Hello again!! :-)
I'm trying to stay on top of this to the best of my ability... at least this time I didn't wait nearly 2 months. Things are going extremely well--as expected. Classes are reaching the midterm point-- and yet I've done very little in terms of school work (which is nice). A few midterm exams that were on little more than general Israel/Zionism history and a 3 page paper due before Passover. Glorious!
As I'm sure many know... Purim was celebrated a few weeks ago. Purim is similar to Halloween in the sense that everyone dresses up and goes to parties and similar to Little 500 at IU in the sense that everyone drinks... a lot. I spent Purim in Be'er Sheva, Jerusalem and on Kibbutz Sasa in the north where my friend Hannah lives. Jerusalem was crazy... we spent the evening around Kikar Tzion and Ben Yehuda St. There were people everywhere in crazy costumes, Heradi (Ultra-Orthodox) men dancing and singing about the Messiah in the middle of the square, and even a blinged out (rope light decorated, music blasting and guy on the hood dresses as a big clown) van driving through the city. We went to Hebrew Union College for the Megilah reading, which was really nice and after went to dinner and explored the busy area.
The next day I headed up to Sasa to spend the weekend and go to their Purim party. The theme was הישרדות (Survivor) The Israeli version of the show is really really popular (I'm hooked... it's a really funny show) Hannah and I wanted to dress the part... so we went for the beach look... leggings tank tops and srongs as dresses/skirts. It was a really fun party and of course... the rest of the weekend at Sasa was wonderful as well.
Last weekend I headed up north once again to spend time at the University of Haifa with Danny and Gillian from camp. On the way up, I made a stop for the day in Tel Aviv where I met up with Ohad. He works at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and we spent the afternoon at the museum. He showed me around and I got to explore the exhibits for a while as well as help him set up for a project he was doing that evening with some art students... (really reminded me of camp...) That evening I took the train up to Haifa.
Haifa is a beautiful city, everything was green (which is a nice change from the arid desert) and we spent the two days wondering around the city. We went to Hadar where we shopped at a really nice shuk and had lunch at a cute cafe. Danny and Harrison (a friend from EIE) led services Friday evening and they were followed by a free dinner at the university and a pajama party to watch Ratatouille. ;-)
On Saturday we heading to the Baha'i Gardens... it was soooo pretty, absolutely unbelievable to see in person. That is one place I wish we would've gone to on EIE. We were able to get on a tour and walk down roughly 700 stairs... of course taking pictures the whole way. Gillian had been on that tour 3 times previously... so I made sure to thank her for doing it again for me. After the gardens, we headed to lunch-- pizza in an Arab village near by and then to the beach. It was rather windy and chilly, so we sat in the sand for a while. Hopefully I'll head back up there again when it's warmer. The train station is literally right across the street, so it'd be really easy. That evening we went for sushi dinner and I headed back to Be'er Sheva motzi shabbat.
Like I've said (about 100 times now) I'm having a fantastic time and can't believe how quickly the time is going by! This weekend my friend Rebecca is coming down to Be'er Sheva and the following weekend a friend Tamara from BGU and I are doing a weekend in Eilat! ... followed shortly there after by Passover and my vacations to Barcelona and Berlin.
That's all from here... we just had daylight savings time--so I'm back to 6 hours ahead of EST and 7 before CST. The weather is getting warmer... it hasn't rained in Be'er Sheva since mid February and it won't again until next December. We had a little bit of a heat wave last week... it was between 95-105 degrees for a few days... but now its back to a very nice at least 75 and sunny forecast everyday...so for now... I can't complain about the weather. It does get rather chilly at night and it's lovely! ;-)
I would really like to hear from all of you, keep in touch!
Pictures:
Purim-- http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2408186&l=7ca8b&id=6825807
Haifa-- http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2408197&l=5c3ae&id=6825807
Traci
Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
2 months... feels more like 2 hours...
Wow... I'm really good at this, aren't I? SO sorry... the last two months have gotten the best of me--but I'll try to be a little more diligent from now on. ;-)
Like I said... The last two months (since my last post) have gone by way too quickly for my liking... specifically hard to realize today-- I had to book a flight back to the states for the end of the semester. Enough about that--
Things are going really well, I'm very, VERY happy and am having a fantastic time--surprise surprise. Ulpan ended the second week of February and we had a long 5-day weekend. Two friends and I headed down south to Eilat--and crossed the boarder into Jordan for a few day trip to Petra (reference: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) and a Jeep trip in Wadi Rum. Despite being a little chilly... it was beautiful and a lot of fun. Links to pictures are below.
Album #1: Petra
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394926&l=d67f5&id=6825807
Album #2: Petra and Wadi Rum
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394939&l=710e9&id=6825807
Album #3: Wadi Rum
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394961&l=3c562&id=6825807
Upon returning to Israel...
I entered the country on a 3-month tourist visa... because I was accepted to the program in early December--not enough time to apply for a student visa. (I was not the only one). Our plan to leave the country and return to receive another 3-months failed... as we were issued 1-month visas at the boarder and told to get student visas. Fast forward and 300 shekels later... I have an Israeli student visa--just a crazy annoying process--but two nice full page stickers in my passport. haha...
The official semester began shortly there after. I'm taking 5 classes... all very interesting and none really too demanding--which is nice, leaving plenty of opportunity for travel and the like.
Class schedule:
Monday: 8:30-10:00 Hebrew, 10:15-12:00 Ethnic Perspectives on Israeli Society
Tuesday: 8:30-10:00 Hebrew, 10:15-12:00 Disease that Shaped Modern Israel, 16:15-20:00 Holy War in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Wednesday: 10:15-12:00 Diseases that Shaped Modern Israel, 14:00-16:00 Ethnic Perspectives on Israeli Society
Thursday: 8:30-10:00
I'm also taking a class as a reader class--meaning the course was too small to have as a real class, so I do the reading, write a few papers and meet with a professor once every two weeks-- Visual Culture in Ancient and Medieval Judaism
If you can't tell... my weekend starts on Thursday at 10 am and goes well into Sunday. It's wonderful. I've spend one weekend here in Be'er Sheva in the past month and a half. Tyulim (trips) include down to Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea-- wonderful hiking... so pretty... too bad I forgot my camera on that trip. I participated in the TaMaR (Tnuant Magshamim Reformim) Movement of Reform Zionists--the young adult movement of the World Union For Progressive Judaism--veida or seminar. I spent a week and a half in Jerusalem last March on the same conference. This year's was really nice... I saw some good friends from the states and we had the opportunity to travel around a little... spend time in Tel Aviv, down south at Kibbutz Yahel and Lotan, Eilat, and Jerusalem.
Pictures from TaMaR Veida:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394990&l=5b577&id=6825807
Other happenings... I also spent a fantastic weekend up on Kibbutz Sasa (in the North... about 15 KM from Tsfat and has a GREAT view of Lebanon...stam...) My very good friend Hannah (from EIE) and my friends Jomi (from camp) and Julie (from EIE) live up on this kibbutz. They made aliyah about a year and a half ago and joined a program called Garin Tzbar-- overseas young adults who make aliyah together, live on kibbutz and join the army. I have other friends in the 2007 year of the garin living on different kibbutzim as well. I was a great weekend... a lot of fun and I'm heading back up there this weekend for PURIM!! It should be a really good time.
Really... other than that... the time is flying by. I continue to find new and exciting things in Be'er Sheva-- it's not as lame of a city as so many people think... There's a monument to honor the soldiers that fought a battle in Be'er Sheva during the War of Independence (1948-49). It's on the top of a hill overlooking the city and the whole negev. We took a little hike up and watched the sunset... It was so beautiful.
Sunset Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394919&l=4a6c9&id=6825807
Last Thursday, I headed up north to Zicron Ya'akov-- between Tel Aviv and Haifa. My friend Josh--who is in the garin-- turned 21 that day and it was also his tekes masa kumpta. [Tekes: ceremony Masa: journey Kumpta: beret (army beret)] His whole unit began a long hike (2 am) that concluded at 9 am. Friends and family were invited to join them on the last 500 meters of the hike and at the end was a ceremony where they received their berets. Josh is in the tochanim... artillery--noted by the bright blue kumptot. This tekes marks the end of their basic training as well. Usually... each soldier receives a kumpta and that's cool... Josh however, was given a kumpta from his Samech Mem Pey (his commander's commander). Receiving his personal kumpta was a HUGE honor-- a sign that Josh was one of the best men in the group. Amazing, actually.
Photos from Josh's Tekes:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2395007&l=66281&id=6825807
Well... I think that was a pretty good 2-month catch up. Like I said, I'll try to update more often. Spring Break (Passover week) is coming up... and I'm heading to BARCELONA, SPAIN to meet up with some other Phi Mu girls, explore the city, etc. I'm also hoping to spend a few days in the middle of the week in Berlin, visiting a friend from TaMaR. I'm really excited.
I'd love to hear how things are going in the states...
my e-mail: tstratfo@indiana.edu or
phone (from the states): 011-972-52-6092493
Like I said... The last two months (since my last post) have gone by way too quickly for my liking... specifically hard to realize today-- I had to book a flight back to the states for the end of the semester. Enough about that--
Things are going really well, I'm very, VERY happy and am having a fantastic time--surprise surprise. Ulpan ended the second week of February and we had a long 5-day weekend. Two friends and I headed down south to Eilat--and crossed the boarder into Jordan for a few day trip to Petra (reference: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) and a Jeep trip in Wadi Rum. Despite being a little chilly... it was beautiful and a lot of fun. Links to pictures are below.
Album #1: Petra
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394926&l=d67f5&id=6825807
Album #2: Petra and Wadi Rum
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394939&l=710e9&id=6825807
Album #3: Wadi Rum
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394961&l=3c562&id=6825807
Upon returning to Israel...
I entered the country on a 3-month tourist visa... because I was accepted to the program in early December--not enough time to apply for a student visa. (I was not the only one). Our plan to leave the country and return to receive another 3-months failed... as we were issued 1-month visas at the boarder and told to get student visas. Fast forward and 300 shekels later... I have an Israeli student visa--just a crazy annoying process--but two nice full page stickers in my passport. haha...
The official semester began shortly there after. I'm taking 5 classes... all very interesting and none really too demanding--which is nice, leaving plenty of opportunity for travel and the like.
Class schedule:
Monday: 8:30-10:00 Hebrew, 10:15-12:00 Ethnic Perspectives on Israeli Society
Tuesday: 8:30-10:00 Hebrew, 10:15-12:00 Disease that Shaped Modern Israel, 16:15-20:00 Holy War in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Wednesday: 10:15-12:00 Diseases that Shaped Modern Israel, 14:00-16:00 Ethnic Perspectives on Israeli Society
Thursday: 8:30-10:00
I'm also taking a class as a reader class--meaning the course was too small to have as a real class, so I do the reading, write a few papers and meet with a professor once every two weeks-- Visual Culture in Ancient and Medieval Judaism
If you can't tell... my weekend starts on Thursday at 10 am and goes well into Sunday. It's wonderful. I've spend one weekend here in Be'er Sheva in the past month and a half. Tyulim (trips) include down to Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea-- wonderful hiking... so pretty... too bad I forgot my camera on that trip. I participated in the TaMaR (Tnuant Magshamim Reformim) Movement of Reform Zionists--the young adult movement of the World Union For Progressive Judaism--veida or seminar. I spent a week and a half in Jerusalem last March on the same conference. This year's was really nice... I saw some good friends from the states and we had the opportunity to travel around a little... spend time in Tel Aviv, down south at Kibbutz Yahel and Lotan, Eilat, and Jerusalem.
Pictures from TaMaR Veida:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394990&l=5b577&id=6825807
Other happenings... I also spent a fantastic weekend up on Kibbutz Sasa (in the North... about 15 KM from Tsfat and has a GREAT view of Lebanon...stam...) My very good friend Hannah (from EIE) and my friends Jomi (from camp) and Julie (from EIE) live up on this kibbutz. They made aliyah about a year and a half ago and joined a program called Garin Tzbar-- overseas young adults who make aliyah together, live on kibbutz and join the army. I have other friends in the 2007 year of the garin living on different kibbutzim as well. I was a great weekend... a lot of fun and I'm heading back up there this weekend for PURIM!! It should be a really good time.
Really... other than that... the time is flying by. I continue to find new and exciting things in Be'er Sheva-- it's not as lame of a city as so many people think... There's a monument to honor the soldiers that fought a battle in Be'er Sheva during the War of Independence (1948-49). It's on the top of a hill overlooking the city and the whole negev. We took a little hike up and watched the sunset... It was so beautiful.
Sunset Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394919&l=4a6c9&id=6825807
Last Thursday, I headed up north to Zicron Ya'akov-- between Tel Aviv and Haifa. My friend Josh--who is in the garin-- turned 21 that day and it was also his tekes masa kumpta. [Tekes: ceremony Masa: journey Kumpta: beret (army beret)] His whole unit began a long hike (2 am) that concluded at 9 am. Friends and family were invited to join them on the last 500 meters of the hike and at the end was a ceremony where they received their berets. Josh is in the tochanim... artillery--noted by the bright blue kumptot. This tekes marks the end of their basic training as well. Usually... each soldier receives a kumpta and that's cool... Josh however, was given a kumpta from his Samech Mem Pey (his commander's commander). Receiving his personal kumpta was a HUGE honor-- a sign that Josh was one of the best men in the group. Amazing, actually.
Photos from Josh's Tekes:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2395007&l=66281&id=6825807
Well... I think that was a pretty good 2-month catch up. Like I said, I'll try to update more often. Spring Break (Passover week) is coming up... and I'm heading to BARCELONA, SPAIN to meet up with some other Phi Mu girls, explore the city, etc. I'm also hoping to spend a few days in the middle of the week in Berlin, visiting a friend from TaMaR. I'm really excited.
I'd love to hear how things are going in the states...
my e-mail: tstratfo@indiana.edu or
phone (from the states): 011-972-52-6092493
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