My Last Day!!! Also the Boarder AGAIN

My last day has come and boy how not ready I am to leave. So I woke up bright and early to start the task of packing up my life. I can official say I have lived out of my duffel bag for eight months and I am still don't have a handle on how to pack it. Four hours later and one TV Series down I was pack and head off for my last day in Jerusalem.

For my last day I guess the city decide to hold a large protest for me. But really there was a huge protest by the Orthodox Jews community about a new draft law. It was estimated roughly 300,000 people came to city to protest. It was crazy to see this protest because it was not at all people carrying signs or yelling but all 300,000 people praying! They shut down the entire city to allow all of them to gather and pray for four hours. It truly was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. I can't believe that there is such a large group of people who can gather together and have the same view on an issue. After my limited time in the city before they shut it down I saw them getting set up and the police getting ready. Afterward I head home to watch the protest online.

Then my friends got home from work early and we had a little party waiting for the taxi to pick me up.

So if you have not gotten the theme from this blog but sectericy in Israel is a little nuts. I understand that they live closers to threats then we do in American but it is crazy how much secitery they have. I knew with the way I had been informed to leave and that boarder control all ready had most of my information for being undocumented, it was going to be a pain to get though the airport.

When flying here in America we normal print out boarding pass at home or at the ticket counter when we check our bags. No big deal then we go though airport secericty and show up at the airport roughly two hours before your flight. This is not the order in which things are done in Israel or the time frame. After a weeklong debate about how early I need to show up at the airport we choose four hours before my flight. This was a compromise between my Jewish and Arab friends time frame of the airport.

When I got to the airport the first step is the wait in line to have your passport and luggage check by Israeli soldiers. This step is completed before you are even allowed to print off your ticket. I waited in line with the hopes that they would not notices the Arab stamps in my passport or ask to many question about my Arab friends. Well after an hour in line I was caught with the stamps (I was not hiding them I mean they are in my passport. Just hoping they where to dumb to notice them). The passport checker saw my stamps and that I have been in Israel for six months.

So I was pulled aside and the question started:

• Why were you here?
• What did you do here?
• Who did you meet?
• Did you meet any Arab’s?
• What are there names?
• What did you do with them?
• When was the last time you saw them?
• Did they ask you to carry anything?
• Did you get any gift while here?
• What where those gifts?
• Where are they packed?
• Who gave you those gifts?

• I see here you traveled to Arab nations…. What did you do there?
• Why were you in Israel? (They like to ask the same question in different ways to catch you in a lie)
• Where did you live?
• You lived in an Arab village?
• Yes with two Jewish people
• Jewish people live in an Arab village?
• Yes. Would you like to call them?

So this went on for roughly 30 minutes or so then they give my passport and bags a sticker with a barcode. This barcode is then loaded with the information about what kind of threat I am and that I know/love Arabs. Also that I a high risks person so let the invasion begin!!!!

After I receive these barcodes my bags are scanned and X-rayed. Surprisingly they decide that they had to search my bags because the x-ray was not good enough. I was expecting this but truly hoped it would not happen. When they search your bags they unpack it completely and look at everything. I mean everything!!!!!! So my life was slowly unpacked swabbed, scanned, and looked at for roughly two hours before I was given the go ahead to repack. I really had to repack everything in front of everyone. After you complete this the officer then walks you to the ticket counter to watch you luggage go straight to the airline. They only upside to this is you don’t have to wait in line to get your ticket. So it take roughly three hours just to get my ticket printed off. It truly the craziest thing ever and I have not even been though security yet!

Luckily the officer trust you enough once your luggage is gone to walk to security by yourself. I am not sure why but after everything else, I would think they would want to force me to be escorted to the next officer, but o well. I made it to the security line were once again they scan your barcode and place you in a line according to your barcode. So with what I can only guess the words ARAB LOVER popping up when the scan my barcode, I was placed in the line for those kind of people. Invasion of privacy started all over again. Everything that was in my carry on was taken out swabbed and scanned and I mean everything!!!!! Sadly I had to wear my diva cup that day but it would had made my life to see the man have to open up my diva cup bag!!! But since I was an Arab lover all my stuff was search when I was not with it so I would have missed his face looking at it. I received the joy of being stripped search. Everything that was not skin tight was taken off scanned and swabbed. I was then felt up and my lady parts were scanned for metal objects. After another hour I was allowed though the gates and able to board my plane.

It might seem like the craziest thing ever and why would after all of that would I still be sad that I am leaving but I truly am sad to have left. I think that Israel is a wonderful place filled with wonderful people. The country is amazing to see how modern day and religion can live together. It may not live in peace with each other and for sure not at peace with other religions but they are making it work. They may have completely invaded my personal space but I cant wait to go though all again to go back. I also swear that I will never complain about America airport security ever again.

Sadly after roughly 20 hours of flying I made it back to LA were my mother and sister live.

My Last Week

So with my time coming to an end in Israel I need to see everything left that was important. I headed out to have my last real Shabbat dinner. I met my friend in the north to meet her family and see the North. So we started with the day in Haifa which is the town that every American knows and loves in Israel. I don't even have photos from Haifa because it was such a let down. I have no idea why everyone loves Haifa so much but I can now say I have seen it. The next day we head to Nazareth with my friend father. He goes to Nazareth almost every day so he know all the in's and outs's of the town. I would have to say I have never had a better tour of a town in my life. The walking pace was at roughly 100 MPH but great tour. I can also say now that I have seen all of the important sites of Christmas because Nazareth is the site were Mary found out she was going to have Jesus.

Afterward I spent a day in Jerusalem shopping for my family and just soaking in one of the last days I can say I live here. For my last weekend Tal and Tal made me pancakes in memory of Wednesdays on the Kibbutz.

Then later that week we though a party at our house called Ellen is getting deporting and Ahamad birthday!!! So we rocked the night away then spent the day walking around our town. It was actual really nice to have everyone from the Arava back together and it was even better to know we all could just pick up were we left off. I am very glad that I got to meet all these people but super happy to know I will know them for ever!!!

Our final goodbyes!

Then it hit me……. Holy Fuck I have to pack up everything!!!!!!

I can't believe I will be leaving Israel!!!!

Boarder Control

After leaving Petra I head south to the board to come back to Israel. So I am going to back track a little but here but it is need to understand the rest of the story. When you come in to Israel the customs agents don’t stamp your passport. This is because of the issues that Israel has with other countries around the world. There are some places, which will not allow you to enter as an America because you have a stamp from Israel. So when I cam back from my friends wedding in early December I was given a paper card to keep with me. When I first got this card I noticed that it said I was only allowed in for 30 days. So I went back to the customs agents and said I am sorry but this card is wrong. I am allowed to stay until August. Can you please give me a different card? She look again at my passport and Visa then said not to worry about it you have a visa its not a problem. So off I went back to the Kibbutz and now we are back to board from Jordan.

My two friends that I went with made fun of me for being so crazy about the card I got at the airport. They would say why do you keep that card? Its so dump just throw it away and its not important! At the Israeli boarder I handed them my passport and they took out this stupid little card and scanned every thing. After about 15 minutes of scanning and rescanning everything I asked the women: Is everything ok? She said I am sorry for the delay but we need you to wait over on the bench and we will get to you. I kept thinking of shit I am fucked!!! I have pissed off the Israeli for going to Jordan, or if I have to be interrogated again for two hours I might put a shotgun to my head!!!! I am So SO glad I made Arab friends at this point. So after two minutes a man came and got me. He started by asking about my trip to Jordan then about why I was in Israel. Then he brings up the issue of….. The mother-fucking card!!!!! He said you know that you were only permitted to be in Israel for 30 days? I said no that is wrong you can see my visa right there I am able to be here for a year. Then he went on to explain that the visa allowed me to stay in Israel for the year but customs only is allowed to let me enter for 30 days. I was supposed to go and receive a permit to stay in Israel for the year. I was pissed at this point!!!! I went on saying I asked when I enter and they said I was fine and not to worry (hints the story above). So then came the never ending question: Why are you coming back to Israel, How long had you been here, How long do you plan to stay, where are you staying, what are you doing, did anyone from Jordan ask you to bring anything into Israel? And on and on and on we went. When it final stopped he said that he could only allow for me to enter Israel for 30 days and that in those 30 days I need to go and receive my permit. Off I went from the boarder and head back to my home in Abu Ghosh.

 

When I got home I had my friend call the department to apply for a permit to stay and this was the being of the end!!! After about a week she received a call asking about what I need my permit for and all of the above question. After some time about three weeks they explained they didn’t feel that I had a good reason for staying in Israel and that I had spent so much time living there undocumted that I need to leave at the end of my 30 day permit or risk the penalty. So if you were counting they told my this three weeks into my four weeks allowed time so I went from not planning to leave Israel in the immediate future to Holy Fucking Shit I Have to Leave In a WEEK!!!!!! So the end of my time in Israel had started to come and was only going to be a weeklong!!!

After this experience I would not say I was worried but very excited to say that I have lived some were undocumented for almost six months!!! 

I want to end with I really feel like I also start with “So” when I am typing the blog!

Petra

Day three of Jordan: Petra! So Petra is a town in the south of Jordan which is site of all these ancient ruins that is a very famous place to go and see. It also cost about 60 bucks to get in for the day so my friends said they will skip this trip because they can go any time just living across the boarder. So off to Petra I went alone!!

I started the day by leaving and catching a bus at 6 AM!!! I hate mornings and normal not all there at this time but I head out to catch cab to the bus around 5:30 AM.  I thought the Muezzin was done for the morning call because the last one is normal at 5AM. So I just about wet my pants when he started again when I was walking in the dark!!!! I was alone in pitch black in an ally and he start off again! It truly was the freakiest thing ever lived though (might be exaggerting)!! I have been living in an Arab village for over a month now and I am used to the Muezzin but it was very weird to experience it in the dark alone in an Arab country.

So I took a video so you can all see how freaky it was!

I have no problem traveling alone and most of you know it really is the only way I have traveled in the past. I would say that I am the number one promoter of traveling alone but this time I would not advise traveling alone. Traveling alone as a female in a Arab country was very hard for myself. I don't want to give the wrong idea at no point did I feel like someone was going to take me, kill me, or rape me but I sure didn't feel respect at any point (not sure its the right word for how I felt but its the best I could come up with). Once it became clear I was alone without a man it was non stop cat calls!! At first no problem but about five hours into it I had enough and head home. I would advise everyone to go and see Petra if they have the chance, even camping there would be amazing. Just make sure you are with a group or an Arab to reduce the problems.

 Another downside of traveling alone always selfies!!

Jarash

Day two of Jordan! We went to our friend hometown of Jarash and we ate once again nonstop!! You can see use below before Arabic treats and after Arabic treats!!

We also spent some time in the ancient roman city and the ruins. We had some good time roaming around and playing on the stones!!

Look at all those Carrots!!! 

Not much to say other then a great day lots of great Arab food with great people!!!!

Amman

So after leaving the Arava and many people went back to normal life my friends and I decide we need a vacation. The three of use had finished finals, moved home (I moved to new place), moved my friend and my other friend took her Arabic final. If this does not say vacation time then I don't know what does!!! We talked about it and decide we wanted to go to Jordan and visit our friends from the Arava. Funny enough my two friend have never been to Jordan even though they both have lived only a few hours away from it there whole life! So we hopped on to a bus and headed for the border of Jordan.

After spending some time in the duty free and waiting for 40 minutes for a bus to drive use less then a Km we had made it to the border control of Jordan. So a piece of background info Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1996 and have been at peace ever since. It was funny to here my friends talk about the day when the treaty was sign kinda like the Americans talk about Sep.11 but it is happy day to remember. Even with the peace between the two country we had some problems crossing the boarder into Jordan. The Jordan police pull my two friends out to talk with them for 20 minutes or so and final we called the friend we where going to visit. He was basically put in change of ensure that they leave the country and don't cause any problems. It was a nice change for me because I have been "talked" with by the Israeli government the two time I fly into the country. So I told my friends pay back is a bitch!

So we received our visa and stamps and off we went to Amman!!!!

We stayed with a friend who rented a flat for the week so him as his girlfriend could spend time together. So we figured why not crash the love shack? Each day we had another Arab friend from the Arava be in charge of our well being and took us around to do the tourist thing. Our first day was spent with our friend and her sister family going around the city center!

While shopping in the city center our friend had to kept reminding us not to speak in Hebrew. I am by no means claiming I can speak Hebrew because I can't but I have replaced a lot English words with Hebrew words. So I have to say I think I got yelled at the most for speaking in Hebrew. Sadly even though the two country have been at peace for 18 years it is still not very safe for Israelis to go and visit Jordan. It is hard to say if it is because of Jordanians or of the Palestine living in Jordan but we were always reminded by our friends to say we came from American and not to bring up Israel.

After our time in the city center we were off to her family house for dinner. They cook a wonderful meal and they tried so hard since I was the only guest that ate meat the other three are vegetarian/vegan! I would guess it was the first Arab family that tried hard to make a meal not surrounded by meat. Also when being a guest in a Arab home it in not polite to stop eating. If our plate were empty they would just refill our plate when we were not looking. Once we were done with dinner we went down a level to her sister flat and ate again. The idea here is that each member of there family had a level of the home and each time we went up a level we ate again. I am sure we ate a month worth of food in 5 hours and sadly it was just the end of our first day in Jordan!!!