This weekend I went to Jerusalem as a "it's the last time" kind of thing. My friend and I were supposed to stay with a one of my friend's cousins, but that didn't work out so we ended up crashing at some friends of a friend's apartment at Hebrew University. Because I spent the weekend there, I got a taste of the University and I am happy that I chose Haifa. It's good to know that I made the right decision and that I chose correctly for me. The apartments are nice. The kitchen/common area is much nicer than where I live, but the rooms are small, although they have a lot of shelves and a big desk, and there are separate rooms for the toilets, sinks, and shower. The downside that I personally saw was that you are surrounded my Americans. All their roommates were American, all their neighbors are American and everyone speaks English. I like the fact that I have ONE American roommate, from Illinois, one Danish roommate, and three Israeli roommates. If I wanted to, I could use my Hebrew. I never see them so I don't usually talk to them period. Also, the program that they were in is really big and I think mostly, of not all, American. I like that my program is only a little bit over a hundred and that some of my friends are from different countries. I now have a reason to go visit Denmark and Hungary.
My friend and I left Haifa in the early morning Friday and made good timing to Jerusalem. We managed not to get lost going from the bus station to Hebrew U. That night for Shabbat, the girls in the apartment had a potluck for their friends and I think I was connected to all of them somehow. Which was another reason I'm glad I didn't choose Hebrew U. Everyone knows each other. I like that going to Haifa will only be MY experience. I mean yes it would have been nice/helpful to have someone from umass here, but by being on my own, I feel that I got to experience everything more. I got to be who I wanted to be. No one knew anything about me and I could mold myself into the person that I wanted to be. One of the people that was there goes to Mt. Holyoke, a few know a bunch of people I know at Umass, one knows a friend of my brother's. The connections keep going and it was quite amusing. After everyone left we decided to go to sleep and instead of sleeping on the common area floor, someone picked the lock to one of the empty rooms and so there was a bed and our own room.
Saturday, we slept late-ish according to normal people standards and walked to the Old City. It was about an hour walk there, even with us getting lost, which I thought was impressive. The girl that we were staying with did not give us the most, um, greatest directions so we had to ask a few times:
"How do we get to the old city?"
"Turn left at the end of this street. Keep walk straight and then ask someone else."
The best answer, if I've ever heard one. Because both of us were on a mission, we walked through the Arab shuk looking for scarves. (Yes, Leah. I got you one). For lunch, we stopped at the best pizza place in Israel. And although that's not saying much. I will go as far to compare it to New York pizza. It was so good. The best pizza (even though it was the second time) I've had in Israel...now for that burger that I've been craving for three months We then walked to the Kotel for one last looksee and then went back to the shuk to complete our mission. We walked through the Jewish quarter looking for the cardo and we got a little lost, but I found our way. We bought the necessary scarves for the appropriate people and started to head back. This time it took longer because we got lost. And that's not our fault. I mean we did head up the wrong street at first, but we were turning around on Jaffa Street looking at map, (Read: looking touristy), this guy asked us where we wanted to go and we told him Hebrew University. Basically his directions were to continue on Jaffa street go down some other streets, pass the Central Bus Station, and we'll be there. It didn't sound right to me because those weren't the street names that we had passed, but maybe it was a short-cut that he knew. Anyway, we were walking for a good 20 minutes and let's just say the more we walked, the more black we could see. Finally at one point, these two girls asked us where we were going and we said Hebrew University and both of them automatically said "Which one?" Well, we were baffled. There are two Hebrew Universities? They redirected us and told us not to walk into Me'ah Shearim. (A REALLY Orthodox community) We were very close as it was. Anyway, we made it back a little before dark, snacked, showered, and went out to dinner. Afterwards, we wandered Ben Yehuda street and I met up with my friend from Umass. She took me to this very cute quaint coffee shop and talked for a few hours. She couldn't believe that I'm leaving so soon and that we only got to see each other twice. She showed me which bus to take back and I got back safely. Although not without questioning my age. See, I bought a Cartisia Noar which is a child's ticket (which I recommend to all my friend's coming to Israel. Just make sure you wear pigtails). Or until the age of 17. Anyway, the bus driver, with good reason, asked my age. So I said "16...I mean 17". I figure my sister is 17 and everyone thinks she's older than me so why not. Besides, I think I can pass for 17 when I'm not dressed up and smile cutely. Neither of which I was so I actually looked my age. I got back to the university and went to bed.
Sunday morning, we woke up early for college students and packed up our stuff. We took the bus to the old city and continued to walk to the Cardo so that my friend could get a necklace from Haddaya. I was so proud of myself. This whole weekend, I mangaed to navigate through the Old City. I actually kind of know my way around which I think is cool. I managed to get us from the university to the Old City and Back...and to the City again and then we took a side road towards the Jewish Quarter. We had perfect timing with the bus back. We got through security and everything by 11:58 and the bus left at 12 (which is 12:15 Israeli time).
Once in Haifa and back in my dorm, I worked on my psych project and talked to my parents before going to the Hannukkah party. There were latkes and soufganiot (Jelly Doughnuts) which are way better here than they are in the US. Although the thing they sour cream is kind of gross. Because I don't think it's actually sour cream. We played a few games, sang some songs, decoreated cookies, made candles, and then I left to go to my friend's apartment to light Hanukkah candles. I had missed the lighting before because I was late to the party.
Today was the second to last day of volunteering and since it was Hanukkah, we had a party. We sang the usual songs and blessings over the candels. We sang a few new Hebrew songs. (ie ones that I have never heard before) and the directors of the community center said a few words. The Elders (remember tha this is an Ethiopian community) blessed us, as per ritual, and thanked us profusely for tutoring. That was the only organized part about the whole party. The kids, whose parents came, ran all over the place. It was loud and noisy and basically unorganized. Here's a picture of everyone. Volunteers and Kids. You can't really see me, but I'm the third person in from the left in the second-ish row. As I said, it was so unorganized.
My friend and I left Haifa in the early morning Friday and made good timing to Jerusalem. We managed not to get lost going from the bus station to Hebrew U. That night for Shabbat, the girls in the apartment had a potluck for their friends and I think I was connected to all of them somehow. Which was another reason I'm glad I didn't choose Hebrew U. Everyone knows each other. I like that going to Haifa will only be MY experience. I mean yes it would have been nice/helpful to have someone from umass here, but by being on my own, I feel that I got to experience everything more. I got to be who I wanted to be. No one knew anything about me and I could mold myself into the person that I wanted to be. One of the people that was there goes to Mt. Holyoke, a few know a bunch of people I know at Umass, one knows a friend of my brother's. The connections keep going and it was quite amusing. After everyone left we decided to go to sleep and instead of sleeping on the common area floor, someone picked the lock to one of the empty rooms and so there was a bed and our own room.
Saturday, we slept late-ish according to normal people standards and walked to the Old City. It was about an hour walk there, even with us getting lost, which I thought was impressive. The girl that we were staying with did not give us the most, um, greatest directions so we had to ask a few times:
"How do we get to the old city?"
"Turn left at the end of this street. Keep walk straight and then ask someone else."
The best answer, if I've ever heard one. Because both of us were on a mission, we walked through the Arab shuk looking for scarves. (Yes, Leah. I got you one). For lunch, we stopped at the best pizza place in Israel. And although that's not saying much. I will go as far to compare it to New York pizza. It was so good. The best pizza (even though it was the second time) I've had in Israel...now for that burger that I've been craving for three months We then walked to the Kotel for one last looksee and then went back to the shuk to complete our mission. We walked through the Jewish quarter looking for the cardo and we got a little lost, but I found our way. We bought the necessary scarves for the appropriate people and started to head back. This time it took longer because we got lost. And that's not our fault. I mean we did head up the wrong street at first, but we were turning around on Jaffa Street looking at map, (Read: looking touristy), this guy asked us where we wanted to go and we told him Hebrew University. Basically his directions were to continue on Jaffa street go down some other streets, pass the Central Bus Station, and we'll be there. It didn't sound right to me because those weren't the street names that we had passed, but maybe it was a short-cut that he knew. Anyway, we were walking for a good 20 minutes and let's just say the more we walked, the more black we could see. Finally at one point, these two girls asked us where we were going and we said Hebrew University and both of them automatically said "Which one?" Well, we were baffled. There are two Hebrew Universities? They redirected us and told us not to walk into Me'ah Shearim. (A REALLY Orthodox community) We were very close as it was. Anyway, we made it back a little before dark, snacked, showered, and went out to dinner. Afterwards, we wandered Ben Yehuda street and I met up with my friend from Umass. She took me to this very cute quaint coffee shop and talked for a few hours. She couldn't believe that I'm leaving so soon and that we only got to see each other twice. She showed me which bus to take back and I got back safely. Although not without questioning my age. See, I bought a Cartisia Noar which is a child's ticket (which I recommend to all my friend's coming to Israel. Just make sure you wear pigtails). Or until the age of 17. Anyway, the bus driver, with good reason, asked my age. So I said "16...I mean 17". I figure my sister is 17 and everyone thinks she's older than me so why not. Besides, I think I can pass for 17 when I'm not dressed up and smile cutely. Neither of which I was so I actually looked my age. I got back to the university and went to bed.
Sunday morning, we woke up early for college students and packed up our stuff. We took the bus to the old city and continued to walk to the Cardo so that my friend could get a necklace from Haddaya. I was so proud of myself. This whole weekend, I mangaed to navigate through the Old City. I actually kind of know my way around which I think is cool. I managed to get us from the university to the Old City and Back...and to the City again and then we took a side road towards the Jewish Quarter. We had perfect timing with the bus back. We got through security and everything by 11:58 and the bus left at 12 (which is 12:15 Israeli time).
Once in Haifa and back in my dorm, I worked on my psych project and talked to my parents before going to the Hannukkah party. There were latkes and soufganiot (Jelly Doughnuts) which are way better here than they are in the US. Although the thing they sour cream is kind of gross. Because I don't think it's actually sour cream. We played a few games, sang some songs, decoreated cookies, made candles, and then I left to go to my friend's apartment to light Hanukkah candles. I had missed the lighting before because I was late to the party.
Today was the second to last day of volunteering and since it was Hanukkah, we had a party. We sang the usual songs and blessings over the candels. We sang a few new Hebrew songs. (ie ones that I have never heard before) and the directors of the community center said a few words. The Elders (remember tha this is an Ethiopian community) blessed us, as per ritual, and thanked us profusely for tutoring. That was the only organized part about the whole party. The kids, whose parents came, ran all over the place. It was loud and noisy and basically unorganized. Here's a picture of everyone. Volunteers and Kids. You can't really see me, but I'm the third person in from the left in the second-ish row. As I said, it was so unorganized.
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