I want to start out by saying that I am sorry. I know some of you are waiting to see pictures of where I live. I have been a bit lazy lately; I have yet to take a single picture since arriving in Israel. I am not making any promises, but eventually, pictures will be up. Also, for those of you who were wondering, my electricity came back on at about 5pm on Monday night. The flashlights I left out were utterly unnecessary.
Tuesday was a very productive day in the life of Sondra. It was my first day in the next level at ulpan. While the teacher isn't as engaging and energetic as the teachers in the previous class, I think the level is better for me. The class goes beyond grammar review and sentence completion. There is a lot more listening, reading comprehension, and writing. While the other class was a breeze for me, this one challenges me to think. I can actually synthesize what I have learned instead of just doing worksheets of rote conjugation. I have more homework in this class, as well, but that is good because I feel like it is really pushing me to learn. The grammar in this class is still a review for me, but I am being challenged in terms of vocabulary, reading and speaking.
After ulpan and a quick lunch, I took the bus back to town with a couple of friends. The bus came just after we got to the stop, so the timing was perfect. We were a bit of a big group and there weren't enough seats for us, so we just stood in a clump by the back door, out of the way of everyone. We drove for a few minutes, and suddenly the bus stopped. We weren't at a stop, so I thought it was a bit bizarre. I looked up to the front of the bus to see why we had stopped. I realized that we had pulled up toward the middle of the road and that our driver was chatting with the driver of another bus. Cars behind our bus and the other one were honking, and it was so Israeli when the two drivers just continued their conversation ever so nonchalantly. Eventually we continued on, and I would like to say that the rest of the ride went on without a hitch, but that is just not the case. A few minutes later, an elderly woman punched me in the elbow (right on my funny-bone) and yelled at me in Hebrew: our English-speaking group needed to be quiet because she had a headache. While we weren't being particularly loud, I relayed the message to my friends and we toned it down. A few minutes later she hit my friend and told him she felt like she was at the zoo because we were acting like animals. At that point we had been talking in near whispers. She kept at it though, calling us a bunch of dirty animals. At that point we all burst out laughing. It was just too much. It would be one thing if we were actually being loud, but really, there was no excuse. Luckily the next stop was ours.
After my lovely bus ride, everything else went swimmingly. I got a cell phone plan, I met some friends for shopping in the shuk, and I had an interview for a babysitting position. All in all, it was a good day. A couple friends from ulpan also ended up coming to town later in the evening, so I met up with them for drinks.
Wednesday and Thursday were pretty typical days at ulpan. I am settled into my class and I now have friends in the class that sit near me. The afternoons have also been pretty typical. I worked on a writing sample for my grad school application, applied to grad school, met up with friends, went out to eat with my roommate, shopped and cooked a bit , and started to get into a routine. It's great that a lot of my friends from ulpan come into town in the afternoons and evening, and I see my friends from school (U of I) who are here for the semester pretty regularly too. The transition has been a relatively smooth one. My next task is to meet Israelis and speak more Hebrew. This weekend, I am going to my host family in Kiryat Gat (they were my host family from this past summer's volunteering program), so I will get a lot of Hebrew practice there. I will also get a home cooked meal. Yum!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
...I was out for drinks and...
Thursday night in Israel marks the beginning of the weekend. This weekend started back at Beit Canada, the absorption center where ulpan takes place and where a lot of my friends live. There was a group activity in honor of Tu B'Shvat in the evening. We sang and danced and had a good time. After the program, I went back downtown with a couple of friends. After walking around and getting the requisite falafel b'pita we decided to go sit in a bar. All was going well: we found a table, sat down, and ordered. When the first of our drinks came out, our waitress spilled it. It wasn't really a big deal--only a quarter of it spilled--until the person whose drink spilled asked for a new one. It was so Israeli when our server would not replace the drink stating in English, that it was "impossible." In the US, nobody would have thought twice about the request: if the server spills the drink, it is replaced no questions asked. We ended up canceling our order and leaving--I guess you could say we were being Israeli too.
Friday, (the first day of the weekend) was a good one. I slept in, visited an artist friend who was working at the art fair a few blocks from my apartment, went to the shuk, and did some pre-Shabbat cooking. I spent Shabbat with a group of friends from the states on Har Hatzofim, the campus of Hebrew University. Friday night, we were hosted for a meal by a religious family in Maalot Dafna, a nearby neighborhood. What we thought would be an intimate (or somewhat intimate, considering we alone numbered 12) meal turned out to be a huge gathering of people from all walks of life. A rabbi and his wife and 14 children host a huge Shabbat meal for about 80 people every week. It was cool to see so many people coming together from such different places in life. Throughout the meal, people stood up and offered words of wisdom, family traditions, or a song. It was a very festive (and delicious) meal.
Saturday was spent mostly in bed. I slept in and then had a picnic with some friends. The Jerusalem sun was divine. I was warm in just a long sleeve shirt and skirt! After the picnic, I decided that a nap was in order and thus slept the rest of the afternoon. That evening, after a potluck dinner, I turned in early because I had ulpan bright and early Sunday morning.
Yesterday (Sunday--not a weekend here) was a pretty typical day. I woke up, went to ulpan, ate some lunch, ran a few errands, came home, cooked, ate, and relaxed. In the evening, I met up with some friends to watch the Bears game, only to be met with devastation. It was nice to watch the game and have a taste of home, but at the same time, it was so Israeli when my friends and I munched garinim (seeds--in our case, sunflower seeds) throughout the game. I have finally mastered the art of eating them without making a mess of myself.
Today (Monday) has been an interesting one. The good news is that I am moving up a level in ulpan! The bad news is the class is full to capacity. I had to wait for someone else to switch out of that class before I could join. Tomorrow is the day! More interestingly, though, I have no electricity in my apartment building today. I got a call from my roommate this afternoon saying that the people above us (who no longer live there) didn't pay their electricity bill, so the electric company shut off the electricity for the whole building. The landlord is apparently working on it, but as I have not yet signed the lease, there is nothing I can do about it. Luckily, there are plenty of coffee shops with internet, and prepared girl that I am, I brought two flashlights with me to Israel. I'm not too worried. It just adds to the spice of my new adventure. Wish me luck.
Friday, (the first day of the weekend) was a good one. I slept in, visited an artist friend who was working at the art fair a few blocks from my apartment, went to the shuk, and did some pre-Shabbat cooking. I spent Shabbat with a group of friends from the states on Har Hatzofim, the campus of Hebrew University. Friday night, we were hosted for a meal by a religious family in Maalot Dafna, a nearby neighborhood. What we thought would be an intimate (or somewhat intimate, considering we alone numbered 12) meal turned out to be a huge gathering of people from all walks of life. A rabbi and his wife and 14 children host a huge Shabbat meal for about 80 people every week. It was cool to see so many people coming together from such different places in life. Throughout the meal, people stood up and offered words of wisdom, family traditions, or a song. It was a very festive (and delicious) meal.
Saturday was spent mostly in bed. I slept in and then had a picnic with some friends. The Jerusalem sun was divine. I was warm in just a long sleeve shirt and skirt! After the picnic, I decided that a nap was in order and thus slept the rest of the afternoon. That evening, after a potluck dinner, I turned in early because I had ulpan bright and early Sunday morning.
Yesterday (Sunday--not a weekend here) was a pretty typical day. I woke up, went to ulpan, ate some lunch, ran a few errands, came home, cooked, ate, and relaxed. In the evening, I met up with some friends to watch the Bears game, only to be met with devastation. It was nice to watch the game and have a taste of home, but at the same time, it was so Israeli when my friends and I munched garinim (seeds--in our case, sunflower seeds) throughout the game. I have finally mastered the art of eating them without making a mess of myself.
Today (Monday) has been an interesting one. The good news is that I am moving up a level in ulpan! The bad news is the class is full to capacity. I had to wait for someone else to switch out of that class before I could join. Tomorrow is the day! More interestingly, though, I have no electricity in my apartment building today. I got a call from my roommate this afternoon saying that the people above us (who no longer live there) didn't pay their electricity bill, so the electric company shut off the electricity for the whole building. The landlord is apparently working on it, but as I have not yet signed the lease, there is nothing I can do about it. Luckily, there are plenty of coffee shops with internet, and prepared girl that I am, I brought two flashlights with me to Israel. I'm not too worried. It just adds to the spice of my new adventure. Wish me luck.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
...I was out to dinner with my friend and...
This past week has been a good one. Sunday, the first day of ulpan, was essentially a "getting to know you" day. I met a lot of nice people who live in the absorption center associated with the ulpan and also who are external students, like me. I found people to chat with on the bus, to have lunch with, and to hang out with around town.
The next day of ulpan was also a special day. We had class for a few hours in the morning, and then after our break, we had a speaker. While the class I was in wasn't great (it was too easy and the teacher wasn't very engaging), the lecturer was kind of interesting. He was one of the creators of the Taglit-Birthright Israel program, and while his talk was a bit lengthy, it was cool to learn a bit about him.
Tuesday was the first "normal" day of ulpan. I moved up a level from the day before and found that it was the perfect fit. The teachers (we have one Sun-Tues and another one Wed-Thurs) were high energy, they had a great sense of humor, and they only spoke Hebrew. The students in the class were also a solid bunch. I quickly made friends and have been having a good time. While five hours each day seems like a lot, it flies by. I am a bit ahead in terms of grammar, but my vocabulary is lacking, so I am still challenged in that respect. Wednesday and Thursday (today) were also very much like Tuesday. Lots of Hebrew learning and also some time to make new friends. Today we also had a short ceremony for Tu B'Shvat, the holiday in Israel celebrating the new year of the trees.
While ulpan keeps me busy during the day, my afternoons and evening have been pretty free. I have most of my nitty-gritty errands done, but I find myself at the shuk, the outdoor market, almost every day just to get a few fresh things with which to cook. I also meet up with friends (mostly Americans) in the evenings to walk around the city, watch some football, or get a coffee. Last night, however, I had the opportunity to meet up with a friend from Israel who came to stay at my house about four and a half years ago. We kept in touch over the years, and I've seen her a few times, but not so recently, so it was great to see her again in Jerusalem. I know this is a bit of a deviation from the standard terminology, but I felt so Israeli when I was out to dinner (at a great kubeh place in the shuk) with my friend and we were able to speak only in Hebrew. The first time I met her, I could only say "shalom," but now, just a few years later, we are able to chat easily in Hebrew. I feel that I don't get that much practice time in ulpan or in the afternoons when I am out with American friends. It was a great confidence boost to know that I really do have some Hebrew skills up my sleeve. Don't be fooled, though. I still have a long way to go.
The next day of ulpan was also a special day. We had class for a few hours in the morning, and then after our break, we had a speaker. While the class I was in wasn't great (it was too easy and the teacher wasn't very engaging), the lecturer was kind of interesting. He was one of the creators of the Taglit-Birthright Israel program, and while his talk was a bit lengthy, it was cool to learn a bit about him.
Tuesday was the first "normal" day of ulpan. I moved up a level from the day before and found that it was the perfect fit. The teachers (we have one Sun-Tues and another one Wed-Thurs) were high energy, they had a great sense of humor, and they only spoke Hebrew. The students in the class were also a solid bunch. I quickly made friends and have been having a good time. While five hours each day seems like a lot, it flies by. I am a bit ahead in terms of grammar, but my vocabulary is lacking, so I am still challenged in that respect. Wednesday and Thursday (today) were also very much like Tuesday. Lots of Hebrew learning and also some time to make new friends. Today we also had a short ceremony for Tu B'Shvat, the holiday in Israel celebrating the new year of the trees.
While ulpan keeps me busy during the day, my afternoons and evening have been pretty free. I have most of my nitty-gritty errands done, but I find myself at the shuk, the outdoor market, almost every day just to get a few fresh things with which to cook. I also meet up with friends (mostly Americans) in the evenings to walk around the city, watch some football, or get a coffee. Last night, however, I had the opportunity to meet up with a friend from Israel who came to stay at my house about four and a half years ago. We kept in touch over the years, and I've seen her a few times, but not so recently, so it was great to see her again in Jerusalem. I know this is a bit of a deviation from the standard terminology, but I felt so Israeli when I was out to dinner (at a great kubeh place in the shuk) with my friend and we were able to speak only in Hebrew. The first time I met her, I could only say "shalom," but now, just a few years later, we are able to chat easily in Hebrew. I feel that I don't get that much practice time in ulpan or in the afternoons when I am out with American friends. It was a great confidence boost to know that I really do have some Hebrew skills up my sleeve. Don't be fooled, though. I still have a long way to go.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
...we were at Shabbat dinner and...
Friday night and Saturday in Israel are almost magical. It is the Jewish sabbath (Shabbat) and most of the country shuts down. The roads in Jerusalem are pretty quiet, shops are closed, people are walking all around, and there is just a sense of peace after a busy week.
Last night, for Shabbat dinner, my roommate Ariela took Jenny and me to her friends' apartment. It was a very diverse group of not so religious people. Everyone there spoke a different language as their first language (French, English, Spanish), so the official language of the night was Hebrew. At first I was a bit overwhelmed, but as the night went on, I became more and more comfortable listening to Hebrew and even interjecting a tiny bit. The conversation was pretty typical: the art of learning languages, what makes a good relationship, college and jobs, the obsession with fast food in America, etc.
The food was good: a nice bottle of wine for kiddush and fresh bread from the market for motzi, soup, a ton of salads, chicken, and rice. We dined and chatted and we just enjoying the company. After we finished dinner, we took dishes into the kitchen, got fresh cups, and brought out fruit. We all reconvened at the table for some fresh fruit and a (plastic) glass of wine. It was so Israeli when one of the hosts took out a pack of cigarettes and started smoking at the Shabbat dinner table--without even a window cracked. If smoking one cigarette wasn't enough, he chain-smoked three over the course of out dessert. And it didn't even phase anyone.
The Shabbat dinner ended on a good note, though, with full tummies and new friends and led to a good night's sleep. The next morning, Jenny and I met up with her brothers and walked to a shul in Yemin Moshe. We got a tiny bit lost but were able to enjoy a scenic walk. Kiddush there was delicious: cheese cake, kugel. eggplant Parmesan, lox, and so much more! I was full the rest of the day--which was ironic because, of course, I had a lot of food prepared for my friends who stopped by throughout the day. All in all it was a good first Shabbat!
Last night, for Shabbat dinner, my roommate Ariela took Jenny and me to her friends' apartment. It was a very diverse group of not so religious people. Everyone there spoke a different language as their first language (French, English, Spanish), so the official language of the night was Hebrew. At first I was a bit overwhelmed, but as the night went on, I became more and more comfortable listening to Hebrew and even interjecting a tiny bit. The conversation was pretty typical: the art of learning languages, what makes a good relationship, college and jobs, the obsession with fast food in America, etc.
The food was good: a nice bottle of wine for kiddush and fresh bread from the market for motzi, soup, a ton of salads, chicken, and rice. We dined and chatted and we just enjoying the company. After we finished dinner, we took dishes into the kitchen, got fresh cups, and brought out fruit. We all reconvened at the table for some fresh fruit and a (plastic) glass of wine. It was so Israeli when one of the hosts took out a pack of cigarettes and started smoking at the Shabbat dinner table--without even a window cracked. If smoking one cigarette wasn't enough, he chain-smoked three over the course of out dessert. And it didn't even phase anyone.
The Shabbat dinner ended on a good note, though, with full tummies and new friends and led to a good night's sleep. The next morning, Jenny and I met up with her brothers and walked to a shul in Yemin Moshe. We got a tiny bit lost but were able to enjoy a scenic walk. Kiddush there was delicious: cheese cake, kugel. eggplant Parmesan, lox, and so much more! I was full the rest of the day--which was ironic because, of course, I had a lot of food prepared for my friends who stopped by throughout the day. All in all it was a good first Shabbat!
Friday, January 14, 2011
...I tried to get on a cell phone plan and...
Today has been a busy day. I woke up early to go to the Ministry of the Interior to become a full citizen. The process was pretty seamless. I came more prepared than necessary with all of the forms and papers and letters I needed. The biggest hitch was deciding how to spell my parents' English names in Hebrew for my file. The "th" sound in Seth just can't be made in Hebrew, and when spelling my mom's middle name, Elayne, there is an issue of looking like "Ellen" or "Ilan." Luckily "Claire" wasn't too hard (after eliminating what sounded like "Keller" and "clear"), and Sondra was easy: סנדרה.
After becoming a full citizen, I opened a bank account, got a voucher to pay for Ulpan, and set up my health insurance. The next logical thing for me to set up was a cell phone plan. I decided to shop around a bit and see what I could do. I started at one company and was able to sit and speak English and fully understand my options. When I went to another company, I expected the same scenario, but was surprised to find, upon inquiring, that nobody spoke English. Undeterred, I began my inquiry in Hebrew. I explained that I was a new citizen and that I wanted to open a bank account. It was so Israeli when the man I was speaking with broke out in not so broken English, that he knew a bit of the language and should be able to help me. After a nearly flawless conversation, I just had to laugh a bit to myself.
I am still without a cell phone plan, but I am learning a thing or two about persistence. I will now be taking my persistence in another direction: the job market! Let me know if you have any leads.
After becoming a full citizen, I opened a bank account, got a voucher to pay for Ulpan, and set up my health insurance. The next logical thing for me to set up was a cell phone plan. I decided to shop around a bit and see what I could do. I started at one company and was able to sit and speak English and fully understand my options. When I went to another company, I expected the same scenario, but was surprised to find, upon inquiring, that nobody spoke English. Undeterred, I began my inquiry in Hebrew. I explained that I was a new citizen and that I wanted to open a bank account. It was so Israeli when the man I was speaking with broke out in not so broken English, that he knew a bit of the language and should be able to help me. After a nearly flawless conversation, I just had to laugh a bit to myself.
I am still without a cell phone plan, but I am learning a thing or two about persistence. I will now be taking my persistence in another direction: the job market! Let me know if you have any leads.
...I tried to take my Hebrew placement test and...
I have been in Israel for all of two days, but I have been taking care of business, like always. The first day or so was devoted to unpacking and shopping for groceries, and few random room accessories, and the like. Today, I am on to bigger and better things: Ulpan. As I will be in Ulpan, a Hebrew immersion program, for the next five months, it is quite important that I get accepted and placed into the proper class.
For the past several months, I have been in touch with a specific program. I was told that upon arriving in Israel, I would have to take an hour-long placement test and have an interview. I was given a time to arrive and told what to bring. It was Wednesday at 12:15 and I was fifteen minutes early for my test, thus leaving the perfect amount of time for my interview. It wasn't until I arrived, though, that I found out that I had been misinformed. The test was already over. It was so Israeli when I was told to sit down anyways and in lieu of a one-hour test, I was asked to write three sentences on the back of a piece of scratch paper. From those three sentences, I was accepted into the program and placed into a class. On Sunday, I will see if the three sentences were really sufficient in placing me.
Aside from Ulpan placement tests, I have been reacquainting myself with Jerusalem, seeing friends old and new, and getting to know my roommate. I am renting a charming apartment in a great location near the center of the city. It makes for a great place to meet up and hang out. Things have been going pretty smoothly, and I only hope they stay that way.
For the past several months, I have been in touch with a specific program. I was told that upon arriving in Israel, I would have to take an hour-long placement test and have an interview. I was given a time to arrive and told what to bring. It was Wednesday at 12:15 and I was fifteen minutes early for my test, thus leaving the perfect amount of time for my interview. It wasn't until I arrived, though, that I found out that I had been misinformed. The test was already over. It was so Israeli when I was told to sit down anyways and in lieu of a one-hour test, I was asked to write three sentences on the back of a piece of scratch paper. From those three sentences, I was accepted into the program and placed into a class. On Sunday, I will see if the three sentences were really sufficient in placing me.
Aside from Ulpan placement tests, I have been reacquainting myself with Jerusalem, seeing friends old and new, and getting to know my roommate. I am renting a charming apartment in a great location near the center of the city. It makes for a great place to meet up and hang out. Things have been going pretty smoothly, and I only hope they stay that way.
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