Fieldtrip with the Jewish Agency

February 22 & 23, 2010
(I am) “in love with life... Intoxicated by its beauty, its potential, its thrill. “ Beautifully stated by Ranya Idlby, in The Faith Club- this may be the exact description of my outlook on life right now. Today was a rough day for me, a bit under the weather, I had to go to the orthopedic Doctor to get my foot checked out (turn’s out I sprained my Achilles’ tendon) and was rather lethargic throughout the day, in both mood and manor. I still tried to find the beauty in the place I’m living. Even today with my sniffles, it was easy to do. I snapped pictures of the rolling fields seemingly breathing life into the desert, blossoming with new fruits, lush green leaves and flowers bursting from the ground, yellow, cheerful, brightening the day with their vibrant colors. I love yellow roses, definitely my favorite flower, but alas I could not see any today. Parts of Israel remind me of bits of Italy. When I lived north of Rome, in Lavinio, there were fields upon fields of sunflowers turned towards the sun day after day. Here, I witness the same effect but the sunflowers of the Roman hills are replaced by the petite, springy daisies of Israel.
I reflected on two things today. The first, my trip to Jerusalem, and second, on the differences I believe are most prevalent between the Israeli’s and Arab Muslim’s of the region. This topic will not be covered in one, two or even three blogs. But I will do my best to give a concise snippet of the first topic today.
(NOTE: I have had some questions about my view on the issue of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, on my right to speak about events and perspectives which I was not born into, religiously speaking. I believe, as a true American I suppose, that it is my right to relay my perspective of my experiences in the Middle East. They are just that, my thoughts, reflections and perspective. I am not asking any readers to agree. I hope that by reading my blog (whoever may be doing so in this virtual world) is entertained, informed and maybe even at times, provoked to be thoughtful on issues of the region. That is all I can ask for. Any suggestions for topics you all are curious about, would like me to speak about- please feel free to email me at sarahkc@ufl.edu)
First, Jerusalem.
My class went on a field trip to Jerusalem today. Sponsored by the Jewish Agency, we are taken to the main sights of historical/religious importance in the Jewish faith. We began our trip to the Herzl Museum, which I had never visited before. Quaint and modern, the museum takes you through Herzl’s life in an interesting format- through a movie of them making a play of his life. Kind of confusing, but all in all quite informative. I made a comment to my friend about Herzl which left her open mouthed and gaping. I said, you know I’m not a huge fan of Herzl. My friend Judy looked at me like I was an alien. I said, “am I not allowed to say that?” And she replied simply, “umm...no. I don’t think so.” Partially joking I had stated this just to get a rise out of her, but in all actuality, I am a much bigger fan of Ben Gurion and his methods, especially the revival of Hebrew than I am of Herzl. Though, I must admit Herzl's book on the Jewish State is quite beautifully written. I learned about his life and impact, and at the end of the tour the message was Israeli’s development since its creation; the technological, agricultural and political achievements- which are astonishingly immense. Did you know Israeli technology invented much of the technology we use in cell phones, and even Intel processing chips? We journeyed afterwards towards YadVaShem, (in Hebrew yad=hand and vashem= and name) the Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem. This was my second visit there, but was probably doubly moving. As we walked through the entrance hall, the atmosphere held a tangible somberness. The museum is designed in a pyramid/triangular shape but is made so you must wind through all the halls, unable to go in a straight line—which parallels the inability of the Jewish people to reach the end they wanted so badly, forced to move back and forth, stopping and starting in different directions.
The museum hits on every sense; full of visual stimuli like the propaganda, shoes of children and actual train cars they used to transport people to the concentration camps. It is full of auditory stimuli, with survivors relaying stories of their accounts. The most moving for me, unable to be expressed in words, was a man recalling his story…he was told to line up at the edge of the ditches along with other men. The shots went off and he fell into the pit, shockingly unharmed. Laying there for hours, with bodies below and on top of him, he waited for silence, and crawled his way out of the pit along with one other survivor. Tears pouring down my face, I could not help but feel guilty for the atrocity of the Holocaust. Clearly an irrational feeling...but not being a Jew, or even one of the persecuted minorities, I wish I could’ve played a part in preventing these atrocities, and felt that somehow someone maybe I am related to had played some kind of part. Actually, my dad’s biological family were Polish Jews way back when, but still… though my own parents hadn’t even been born yet, I felt this sense of fish out of water-ness in the museum. While empathetic, I can never wholly understand these atrocities because they did not personally affect me or anyone I know. I was not born Jewish. The Holocaust plays such a major role in shaping the foreign policy and rationale of the Jewish State, and also in the minds of Jews all over the world.
Speaking with my friends here, in Eretz Israel, abroad, and back in the states, every time I have asked the question, do you think the Holocaust can happen again- I have been given the same answer. “Of course, that’s why we have Israel.” Fundamentally, the Jewish State acts as a refuge and safe haven for thousands who have been persecuted over the centuries. This is the place they are safe. This is the place where the Jews (technically) are the majority, and this is the place where the Jewish world is the norm- the Jewish calendar, holidays, culture, customs and religion- it all ties back to the ability to have a physical place of significant geographic magnitude to protect the people from the recurrence of an event like the Holocaust.
I was contemplative, thoughtful and significantly more somber all day- reflecting on the museum, the Holocaust and the events of the day. Dining in one of the national park on the well trimmed grass we enjoyed an al fresco lunch of typical Israeli foods.
We journeyed afterwards to the Old City to visit the Kotel (Christians know it as the Wailing wall) where we went behind the wall, visited the site of the Last Supper, the tomb of St. Peter and of course, the actual Kotel. All very moving. I had done most of these before on my tour when I was a student at the University of Haifa.

Uneventful Days

February 20, 2010
We woke up at 3pm. Basically there was no moving all day. We got coffee. Ate yogurt. Got more coffee. Watched Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 1 &2 and studied. That’s about it. Literally. The weather got cooler. That’s it.
February 21, 2010
Worked this morning, made the sandwiches for our class trip to Jerusalem tomorrow. Made like 70 sandwiches, washed apples, and chopped veggies. Didn’t feel so hot, but I don’t know why. I’m relaxing now after lunch and have class for 2 ½ hours in the afternoon. Getting ready to absorb hundreds more words into my brain. I think my brain very well may be turning into oatmeal.

Shabbat in Ramle

I have known Reut since I lived in Haifa during the summer of 2008. She came and picked me up from my Kibbutz and we drove to her house which is situated in the heart of Ramle. Made of Jerusalem stone, her house spacious and lit became my home in Israel. Her family was excited to have me there- and I got to meet her whole family. Mom, Dad, two sisters a brother (who is 12 ½ ) and her grandmother who was visiting. Practicing my Hebrew, I greeted their grandmother. We relaxed for a bit, watched the Hills, which is apparently quite fascinating. My friend asked me, “does everyone in America live like this? I saw an episode when they flew a private jet to Mexico.” Of course immediately, my instinct was to defend Americans in general and promised her that our entire country was not completely comprised of girls like that.
We prepared the different appetizers- so many salads! Reut’s family is half Moroccan, so literally I think her mother had prepared 12 or so dishes (before Shabbat) of tapas for us to eat. The chetziliim was the best I had EVER had. Eggplant, mayo, garlic and spices- I don’t even eat mayonnaise and I could not help myself! We broke the challah and her father led the prayers. Murmuring the responses, the family all followed suit. Passing around the wine (guests sip first) and then by descending age order we all drank the wine. Then her father broke the challah and dipped it in salt. The reason: Our table is considered an altar (Ezekiel 41:22), and in the Holy Temple salt was offered together with every sacrifice (Leviticus 2:13). We dug into the food with her brothers and sisters all relaying the events of the day in quick Hebrew. I understood most of it. Dinner was full of giggling, lost in translation moments, and people unbuttoning the top button of their pants because her mother would not rest until we couldn’t get up from the table! I haven’t been that full since Italy, and honestly hate being that full. But, it was an experience. After dinner we all watched a movie together, her mother brought out MORE food- fresh nuts and strawberries- apparently to cleanse the palate for desert. (WHAT?!! More food??) We later had tea and lemon cake. Yeah, I know. I was invited to her brothers Bar Mitzvah in April and was told I was required to come back often. Her mother was so welcoming, gave me hugs all night and told me even when Reut is not there she expects me to come visit. I am officially obsessed with her family lol.
Her and her sister took us out to this club in Ramle- 24 and up. It was so nice to be surrounded by people who were our own ages, and a bit older. Relaxed in atmosphere, the club was chill, full of interesting people and great music. We danced all night, drank champagne and enjoyed the company of each other. It was definitely a girls night. The vibes in Israeli clubs are definitely different than in the US and Egypt as well. In Israel and Egypt actually, there is no grinding- that is strictly an American phenomenon. People sway, and dance face to face, like out of the movies instead of rubbing on each other which is the custom in the states. Quite refreshing actually. In Egypt, everyone who goes to the clubs are very wealthy, but smoking sheesha, getting VIP tables and talking is more the norm. In Israel, smoking cigarettes (Ew), dancing, talking loudly and shouting the lyrics is more the norm. It’s difficult to explain, but it is less of a pick up scene and more a setting where groups of friends and colleagues congregate and let loose. Came home late, and stayed up tucking the other girls in.

Life and Death

Last night was Karaoke- oh boy. Never have I ever sung Karaoke! Until last night. I sang Bitch my Meredith Brooks- not even on purpose. I was considering it, going out of my box in an attempt to check something off of “the never have I ever” done list. The DJ thrust the microphone in my face and said sing when the song came on. It was a wireless microphone so she brought it to our table and we really had no choice. I had so much fun- got a little crazy and even sang another song, though I don’t remember which one. Ended up having an amazing time, bonding with some people I didn’t talk to before.
The next morning was Friday- I had to work. Right now, because my foot is hurt I am in charge of cleaning our area- the kitchen, bathrooms, etc. It took me forever to actually do it, slow from the night before. We laid around all day, ate lunch and then I went to this amazingly gorgeous field in the middle of the Kibbutz. I decided to take some me time and read, relax and nap. I am reading the book the Faith Club and I can’t even explain the extent to which that book has challenged me and forced me to examine my views of faith and religion; their importance and whether or not they are mutually exclusive. I had this amazingly deep conversation in my head. I was contemplating death, and reading about the Jewish perspective of it. My thought process was basically this: I do not think I believe in a heaven or in a hell per se. I read this thing about a Rabbi asking what happens when people die, where the matter goes and what happens to the soul. This spurred a whole thought process- when we die, our bodies disintegrate. BUT- if abiding by the law of conservation of energy {matter is neither created nor destroyed- but only transferred} then we do not cease to exist. The energy, the pulsating force and atoms of what was once our bodies lives on. Our energy is merely passed on to create magnificence in this world in another form. Whether it be through a rain drop, slowly falling to the ground or in a strong breeze rushing across the plains. Peoples’ energy forces are transferred into the bits of nature that emanate their same intensity and spirit. Quiet people are reflected in the calming properties of nature and the fierce, intense people of the world, their energy so great, must be transferred to things like waterfalls and thunderstorms.
I fell asleep after having this strange revelation and dreamt about the energies of the world and how they are intertwined. This dream was all in colors and energies- impossible to explain. I woke up, went back to the room, did some homework and had a conversation with this guy who is from Hungary. I asked him about his heritage, his background, and if he was Jewish. His family is Jewish, at least in the historical sense of the word. His family doesn’t associate with the Jews, or the fact that their family has always been Jewish. After the Holocaust he explained, their family changed their name and have not associated with it since! I found that so interesting.
I went back to the room, contemplative of the extent of the atrocities committed in the Holocaust , did some homework and then got ready to go celebrate Shabbat at my friend Reut’s home in Ramle.

Khedva, the teacher.

Hebrew class begins at 8am. My teacher, Khedva, is a little scatterbrained and quite typically Israeli. Her classes are a little scattered, but you can tell she is passionate about what she does, which is nice. I am in this awkward phase because the class is moving slower than my level, but my two girlfriends have a much higher database of vocabulary than I have. So I am in this weird middle level too high for one class and too low for the other. Meh. Anyways so I ended up buying the easier book and reviewing it all myself. Today, I did 70 pages, which is a little bit hard to believe.
Today was really interesting because my Arab friends from next door (who are building the new houses on the kibbutz, near our dorms) brought me a whole plate of kunefa! Unfortunately, it was so delicious I had way too much! Kunefa is my weak point, definitely. I shared it with everyone and they loved it too. My friend, Avrahim wants to take us around Nablus and be our tour guide. Haven’t decided if that is a good idea yet or not, but an interesting proposition nonetheless. The men over there speak Arabic, Hebrew and even a little English, so when I speak to them we simultaneously switch between the languages. Often times, my brain hurts afterwards. It was one of the first times I have been able to speak to people who understand all the languages that are popping out of my mouth. We talked about where I lived in Cairo, why I am here, why I am studying Arabic and Hebrew, etc. They were such nice people and are forever on my good list because they brought me such delicious kunefa!
I speak with some of my friends here, and they constantly warn me about interacting with ‘Arabs.’ They claim there is a different mindset, a different outlook. I actually agree; from what I experienced in the Arab World (and the Muslim parts of the Middle East) there is definitely a different perspective of the world that is more prevalent in Arab eyes than in Israeli/Western eyes. Funny thing is, I really don’t care. I love the differences. I love feeling a little awkward trying to explain something in Arabic. I love being an anomaly in the Middle East. I love that people are really confused when they discover that I am not Jewish, nor Muslim and am here simply to learn about the languages and religions of the region. I look at the differences as something to be learned about, to attempt to understand: not as a fence or an excuse for social separation.
Lastly, I accomplished something pretty amazing. Something I never thought I would ever be able to do in my whole life. It may not seem like much to the rest of the world, but for me, today was a personal triumph. Today, I climbed a 10 foot rope (4 times!!!) that we have in the workout area. There were no knots in the rope on the way up, just straight rope. Who knew I had that much upper body strength?!?! I did it twice using my right leg dominantly and twice with my left. Sadly, I have serious rope burn because I wasn’t wearing shoes—but it was definitely worth it. Goal: By the end of these 5 months- do it using only my arms- no legs at all!
Tonight is Karaoke night at the pub.

Day to Day

Today class was really interesting. Though, I was partially distracted by skyping with someone while I was in class. Oops. It was worth it. Anyways, learned a lot today- we had a huge review session and I’m learning so many new words. I came back after walking around the Kibbutz with Ali and the water to our building was shut off. Great. There were Arab workers working on the buildings next door and of course everyone was thinking we should go talk to them to fix the problem. So I volunteered my Arabic skills, in an attempt to practice some more Arabic- since I have been completely deprived. We solved the problem- yay! I communicated that our building needed water so they turned it back on AND I really really have been craving Kunefa (an Arabic dessert) here and its not good here. These guys are bringing me some tomorrow- thank God! I have been craving it ever since I left Egypt!

HaYom Yom Revee-ee.

Last night, for Valentines Day the girls decided to indulge in a girls night and buy 4 different kinds of chocolate. We LOVED it. ☺ It was Ash’s birthday last night so we Nate built a bonfire and we all gathered around, listened to music, relaxed and got a little crazy.
I hurt my foot when I was running and now I must get x-rays. Which kind of stinks. They switched my job with Judy so I cleaned the general dorm area today; the bathrooms, kitchen and our living area (המואדון ). It was so exhilarated to clean. I can’t explain it- but it was almost theraputic,to clean our communal living area, to erase the grime and make it pristine for the rest of the people here. I was jamming with my headphones in, dancing with the mops and swishing the window wipers to my music. People would randomly walk in on me and laugh, but it made it so much more fun. I listened to Don’t Rain on My Parade and think that has officially become my theme song this week. Just saying. Right now I am listening to Christmas music! Random I suppose for February, but it makes me nostalgic of home and Jupiter First.
At the lunch hall today, the girls ate by ourselves and the huge boys table chowed into their food. {We are not separated by gender, it just so happens that is the way it is because of the amount of chairs.} I watched the people interact- (my favorite hobby) and witnessed budding relationships. There was an old couple sitting next to each other, and there was this moment when then locked us, squeezed hands and then continued talking with friends. It made me realize that that is the kind of love I want when I’m too old to wipe my own bottom. I saw workers exhausted but managing to keep a smile on their faces and relay the current events and politics of the Kibbutz. Then there are the little kids, cute as ever, who get their trays, line up with their little bowl of soup and crackers or little pile of food and sit down with their families.
Tonight everyone went to the bar and I am staying home. It was such a long day and I have so much catching up to do on my Hebrew/Arabic. Relaxing is so nice when you are alone. Its taken me 21 years to finally figure that. Relaxing is not being unproductive. It is relaxing.
Ali and I are officially invited to this family’s house for Shabbat dinner which I am really excited about- don’t know when yet, but I am looking forward to another Shabbat dinner.
Ali and I discussed today how excited we are to get off the Kibbutz on the weekends. It is definitely not that I don’t appreciate where I am, what I am learning and the seclusion it offers but getting outside to practice my Hebrew and absorb more of the cultural nuances is what I am truly interested in. Also, out program director doesn’t go out of his way to tell us about opportunities at the Kibbutz. We learned there are basketball games among the Kibbutzim that we can go watch, tennis lessons, horseback riding lessons and so much more! So we are going to jump into all of those exciting little lessons.

Shabbat, the War, and John Lennon

So, the weekend continued, we had Shabbat dinner- I left with a protruding belly and a new family of amazing people. The boys then took us out to a bar and a Russian club, both interesting experiences in the heart of Jerusalem. Russian immigrants here (Olim Hadashim=New Immigrants) are everywhere, and throughout the city you can see the effects of each homeland of the Jews and the richiness it weaves into the tapestry of the Jewish Homeland. Ethiopoian Jews, Russian Jews, American, Australian and French Jews. They all come with the same passion, wanting to share the dream of a unified Jewish people- a land where the Jews are safe.
Interestingly enough, I often talk to my friends here about contentious Jewish issues. The question that intrigues me most is ‘Do you think the Holocaust can/will happen again.’ Every time the answer surprises me- a resounding ‘yes.’ “It happened once, it can happen again. “ Or “it only happened 60-some years ago.” Maybe because I didn’t experiene this horrific event in the same way my friends here had, I still am in shock that a thing like this could happen again. I see Rwanda, Darfur, Armenia- all these devastating instances of humanity at its lowest and I wonder. If the world could let something as atrocious as the holocaust happen once, Darfur happen again, when will we learn to stand up and say no? At what point is intervention necessary to avoid things like this? At what point in history will this ever stop?
It makes me thing of Imagine- by John Lennon.

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

“Never forget, always remember.” As I sat in the bus station in Jerusalem, a sweet elderly Israeli Lady leaned over my shoulder looking at my flashcards. I was learning the word forget. She looked at me and said “Never forget, always remember,” (referencing the holocaust) She said, “honey now do you understand the phrase? Remember your past. Never forget the tragedies of the world. This is what the Jews mean. This is what we mean.”

Shabbas in the Holy City

Today is Valentines Day! Happy Love, I say. I’m on my work break and catching up on my blog. This morning I am working in the shrubs. We are digging out these fern looking things, plucking out root by root, getting down with mother Earth. God, I am such a nerd. Anyways, last night we got back from this crazy weekend in Jerusalem.
We left on Friday after class, gathered our stuff, ate some decent cafeteria food and hopped in a cab to the train station. We were supposed to stay with my friend at his friends place but as we were on our way to the train station, he called and apparently his friends got in trouble in the army and had to stay on base. Which meant for us at least, that we were S.o.l. Of course we start freaking out…but decide to be spontaneous and still go. We figure it’ll be an adventure. We start calling all the people we know in Jerusalem- and end up staying with Emily’s friend Arik. We took the train, which has the most scenic beautiful route from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The tracks wind through the rocky hills full of pine trees. At the bottom of the hills is a river (maybe the Jordan?) which snakes through the valley with lambs munching on the blossoming pastures.
Upon arrival in Jerusalem, right before Shabbat, we disembarked and found a cab and drove over to Arik’s house. It was so nice- in the suburbs of the Holy City. Driving into Jerusalem was deja-vu for me. The looming white Jerusalem stone is one of those striking visuals that your mind never forgets. I could see the wall separating the Palestinians from the Israeli’s, so depressing.
The boys had cleaned the whole apartment for us, gave us three beds and made us feel right at home! We ended up passing out for a few hours and then the boys woke us up for Shabbat. We split up, I went to Mayor’s house for dinner with him and Yosi and Emily went to Arik’s while Ali slept. Going to Shabbat at his house was entertaining- of course I understood about 50% of what they were talking about- generally I understand the topic- but miss the nuances/small details. His family was so welcoming, open arms, big hugs and huge smiles welcoming me for Shabbas. (Shabbas is the Ashkenazi reference to Shabbat- where as Shabbat comes from the Sephardic Jews) We ate this amazing meat with potatoes and fresh vegetables. They all said the prayer, which I didn’t know…It was a little awkward. Then he blessed the wine and challah and we all ate. I loved speaking with his two younger sisters, who were so eager to practice their English. We drank, laughed, indulged and shared stories for hours. For desert, we ate Pomella, an Israeli fruit. It is a genetic combination of grapefruit and oranges and is extremely delicious. We watched the evening news and listened to the stories (in Hebrew of course) about the children who’s legs were either shot off/blown up as a result of the Intifada’s. Hearing their reaction, seeing the families and hearing the other side again snapped me back to the full reality of the situation. There is no right side. It is so difficult trying to explain to people what I am passionate about and why I want to work here, with Palestinians and Israeli’s. Seeing children like this (on both sides) probably best explains why. The pain, the conflict, the struggles that are experienced here on a daily basis have the potential to change. I hope one day we can learn how to achieve this end. Mayor’s family was tearing up, clearly distraught at the trauma this brings into all Israeli’s daily lives.
Before I arrived to Arik’s, the girls and I had discussed my ‘religion.’ Which is, I suppose, up in the air- religious background I can talk about. My beliefs, I’m still working on. Anyways, it is such a pain when everyone and their mother asks me if I am Jewish to explain why I am here, why I like Israle, what I’m studying, what I belive, etc. sometimes when people ask me if I’m Jewish in the grocery store or whatever I just kind of nod and go along with it. Explaining in depth every time gets a bit tiring. So anyways, this weekend, at the end of Shabbat dinner, their family asked me if I was Jewish. I awkwardly did a side nod- like a yes/no thing. I lied. I know, it’s awful. I hate lying; I have officially decided, even for convenience, I just can’t not say what and who I am. I may not know exactly who I am, but I know what I am not. I do not like lying, and I am proud of where I come from and my reasons for being here. From now on, no more side-winding around the question.

Feb 11. 2010

I went out to the city with the girls into the market after my classes today. bought some fresh figs and nuts :) and tried all these fresh cheeses and strawberries! All these men of course offered us free tastings and Emily, adorable as ever, would sneak all these little snippits of food from all the stalls. The best thing about the Middle East is by far the fresh out door markets; and of course, the languages.
I translated all of my Hebrew notes into Arabic last night (6 pages of vocabulary!!) which is really great. I am hoping I can keep it up to maintain my proficiency in both languages. Its basically double the work load.

Graveyards and Rakes and Trees Oh My!

Today I worked in the graveyard. I was unhappy, to say the least. I found out that I was going to be working there, and immediately my mind wandered to decomposition. Gross, I know, but what would you think of if you were to work among the graves? I don’t know why I started freaking out, but as I walked toward the graveyard, I started crying, which is quite unusual for me. Seriously, fah-reak-ing out.
I suppose the only cemetery I have ever visited was when my amazing friend Scott passed away when I was seventeen. Hence, the association is depressing. We walked to just outside of the gates of the Kibbutz into a graveyard which has been in place since the beginning of the Kibbutz.
I was responsible for weeding around the graves, as in right up around the big cement box sticking out of the ground. I am extremely uncomfortable with this, but decided to force myself, teary or not, to go out of my comfort zone and figure out why I was so uncomfortable. Cleaning a cemetery, or tending to the graves is supposed to be a mitzvah. My friends kept trying to qualm my nerves by claiming the goodness of my actions, but at that point I wasn’t caring as much about that as the dead bodies surrounding me. I ended up surviving the day by plugging in my ipod and completely zoning out. I finally calmed down about two hours into work and decided to keep my stress level down by jamming out. I jammed my way through two Glee CD’s and finally started to appreciate the mitzvah I was taking part in. It really is a beautiful thing to cherish and tidy graves. Respecting ones we love and holding up their memories is something beautiful.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the creation of Kibbutz Na’an. I am excited because our director told us about a variety of events that will be taking place this year because of the year long celebration. We get to have concerts, religious celebrations and our Kibbutz has the largest celebration of Passover in Israel.

What We Do

So this morning we had quite an early start to our day. We woke up at 8 for our testing into classes. We stood outside waiting for our teachers to be called in and tested for the correct Hebrew class. I tested into advanced Hebrew. I got my job as well…what I will be doing for my “work” part of the work study program here; I am a gardener. I woke up this morning- because I have to be at work at 6 am. 6, flipping, am. I almost died when I found out. I woke up, am working with 3 other boys. Yes, I am the only girl. We met the other Kibbutzniks who assigned us our jobs. Two of the boys went and chopped down a tree. This guy form Argentina, named Mattie, and I, were assigned to the gardens. I weeded and tilled the soil for 5 hours this morning. It was 45 degrees this morning and still dark when we woke up. The sun rose about 5 past 6 in the morning and was beautiful rose colored, slowly rising over the mountains. The hours went by pretty quickly. Once you get into the work funk, digging, shoveling, turning the soil, it becomes a rhythm, a way of relaxing into your mind. I am very rarely reflective, and I’ve found this time really requires me to focus on my thoughts. Lunch is good, always decent. The vegetables (hot and cold) are pretty good – fresh from the Kibbutz. There are always varities of meat, mousaka, schnitzel (the favorite Israeli chicken dish) and vegan stuff. The families and coworkers all sit together in the dining hall, animatedly talking about the days work, gossip among the families and daily life. I love watching the dynamics between people here- the old ladies sitting together, pushing around vegetables, clearly the best of friends. The old men who eat in silence, teeth absent, and reading the newspaper. There is such a communal feeling in this place. For example, this morning, I was working with one of the guys in the garden. I asked him about the rotation schedule on the Kibbutz. I was curious whether people switched jobs often. What if you hated cooking and you were stuck in the kitchen? Apparently, the people on the Kibbutz pretty much stay permanently in their jobs. They don’t switch around unless absolutely necessary. The guy I was speaking with had been working in the garden for 13 years. But in the last few years, lots of people have been utilizing their specializations and are working off of the Kibbutz. Na’an is the second richest Kibbutz in Israel and one of the largest in terms of size. It isn’t religious though, very few people attend services regularly, and the only services are on Shabbat and the holy days.

Kibbutz Na'an

So Kibbutz Na’an is a beautiful chunk of landscape located next to the city of Rehovot south of Tel Aviv. Driving up, I had no clue what to expect. I was instantly blown away by the never ending rows of lush green fields, flowers and lines of houses in this quaint Kibbutz, Also noticing industrial equipment, my mind wandered to my eventual job placement here on the Kibbutz. Was I to be working in a factory?

My taxi dropped me off at the entrance to the Ulpan center where I immediately met some nice Ulpan kids. 3 Australians and a Brit. They are all 19. Anyways they were really nice guys, all attractive. They were witty, charming and of course have great accents. They made me feel right at home. I checked in with the director, Ilan, whose office is decorated with paintings from past Ulpan classes. There is everything to beautifully done artistic landscapes to class portraits drawn in South Park theme. He was really sweet, welcoming and organized. I loved that bit- the organization part; a beautiful change from Egyptian run things. Anyways the boys helped me bring my bags to my room and we almost immediately went into Rehovot to get some things. It was pretty cold so I bought a jacket, but we walked around this town, quite family oriented. The mall is that way too. Kids surrounding tables getting taught how to make pancakes, families playing in kids jungle gyms, etc.

Meeting people was interesting, as I suppose most first impression situations are. There are people here from all over the world: Mexico, Britain, Australia, Hungary, France, the US, Germany, Russia, and more. There are only 30 of us and the guy to girl ratio is quite off. I think there are only 10 girls. We hung out, smoked sheesha, and talked with each other, regaling our different adventures. Most of us are very well traveled, and were exchanging trips and stories about where we’ve been/where we are dying to go.
I woke up this morning, after homey-ing my room and went for a run. 2 other guys were supposed to come so they slept through it. The run was nice, and the kibbutz is so big, I ran for 30 minutes and hadn’t seen hardly any of it. There are fields upon fields of eggplant, corn and some other unidentifiable vegetable. Gorgeous rows of flowers and even stables with horses, peacocks, pigs and goats surround our Ulpan dorm area. The boys built a fire pit, clearly a crucial need for a five month program. My roommate’s name is Emily, she’s from California and really cool- very chill, nice and clean thank god.
The general way of life here is just drastically different. The communal feeling is evident. People greet everyone as they walk by, the locals are happy to meet us and show us around. Even the dining halls, where everyone eats, felt like one big camp atmosphere- everyone here knows and loves each other. Women walk around with stroller like objects- or at least purposefully so, but actually are cribs with wheels on them with a baby in it. I find it kind of cute, they stroll their baby’s crib along to the grocery store. When you grow up in a kibbutz, at age 16, you get your own apartment, separate from your family. Also, they have a communal grocery store, swimming pool, playgrounds, gardens, and even 2 pubs. I think I could get used to living this way. Everything is so calm and peaceful. Might be trouble though, I am already getting restless. Not in a bad way necessarily, I just have to learn to quiet my mind.

Sheiken Street, Tel Aviv

I am supposed to get my bags back this morning. Its about 10am here and I couldn't sleep because there is a new building going up next to my friends apartment and they are jack hammering at 9am. So now I am wide awake. I'm having an amazing time. I went to the market yesterday, practiced my Hebrew, and got all these fresh vegetables and fish to cook for my friend who is hosting me. It was great walking through the streets of Tel Aviv and remembering all these old places and restaurants from two years ago. I cooked a big dinner last night and some of his friends came over and we watched a movie, just hung out.
I relaxed all morning, mushing around the apartment waiting for the dang bags to come. I made myself fresh eggs from the market with oozing cheese and fresh Israeli salad. I am reading, reflecting, and journaling about past experiences in an attempt to critically juxtapose my Arab and Israeli experiences.
I waited until 1pm when the Russian immigrant Jewish man brought my bags up four flights of stairs. I was ecstatic, thank the dear lord. I just wanted my bags. Anyways, I unpacked a ton of stuff, stoked to finally have the basic necessities with me! I got ready for yoga, Yam was nice enough to lend me his mat and then I was on my way to Yoga. I google mapped it and decided to walk to the Bikram studio. It ended up being about a 35-minute walk, give or take. I walked up the beach road to the Opera Tower and turned to Allenby and followed it up to one of the side roads I was supposed to take. Allenby is not the most beautiful of streets in Tel Aviv. As you pass by the stripper joints, the putrid smell of urine passes through your nose, leaving a scowl on your face. But continuing on there were random stores full of fashion from the 90’s, old camera’s, hippy-chic boutiques and people rushing on their way to some place or the other.
I found a new favorite street in Tel Aviv, and don’t even remember the name of it. Anyways, it is right across from the HaCarmel Market. It is a street of such high intensity. Full of shops, sounds and people bustling around. I sat in this coffee shop called Aroma, relaxed after my morning of Bikram yoga (which was really cool to take the class in Hebrew). I watched families come and go, shop owners receiving deliveries. All and all, my eyes were reopened to the city of Tel Aviv. So full of life and laughter.
We went out for sushi with my old friends from two years ago, who are really amazing people. We journeyed on to this club- it was a mob getting in. And, like all clubs they handpicked girls to let in out of the masses lol. Its kind of funny to watch. Anyways we get into this club and the lights were way trippy. Blinking, flashing and being highered and lowered above your heads, I felt like I was on acid or something. The DJ was ok, but I wasn't that into going out and getting wasted. Times change I guess. But I was also adjusting to the city, meeting people and was a little out of my comfort zone. I left for Kibbutz Naan- Yam's friend helped me with my bags down four flights of stairs and over to catch my sherut to the bus station. This creepy guy from Manhatten, who apparently is now an Israeli postal worker was following me- offering me a job and made me promise I would write him. Clearly, not happening. He was the definition of senile, creepy old man. Anyways, arrived to Kibbutz Naan safely. Met everyone here. More updates on Kibbutz life to come.

A Taste of TelAviv

February 1, 2010
So today is my first real day in Israel. I got in yesterday, after Delta lost both of my bags. So now I am everything-less. Clothes-less, shoeless, shampooless! Just about everything is missing. I got in, remembered way more than I thought I would, in terms of restaurants, street names and places in general. So I passed out on the couch when I arrived at my friend Yam’s apartment, which is exactly one block away from the beach. I woke up from knocks, door bell rings and calls from Yam. We talked about old friends, Israel, and other frivolities you discuss when you haven’t seen someone in two years. We met his neighbor and they were speaking in Hebrew, I understood most of it but I don’t know if they realized that I can understand that much. Anyways they asked me about what I was studying and I mentioned Arabic. So his neighbor decided to tell me a joke. He looks at me and asks, what do you call it when there are three Arabs in the ocean? I answered, quite awkwardly (not wanting to be in this position), I don’t know. He says, pollution. Continuing, he says what do you call three million Arabs in the ocean? Again, this time with obvious discomfort, I answered I don’t know. He says pollution. I am flabbergasted. But, then, I remember where I am. And where I just came from. Regardless of the issues I have with the Arab world, I love and care for the people in it every bit as much as my Israeli friends. Awkward.

I actually just woke up today, at 1:00pm. I slept for a good twelve hours and needed every bit of it. Now, I am venturing out to find a cell phone, sip some coffee and relax.

Just got back from the shook (market) and am ready to cook fresh Israeli Salmon from the Mediterranean! I literally could just sit and watch interactions all day. I walked through the market streets taking in the sights, aromatic scents and atmosphere of the Israeli nation. The weather is a beautiful 65 degrees Fahrenheit with a slight wind and beautiful bright sun. Crossing streets being wary of sheruts (large publict taxi’s) and bumbling, smoking buses, I walk back and forth across the streets- just because. I enter the HaCarmel Market, about a 15 minute walk away from my friends’ apartment and enter, ready to experience again the craziness of the markets. Typical things include shouting daily prices, juices of unknown sources dripping into the walkways, old women pushing their way through with rolling carts, haggling for lower prices and more. I examine the “way” to do it before I jump back in. Hesitant, but still acutely confident, I stride up to the first stand to buy some vegetables. Always, and I mean always, go to the stand with the most locals. You know it’s the best. Success! So vegetables in hand (thank god I remembered my Hebrew numbers!) I decided to purchase some fresh fish. Called dag (sounds like dog) in Hebrew, I always find it funny asking for dag instead of fish.. Now, I am cooking in my friend Yam’s apartment. I am attempting to make fresh cream and strawberries. The crème is not setting, dang it.

To the Holy Land

Well, I am packing my bags. Procrastinating as usual. But almost kind of sort of ready to depart on my trip to Israel. 5 Months on Kibbutz Naan await me. I'm meeting my friend Yam, who's letting me stay at his place in TelAviv and am quite excited to begin my adventure! Still working out my summer plans...Wish me a safe flight. Post next in Israel

Update over Christmas Break

Okay, so I know I haven't been the worlds best blogger. I will really try to update more regularly to keep all of you up to date on my life/experiences/views of my life.

Anyways, it is now Christmas break and I am home in beautiful Jupiter, FL for about 5 more weeks for the Holidays. The Christmas Eve service at my church was spectacular, as always and year after year makes me feel genuinely blessed.

I'll be visiting Gainesville to see all my friends before I leave again for Israel on January 30th. Keep you updated as things develop.

Happy Holidays.

Turkey Part 2

It was a Halloween party waiting to happen. Anyways we walked around, saw all the fish swimming around the barely full water levels around the cisterns, water dripped on our heads- we finally made it to the back of the cistern and saw the Medusa’s heads- one on its side, one upside down. Scientists claim it was supposed to be like this- placed intentionally there in these positions.
Afterwards, we decided to go to the spice bazaar and indulge in a mini-Thanksgiving feast. As we walked through the spice market, we were overwhelmed with the fragrant tea’s and spices like cinnamon, cumin and black pepper mixed with the scent of the famous aphrodisiac from Istanbul, supposedly once used by the king. Fruit stands, juice sellers, sandwich makers (who walk around with a holding table, fresh bread, cheese and hard boiled eggs), cheese sellers, all letting you taste all the amazing highlights of their booth, and on a larger note, of Turkish cuisine. We sampled fruits and fresh cheese while walking by the lines literally filing out the door of the butchers shops; all the people waiting in line for their lamb. (it was the afternoon before the morning of the sacrifice for Eid Al Adha). There was lots of pushing and prodding through this district…Oh and their were Turks being interviewed about Swine Flu, wearing swine flu masks of course. {There are people all of Turkey, everywhere really, still wearing Swine flu masks. I find it quite humorous.} After we cruised out of the edge of the market where we met this guy working at a café. He recommended this Donor Kebab place so we went to find it- got donors and this yoghurt drink which was kind of chunky and gross. We returned to the café with the guy we met and ordered fresh juice. That was my thanksgiving dinner lol. Slightly sub-standard considered American expectations, but th rest of the amazing day more than made up for it. Besides, our wallets would’ve been hurting had we splurged. We ended up strolling through the side alleys of the market and saw gun shops, which effectively freaked me out, stores selling weird Christmas things, key stores, fountain stores, etc. It was basically like an outdoors, balady Home Depot. We continued along the main road to the Galata bridge, which we crossed but not without taking in an excellent amount of people watching. Vendors everywhere, fisherman stringing their poles, couples walking hand in hand, people bustling home from work and elderly men shuffling across, seemingly just trying to make it to the other side. We walked through the side streets of Galata, we really like doing that by the way, and took photos, observed daily life and admired the absolutely beautiful architecture. We made it up the massive hill to Galata Tower. I thought we were going to have to walk upstairs in this old school castle/tower thingy but much to our surprise it was seriously posh. A jewelry shop at the bottom, men who are paid only to push the elevator buttons, elevators with information videos in them and a gorgeous restaurant and night club when you reach the top, with of course, the viewing area outside. We stayed outside for probably an 1 ½ watching the sun slowly set over Istanbul. From the tower we could see all of Istanbul, both the European and Asian continents- if I didn’t already say it, Istanbul is the only city in the world to straddle two continents. All the minarets, palaces, the Bosphorous…we were blessed with this breathtaking view of the city, of two continents, on Thanksgiving. We waited until the sun set, talking to random people from all over the world, snapping photos and making jokes. We walked around Galata for a bit, indulged in some local sweets like this donut thing quadruple fried and dipped in honey and sugar. We came back over the bridge and saw the restaurants on the bottom of the bridge- super touristy but the fish looked so yummy! We grabbed the tram back because we had to get back to the hostel to catch our bus to Cappadocia. Got packed up and went to the bus station. Normally all bus stations are gross, but I officially hate Turkish bathrooms. It was one of the few things in this beautiful country. It is literally a hole in the floor with a bucket of water to wash away the urine. So basically you are just standing in urine water. So gross.
We boarded the twelve hour bus to Cappadoccia/Kapadokya in Turkish. It was long, difficult and seriously uncomfortable, but well worth it. The bus companies here serve snacks, coffee, tea and water thoughout the entire trip. They actually have an employee on the bus specifically to serve people food. We stopped at all these little towns throughout the trip, randomly picking up people and dropping them off. Oh and on the way to Urgup we had to transfer buses. Men and women who aren’t married aren’t allowed to sit together on Turkish buses. So Maggie and I sat together and Wills sat with this random guy. We finally arrived and it was absolutey freezing. Our hotel, the Dedeli Konak picked us up where we ewer given out toasty little cave room. Literally our hotel was carved out of the cave, very cool. I passed out for an hour before the tour started ad devoured the Turkish breakfast before we had to pile in the van. Turkish breakfasts consist of lots of mezze with toast and Turkish tea and coffee.
Our tour started at 9:30am ad boy was it packed with tons of stuff to do. We started off at a panorama view of this beautiful valley called the Deverent Valley and fantasized the entire time about climbing all these volcanically shaped rocks, called different names all over the region depending on the shape they take. I kept asking the guide when do we have free time to climb?!? He got a bit annoyed. We got back in the van and went down to the lower level or the valley known as Monks Valley where there were all these cool rock formations, shaped by lava 8-10 million years ago. Wills and I decided we had to climb one, so he scooted up this huge rock like a dang monkey. And, of course, I think if he can do it, so can I so I follow him up. It was a beautiful view and tons of fun until I decided to get down because all of the rocks were extremely dusty and crumbly, hence no footholds. There was a group of Eastern Orthodox Christian Armenians who started to pray for me, and my safe descent, treacherous as it was. I slid down halfway, the easy way. Then my new Eastern Orthodox friend decided to step in and help me so I wouldn’t seriously injure myself; which was good because I totally would’ve eaten it. I completely fell into him and made it down with minor scratches and bruises. Everyone started clapping and of course, I was mortified.

Thanksgiving in Turkey Part 1

So after our two hour delay because of the fog hovering over Istanbul. We landed and had our hostel pick us up from the airport. The city is a thousand times cleaner than Cairo, and the aura completely different. Much more relaxed, quiet, even peaceful. This is the low point for the tourist season- but even disregarding the lack of honking, the pateience and genuine hosptiality was so refreshing! The minute we got to our hosetl, we were welcomed by name. We decided to take it easy the first day, since it was already late afternoon, so we walked around Sultanhamet. We ate donor kebabs after strolling through the Bazaar- the oldest Bazaar in the world! There are so many street vendors, selling fresh chestnuts, helping us ring in the Christmas season, and fresh corn coming out of steaming vats of water. Prices aren't bad at all, but I have been spoiled with the cheapness of Cairo and am now officially a price snob. (2 dollars for a soda:?!? In Cairo I pay 40 cents! haha- see what I mean?) We talked to lots of people, all of whom were extremely helpful, and such a huge contrast to the lack of social awareness so prevalent in Cairo. Here, smiling at people is not an invitation for a butt grab, nor is making eye contact a sign of flirtation. Don't get me wrong, I love the vibe of Cairo, the constant bustling, honking, calls to prayer, and the unique interactions I get to experience on a daily basis, but having a break is nice too.

After our stroll through quiet neighborhoods and side street markets we sat at this nice restaurant, smoked a sheesha and had this great apple tea for two hours. We sat with some of the waiters who told us where to go, their favorite places, really cool guys. We went to bed pretty early that night to get in a full day of sightseeing.

Today was Thanksgiving. I was so tickled at the prospect of spending Turkey day in Istanbul, Turkey- once in a lifetime, definitely! Well our makeshift Thanksgiving was quite spectacular. We decided to treat ourselves to the ever over-priced Starbucks, something nonexistent in Cairo. I had a peppermint soy hot chocolate with a shot of espresso- pure heaven. We wanted to see the major sights that day but not without a bite to eat. We strolled along the streets of Istanbul, slowly waking up with our coffee. I found this great pastry shop, wo we indulged in these flaky freshly baked pastries lightly filled with cheese or potatoes and meat with fresh onions. As we devoured our tasty breakfast treats we walked to the Sultanhamet center: the plaza where the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia are located. Basically all the tourist sites are generally located in this area, which by the way is quite aesthetically pleasing. Green, crisp lawns centered between the two monuments, a huge fountain and undeniably inspiring architecture.

We first visited the tomb of the guy who built the Blue Mosque. It was very interesting. We obviously removed our shoes to enter the tomb, and entered this building like a chapel- there were all these tombs in huge coffins each covered with one big draped sheet. I remember thinking about the decorations in the building- my Mom would’ve loved it! Gorgeous tiling in different shades of blues and tans, just like our house. We went to the Blue Mosque next and were cordially directed to the visitors entrance, because only Muslims are allowed in the main entrance. The Mosque itself was beautiful with high domed ceilings, stain glass windows and lush green carpets. Men and women were separated for prayers. It was beautiful, but for some spiritual reason I wasn’t, you know, moved. I appreciated the significance, historically and religiously- but I just wasn’t spiritually moved. Anyways, we were fortunate enough to get some amazing photos, we actually took so many pictures this trip, at times it was a bit embarrassing. We met an American family outside of the Mosque and wished them a Happy Thanksgiving ☺ It was pretty darn cute. So we were out in the courtyard next to the Mosque and the Hagia Sophia, a vast expanse of greenery and gorgeous Panorama views, and the vultures came. “Are you Australian?”, “do you want to buy a hat” “do you need a map?” Actually, it felt a bit like home, Cairo home, that is.

We entered the courtyard of the Hagia Sophia, an entrance fee of 20 Turkish Lira, but worth every lira. Even with the dome being under construction, little could take away from the brilliance in every corner of this magnificent building. The archways, doors, tiered levels, paintings, mosaics, and even circular nickel shaped tributes to Allah could bring an person to gape at the majesty before them. Once a church, converted to a Mosque, its splendor is truly the epitome of Turkey/Istanbul- the city where the east meets the west. The fusion is evident throughout the city, both culturally and religiously. We took so many pictures; I even got on Wills’ shoulders to get a great shot of the Blue Mosque from this view. (Wills has officially become a huge photo whore. We turned him to the dark side- now obsessed with angles, and doors, and great lighting, it made the trip so much more fun!) There was this little fresco mosaic in the preserved upper level of the church. My first thought was that my Dad would’ve LOVED this. Because the Muslims painted over the Christian paintings, many remained preserved under the paint for hundreds of years. It was Christ along with other saints- but in these Mosaic’s there were the tiniest pieces of painted stone, brilliant golds and blues. The history in this region boggles my mind. So many important peoples, cultures and discoveries were all made here, in this region: Ephesus, Noah’s Ark, and all 7 churches of Revelation, to name a few. Long story short, the Hagia Sophia was amazing, beautiful and well worth its title as a Wonder of the World. Oh and at the end, there’s this place where you put your finger in where a saint supposedly cured an illness- you twist your thumb all the way around and if you feel water, you are supposed to be cured. I couldn’t twist my finger that far. ☹ WE left and walked to this little café right beside it, drank the famous apple tea and discussed our plans for the rest of the day. We took photos, again, shocking, I know. I did a backbend on this wall and all these guys started taking photos. It was awkward. We decided to do the Cisterns next, so we walked over, followed the signs and somehow stupidly missed the entrance and got lost- ended up running into this cool Asian couple who were interested in going to Cairo, so naturally we got all excited and gave them advice on where to go. They pointed us in the direction of the Cisterns and we descended into this dimly lit cavernous area.

More to come...

Faith, In A Place Where It Defines You

I have a friend Mo, who is Egyptian and German but speaks Arabic and is culturally Egyptian, but from Boston. Him and I talk about religion together. He’s a Muslim and I’m well, I’m not sure yet. He, and so many others here are open to sharing things with me about Islam, about their faith, and why they believe what they believe. Islam is I think the religion that is most actively practiced in daily life. The dedication to 5 daily prayers, the attempts to devote so much of your day to what you believe, to your God I find to be incredibly admirable. I don’t believe in Mohammed’s divinity but I find many of the principles of Islam interesting. I have language partner Emey, we meet every week to discuss different topics (1/2 in English and 1/2 in Arabic). She shares her perspective on religion with me, why she believes what she does- and I just find her honesty and openness so refreshing. People here talk about their faith so openly (but only if you are Muslim or Christian) and instead of being an inhibitor of converstaion, is something respected, and actually quite common. Whereas in the states its a topic to stay away from, here even the taxi drivers curiously ask you about your religion. (More to come on this topic)

It’s funny how similar all the three major religions are- even the principles of morality shared by nearly all religions lie along the same lines- all preach principles of love, truth, patience, kindness and grace. The world would be so much simpler if we could just recognize our shared principles and agree to disagree on the details. Unfortunately, so much of the political sphere of religion is shaped by responding to the fanatics (from every religion) who ruin it for the rest of us.

It is ironic that those who consider themselves the most religious ad most devoted are the ones who feel their religiosity some how excludes them from following the simplest of commandments- love your neighbor, treat others the way you would like to be treated(though not officially a religious principle...still, arguably commonly applied in most religious texts).

That is why I think I consider myself to be a kind of universalistic in regards to religion. Humans are so prone to fault- to become absorbed in the hierarchy, the politics, and the power struggles. There are pieces from each religion that I admire, believe and also criticize. I do believe in one God, at least I’ve gotten that much down. I don’t really know where I stand on the details about life after death, messiahs, rules etc. but I believe in acts of kindness, a supreme being, a kind heart and the moral values propagated by the major religions. I figure when I know, I’ll know. But I want to experience and explore every religion before I can have any kind of full understanding of what I do believe, and why.

The Answer

I actually have only seen someone get hit by a car. It was the saddest thing I have ever witnessed. As you have probably read in my posts, Egyptian drivers are freaking nuts. Seriously, the worst I've ever seen- including Italy. NUTS! So I was in Alexandria and this 20-something guy was crossing the street- a taxi just literallly took him out. He buckled over and had to get help standing up. Thank god I don't think he was really seriously injured but it was definitely lucky. All the others things on my list have yet to happen...lol.

and now- again my university is talking about shutting down for 10 days because of swine flu. Seriously, I have had the weirdest semester of my life, in a good way.

Post again soon.

The Ignorance That Persists...

If you are wondering how I live here, what I perceive- the answers are varied. I am a Jewish Studies/Arabic/Political Science Student. That is what I study. When I come to university, I expect the same degree of openmindedness. I believe agreeing to disagree is sometimes the best solution- but at least freaking open your closed mind to an idea besides your own.

I would like to quote for you all the view of Jews from the Arab side. I am NOT saying this perception does not exist on the other side, for I know it does. Some of my Israeli friends think Arabs are inferior/have no place in Israel. I am not taking a stance here- for this is not the place, at least not now. But please think about the following statements, taken directly from our Universities newspaper at the American University in Cairo. Educate yourself, see the world how I live it here.

The article attemps to paint a picture of cooperation to some extent, but fails on all accounts. "Although AUC is a community constucted of diverse cultures and people of different backgrounds, the anti-Jewish propoganda of Arab countries often has its influence on students..." Okay...setting up the article. A Business studnet here said "La, wala respect them wala zeft, dol nas zebala." Which translates into No, there is no respect for them, they are a filty people. They go onto say "We{Arabs} have a wrong stereotupe that Jewish people are betrayers and care too much about money." Admitting wrongs is lovely, but this is the best attempt the article gives at expressing how not all Jewish people are awful people.

Quite frankly, this mindset is the most upsetting thing I have encountered. This is why I want to do what I want to do- work, even a little to lessen this crappy stereotype. I have several Jewish friends who attend school with me in Egypt, are equally appalled. However, they choose to not take action, for good reason. Keeping your religious preference quiet (if you're Jewish) is oft times a matter of safety then a point of pride.

So now we continue with the article...(sorry if I'm ranting..) A professor talks about how he holds a class every semester on modern Zionism and Judaism and how the class is always full of kids curious, trying to break the stereoype, etc. This is obviously a good thing- but clearly the minority viewpoint. The professor says "the stereotypes believed often resemble conspiracies of Jews in running American, killing innocent Palestinian children, causing all of the world's sorrows and the list goes on. It is always "the Jews" as though a confederacy of evildoers operates under the Star of David." (pause for reaction...)

Alot of kids here have never even met a Jew, or if they did, they wouldn't know it. The article says, "Jewish students and faculty members are often mistaken for Christians, and because of the current political and cultural tensions in Egypt regarding Jews, most of them are not too keen on correcting others on their religion." Again, note the secrecy factor- a matter of safety more or less.

Okay get ready to be pissed, because I was. So the article goes on about the willingness of students to know the other side. NOW GET A LOAD OF THIS!!! "An example he {the professor} gave was of when he had a conversation with 2 Egyptian students, and one mentioned that Hitler's Mein Kampf was the only autobiography she had read. What ensued was a talk about Egyptains who idolize Hitler for his victimization of six million Jews. At some point, the girl said she wants to meet Jewish people." ARE YOU serious!!??!?! That is their idea of openmindedness? That literally made me sick. I don't care where you come from- idolizing the a sick man who murdered millions of people. not Jews. PEOPLE. is absolutely disgusting.

As I contemplated throwing the paper away, I thought I would share this with all of you. Oh, one more fun thing. The article further notes, "There have been other displays of anti-semitic propoganda on campus. According to an anonymous Jewish student, an Egyptian walked around the university with a pair of jeans with a swastika drawn on it. "Some of my Egyptian friends tried to explain to me that here in Egypt, the swastika is seen as an anti-Israel symbol and do not associate it with the Holocaut," he said. "Yet pleading ignorance wouldn't save me if I wore a shirt with the Prophet depicted on it.""

Which is exactly the point I make. Meh! The Egyptian government, and many other Arab governments, and Arabs in general are allowed to hate a people so fervetly, to wish for its destuction- yet have no seperation of even acknowledgement of the difference between the Zionist political ideology and Judaism the religion.

The thing that really bothers me is that there is zero distinction made between Jews as a whole, Israeli's, Settlers, Zionists, etc. Though some do overlap, not all do. Not all of my Jewish friends fit into 1, or even all of these categories. People are people are people. That is it.

If we all just focused on each other as people, the world would be such an amazing place. Fat chance.

REVEALING of the Quiz Answer at the End of the Week :)

Women

Over Sheesha and Tea the other night- my friends and I were discussing the role of women in Egyptian/Middle Eastern society in relation to the women of the West.

In analytical terms, noting the major influences of cultural differences, it's at least something to
think about-

Women in the states are primarily looked at as sex objects - something to be conquered, sexually at least. We see this in music videos, on television, magazines, and even walking down the street. I know where I live (Jupiter/Palm Beach) I sometimes feel like the mothers with plastic surgery, highlights and high heels bringing their kids to school make me wonder how intrinsative looks have really become in Western society. When did being sexy become something fake? In all honesty, looks matter. I just wish it was a deeper beauty; something not as easily changed as an injection and thousands of dollars of plastic surgery.

And while unfortunate, it is simply untrue that intial judgements are made by looks. It doesn't mean it has to matter in the life decisions you make, but it is not a dismissable factor, at least accroding to those unwritten societial standards. Dress to impress, buisness causal, etc. were all created to give off a physical view of yourself that projects what YOU want to project to the world. So in the mediums most internationally projected (tv, movies, magazines, photos) the rest of the world steroetypes American's by what they see- which is sex icons. Really really pretty women who are willing to be really open, in all standards but Western, American/European girls (generalizing, of course!) are easier than the rest. The point is this: our society is one obsessed with sex. BUT the focus is 100% different. The men, who are raised idolizing this "sexiness" just want what they want.

Women in Egypt are an entirely different story. At least from the male perspective (and usually) the female perspective (excluding the wealtheir/ "Westernized" Egyptians) as well the goal is to obtain the object- the object being the woman. The main difference here is the woman is something to possess. As in a possesion, an object.

That is why it is difficult to break through the barrier here. Women are generally regarded as submissive, obviously. I'm not exactly the submissive type. I'm not a feminist, I personally just could not deal with that mindset. Well anyways, this isn't about women's rights- it was just an obversvation that turned into me avoiding my homework. Which I am going to go study for....now.

:)
All my biggest hugs from Egypt! (p.s. everyone here thinks it is totally weird how much I hug :) physical touch here is definitely not big.)
Love,
Me

How Many Camels??

The next night was interesting, we hung out on the pool deck and attempted to start a dance party. It was dreadful music. I mean really dreadful. 90’s no name music. I had
Been deprived of good music and dancing so attempted to get everyone on board. Before that I looked at the stars- luminescent over the Nile. We went through a lock and watched the boat rise to the level of the lower Nile- kinda cool I guess but overeeggerated, though. When we were stopped at the lock guys on rowboats rowed up to the cruise and sold random things to the tourists. I bought a shirt for 80 pounds but the experience of haggling through the windows of the cruise boat. They would throw you a shirt or pashmina, try and it, on through the money back to them. Anyways since I have been here, I have a new obsession/appreciated for nature and the stars. So anyways, the dance party was a bit ridiculous- very 7th grade with people dancing in a circle. We changed the music and got everyone to dance for a while- overall a good story, bad experience lol. But at AUC in general, the university is kind of like a high school. The kids here seem very young- some are 17, and almost all of them still live at home. People at the university sit in clicks on the stairs in clusters very segregated by the clicks. We affectionately refer to place the really rich kids who all sit together in one place- Gucci Corner.

Today was our arrival in Edfu, there is absolutely nothing in this town but the temple of Edfu, although it sheds some light on how people here really live- minus all the touristy stuff: although it truly sheds light on how people really live here. Edfu temple is the most preserved/completed Egyptian monument. Its gates are huge- looming and quite new(ish) looking- blocking much of the view behind. When we entered the temple we got a chance to view the best preserved hieroglyphics. Our tour guides who came with us absolutely suck. I’m sorry, but there is no other way to describe them. This has been proved by the last two days- so on day 3 of our cruise, we decided to do a self guided tour with a combo of my Lonely Planet and Carter’s Rough Guide. Carter, Maggie and I learned about the different rooms- the library, laundry room, storage room and laboratory- which was the coolest because it had all the ingredients for the different medicines and concoctions on the wall separated in columns by recipe. There were pictures of people mixing the ingredients. We got to see the story of Seth and Horus which depicted Seth as a hippo, being hunted and then caught, chopped up and eaten as cake- which we found mildly comical.

When we got back we layed out at the pool today, had our free afternoon tea around 4 and then disembarked to see the Temple of Kom Ombo which is located in the town of Kom Ombo. {Side note: foreigners aren’t allowed to stay in Kom Ombo overnight- seriously not hotels or anything!} Mostly still standing, it towers over the Nile where we arrived just before sunset. We got to see the temple that was dedicated to the Crocodile God- all the crocs used to bathe here in ancient times. All our pictures of the hypostyle halls were breathtaking, once again. We saw the sun set over the Nile and the town of Kom Ombo. After the fire red sun set, we walked through all the shops, basically a mini sook (market) set up for tourists- which are oh so convientenly stationed right beside all the cruise boats so you have to walk through them to get back to your boat. The men there (woman sellers are absent) yell things at you like “look, only look, no haggle!” “just look, no buy!”. Some even rad your arms to try and pull you into their shops. They’re always impressed when I speak Arabic, though minimally- and then they lower the price. One guy tonight told me my eyes were so beautiful so he gave me a discount- such b.s. haha. And as I walked down the dimly lit promenade with men thrusting scarves and galabayas in my face, I was tickled by the men asking me- “How many camels??” Apparently, in southern Egypt (more so in ancient times) your worth is measured in the amount of camels a husband would pay for your dowry. I got several offers, one of fifty million! And much, I’m sure to my parents dismay, I resisted the temptation of the man of my dreams on the streets of Kom Ombo.

Right now, as I write, I am on the place from Aswan to Cairo. I am looking out the window to an aesthetically shocking picture. We are cruising at a comfortable 12,000 feet over the infamous Sahara desert above the least inhabited area in all of Egypt. To our right is the Nile, the life source of Egypt, surrounded by development and lush greenery. The Nile from an aerial view literally looks like a giant green snake lazily slithering through the endless yellow dunes.

And Now I’m Back in Cairo- where to begin.
Well Tuesday night was relaxing. I did all my menial tasks, laundry, cleaning, a bit of homework, eat- then attempted to do homework- failed, and went to bed. Wednesday we hung out, planned our trip while catching up on our lives via the internet at Goal, our favorite faux Italian restaurant. I always eat a tomato and mozzarella salad in an attempt to recreate my beautiful summer experience. The mozzarella here is much chewier and is a different texture but is still good. We went out for drinks to this hotel which had a bar on top- smoked sheesha and enjoyed a chilled Stella overlooking the city of Cairo. Then we headed back to the dorms.
In other news, we spent the day (Sept 25) in Alexandria. I had to wake up at 7am after staying up until 4- I was not super awake to say the least. We hopped on a train to Alexandria at around 8:30 am after buying our tickets in Arabic. We bought second-class tickets that were shockingly quite comfortable and air conditioned!! IT was about two hours- it had reclining seats, interesting smells, and was full of families, businessmen, and a few Asian tourists- a fantastic combination for people watching if I hadn’t passed out so quickly. We arrived and our Egyptian friends, Mahmoud and Ahmed picked up at the station. We walked through the streets of Alexandria enjoying the breezy weather and decided to grab some of the fresh juice Alexandria is famous for. I got strawberry banana, Vic got watermelon, Richie got a Boreo Shake (their version of Oreo’s!)- and we got these for 2 Egyptian Pounds each, which is the equivalent of 35 cents. Not that we paid for them because Egyptians absolutely refuse to let you pay for things when you are in their city. We took a cab over to the downtown area, drank some tea on the boardwalk, haggled with some carpet sellers for fun and basked in the beautiful sunshine. Afterwards we went to the famous Alexandrian library- which was the oldest in the world until it burned down. It was closed for prayers so we decided to go to a souk (open-air market) we actually found some really amazing stuff- hand made chess/backgammon boards with pearl engravings, beautiful fabrics and some really interesting furniture. We also found and bought Disney DVD’s in Arabic and decided it would be really good practice- we got the Little Mermaid and Aladdin. We retuned to the museum after prayer. I was actually kind of surprised. It is a strange shape- like a circle- almost, but slowly rising in height from the bottom up. The windows are huge- which makes the museum feel open and light but the inside is tiered making it looks smaller than it actually is. There were tons of books in every language and even a whole section for UN documents and critiques. We couldn’t get to the old/rare book collection area-, which was a bit disappointing. But dinner definitely made up for it. We went to this restaurant with a fantastic view of the water and the fort- which was made of Pharos (which is made up of the remains of the 7th Wonder of the World) The restaurant was called the fish King of Alexandria- best food EVER! We had 6 plates of fresh fish we literally picked out shrimp, tons of different fish calamari with the usual sides. We headed to this shessha on the coast. The place was full of old men playing chess, tawola (tables) which is basically backgammon while watching soccer. Yelling at TV’s, smoking while playing and intense conversations is the norm here, a relaxation haven away from the more pressing concerns of the world. We got the best Kunefa ever- from Ahmed’s mom who made us a whole freaking plateful. I was in heaven. We caught our train back to Cairo and packed for the rest of our Swine ’09 Break.

Out in Luxor

Last night we went out with some Egyptian students who were super sweet- Romani, Malani and Mahmoud. We got off the boat and stood around for a while waiting for Romani’s friends from Luxor. Malani’s private driver picked us up and took us to the Susana Hotel. (All the rich Egyptian kids, which = all the kids who attend AUC, have drivers) We went up to the roof and we were the only people there. Egyptians, I have learned, love to be extremely generous and pay for absolutely everything. It makes me feel bad. We got a bottle and snacks and enjoyed our time. Egyptian alcohol is, well Egyptian. While this may sound silly, the majority of Egyptians are Muslims which means a good majority of the country does not indulge in alcoholic products. A lot of the young kids do, but just as many don’t. Anyways, the point is- the alcohol is basically pure ethanol. It wasn’t all bad- we had amazing company and a really good time. Afterwards we went and got a felucca (sail boats that cruise down the Nile) and hung out there, sat on the top of the felucca for a while. Maggie and I leaned over and touched the Nile. We were a bit freaked out about all the diseases so we used anti-bacterial hand wipes immediately afterwards. We watched the reeds glide by, dark houses, ducks and we were able to see a beautiful night sky. Then we pulled up to this random marshy bank and the felucca captain/boat driver whipped out a plank thing to disembark. We walked through the marsh to this locals sheesha bar. Surprise, surprise it was all men. In addition, there was a stable right next to this bar/restaurant thing so horses and donkeys were just chilling in the stables next to us. There were puppies too that were absolutely adorable and so scared of people.

Side note- Egyptians absolutely love cats. All Egyptians have cats and the streets are filled with them. Only the ex-pats have dogs and walk them in Cairo. So seeing puppies was definitely a treat.

We had apple sheesha- which is the general flavor – and talked about Moses floating down the Nile, tried to explain fraternities and sororities which did not go over very well. There is so much bromance here there is no need for a organization to celebrate it. It is completely different here than in the states. Homosexuality is something very under the radar, not spoken about. However, it is the cultural norm for men to walk down the street holding hands, having hands in each other’s back pockets and walk arm in arm. There is no stigma of sexuality about these customs; it’s just the norm. Women on the other hand, definitely do not do that. We taught them all kinds of American slang- because they of course wanted to be up to date with all the cool phrases.

Let the Cruise Begin

After we went on a tour of the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s temple- we were dead tired- after literally not sleeping all night we hadn’t eaten, no water- but it was still really amazing. The tombs we visited were Ramses II, VII, IX. I think you walk into these really hot caves with markings everywhere- some more pronounced than others. The way the etchings are carved was beautiful- each telling its own story and lesson. At some places- peoples names were carved into the rocks- just sad. No respect! The key of life was present in so many of the picture, a very cool concept to celebrate life everyday AND ring it with them to the afterlife. The actual grave/tomb was huge and apparently filled with lots of items to bring with them to the afterlife. The tombs were much larger than I imaged they would be. A historic aura was definitely felt by all the visitors. An overarching, nameless “thing” if you will, was felt and mutually understood by the onlookers. When you stand in a part of history like that, there are no words.

After, we journeyed to Hapshetsut’s temple, mind-blowing to say the least. The view is stunning- an entire temple pops out of the mountainside- a rock cliff with varying colors and textures sets the backdrop of the temple of one of the only female pharaohs Egypt ever saw. Today, we visited the Temple ok Karnak. Hands down one of the most beautiful architectural creations in the world. Walking through rows of columns carved with hieroglyphics: sphinxes, obelisks, pools of water, magnificent creations surrounding you on every side. Trying to imagine life there thousands of years ago: sneaking through back corners, side doors and going god knows what behind the shadows. You can stand at the top of this hill beyond the last temple and view the entire site- stunning. (Everywhere here reminds me how crazy lucky/awesome my life experiences have been thus far!) The beauty exuded in the columns and rows of pillars, heads with different forms, it could definitely be categorized as a Wonder of the Ancient World, in my opinion. The pillars reach higher than is comprehendible- especially considering the technology thousands of years ago. Oh, as you walk out of Karnak, you view Hatshepsuts temple directoly across the Nile from you. Like thousands before me, I am entranced by the majesty created by people who’s means were far less than my own.

Today, with skyscrapers and steel buildings as far as the eye can see, I wonder just how we forgot the beauty in architecture and the glorification of beauty and nature. The Wonders of the World are magnificent in all their glory- at least the 4 I have seen (Petra, The Great Pyramids, Colloseum, the Statue of Liberty) With periods like the Renaissance and all the knowledge we have gained from our brothers mistakes over thousands of years, how is it that we have lost the appreciate, or is it merely the will to create true beauty again. It would be lovely to live in an era where people created to inspire others, ones that strive to be a part of history, rather than calls for attention (Hollywood) and big steel structures.

And now, as I am laying on the top deck of our cruise- poolside- staring out into the Nile Valley- a contrast of shockingly deep blue water beside villages exploding with lush, green palms, kids playing soccer on the islands of the Nile, cows grazing the plentiful grass and the never ending desert mountain range behind. A mountain of tans and beiges- cliffs falling and curbing in the most eye-catching ways. We pass towns with yellow exteriors, teal windows and doors with an almost urban feel to mud brick huts with kids and goats playing out front. We even see the ultra-luxurious- the homes that remind me of the Palm Beach intracoastal. The mountains look like they were carved with a butter knife with a smidge of finer painting for the finishing touches. They look like so much fun to climb! On the other side of the Nile there is more marshland with some mysterious looking smoking substance rising out of the delta. This was not how I pictured the lower Nile- all of it more or less reminds me of the Moses story- floating down the Nile in a basket with reeds covering the sides of the great river.

On the cruise we have a little baby pool in the shape of an arrowhead about a foot deep- perfect for sunbathing and a deeper rectangle connected for a refreshing dip (though it is only about four feet deep) This European guy decided to do laps. Keep in mind that the pool is filled with people relaxing on the edges, and only about 8 to10 feet wide. It was a bit ridiculous. Although, I admit quite entertaining. Every time a boat goes by, our captain gives a loud jingle/honk that is greeted by an equally ridiculous tooting of a horn by the other cruise boats. I still cannot believe that I am cruising down the flipping Nile right this very moment. Our resteraunt is at the bottom of the boat so when we eat we get to watch the waves splash at the top of the ewidnows and see the random things floating in the River Nile. For example, people on little boats and empty tv boxes.

Sorry for the Delay (I was traveling)/Swine 09

As I sit under the Saharan sun on campus, sipping an espresso (So American!), it is easy to reflect on my time here. Choosing to study here has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time. Already the people here have shattered stereotypes I held, introduced me to a new culture, shown me a new dedication to religion that is more or less absent in American and opened my heart to the poverty which is the rule- not the exception. I love the way I live here- ready every day for a new adventure.

A now, a side note on the beautiful irony of being a woman in Egypt:
As a woman, particularly a foreign, blond, blue eyed American, I walk down the street, completely covered and I attract an amazing amount of unwanted attention. Stares, whistles, , etc. All this attention amounts to nothing more than annoyance. However, when I sit down at a restaurant or stand in line somewhere to get something I am COMPLETELY ignored. Quite lovely, really…it drives me flippin nuts.

BEGIN SWINE 09

My school decided, randomly apparently, to cancel two weeks of school. Awesome right?!? Well, until you have to make it up and go to your teachers house for makeup classes on a Saturday. Anyways, the point is- school was canceled for another week and a half on top of the Eid Break which was 4 days. So in a matter of 2 days, people made travel plans for Turkey, Greece, Syria, Lebanon, Kenya for Mt. Kilimanjaro and all over Egypt.

We really wanted to go to Kenya. I planned a trip and had a flight ready to book. When we went to get our vaccinations- guess which one they didn’t have? The only one we needed, yellow fever. Very typically Egypt. We went all the way to Mohandiseen with Romani, our Resident Director who is super cool, got tere with all the crying babies, refrigerators with labeled test tubes and fluorescent lights. We talk to this woman to register to receive the shots, who looks like she was as bored as is humanly possible- literally staring straight ahead while answering our questions in Arabic, head in hands, ready to either fall asleep or say something monotone. Afterwards, we walked, rather dejectedly, to the best Kunafa place in Zamalek. Now, if you don’t know what Kunafa is, I am truly sorry for you. You are missing out on the most amazing unhealthy deliciously satisfying Ramadan dessert. Check this out before continuing reading…http://delhi4cats.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kunafa_003.jpg

Okay well, imagine the deliciousness that was. Appreciate it. Take it in. Okay now we continue, so it (Kunafa) is my ultimate vice- if you have not already guessed. Thank god Ramadan is over otherwise I would gain 400 pounds strictly from Kunafa.

The next day, Carter and Maggie and I went to Tahrir Square and talked to this really nice guy who is an Arabic professor for little kids in Cairo. He showed us this great shop where we got papyrus and perfume that smells exactly like Chanel Chance- we got to see how Papyrus was made with soaking it in water, pressing it, hammering it, etc. Then the owner walked us through all the different hieroglyphics meanings and pictorial depictions. It was pretty interesting, but the best part was having Carter try the man perfume, which by the way smelled like cleaning fluid. We went to meet Richie’s mom and brother across the bridge at my favorite restaurant in Cairo- though I have no idea what the name is, but it has pik trimming and its in the Cotton Market- we waited because there was the Ramadan ruh. We had the usual- fresh tomoates, cilantro and cucumbers with Arab bread, tehina and Bird’s Tongue soup (!!) so good) with rice and chicken. All this for 6 people it was unde 100 ounds- equivalent $20.

We had to get home pretty quickly to pack for the Nile Cruise- so we set back off to pack. Since we finished early, we though we would go out for Stell’s to lessen the 8 hours of travling about to ensue. Beer was probably a bad idea- we had to get on the bus at 1:30am drive to new campus, go to the airport, which we didn’t get to until around 4. The security at the aitport was a joke. The security was exactly this: walk through a metal detector. Note the a. Meaning 1 metal detector. That’s it. No ID, you can baksheesh (tip) the guys if you want to bring your water on the plane. We ad to wait until 6 am tio get on our flight. Meanwhile I am dozing for 10 minute periods just about everywhere- the buses, the luggage age, the terminal, etc. I was so tired.