After Last Week You Would Think I Would Take A Break?

After two full weeks at the institute most of my new Israeli friends were ready to go home and see there families. I know that it is such a Hollywood idea that Jewish kids have overbearing families but it is actually true. Almost all the Jewish students talk to there families everyday this is including there siblings. It seems like so much work to me since I have only talk to my mother once since I have been here. So I had two choices on my hands to stay at the institute with the Americans or go home with one of my new Israeli friends. Thursday rolled around and off I went to meet my friend Dor family in Ometz for Shabbat dinner/weekend. Here is were I learned that all the years of manners training I went though in America would fail me. Thanks A lot MOM!! In Israel the people are very forward to the point of being rude but in a nice way. They would never say something like: would you mind or what did you think about the meal. They say: Do this now, Go already, Yalla, Just do it! Or they might say you want more? Why not you didn't like? So when you don't say things in a direct way it comes across as being rude. Which goes against everything I know (when being a guest, for the people who know me I am very direct). I ending up spending the whole weekend being the best guest I know how and ended up being the worst guest ever! O well his friends were great and his family said in the end I could come back anytime so I am going to try being an Israelis house guest again soon.

After the weekend with Dor's family we were off to the holy city of Jerusalem for a class trip. We went to the old city and saw all the different parts based on the different regions. We also had the chance to hear Reuven Abergil (Former leader of Black Panther Israel) and Professor Meron Benvenisti (Former Mayor of Jerusalem) speak which was just amazing to hear! The trip was apart of the Peace building class done here at the Institute so I don't have much to say about the trip because it is not my place to share other classmates stories from the trip. The one thing I did learn was I have never in my life been in such a racist setting and I hope it will never happen again. But, the way things are looking the racism has only began.

Photos from the old city:

Western Wall

Jesus Tomb 

The Center of the World

My Friend Dor

Israelis family love

First Adventure Outside the Kibbutz Gates

After the first week of intense nonstop togetherness we had at the kibbutz some of use headed south to Eilat for the day. To start this story I think its important that non-Jewish people understand the different week structure that is followed here. The week begins for us on Sunday and runs though Thursday, this is so Shabbat can be observed. Shabbat is the Jewish day of rest and by no means do I fully understand what is the meaning of Shabbat, but I do know that buses don't run after 3pm. Also that I need to keep my cell phone in my bedroom. So we headed down to Eilat on Friday morning knowing that the last bus ran at 3pm but no big deal. We got to Eilat around Noon and did some shopping for basic needs that we can not get on the Kibbutz. After the shopping we hit the beach!!!!! I can check off one more sea that I have been to the Red Sea!

So after the time at the beach and the Red Sea was cold so swimming was pretty short it was time to catch the last bus. At this point there was six of us in Eilat that need to take the bus but one person observes Shabbat so not all of use had to take the bus back. So some of us stayed behind to do some more shopping and sitting on the beach.

After about two hours it was time to start heading back to the Kibbutz and when in Israel do what the Israelis do HITCHHIKE!!!!!!! Yes to all the Americans out there I have hitchhike and boy was it so much nicer then the bus. I will most like never take the bus again. So believe it or not but the man who pick myself and two students up was from Colorado! He was an Israeli who lives and work in Colorado and just back for the month to visit his family. While talking to him I found out that he use to be a Scuba diver guide and was spending most of his time in Israel going diving. This then lead to a kinda first date to Scuba diving for Free for me. Best deal ever to come out of hitchhiking if you ask me. It was SO SO NEAT to go diving and to see Nemo and all his best friends in the sea. We also saw an Eel which was out on the sea floor so we saw the whole body not just the head. After we went diving we went back to dolphin cove were dolphins are free to come and go at free will but swim right up to these landing you stand on. To say the least my first adventure outside the safe walls (yes there is actually a fence around the Kibbutz) of the Kibbutz turned into a once in a lifetime opportunity for me!!

Giving this Blog Idea A Try

I figured since I am getting sick of retyping my stories of Israel to all of you I would try a blog. You all will have to bear with my spelling and grammar but what can I do!!

So I got here on the first of October and boy did I have no clue what I was getting into!! After spending roughly 17 hours at the airport I got onto the bus with some of the Arava students and we started the 4 hour ride to Kibbutz Ketura. After about 2 hours on the bus we were stopped at the dead sea for a check point. A check point is a place were the Israeli government stop you and make sure that you are allowed in the area. After these soldiers (which by the way looked like they were 16 years old!!!)  came on the bus and looked at everyone visa we found out that we were not allowed into this section of road for who knows why. So we turned the bus around and went back to were we started and turned the 4 hour ride into a 9 hour bus ride!! Just what we all need after long travels to Israel.

After we arrived to the Kibbutz we were given are dorm rooms assignments and I lucked out because I got my own room (from what we saw if you were older you got your own room so score on being one of the oldest). I share a flat with three other girls 2 Israelis and 1 Arab Israelis and they are all great girls!!

We then spent the first week getting to know each here at the institute which is made up of 9 Americans, 8 Israelis, and 8 Arabs and trust me I know how strange it sounds. Within the first week I learned very fast that here in the middle east most people are talked about by there nationality or region verse by any thing else. I also learned that Americas are WAY WAY TO P.C. and the Israelis love to say the N-word around me because I won't say it. Durning this time we took some tours of other Kibbutz in the area and learned about what are daily lives will be like here at Kibbutz Ketura. If you don't know what a Kibbutz is don't worry I didn't either until I got here!!! I guess know one thought to tell me it was a term not a city in Israel!!! So feel free to wikipedia the term Kibbutz and read up on what they are. Also you can read on wikipedia about Kibbutz Ketura were I am living now.