There are no squirrels in Israel??
I'm updating more than a months worth of excitement in Israel over the course of the next few days. Ha, it'll be like in a series of installments, but instead it will be Live Journal entries...maybe I need sleep? I wrote this a while ago, but am finally entering it in here so the "last friday" comments are actually applicable to last Friday over a month ago.
It's been about a month since my last update--but I'm updating now.
What’s new with Israel? Well, we are somewhat on house arrest, the bird flu is in the West Bank, and..my birthday is on the 29th-elections are on the 28th!
I’m going to write this in backwards chronological order. It should make some sort of sense though, as in I’ll try my best to make it coherent but no promises or anything.
3/26/06
On Friday, 8 girls were caught drinking/completely drunk. I went to overnight camp with two of the girls, and of course have lived the remaining six for the past two months. Five of them passed out/were throwing throughout the night and two were about to be sent to the hospital. The past few days, the higher powers or EIE have been in and out of meetings weighing their options and coming up with possible punishments for the girls. EIE has a zero tolerance policy for such actions and as a result of this, two of the girls were sent home early today. The other six are under complete house arrest for the next 3 weeks or so. They will be joining us for our trip to Europe’s concentration camps; however, they will be completing community service projects while we are on Yam L’Yam (Sea to Sea hike). Other than that, their social interactions will be virtually nonexistent until after the hike and Pesach. Everyone in EIE, nearly without exception, has been in some way affected by the incident. Tensions and emotions have been all over the place since last Friday, and hopefully, with the verdict out, the atmosphere of EIE will go back to its natural state.
1. Climbed Masada--About Masada--Climbing Masada is in the top 10 of Things to Do in Israel. Last Friday, I CLIMBED MASADA! I almost fell off, but that’s not the point. I climbed THE Masada. And after climbing, I saw the sun rise over Masada. Comment about Masada though. The whole excitement and deal with Masada is that you wake up around 3 AM and set out to climb the mountain and watch the sun rise, and then tell everyone that you Climbed Masada. But for those physically unable to make the trek, a cable car is available to carry people up. What if you take the cable car? What do you say then, “Oh, GO ME! I just cable carred Masada.” Can you buy the shirts that say I Climbed Masada? Because that would be lying. I’ll get off my soap box now.
2. Swam in the Dead Sea--About the Dead Sea--Swimming in the Dead Sea is also on the top 10 list of Things to Do in Israel. Last Friday, I SWAM IN THE DEAD SEA! Actually, I sort of flopped around for a few minutes until I decided it was just too painful. About the Dead Sea-it sounds fun and all, but it’s actually quite painful. For those not in the know about this place, it’s a sea and it’s dead because of its lack of living breathing inhabitants. Why does nothing live in the Dead Sea? Because it’s filled with salt of course! The Dead Sea is the lowest spot on Earth. Just to throw that bit out there…So back to the salt-the salt makes things float and thus the big touristy attraction around this body of water is that you actually literally float in it. It sounds really cool and all which I promise you it is, but what they don’t tell you is that it hurts. So so so much. Emphasis on the so’s. Upon entering the Sea, every orifice in your body is filled with highly concentrated salt water. Shaving even a day before entering the Dead Sea is just out of the question. All cuts on your body you can pinpoint immediately after getting in. I mean, it was fun and all, but the fun wears off after you realize that your body is on fire. However, you get to play in mud and run around and its fun. And you float. And you can walk on water. Sort of. Kind of like Jesus. Except not really.
3. Attended Israeli Army Boot (Also Known As Gadna)-- It was long and fun and interesting and I have many stories. Army service is compulsory in Israel though I may have mentioned that in a past entry. Thus, a pre-army experience is available for Israeli teens in order to get a taste of their future olive green filled lives. Everything, or almost everything, in the army is olive green. The uniforms, the sleeping bags, even the canteens we were given. Our hats were olive green, the tents were olive green. Half of the food was olive green. So much green--I mean, I love olive green, don't get me wrong, but I now equate all green with the army. Gadna was a learning experience though. Not to give a two word response to how boot camp was, but it truly was just that. It had its high and low points. I spent the week in uniform, participating in field work, classroom study, learning Hebrew and translating some to English. I learned how the army worked, and I didn't shower for 5 entire days. So much fun as is everything in Israel. Our Mefakdim (commanders) spoke to us only in Hebrew allowing a few of the kids in our group to then translate to English for the rest. I don’t really know Hebrew. At all actually. But I had to some translating which was extraordinarily entertaining. I kind of just made up half of the stuff I helped to translate. Common sense combined with catching a few words in the sentence allowed me to report back to the group a simplified, often incorrect version of what our Mefakedet just said. It was an amusing week all in all, and it culminated in me making a decision to not join the army.
One of the highlights of Gadna for some would be the shooting of 10 rounds of an M-16. (Mem Shesh Esray). While I disagree with labeling this experience as a “highlight”, I can say that I have no future plans which involve me having to actually use one of those again. We were taken by bus to the shooting range where in groups of around 14, we were told to fire. Never before have I had that much power in my hands or realized how simple it would be to abuse such power. I hated it/end of that story.
4. I ate schwarma!
5. I met a Christian Monk living in a Muslim village.
6. I walked in a Purim parade/dressed up for Purim (Purim=Halloween).
7. I saw Dan Nichols perform for the first time in Israel. (random person with a guitar--wrote Na Na song).
7. I learned lots and lots.
8. I am officially not joining the Israeli army/cannot see myself doing Aliyah either...albeit, I've only been here for 2 months and still have 2 more to go.
8. I actually did much much more, but I'll write about it later. I moral of this entry being that my free time is somewhat limited thus resulting in a lack of recent journal entries. Yes, that would be an excuse.
Parents Pilgrimage is on Tuesday (The parents come for 10 days to see their wonderful offspring because they've missed them so much).
News from Israel? Well, classes are good. Life is good. Israel is good. The weather is great.
It's been about a month since my last update--but I'm updating now.
What’s new with Israel? Well, we are somewhat on house arrest, the bird flu is in the West Bank, and..my birthday is on the 29th-elections are on the 28th!
I’m going to write this in backwards chronological order. It should make some sort of sense though, as in I’ll try my best to make it coherent but no promises or anything.
3/26/06
On Friday, 8 girls were caught drinking/completely drunk. I went to overnight camp with two of the girls, and of course have lived the remaining six for the past two months. Five of them passed out/were throwing throughout the night and two were about to be sent to the hospital. The past few days, the higher powers or EIE have been in and out of meetings weighing their options and coming up with possible punishments for the girls. EIE has a zero tolerance policy for such actions and as a result of this, two of the girls were sent home early today. The other six are under complete house arrest for the next 3 weeks or so. They will be joining us for our trip to Europe’s concentration camps; however, they will be completing community service projects while we are on Yam L’Yam (Sea to Sea hike). Other than that, their social interactions will be virtually nonexistent until after the hike and Pesach. Everyone in EIE, nearly without exception, has been in some way affected by the incident. Tensions and emotions have been all over the place since last Friday, and hopefully, with the verdict out, the atmosphere of EIE will go back to its natural state.
1. Climbed Masada--About Masada--Climbing Masada is in the top 10 of Things to Do in Israel. Last Friday, I CLIMBED MASADA! I almost fell off, but that’s not the point. I climbed THE Masada. And after climbing, I saw the sun rise over Masada. Comment about Masada though. The whole excitement and deal with Masada is that you wake up around 3 AM and set out to climb the mountain and watch the sun rise, and then tell everyone that you Climbed Masada. But for those physically unable to make the trek, a cable car is available to carry people up. What if you take the cable car? What do you say then, “Oh, GO ME! I just cable carred Masada.” Can you buy the shirts that say I Climbed Masada? Because that would be lying. I’ll get off my soap box now.
2. Swam in the Dead Sea--About the Dead Sea--Swimming in the Dead Sea is also on the top 10 list of Things to Do in Israel. Last Friday, I SWAM IN THE DEAD SEA! Actually, I sort of flopped around for a few minutes until I decided it was just too painful. About the Dead Sea-it sounds fun and all, but it’s actually quite painful. For those not in the know about this place, it’s a sea and it’s dead because of its lack of living breathing inhabitants. Why does nothing live in the Dead Sea? Because it’s filled with salt of course! The Dead Sea is the lowest spot on Earth. Just to throw that bit out there…So back to the salt-the salt makes things float and thus the big touristy attraction around this body of water is that you actually literally float in it. It sounds really cool and all which I promise you it is, but what they don’t tell you is that it hurts. So so so much. Emphasis on the so’s. Upon entering the Sea, every orifice in your body is filled with highly concentrated salt water. Shaving even a day before entering the Dead Sea is just out of the question. All cuts on your body you can pinpoint immediately after getting in. I mean, it was fun and all, but the fun wears off after you realize that your body is on fire. However, you get to play in mud and run around and its fun. And you float. And you can walk on water. Sort of. Kind of like Jesus. Except not really.
3. Attended Israeli Army Boot (Also Known As Gadna)-- It was long and fun and interesting and I have many stories. Army service is compulsory in Israel though I may have mentioned that in a past entry. Thus, a pre-army experience is available for Israeli teens in order to get a taste of their future olive green filled lives. Everything, or almost everything, in the army is olive green. The uniforms, the sleeping bags, even the canteens we were given. Our hats were olive green, the tents were olive green. Half of the food was olive green. So much green--I mean, I love olive green, don't get me wrong, but I now equate all green with the army. Gadna was a learning experience though. Not to give a two word response to how boot camp was, but it truly was just that. It had its high and low points. I spent the week in uniform, participating in field work, classroom study, learning Hebrew and translating some to English. I learned how the army worked, and I didn't shower for 5 entire days. So much fun as is everything in Israel. Our Mefakdim (commanders) spoke to us only in Hebrew allowing a few of the kids in our group to then translate to English for the rest. I don’t really know Hebrew. At all actually. But I had to some translating which was extraordinarily entertaining. I kind of just made up half of the stuff I helped to translate. Common sense combined with catching a few words in the sentence allowed me to report back to the group a simplified, often incorrect version of what our Mefakedet just said. It was an amusing week all in all, and it culminated in me making a decision to not join the army.
One of the highlights of Gadna for some would be the shooting of 10 rounds of an M-16. (Mem Shesh Esray). While I disagree with labeling this experience as a “highlight”, I can say that I have no future plans which involve me having to actually use one of those again. We were taken by bus to the shooting range where in groups of around 14, we were told to fire. Never before have I had that much power in my hands or realized how simple it would be to abuse such power. I hated it/end of that story.
4. I ate schwarma!
5. I met a Christian Monk living in a Muslim village.
6. I walked in a Purim parade/dressed up for Purim (Purim=Halloween).
7. I saw Dan Nichols perform for the first time in Israel. (random person with a guitar--wrote Na Na song).
7. I learned lots and lots.
8. I am officially not joining the Israeli army/cannot see myself doing Aliyah either...albeit, I've only been here for 2 months and still have 2 more to go.
8. I actually did much much more, but I'll write about it later. I moral of this entry being that my free time is somewhat limited thus resulting in a lack of recent journal entries. Yes, that would be an excuse.
Parents Pilgrimage is on Tuesday (The parents come for 10 days to see their wonderful offspring because they've missed them so much).
News from Israel? Well, classes are good. Life is good. Israel is good. The weather is great.