Week Two: Learning and Re-learning Israel

After my second week here, I’ve learned some very important things about Israel, the culture, my program rules, and have continued adjusting to life in the desert.

I would like to share with you three things from my week:

1. “Lines” in Israel are equivalent to an American first grade class lining up after recess; every single person is pushing to be first in line.  Now that I've re-experienced it, it's something that I remember from last time I lived here as well. I have a vivid memory of going to the grocery store in Netanya and being full fledged elbowed to the side by an eighty-something year old woman who ended up in front of me to pay.  

Read an article today that introduced Israeli culture, and this was in there! 

2. At my Fulbright orientation this week (where we met the American Ambassador) the U.S. Department of State Regional Security Office presented to us about safety. The officer advised us not to go to the Old City in Jerusalem on Shabbat. Ha. I hope everyone does go because it’s one of the most magical experiences to have as a Jew in Israel.

3. After spending some time in Tel Aviv this week, I was thankful to be living in Sede Boqer: it is ridiculous how cheap my rent is in comparison, I don’t have to gag a few times per block because of looking at watery dog poop that no one cleans up, and I am finally starting to penetrate the close-knit community that exists here.

I finally got an Israeli cell phone plan for my iPhone (thanks to our close friend Yoni) so now I have internet and all my apps, etc. This means that all of you should download an app called What’s App – which allows us to text for free! Yaaahoooooo!

Classes start on Sunday – I am taking two classes about how people can live sustainably with little resources (aka in the desert), a sustainable urban planning class, a hydrology course, and Hebrew! I’m definitely looking forward to learning again, we will just see how I fare with the assigned reading and writing assignments. Homework. Oy vey.  

Date Trees and Judean Desert, near Ein Gedi

Dead sea and Jordanian mountains in the background