places and Taxi's, maybe I will become bilingual, that's the ultimate goal! Hope you're all enjoying the snow while I'm soaking it up in the sun.