Sounds of Paradise

It rained tonight. I mean pouring down in buckets Florida style. I don't think any sound has been so beautiful in all my three months here. A good pouring rain really makes me miss home.

New Moon

I have to admit... I'm quite excited about Twilight: New Moon coming out on December 10th here in Israel. I've already re-read the first two books and watched the first movie again and now I'm ready. I just have to wait 4 more days. Ugh! I dunno if I can wait. It's so tempting to watch it online instead. Especially when movies here are over $10 per person. But I will resist. This is something meant for the BIG screen. Yay!

Loneliness

It’s hard not to be lonely here.  Both without my love and without my friends I find it quite difficult.  Placed in a country (by my own choice mind you) that barely speaks my language and I theirs, it becomes a struggle just to find daily comfort.  My family here is warm enough, though their companionship at times can be more a nuisance than a comfort.  Still the people are less comforting.  The women and girls stare daggers at me, either with vapid jealousy at my blonde hair and light eyes, or else their disgust at my obvious outsider appearance.  The men here often do stare at me.  Though I am not a skinny thing anymore, I have enhanced my assets quite a bit and it is often the object of many stares.  It does not matter that I cover up beyond their vision.  Their imaginations run wild with possibilities as men's minds often do.  I smile sweetly as is the custom in America when one grants you with a flattering or kind look.  Here however, those pleasantries are not only unobserved, but when given, you are looked upon as a beggar or vagrant with a look of “what the hell do you want?”  and a prompt turn away of the eyes.  These people, however inexpressively kind they are to friends and family are quite the opposite with strangers.  This is what plagues and stirs my loneliness.  I have friends in this country, but as I am very far south from any of them, they have no reason or cause to visit.  As I am too far out of the way.  Traveling, or rather eating and lodging while out of town is quite expensive and I have only ventured to do it a few times, either for the day or with a friend or family member to impose upon for a nights rest.  Thus is my predicament until I return home.  I suppose it is my price for my time spent in such a beautiful country as this.

A Rocket In Be’er Sheva …. or Not.

My heart just about dropped out of my chest just now. 

Here in the middle east anything can happen in a matter of moments.  What you thought was a time of relative calm can explode into a violent war with just a matter of words, stones, or the push of a button.  It is this knowledge that always keeps me aware of my situation.  Today that wariness became my worst nightmare come true. 

While I speak decent Hebrew at this point my comprehension is still quite bad.  Which is why I don’t read or watch the local news.  Apparently that is something that would have been very important today. 

As I sat clearing my inbox and watching internet TV as usual, I heard a horribly dreadful sound.  It sounded like a Siren screaming through Hurricane force winds, muffled but very, very distinct.  I knew what it was. 

It’s not like I never thought about it…. what would I do if I heard the rocket alarm?…   What would I grab?: phone, passport, teddy bear.   But when it happened all I could think of was “Get the hell in the bomb shelter!”  As I ran out of the room I saw my brother-in-law still laying on the couch watching TV.  I screamed… “That’s the rocket alarm!”  He smiled and said “No, no, no it’s just a test.  They told us on the news this morning.” 

At first I didn’t believe him but his non-reaction told me that mine was overkill.  I walked back into the bedroom and collapsed on the floor…  That scared the holy hell out of me!  I was still sitting on the floor a minute or two later when my BiL came in to check on me.  He laughed and said “you were really scared huh?”

Who the hell wouldn’t be?   He said it was no big deal that unless the alarm went off a second time… we were safe.

It is a relief to know that I don’t have to spend the rest of the day in a bomb shelter, but I really wish I understood Israeli News… 

What A Wonderful Day In The Neighborhood!

     What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon…  Everyone knows that the supermarket is the best way to meet new people and grow new friendships. 

NOT HERE!!

     How about we tell that to the nice man I met today in the grocery store.  In America when you are blocking someone’s way in the local Publix they either wait patiently for you to move or make you aware of their presence and politely excuse themselves.  Today in Israel… an older man decided the best way to get me to move would be to repeatedly smash the front of his shopping cart against mine until I moved.  I did move my cart but a curtly replied (in English which i doubt he understood) “a simple excuse me would have done just fine.”

     When he didn’t reply I angrily mumbled under my breath about how utterly RUDE Israelis were.  I truly believe they are courteously challenged.  I rarely ever meet an Israeli who is the exception to the rule… My own husband included.  WOW  It’s something I just can’t get used to.

 

Thanks to my Mom and Dad (and Aunt Barb, lol) for teaching me proper manners and etiquette both in and out of public.

As The Fog Rolls In

GeoTagged, [N31.23993, W34.78193]

Before I came to Be'er Sheva I read about the night sky here. It's almost a dead 50/50 of clear nights to foggy ones. Well... tonight was defiantly a foggy one. The fog rolled in so thick that the buildings across the street almost disappeared behind it.

From what I read the moisture gets trapped under the desert heat and is unable to dissipate before the drop in temperature at sunset. It is an amazing anomaly and I felt I had to share it with you all.

A Taste Of The Ordinary

     As I spent the day with my mother-in-law and her sister Shoshana I got a small taste of home when I saw a mail lady delivering the mail and the whole street of dogs just starting howling at this poor woman.  I guess some things are no different no matter where you travel.  Dogs still hate mail men/women. 

 

How funny…

Shopping Trip Thru Be’er Sheva

     Had a great day today.  I got a late start but managed to do alot.  I decided bronchitis or no bronchitis I was going out today.  I spoke to Kobi and got some advice for travelling around the city.  I took the 31 bus to the Mall.  Only to find out I went to the wrong bus stop and ended up riding for 10 extra minutes than I needed to.  But it was a nice tour of the city. 

     I walked around the mall for about an hour and a half, got some lunch, bought some chocolate, then decided to walk to the outdoor shopping center known as BIG.  Kobi told me the walk was only about 10 minutes, when in reality it was more like a 30 minute, 3 mile walk.  On the plus side I had to pass one of my favorite stores… Gong and got to walk through the heart of downtown.  It was beautiful. 

     When I got to BIG I did some more shopping at many of the 50ish different stores, had something to drink and a short break.  Then, after 4 hours of shopping, and walking around, my hip hurt sufficiently enough to warrant taking a cab back home.  It was a really nice day!

 

Photos from the heart of downtown.

  

 

Finally some relief

GeoTagged, [N31.24001, W34.78204]

The heat here can be overwhelming, especially when most rented apartments don't have air conditioning. My only relief has been a fan set strategically to keep me cool as I sleep. For the first time since I arrived I have not needed the fan. The weather outside is surprisingly cool and I'm taking full advantage!

At Home Again

Finally finished at the hospital 4 hours later. Still have bronchitis. Hopefully this medicine will fix it. I haven't eaten anything all day. Maybe I will go get some Shawarma and French Fries from the booth downstairs. I could use some comfort food.

Uncomfortable is an understatement

After navigating the front desk and getting strapped with a surgical mask I am currently blogging from the bathroom where I have a thermometer up my butt. NOT KIDDING! They do things the old fashioned way around here. Joy to the world. Here goes another wonderful night at Soroka hospital.

Still coughing...

This desert dust is really wrecking havoc on my lungs. It's been 3 weeks and this bronchitis still hasn't gone away. Tonight I am going to go to Soroca hospital. I hope my insurance works! It should be a pleasent 6 hour stay. Gotta love socialized health care countries. I'll let you know how it goes.

Jerusalem

     Today was the day that everyone was looking forward to… The Kotel.  We walked around the city for a while and investigated the archeological digs that were in progress.  Then our guide Karen, asked everyone who had never been to the Kotel to walk hand in hand with our eyes closed.  She played beautiful Israeli music as we walked. 

     Nerves mounted as I was guided to our destination.  We stopped (eyes still closed) and she placed me at my spot.  Then she whispered into my ear … “Open your eyes.”

     I will never forget that moment, as long as I live.

  I opened my eyes to view the Kotel for the first time in my life!  At first I thought I was dreaming.  It looked like a picture, a moving, flowing, heartwarming picture.  I smiled when I realized I had completed a dream/wish.  I was looking upon the Bet Hamigdash, the Holy of Holies.  I was breathing the same air as my ancestors and it was breathtaking. 

And so I cried…  and I wished my father could be standing next to me at that very moment.  And I cried again, my life made just a little bit more sense in that moment.

My First Day In Israel

     My first day was exhausting but wonderful.  We visited a lookout point where we saw the whole of Jerusalem.  It was beautiful.  I took photos of the Mount of Olives.  It reminded me that Netanel’s Great-Grandparents are buried there.  Our guide Karen,  spoke about how being buried there makes you a holier person and how those buried in the cemetery will be the first to enter the Bet Hamigdash be with the spirit of G-d.  It was breathtaking.

     The drive from Tel Aviv/Lod, where the airport was, to Jerusalem brought back memories.  It reminded me of a mix of Northern Georgia and the highlands of Canada.  The spectacular hillside views here are something not to be ignored.  By the time we got to our hotel (a Kibbutz north of Jerusalem city) we were all exhausted.  I ate alone tonight, as I was a little late getting to dinner (took a nap) but I didn’t mind.  It gave me time to think.  We are sleeping 3 to a room and it will change everyday.  The only English channel was a perverse show about female masturbation.  Odd Israeli programming huh?

 

My First International Experience

     Getting to JFK in New York proved to be quite a pain.  After a 4AM reschedule of my already cancelled flight, I figured I would be ok to get to New York.  I was WRONG!  Due to the cancellations and some unfortunate weather in Atlanta, I missed the second flight.  I had to run to Jet Blue and shell out an additional $320 for a one way direct flight to JFK.  In the end I made it to New York and enjoyed the Jet Blue flight.

     Wow, this EL AL flight is LONG!  Sleeping is extremely difficult.  It is made drastically worse by the two twin babies who have been having a screaming competition in the row in front of me for the last 6 hours.  I can already feel the difference from America.  From seeing men and boys alike meeting to pray in the back of the plane, to the Israeli flight attendants speaking to me in Hebrew.  Security was quite a change too.  The 15 minute interrogation before I was even allowed to check in was a new experience.  They asked a lot of questions about my relationship to my husband.  It was not aggressive though.  It was like a semi-formal conversation. 

     I had an aisle seat on the plane which I hate but I’m making the best of it.  I couldn’t take any fly over pictures but I had some friends on the plane take a few for me.  About an hour before we landed in Israel a calm came over me, a peace of sorts.  It’s a great feeling knowing I’m almost home!

 

Problems Already!

     I’m sitting up at 3 AM on the phone with Delta.  Apparently it’s standard practice to cancel flights 5 hours before hand and call customers at 2AM to tell them to work it out.  So that’s what I’m doing.  Sounds like I will get to New York but it’s going to require an additional stop and an extra 2 hours.  Joy to the World.  So instead of enjoying my sister’s birthday with her and resting before my flight… I am on the phone playing lets make a deal with the ticket agents. 

 

What a great start.  It’s now 4 AM and I’m exhausted and I need to be up in 30 minutes.  

Can We Say POWER NAP?…

A Note For The Kotel

     If you would like to write a message for me to place at the Kotel please email me with your letter by Saturday night.  So I can print them out and take them with me. 

All Things In Time

     With two days to go I thought it was necessary to start this travel blog…

I have been waiting for this trip for years.  Maybe that’s not right.  Maybe I have been waiting for this my whole life.  A chance to cast my eye upon a land so engrained in my Jewish culture.  To experience my history while searching for my future.  This is a moment of a lifetime and I am so ready to live it!

 

I am excited to welcome this new experience and I am happy to take you along with me.