Well, the first semester of the program has just come to an end. I actually can't believe I have been here for 5 months already. The last month has been crazy with trips and parties. Luckily, most of the people leaving the program are staying in Israel- they are moving up in the world and out of Kiryat Shalom into the center city. I, on the other hand, am staying in the lovely neighborhood but moving rooms. I just don't think I can bear to have a new roommate since Anna is leaving. Thankfully she will only be a bus ride away and I have already ensured that there is room for me to stay the night.
Anyways, the past month has been an adventure. The beginning of the month started with an early morning trip to Masada, aka 3 am. To make sure that we reached Masada is perfect time for sunrise, Adam, Marissa, her friend Zoe and I set off from Tel Aviv on the 2 hour drive to the Dead Sea. Reaching the bottom of Masada a little before 5 am, the four of us started the climb up what seemed like a never ending amount of stairs alluding to reach the top of the mountain. We made it by sunrise, but unfortunately it was a cloudy day so it wasn't as vivid as we imagined. But it was still beautiful. The sun broke through the clouds, shining light upon the Dead Sea and the neighboring mountains of Jordan.
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| Let me drive! |
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| sitting in a ruin. |
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| It's Twister Time! |
Despite the "freezing" temperatures, we spent our last day trip visiting different settlements within the West Bank. It was amazing to hear the points of view of people living in Beit El and Amona. It was unsettling to see firsthand the effects of the dismantlement of the settlements. The final overnight trip of the semester, and somewhat of a treat, was a 2 day trip to Eilat (2 days was needed considering it takes about 4 hours to get down to Eilat). Surrounded by wild ibex and the warmness of the sun rays, we paid our respect at the grave of David Ben-Gurion and his wife and then headed off to the first hike of the trip and a exploration of ancient ruins. We spent the first night at Kibbutz Ketura- a throwback to our first week in Israel. It was so nice to be all together again back at the kibbutz. Kinda of a homage to the semester if you will. We woke up bright and early, ready for the second hike of the trip. We are basically extreme hikers at this point in the semester. We have learned that water is a necessity and there is never too much. Also, after using the bathroom, it is essential to burn the toilet paper- no need to leave anything behind. This day we also did a little something special to celebrate the coming wedding of two members of the program. (They had been dating for years before the program, but the proposal happened in Israel. During break they were heading back to Chicago to officially tie the not). An Israeli tradition is to sing a traditional wedding song to the couple and paint their hands and arms in henna. I think this should definitely be a tradition in the states. After the hike and marriage celebration, we loaded back on the bus to travel the rest of the journey down to Eilat. The bus door opened to a spectacular view of the Red Sea and the neighboring mountains of Jordan. Being the last trip, we lived it up on the last night in a hotel with big beds and so many channels of tv! (Sometimes it is nice to indulge in brainless television). The last day was spent at an amazing ecological kibbutz on the outskirts of Eilat; Kibbutz Lotan. Known for it's inovative eco-friendly lifestyle, Kibbtuz Lotan has become a model in how to live symbiotically with the environment. Lotan is known for their creative building styles and the ability to use tires for just about anything. As we stumbled upon the play area made entirely of tires and recycled material, we couldn't help but channel our inner child, especially when stumbling upon an area dedicated to Twister. Let's just say, game faces were on. Wearing out our welcome on the twister courts, we learned how to create seed pods and once again boarded the bus back to Tel Aviv. It was hard to believe that this was the last trip of the semester. (Insert sad face).
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| Luke and I with some art in the park. |
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| Hello Chinatown! |
I took advantage of the semester break and headed off to England. The original plan was to spend a few days in London and then meet a friend to travel to Belgium. Unfortunately, my friend had an emergency and had to fly back to the states. With my flight already booked, I ventured off to England with numbers of friends of friends and a few nights scheduled at a hostel. The trip was amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better 8 days. I spent the first day in London exploring the city and the British Museum, making sure to stop at Buckingham Palace to send my regards to the Queen. I must say, it is so liberating to go to a museum alone and spend as much time as you want in different exhibits. Not to mention the consistency of coffee shops- I was in heaven! The weather wasn't too bad, actually nice to be able to walk around and not be sweating uncontrollably. I spent the first night meeting up with a friend of a friend and enjoying the plentiful amounts of Guinness available in England. The next day, I boarded the train heading north to Wakefield to spend the weekend with my friend Luke and his family. His family had never seen a person as small as me eat and drink so much. I guess I have trained my body to never deny free food (a necessary survival skill when living as a volunteer). Luke lives pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but it was such a relaxing weekend. It didn't rain too much, and that Saturday we joined his parents on a walk through a nearby field. As I was reading Wuthering Heights at this time, I was certain I was going to run into Heathcliff or Charlotte at any moment. I'll just say I was disappointed at the outcome. After the weekend in Wakefield, I headed back to London for a day where I visited the Victoria and Albert Museum (a must, if you go to London). The next day I found myself back at Kings Cross Station boarding a train to Cambridge to meet another friend of a friend. After a personal tour of the campus, I headed back to Mike's apartment to get ready for the formal hall dinner at his college. The dinner was amazing and we finished the night at the college bar. I definitely got the Cambridge college experience. I boarded the train, with a sealed bottle of Port in my bag, heading back to London for the last night of my trip. My flight back to Israel wasn't until ten pm, so I spent the last day hanging with a new friend from the hostel, exploring the wonders of the Tate Modern museum. After a delicious meal of fish and chips, I said cheerio to London and boarded the plane back to Tel Aviv.
This post is getting too long, so I think this a good place to end and to keep you on your toes for the next chapter of Tel Aviv adventures!
