Kibbutz Hokuk
View from our Kibbutz. That's the Sea of Galilee
So pretty
You can kind of see the snow mountain tops!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Mostly Golan Heights
For the past 2 weeks we've had Hebrew lessons in the morning and then pretty free afternoons to roam the area (though there's not much to see in Ramla...) and 'study' or just hang out. So I've mainly been hanging out with the other kids on the program, making dinner, strolling the market, and anything else we can think of.
Last Monday, I went to Jaffa for the day which is GORGEOUS. But it's still kind of chilly here so the only other people around were American tour groups. There's an old church in the middle of Jaffa and they were in the middle of services as we walked by, so I actually went and sat in for a little bit. It was crazy to hear them singing and praying in Hebrew in a church - all these hymns that I didn't recognize, but it sounded like it could have been things we did in shul.
Last Monday, I went to Jaffa for the day which is GORGEOUS. But it's still kind of chilly here so the only other people around were American tour groups. There's an old church in the middle of Jaffa and they were in the middle of services as we walked by, so I actually went and sat in for a little bit. It was crazy to hear them singing and praying in Hebrew in a church - all these hymns that I didn't recognize, but it sounded like it could have been things we did in shul.
This is a 'hanging tree' in Jaffa...it's suspended by ropes and kind of bounces around if you push it (which it asks you not to do, so I didn't). But there's no explanation why it's there, and even though I stood behind a tour guide and tried to gleam the significance or just an explanation, all he said was "I'll let you all take photographs now."
One of the many old alleys leading around Jaffa. I have to go back when it's warmer out, there's supposed to be a lot more going on.
On Wednesday morning we met at the bus stop at 6am to go to the Golan for 2 days. I think it's the most stunning place I've ever been, you need google it if you haven't been because my pictures capture nothing. It was snowing on Mt. Hermon yet in the valley below it's lush and green and flowers are blooming, cows are roaming, it's crazy. We went to a couple different 'observation points' the first day (Gadot observation point and Mount Ben Tal view; the bus would basically drive us up incredibly windy, narrow roads then we'd get out and walk a couple hundred yards to a lookout) where you can see the divide between Israel, Lebanon and Syria and there are helicopters constantly flying above you and the military roads between the countries below. We also went on an AMAZING hike the first day: from the bus we descended into a mountain pass and got to climb through streams (I didn't fall in) and jump over rocks, it was so cool. Then you go back up the mountain and end up in a cave on top of a waterfall! We relaxed for a while, then went back down to the bottom of the waterfall just cause we could. And I don't know the name of the hike because I forget and I also write nothing down, but I asked our leader so hopefully she'll get back to me before I post this and look like a fool:
At Gadot observation point.
Some of the growth on our fabulous hike.
Getting lost.
The cave I was telling you about!
We spent the night at Kibbutz Hakuk where thy fed us and made a roaring bon fire then left us to our own devices. Day 2: another observation point then Cemetery of Kibbutz Kfar Giladi where our guide told us a story about a guy named Trumpledore - but all I could think about the whole time was whether or not he was related to Dumbledore. After that we went to the Hamat Gader hot springs which looked really cool, but in truth they're slimy so I hung out:
Hot springs - I don't regret it. They got out and had to drive 3 hours home on a bus slimy and smelling like sulfur.
Mount Ben Tal viewpoint post - showing you the way to all different places.
I went to Allan and co. for Friday night and then visited with Felicia and Lenny and family on Saturday and they are all wonderful! The first thing Lenny did when I walked in was usher me to his room to show me a picture of my mom at his wedding (she was about 5 and ADORABLE!!!) and kept telling me I look just like her. Can't wait to see them all again!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
A few pictures from Birthright
This was at the Kibbutz Gvulto where we stayed the first night, a house made completely out of recycled or natural products
Our first glimpse of the desert in the Negev
Display behind the police department in Sderot of the manymany missiles fired into the city (they're bordering the Gaza Strip). The day after we were there, 8 missiles were fired into the city.
Arriving at the Western Wall...are you supposed to take pictures there?
A not so good picture of camel riding
Our freezing Dead Sea experience
The whole group in front of the bus, right before the Israeli's leave us
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Ramla
So all this week and the next 2 I'll be in intensive Hebrew classes (which means 4 hours a day). Unfortunately , even though I remember how to read and write from Gesher...my vocab sucks. But what's worse is I actually can't read without the vowels and (other than my beginner's Hebrew study book) nobody uses vowels! I wish class could be longer, but it's pretty draining and others are only learning some of the letters for the first time so at 12:30-1 ish we're done with lessons for the day. We do get homework though, which I haven't had in YEARS (it feels like). And I decided I was too cool to do my homework for the first couple days, which earned me a scolding in Hebrew and, even though I didn't understand it, the message translated.
Extra activities of the week thus far:
- Self-guided walking tour of parts of Ramla...I found a lot of falafel and palm trees
- 'Family dinner' with my group that just arrived. It can be a challenge to cook since some of our stoves are those portable table-top stoves so they aren't very accommodating, space-wise. Also, only one of us has an oven (one girl made cookies that needed to bake and we were trying to make crostini, for instance) but we couldn't figure out how to work it and the only online directions were in German or something! So we settled for baking the cookies in a toaster oven and eating the bread squishy (since we'd already drizzled them before discovering the oven dilemma).
- Another apartment in town with my program hosted a valentine's day party and decorated hard core to get everyone in the mood...it worked.
- We visited some of the places we're going to be volunteering beginning in a couple weeks. There's 2-3 each of elementary, middle, and high schools in the area which will be our morning volunteer hours. Then other options for afternoon like City Hall, soup kitchen, library, etc. Don't know yet what I'll be doing, but I think as long as I'm in elementary schools in the morning, all the afternoon options look interesting.
- Went to the shook! It's the outdoor market and Ramla has a really nice one, especially on Wednesday and Friday. Had a greatgreat falafel and some fresh juice - pomegranate, orange, and persimmon yum. And I found wasabi peas at the shook.
- We have an enrichment lesson once a week, and this week's was about the Israeli Defense Force - who goes into the army, the tests they put them through, the meaning of the different colored berets.
Ok, if I've missed anything...I'll post again soon. Tomorrow (Thursday) is the end of our work week, Friday and Saturday are the weekend, so likely going in to Tel Aviv after Hebrew tomorrow then to Allan's later in the weekend.
Extra activities of the week thus far:
- Self-guided walking tour of parts of Ramla...I found a lot of falafel and palm trees
- 'Family dinner' with my group that just arrived. It can be a challenge to cook since some of our stoves are those portable table-top stoves so they aren't very accommodating, space-wise. Also, only one of us has an oven (one girl made cookies that needed to bake and we were trying to make crostini, for instance) but we couldn't figure out how to work it and the only online directions were in German or something! So we settled for baking the cookies in a toaster oven and eating the bread squishy (since we'd already drizzled them before discovering the oven dilemma).
- Another apartment in town with my program hosted a valentine's day party and decorated hard core to get everyone in the mood...it worked.
- We visited some of the places we're going to be volunteering beginning in a couple weeks. There's 2-3 each of elementary, middle, and high schools in the area which will be our morning volunteer hours. Then other options for afternoon like City Hall, soup kitchen, library, etc. Don't know yet what I'll be doing, but I think as long as I'm in elementary schools in the morning, all the afternoon options look interesting.
- Went to the shook! It's the outdoor market and Ramla has a really nice one, especially on Wednesday and Friday. Had a greatgreat falafel and some fresh juice - pomegranate, orange, and persimmon yum. And I found wasabi peas at the shook.
- We have an enrichment lesson once a week, and this week's was about the Israeli Defense Force - who goes into the army, the tests they put them through, the meaning of the different colored berets.
Ok, if I've missed anything...I'll post again soon. Tomorrow (Thursday) is the end of our work week, Friday and Saturday are the weekend, so likely going in to Tel Aviv after Hebrew tomorrow then to Allan's later in the weekend.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Birthright
Ok, first off I think you can add your e-mail to the 'follow by email' field on the right and you'll get an e-mail when I make a post.
The past 10 days were crazy - we did so much all day, every day. It's exhausting but you get a great glimpse of different areas of the country. It'll be nice to revisit some of the places and have the time to wander about.
There were 40 of us on Birthright, 2 others our age who had been to Israel before and had a connection to the country (they were the organizers and did the grunt work basically), a tour guide, a bus driver, a guard, and for half the program we had 8 Israeli kids join us.
I think my favorite things were hiking Masada which we did starting around 5am - it was pitch black on the way up so we could see the sunrise at the top. We did the 'snake path' which I think is the hardest...there were sooo many steps. Then the next day we hiked in the Ramon Crater, which is all rocks and when you get to the top it looks like a painting - you're surrounded on all sides by desert as far as you can see. **Highly recommended*
The most beautiful places we went were definitely the Golan Heights and Jaffa. We did some hikes in the Golan and also went to a winery and an olive oil factory, but just watching the scenery was unbelievable. We even saw snow in Israel - on the mountaintops in the Golan. Didn't get to spend much time in Jaffa, but it's very close by to where I'm staying so I'll be back there.
We were in Jerusalem on Friday and Saturday, and it's unbelievable to see the difference. Friday, up til about 3pm, is bustling and trafficy, then just before 5 o'clock a bell sounds throughout the city warning it's nearly sundown and Shabbat's beginning. So walking around on Saturday is a different experience entirely. It's almost like a ghost town. Hardly any cars on the road, public transport doesn't run, no stores are open, it's actually pretty cool.
Other things we did: camel riding (so pointless), went to the dead sea (but it was super cold and started drizzling right after I got in...so I got back out), toured a kibbutz and got to pick oranges out of their grove, walked on a very wobbly chain link fence bridge in the Negev (there were too many people around for me to freak out like at the rope bridge in Ireland........though I wanted to desperately), Yad Vashem (it was extremely informative, but not nearly as emotional as the Holocaust museum in DC), National cemetery (where all the soldiers are buried, that was really upsetting), and strolling about the Tel Aviv market.
Well, that came out in no particular order...and although I only took about 10 pictures, I'll try and figure out how to post them later.
I left Tel Aviv yesterday afternoon and went to Ramla, where I'll be staying. Then jumped a bus earlier today and am now at Allan for the evening!
The past 10 days were crazy - we did so much all day, every day. It's exhausting but you get a great glimpse of different areas of the country. It'll be nice to revisit some of the places and have the time to wander about.
There were 40 of us on Birthright, 2 others our age who had been to Israel before and had a connection to the country (they were the organizers and did the grunt work basically), a tour guide, a bus driver, a guard, and for half the program we had 8 Israeli kids join us.
I think my favorite things were hiking Masada which we did starting around 5am - it was pitch black on the way up so we could see the sunrise at the top. We did the 'snake path' which I think is the hardest...there were sooo many steps. Then the next day we hiked in the Ramon Crater, which is all rocks and when you get to the top it looks like a painting - you're surrounded on all sides by desert as far as you can see. **Highly recommended*
The most beautiful places we went were definitely the Golan Heights and Jaffa. We did some hikes in the Golan and also went to a winery and an olive oil factory, but just watching the scenery was unbelievable. We even saw snow in Israel - on the mountaintops in the Golan. Didn't get to spend much time in Jaffa, but it's very close by to where I'm staying so I'll be back there.
We were in Jerusalem on Friday and Saturday, and it's unbelievable to see the difference. Friday, up til about 3pm, is bustling and trafficy, then just before 5 o'clock a bell sounds throughout the city warning it's nearly sundown and Shabbat's beginning. So walking around on Saturday is a different experience entirely. It's almost like a ghost town. Hardly any cars on the road, public transport doesn't run, no stores are open, it's actually pretty cool.
Other things we did: camel riding (so pointless), went to the dead sea (but it was super cold and started drizzling right after I got in...so I got back out), toured a kibbutz and got to pick oranges out of their grove, walked on a very wobbly chain link fence bridge in the Negev (there were too many people around for me to freak out like at the rope bridge in Ireland........though I wanted to desperately), Yad Vashem (it was extremely informative, but not nearly as emotional as the Holocaust museum in DC), National cemetery (where all the soldiers are buried, that was really upsetting), and strolling about the Tel Aviv market.
Well, that came out in no particular order...and although I only took about 10 pictures, I'll try and figure out how to post them later.
I left Tel Aviv yesterday afternoon and went to Ramla, where I'll be staying. Then jumped a bus earlier today and am now at Allan for the evening!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Wahoo!!!
Passed CPA part 2!! Yesssss
Equally as important - should be able to communicate regularly by Thursday...leaving Golan Heights momentarily en route to tel aviv with a couple stops along the way. Out in the big city tonight!
Equally as important - should be able to communicate regularly by Thursday...leaving Golan Heights momentarily en route to tel aviv with a couple stops along the way. Out in the big city tonight!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Buy me a falafel and I'll give you an update
Yes, I'm aware I haven't updated. No, I didn't forget.
I've had no time! Been to a kibbutz, Masada, Bedouin camp, Jerusalem, more than that. Didn't want to give a half assed post, yet here it is. And so, I will expand later.
I've had no time! Been to a kibbutz, Masada, Bedouin camp, Jerusalem, more than that. Didn't want to give a half assed post, yet here it is. And so, I will expand later.
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