The most awful non-required class I ever took was "Immigration to Israel" taught by a teacher who a) could barely speak English so b) couldn't pronounce her students' names even though she was their advisor and c) made groups of three write a ten page paper and present it and didn't even pay attention to the presentation. Although that turned out to be a good thing. So in this miserable seventy five minute class we talked about, well, immigration to Israel from the early 1900s to today. The two things that stuck out in my mind besides the monotonous teacher was that there was a huge Russian immigration and a big Ethiopian immigration. I don't know why I remember that but I do.
Now fast forward a year (aka now). I am volunteering to tutor some Ethiopian kids in English. On the way home the Madricha who organizes the volunteering started talking about the Ethiopian immigration and though her explanation was helpful, I'm glad (it hurts to say this), I'm glad I took that stupid class. There were also several times in the past months that she has talked about thr Russian population here. My professor was Russian so I knew a bit more about that.
Monday was the first day that we taught English. Everyone has their own kid (or two). They range from age 11 to 17. Most of the younger kids know very little English. Me and my luck got a girl who doesn't really know the alphabet. Even from just an hour of tutoring, you can realize how hard English is. I had to explain what vowels were and which letters they were. Try explaining that in a different language, or even in English. I think we spent most of the time spelling soccer. She spelled it logically (SIKR) it's just that We write out the vowels in English. Since this girl knows no English I spoke in Hebrew for an hour and I have to say that I am proud of myself for doing so.
Also on Monday was HaZikaron Yitzchak Rabin--Yitzcahk Rabin Memorial Day. (Yitzchak Rabin was the Prime Minister of Israel and was assassinated 13 years ago). There was a service that might have been interesting if it was in English, although those who are fluent said it was boring anyway. My friends and I picked out words that we knew.
On Sunday, after watching two movies the day before (The Bookdock Saints--hilarious, and the new James Bond Movie--I think it's better if you see the first one), a few of us decided to go the Shuk to get some fresh veggies and fruits. We made our way down to the Arab shuk, which we forgot was closed, and instead of getting veggies and fruits, we went to one of the best Hummus places in Haifa, possibly all of Israel. After lunch, we walked to Hadar, the Jewish shuk that we usually go to, and got a few fruits and veggies. Today my friend and I made our way back down to the Shuk to get the rest of our groceries. After my 8am class, I didn't have class again until 415 and had a whole day to waste so to the Shuk it was. This time we were more successful. After some of the "Best Falafel in Haifa" (there are two falafel places that are the best in Haifa right across from eachother. You can literally have both feet in each store), we went to the spice store, the fruit store that has more variety than any fruit stand I have ever seen, the Hummus store (yes, there's a whole store for hummus), and the deli where they cut meat like an artist. It was a very successful trip.
Class update: Hebrew-- we're learning about Nifal, which is the passive voice (I was doing, I was cleaning, etc.) and we learned how to conjugate verbal nouns which I didn't understand until she said that it was a gerund so now I get it. Not class related, but when people speak hebrew to me, I'm not translating word for word. It's just there, like in English. And I'm getting so much better with numbers. When people tell me a price, I know what it is without going through the whole 1-10 thing. Except I still get mixed up between the 20s and the teens. Oh well, I'm getting better!
Rab. Lit.-- on monday we talked more about the Shema and the two different schools of thought on what the Mishnah means by "one long and one short" (Mom, I'll email you what he said, 'cause it's too long to write here)
Psych of Conflict--we don't do anything in that class. It is so israeli. The teacher comes late. We take a break every hour. Sometimes for 5 mins, sometimes 10, sometimes 20. Our teacher told us to write a 10 page paper. No directions. No due date. No nothing. We talk about what we want. Menachem Begin in jail. The conflict in the middle east. Whatever we want.
Psych Seminar--the shortest class, but the most boring. we have to give a 10 minute presentation on our topic, which we haven't chosen yet and might not be approved but we have to research it anway.
Anyway, some friends from umass are going to be Haifa on Thursday and Friday so hopefully I will be able to see them! And Friday and Saturday I'm going to the Negev...Hot by day, Freezing by night.
Now fast forward a year (aka now). I am volunteering to tutor some Ethiopian kids in English. On the way home the Madricha who organizes the volunteering started talking about the Ethiopian immigration and though her explanation was helpful, I'm glad (it hurts to say this), I'm glad I took that stupid class. There were also several times in the past months that she has talked about thr Russian population here. My professor was Russian so I knew a bit more about that.
Monday was the first day that we taught English. Everyone has their own kid (or two). They range from age 11 to 17. Most of the younger kids know very little English. Me and my luck got a girl who doesn't really know the alphabet. Even from just an hour of tutoring, you can realize how hard English is. I had to explain what vowels were and which letters they were. Try explaining that in a different language, or even in English. I think we spent most of the time spelling soccer. She spelled it logically (SIKR) it's just that We write out the vowels in English. Since this girl knows no English I spoke in Hebrew for an hour and I have to say that I am proud of myself for doing so.
Also on Monday was HaZikaron Yitzchak Rabin--Yitzcahk Rabin Memorial Day. (Yitzchak Rabin was the Prime Minister of Israel and was assassinated 13 years ago). There was a service that might have been interesting if it was in English, although those who are fluent said it was boring anyway. My friends and I picked out words that we knew.
On Sunday, after watching two movies the day before (The Bookdock Saints--hilarious, and the new James Bond Movie--I think it's better if you see the first one), a few of us decided to go the Shuk to get some fresh veggies and fruits. We made our way down to the Arab shuk, which we forgot was closed, and instead of getting veggies and fruits, we went to one of the best Hummus places in Haifa, possibly all of Israel. After lunch, we walked to Hadar, the Jewish shuk that we usually go to, and got a few fruits and veggies. Today my friend and I made our way back down to the Shuk to get the rest of our groceries. After my 8am class, I didn't have class again until 415 and had a whole day to waste so to the Shuk it was. This time we were more successful. After some of the "Best Falafel in Haifa" (there are two falafel places that are the best in Haifa right across from eachother. You can literally have both feet in each store), we went to the spice store, the fruit store that has more variety than any fruit stand I have ever seen, the Hummus store (yes, there's a whole store for hummus), and the deli where they cut meat like an artist. It was a very successful trip.
Class update: Hebrew-- we're learning about Nifal, which is the passive voice (I was doing, I was cleaning, etc.) and we learned how to conjugate verbal nouns which I didn't understand until she said that it was a gerund so now I get it. Not class related, but when people speak hebrew to me, I'm not translating word for word. It's just there, like in English. And I'm getting so much better with numbers. When people tell me a price, I know what it is without going through the whole 1-10 thing. Except I still get mixed up between the 20s and the teens. Oh well, I'm getting better!
Rab. Lit.-- on monday we talked more about the Shema and the two different schools of thought on what the Mishnah means by "one long and one short" (Mom, I'll email you what he said, 'cause it's too long to write here)
Psych of Conflict--we don't do anything in that class. It is so israeli. The teacher comes late. We take a break every hour. Sometimes for 5 mins, sometimes 10, sometimes 20. Our teacher told us to write a 10 page paper. No directions. No due date. No nothing. We talk about what we want. Menachem Begin in jail. The conflict in the middle east. Whatever we want.
Psych Seminar--the shortest class, but the most boring. we have to give a 10 minute presentation on our topic, which we haven't chosen yet and might not be approved but we have to research it anway.
Anyway, some friends from umass are going to be Haifa on Thursday and Friday so hopefully I will be able to see them! And Friday and Saturday I'm going to the Negev...Hot by day, Freezing by night.
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