The dreaded apartment hunt is finally over! Yes, comrades, as trumpeted on Facebook, I have signed the lease on an apartment in Katamon and have my own place. Finally!!
This is a huge relief since I have been living out of suitcases for 2.5 months now. I've gotten used to being flexible but I can't wait to have a place all my own. Right now, my new apartment is light-filled, lovely and completely empty.
That's right, there is not a stick of furniture to be found in the place. Aside from the refrigerator and stove, which are not to be taken for granted in Israel (since they are not always included in a rental). I have a huge list of things I need to buy, and first up, is....a vanity table complete with poufy chair!!
Ha ha, just kidding, it's a bed. I mean, what would I do otherwise, sleep on top of my overstuffed duffle bag? Hmm, I could always sleep in my refrigerator...No darlings, I need a serious bed, with a headboard, box spring and comfy mattress, and then I need a desk. I will be working from home, after all. (I seem to say that line 10 times a day - sorry if I'm boring you. It's just so revolutionary to me.)
And then I need to get just enough furniture to have a housewarming shindig! You're all invited, of course. I wouldn't mind at all if you flew in from the US and A just for the party. I think it would be worth it, don't you? I will be serving mulled wine (70% likelihood). And you can sleep on my desk, if I don't have a guest bed yet.
Soooooo, rehitim (furniture in Hebrew) it is! Luckily, I live near the industrial area of Talpiot, where furniture stores abound. I should be able to find plenty of things that catch my fancy. And then it's on to the business of making a home!
The thing I think I love the most about my new apartment is that it has a nice-sized garden. Coming from Manhattan, it's like shangri-la. I can even have a sukkah in it if I so desire! I plan to string up some lanterns and hang out there 24/7 when the weather is nice. Fly in anytime to join me, whether it's from Tel Aviv (sooooo far away) or New York (a hop, skip and a jump).
Also, the place has history. Before 1948, the apartment building it's housed in was the Iraqi Embassy. Even better still, during the War of Independence, there was a gun fight between the Palmach (resistance) fighter who lived in my apartment and the enemies directly across the way. Apparently there are still bullet holes in the building's facade.
Yes, Scooby Doo, this is true.
I'm actually taking all of this as a good sign. I'm very zionistic and I'm proud to be in a place that helped Israel win her (yes, her, since medina is a female term) independence. And I'm sure the Palmach fighter had fabulous furniture.
Showing posts with label Apartment Hunt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apartment Hunt. Show all posts
Monday, February 8, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Apartment Hunt, Oh Apartment Hunt
"Apartment Hunt, Oh Apartment Hunt..." (sing to the tune of "Xmas Tree, Oh My Xmas Tree)
If you don't know the tune of this Xmas song then I forgive you, since a Jew has no business knowing it anyway. I can be forgiven since I lived in galus (as they say in the shtetl) for so long, but YOU should never have known from it (as Bubbe would say).
Anyhoo, the song was brought on by the insane "to'ing and fro'ing" I have been doing in order to find the right apartment. My sublet runs out on Feb. 15, necessitating that I move out on Feb. 14. (American Valentine's Day - how apropos - if cupid could shoot an arrow into the bashert apartment door I would be besotted 4ever.)
It's sad because I've become ever-so-attached to the apartment I'm subletting in the German Colony. It is an extremely charming one-bedroom straight out of a Van Gogh painting: blue pocket doors, fluttery curtains, wonderful outdoor space. (Sorry to disappoint but there is, however, no psychedelic Starry, Starry theme.) I knew I would love it and it has thoroughly spoiled me in terms of finding something I like as much.
At this point I've looked at a whole variety of dwellings, and am finding Jerusalem real estate shockingly harder to deal with than in Manhattan. I almost took an amazingly priced 2-bedroom near the Arnona/Abu Tor neighborhood. However, it was out of the way and being that I will be working from home, it is of extreme importance that I be in close proximity to all of the most popular and fabulous coffee shops on Emek Refaim. I plan to swan on over there with my laptop a number of times a week so that I can be among people as I tap away.
In any case, I've learned that you really have to follow your heart in the apartment search and hopefully it will end soon, since I don't relish the idea of jumping from friend to friend again. (Please refer to entry: Pilates??? Beuller???)
So, I've tried not to let the search overwhelm me and have been occupying myself with a variety of pursuits. One of them is laundry. The washing machine/dryer combo in my sublet is one thing that is very non-Van-Goghesque - it's housed in a shed in the garden. (A garden! Imagine that in Manhattan! Ah, the ecstasy!) I've managed to thoroughly mangle the entire process and have been warring with the machines. First I couldn't open the door to put the clothes in. Then I couldn't shut it. Then I put the detergent in the wrong place (but boy, did it smell delicious!). Then I put the clothes in the dryer for a good 40 minutes and when I came back, they were still soaking wet. Perhaps all of this hullabaloo has something to do with the fact that the directions are in French.
On another note, as I was spacing out on the bus today (after congratulating myself for not falling on my butt), I thought about the following random things that I love about Israel:
-Electric teapots - Present in every Israeli home, these one-minute wonders have your water boiling before you've even dumped your oatmeal packet into your mug.
-Cafes - Israelis don't grab coffee and go. They hang out for hours and shoot the breeze. Truly, no one seems to work at all in this country since the cafes are always mobbed. Then again, they could be working 'from home' like me, tourists, or trust fund babies (lucky brats).
-The dramatic "CHHHH" sound in the Hebrew language - It just makes the words so pronounced. I'm so glad I learned to do it when I was but a young pupil.
-How the country is so small - Someone randomly emailed me on Facebook one day, then recognized me in town the next day.
-Greek salads - Israelis do such wonderful things with goat cheese.
Okay campers, off to do final battle with the laundry. G-dspeed!!!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
A Day in the Life of Your Intrepid Olah Chadasha
Holla, or as they say here, Ahalan! (I still don't know what that means, but I enjoy saying it since it makes me seem like I'm in the know. I could look up the word in my trusty Hebrew/English dictionary, but let's be honest, I probably won't.)
So, I've been regaling you with endlessly interesting anecdotes (if I do say so myself) regarding my life here, but I really think that a 'Day in the Life' entry would illuminate just what I'm experiencing. Read on!
6:20am - Actually get up when alarm rings to go jogging for second day in a row. It's the beginning of a new regime since I just couldn't take the lack of exercise anymore. I need it physically, emotionally and so I don't go crazy(ily).
6:27am - Eat bowl of off-brand cornflakes and 1% milk (no skim allowed in Israel). Bliss.
6:40am - I zip down the eerily empty Rechov Emek Refaim, which is just beginning to show signs of life. Some workers have left huge bags of onions and potatoes outside a cafe. I contemplate stealing one but come to my senses, since: 1. I'm no ganev; and 2. What the heck would I do with so many onions?? I resume my jog sans huge sack of tubers.
7:10am - In the absence of a true jogging trail, I run in circles around the cement courts of Gan Ha'Paamon, built for some indeterminate sports, which I share with a bunch of fiesty cats. (There I go with the cats again.) They run like the wind everytime I get within a few feet (or is it grams? ha ha) of them. My brilliant theory is that all the bright blue I was wearing - my fleece and headband - spooked them. Or are cats color blind?
7:40am - Back home, I rush around getting ready, needing to be at ulpan by 8:30. Finally know how to get to the bus stop without getting lost. The bus is usually late so I think I have all the time in the world, but I get there as it is just leaving. I huff and puff and scream out a few mild obscenities, causing the policemen randomly checking cars nearby to stare up at me quizzically. I give them a dazzling smile in return.
8:20am - I use my time waiting at the bus stop to do the ulpan homework I should have done the night before. What can I say, the life of an olah is very full and I am proud to be doing any HW at all. (Sorry Mom and Aunt Gail. I'm still your shining star, right?? :)
8:32am - The bus miraculously comes earlier than it normally would (it's spaced out about every 25 bleeding minutes). I try to buy a monthly pass, but don't have enough cash. All of my maneuvering in tandem with the bus driver's sudden whoosh out of the station causes me to fall smack dab on my butt.
8:34am - What does one do in this scenario but laugh, smile adoringly at my fans, and then get comfy on the floor? I work out my ticket issues, haul myself up and resume the bus ride. I'm only 10 minutes late to ulpan, and lovely Morah Esther (who has the same name as my darling mom) welcomes me with a sweet smile, not guilting me at all for being tardy (to the Hebrew grammar party). I love her.
8:58am - Yahoo! Time for snack #1! I noisily unwrap a mini Luna bar (so glad I brought an entire suitcase of them with me to Israel) and gobble it down.
9:49am - I check my watch for the 7th time, pretty much a reflex. It's not that ulpan is boring but that I'm not used to sitting in a classroom for such an extended amount of time. We learn about words that have two meanings, based on their structure. The handout, for some odd reason, includes a very non-PC picture of a China-man in a Vietnamese type hat with very slanty eyes, cutting paper with scissors. Far be it from me to understand. Some very pro-human rights folks in the classroom get a little miffed. I try not to judge the illustrator too harshly and move right along (nothing to see here, folks).
10:30am - Break time! My classroom is blessedly warm and heated, but the rest of the building is absolutely freezing, much colder than the outside. I attempt to get warm by going into the nattily decorated 'Moadon' (i.e. Clubhouse), which I thought housed some computers. No such luck. However, a Young Turk that I have had the pleasure of befriending allows me to use his laptop. I manage to send out one email on the Turkish keyboard, but am unable to figure out how to include the letter 'i' with dots as well as commas and general punctuation. Nevertheless, one long email down!
10:32am - Feel guilty about all of the other emails I still owe.
11:23am - Back in class. We discuss the events of the past week. I ramble on about Obama's State of the Union Address. Esther the Teacher asks the Italians in the class if they know what happened in their home country. Greeted by their silence, I chime in, in Hebrew, that the food is good there. The class snickers. The Italians refuse to elaborate on their country's amazing food. Bastardos.
11:57am - Snack #2 - half of my PB&J sandwich! Yummers!
1pm - Time for the Tu B'Shvat ceremony! Some of my fellow ulpanites put on a talent show and: Sing songs about how man is close to the earth; put on little skits involving one girl dressing up as a surprisingly realistic-looking tree; and read off inspirational quotes from the Torah. Delightful.
1:23pm - Emotional presentation of Teudat Zehut (Israeli ID cards) to those that have not yet received them. I was gifted with mine at the airport, so I'm an old hand at this. I politely clap when the mood strikes, especially when a Spanish Stud Hoss claims his in a very charming manner.
1:50pm - Time for dried fruit and the ceremonial planting of a tree! I indulge in a fig and 2 walnuts.
2:40pm - Bus back to my sublet in the German Colony, which always involves passing Aroma Coffee. I struggle against the usual impulse to buy the diet slushie, a very expensive habit. I finally decide to compromise: I will get one every Sunday (first day of the work week) and Friday (first day of the weekend). So off I go to get one. It takes me about seven minutes to describe what I want to the Barrista (or is it Aromista?), but I triumph in the end.
2:51pm - Back at the apartment, I valiantly struggle to open both the screen door and the front door, then relock them quickly. I put in a few hours of PR work - pat on back.
3:30pm - Darla, my intrepid broker, picks me up to look at an apartment. It pretty much rawks although the location is somewhat questionable. I decide to make an offer.
4:15pm - Darla and I go food shopping together at a discount supermarket. (The roles of people here bleed over constantly - my last broker invited me for Shabbos dinner.) I did not expect so many American products and enjoy the selection of reduced fat Ken's Steakhouse salad dressings.
4:43pm - The cashier informs me that I am entitled to a free bottle of soda with my purchase, so I naturally go to the nearby soda section and take my sweet time deciding if I want Diet Coke with Lemon, or some sort of Sprite drink. She jerks me out of my reverie when she shrieks that I should first get to work packing my groceries (yes, we do it ourselves here) and only then can I pick out the dang bottle. I attempt to yell back, but end up saluting and obeying of course.
5:12pm - Darla laughs about how in all her 10 years of going to this supermarket, she has never seen the cashier react that way. I attribute her venom to my blond innocence (i.e. my wide-eyed, flaxen grace).
6:47pm - I heat up a frozen lasagna I purchased at the Supermarket of Shrieking, and it is utterly delicious. I chomp away as I converse with some unlucky soul on the phone.
7:30pm - Darla and I meet with the owners of the apartment I am seriously contemplating renting, and they ask for some outrageous sum as a security measure, which is somehow considered to be a normal practice in Israel. At least according to their broker - our lawyer will have the final say. Not sure how the apartment will work out after all, but will be seeing another tomorrow.
8:45pm - Tidy up at home and make some final phone calls. Have some random Facebook Instant Message chats.
10:15pm - Realize that I must post a blog entry and push myself off my furry, delicious comforter and into the tundra of the living room.
11:04pm - Blog entry completed! Off for a midnight snack and then beddie-bye. Layla tov!
So, I've been regaling you with endlessly interesting anecdotes (if I do say so myself) regarding my life here, but I really think that a 'Day in the Life' entry would illuminate just what I'm experiencing. Read on!
6:20am - Actually get up when alarm rings to go jogging for second day in a row. It's the beginning of a new regime since I just couldn't take the lack of exercise anymore. I need it physically, emotionally and so I don't go crazy(ily).
6:27am - Eat bowl of off-brand cornflakes and 1% milk (no skim allowed in Israel). Bliss.
6:40am - I zip down the eerily empty Rechov Emek Refaim, which is just beginning to show signs of life. Some workers have left huge bags of onions and potatoes outside a cafe. I contemplate stealing one but come to my senses, since: 1. I'm no ganev; and 2. What the heck would I do with so many onions?? I resume my jog sans huge sack of tubers.
7:10am - In the absence of a true jogging trail, I run in circles around the cement courts of Gan Ha'Paamon, built for some indeterminate sports, which I share with a bunch of fiesty cats. (There I go with the cats again.) They run like the wind everytime I get within a few feet (or is it grams? ha ha) of them. My brilliant theory is that all the bright blue I was wearing - my fleece and headband - spooked them. Or are cats color blind?
7:40am - Back home, I rush around getting ready, needing to be at ulpan by 8:30. Finally know how to get to the bus stop without getting lost. The bus is usually late so I think I have all the time in the world, but I get there as it is just leaving. I huff and puff and scream out a few mild obscenities, causing the policemen randomly checking cars nearby to stare up at me quizzically. I give them a dazzling smile in return.
8:20am - I use my time waiting at the bus stop to do the ulpan homework I should have done the night before. What can I say, the life of an olah is very full and I am proud to be doing any HW at all. (Sorry Mom and Aunt Gail. I'm still your shining star, right?? :)
8:32am - The bus miraculously comes earlier than it normally would (it's spaced out about every 25 bleeding minutes). I try to buy a monthly pass, but don't have enough cash. All of my maneuvering in tandem with the bus driver's sudden whoosh out of the station causes me to fall smack dab on my butt.
8:34am - What does one do in this scenario but laugh, smile adoringly at my fans, and then get comfy on the floor? I work out my ticket issues, haul myself up and resume the bus ride. I'm only 10 minutes late to ulpan, and lovely Morah Esther (who has the same name as my darling mom) welcomes me with a sweet smile, not guilting me at all for being tardy (to the Hebrew grammar party). I love her.
8:58am - Yahoo! Time for snack #1! I noisily unwrap a mini Luna bar (so glad I brought an entire suitcase of them with me to Israel) and gobble it down.
9:49am - I check my watch for the 7th time, pretty much a reflex. It's not that ulpan is boring but that I'm not used to sitting in a classroom for such an extended amount of time. We learn about words that have two meanings, based on their structure. The handout, for some odd reason, includes a very non-PC picture of a China-man in a Vietnamese type hat with very slanty eyes, cutting paper with scissors. Far be it from me to understand. Some very pro-human rights folks in the classroom get a little miffed. I try not to judge the illustrator too harshly and move right along (nothing to see here, folks).
10:30am - Break time! My classroom is blessedly warm and heated, but the rest of the building is absolutely freezing, much colder than the outside. I attempt to get warm by going into the nattily decorated 'Moadon' (i.e. Clubhouse), which I thought housed some computers. No such luck. However, a Young Turk that I have had the pleasure of befriending allows me to use his laptop. I manage to send out one email on the Turkish keyboard, but am unable to figure out how to include the letter 'i' with dots as well as commas and general punctuation. Nevertheless, one long email down!
10:32am - Feel guilty about all of the other emails I still owe.
11:23am - Back in class. We discuss the events of the past week. I ramble on about Obama's State of the Union Address. Esther the Teacher asks the Italians in the class if they know what happened in their home country. Greeted by their silence, I chime in, in Hebrew, that the food is good there. The class snickers. The Italians refuse to elaborate on their country's amazing food. Bastardos.
11:57am - Snack #2 - half of my PB&J sandwich! Yummers!
1pm - Time for the Tu B'Shvat ceremony! Some of my fellow ulpanites put on a talent show and: Sing songs about how man is close to the earth; put on little skits involving one girl dressing up as a surprisingly realistic-looking tree; and read off inspirational quotes from the Torah. Delightful.
1:23pm - Emotional presentation of Teudat Zehut (Israeli ID cards) to those that have not yet received them. I was gifted with mine at the airport, so I'm an old hand at this. I politely clap when the mood strikes, especially when a Spanish Stud Hoss claims his in a very charming manner.
1:50pm - Time for dried fruit and the ceremonial planting of a tree! I indulge in a fig and 2 walnuts.
2:40pm - Bus back to my sublet in the German Colony, which always involves passing Aroma Coffee. I struggle against the usual impulse to buy the diet slushie, a very expensive habit. I finally decide to compromise: I will get one every Sunday (first day of the work week) and Friday (first day of the weekend). So off I go to get one. It takes me about seven minutes to describe what I want to the Barrista (or is it Aromista?), but I triumph in the end.
2:51pm - Back at the apartment, I valiantly struggle to open both the screen door and the front door, then relock them quickly. I put in a few hours of PR work - pat on back.
3:30pm - Darla, my intrepid broker, picks me up to look at an apartment. It pretty much rawks although the location is somewhat questionable. I decide to make an offer.
4:15pm - Darla and I go food shopping together at a discount supermarket. (The roles of people here bleed over constantly - my last broker invited me for Shabbos dinner.) I did not expect so many American products and enjoy the selection of reduced fat Ken's Steakhouse salad dressings.
4:43pm - The cashier informs me that I am entitled to a free bottle of soda with my purchase, so I naturally go to the nearby soda section and take my sweet time deciding if I want Diet Coke with Lemon, or some sort of Sprite drink. She jerks me out of my reverie when she shrieks that I should first get to work packing my groceries (yes, we do it ourselves here) and only then can I pick out the dang bottle. I attempt to yell back, but end up saluting and obeying of course.
5:12pm - Darla laughs about how in all her 10 years of going to this supermarket, she has never seen the cashier react that way. I attribute her venom to my blond innocence (i.e. my wide-eyed, flaxen grace).
6:47pm - I heat up a frozen lasagna I purchased at the Supermarket of Shrieking, and it is utterly delicious. I chomp away as I converse with some unlucky soul on the phone.
7:30pm - Darla and I meet with the owners of the apartment I am seriously contemplating renting, and they ask for some outrageous sum as a security measure, which is somehow considered to be a normal practice in Israel. At least according to their broker - our lawyer will have the final say. Not sure how the apartment will work out after all, but will be seeing another tomorrow.
8:45pm - Tidy up at home and make some final phone calls. Have some random Facebook Instant Message chats.
10:15pm - Realize that I must post a blog entry and push myself off my furry, delicious comforter and into the tundra of the living room.
11:04pm - Blog entry completed! Off for a midnight snack and then beddie-bye. Layla tov!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Random Musings at the Random Hour of 8:57pm (or should I say 20:57)
Hello boys and girls!
I'm in much better humor today because last night, I received my bag with the ulpan materials back. This required a trip to Tel Aviv and ended up costing me about $60, which on balance, might not seem worth it. However, starting over with notes, homework, etc. would be such a pain and also in the bag was my 'Anneni' prayer book, which has great sentimental value. So I guess G-d really did answer my prayers since my items have been restored!
Since I'm sure you're dying to know what I had for dinner (I would be), I just finished eating some Chinese chicken I purchased at a local store. One great benefit of Israel is that the take-out ends up costing the same amount as cooking it yourself. So I saved myself alot of time and actually had meat on a Wednesday night. This is quite the accomplishment since there is an approximately 0.5% chance I would bother cooking chicken during the week. The meat was cold since there is no microwave in the sublet but like I told you before, I'm an odd nut to crack and I don't mind that at all. In fact, cold poultry raises fond memories of bleary Sunday mornings, post Hell Raising Saturday Nights, when I woke up at some odd hour and craved nothing but cold chicken, pizza or lasagna.
And now I will seamlessly segue into my still-very-much-alive-and-kicking apartment search. I have about 10,614 brokers on the case and have seen a very interesting assortment of dwellings, among them: An amazing two-bedroom that I was dying to take but doesn't really seem available (tease!), one ramshackle cottage that would be perfect for a would-be unabomber, and one really adorable studio that is just too small for a home office (and is also in a private house with a yippy dog - dealbreaker). I really need to find something soon - keep your fingers crossed.
In a few minutes, a friend of a friend who is a computer specialist is coming over to evaluate my laptop, which has been ill with a stuffy nose and a bad cough. Poor thing, it is only 7% charged at the very most and shuts down suddenly after about 10 minutes of use. Hopefully, Computer Dude will administer electronic Sudafed and chicken soup and my laptop will be back in fighting form.
I looked at a few gyms today because I feel like The Biggest Lump in the Middle East. Normally I exercise about 4 times a week at the very least, but since I got here, jogging has gone out the window and all I do is walk (which does nothing, in my opinion). I MUST get back into it!! I keep staring at myself critically in the mirror to see if my size has changed. So far it appears that it has not, but I'm seriously thinking of posting Before and After close-up pictures on this blog and hearing your opinions (I am a vain masochist).
Being that it is Wednesday night in Izzy, there is one day before the weekend! Against my better judgement, I am going on a shabbaton. I am pretty sure it will be nothing like NCSY, but committing to spending time with a group for a fixed amount of time in a random place is always a risk. Still, it should be good fun and a new chavaya (experience).
There are some very vocal cats in the street outside who seem like they're having themselves a grand old time. I love hearing a good hiss and meow and there is certainly no shortage of cats in Israel. Rowr!!
Computer Dude is coming any minute (unless he is operating on Israeli time, which means that I have a good 2 hours), so I must go powder my nose. Please sit back in your easy chairs, enjoy smoking your pipe by the fireplace and have yourself a lovely evening (of Masterpiece Theater).
I'm in much better humor today because last night, I received my bag with the ulpan materials back. This required a trip to Tel Aviv and ended up costing me about $60, which on balance, might not seem worth it. However, starting over with notes, homework, etc. would be such a pain and also in the bag was my 'Anneni' prayer book, which has great sentimental value. So I guess G-d really did answer my prayers since my items have been restored!
Since I'm sure you're dying to know what I had for dinner (I would be), I just finished eating some Chinese chicken I purchased at a local store. One great benefit of Israel is that the take-out ends up costing the same amount as cooking it yourself. So I saved myself alot of time and actually had meat on a Wednesday night. This is quite the accomplishment since there is an approximately 0.5% chance I would bother cooking chicken during the week. The meat was cold since there is no microwave in the sublet but like I told you before, I'm an odd nut to crack and I don't mind that at all. In fact, cold poultry raises fond memories of bleary Sunday mornings, post Hell Raising Saturday Nights, when I woke up at some odd hour and craved nothing but cold chicken, pizza or lasagna.
And now I will seamlessly segue into my still-very-much-alive-and-kicking apartment search. I have about 10,614 brokers on the case and have seen a very interesting assortment of dwellings, among them: An amazing two-bedroom that I was dying to take but doesn't really seem available (tease!), one ramshackle cottage that would be perfect for a would-be unabomber, and one really adorable studio that is just too small for a home office (and is also in a private house with a yippy dog - dealbreaker). I really need to find something soon - keep your fingers crossed.
In a few minutes, a friend of a friend who is a computer specialist is coming over to evaluate my laptop, which has been ill with a stuffy nose and a bad cough. Poor thing, it is only 7% charged at the very most and shuts down suddenly after about 10 minutes of use. Hopefully, Computer Dude will administer electronic Sudafed and chicken soup and my laptop will be back in fighting form.
I looked at a few gyms today because I feel like The Biggest Lump in the Middle East. Normally I exercise about 4 times a week at the very least, but since I got here, jogging has gone out the window and all I do is walk (which does nothing, in my opinion). I MUST get back into it!! I keep staring at myself critically in the mirror to see if my size has changed. So far it appears that it has not, but I'm seriously thinking of posting Before and After close-up pictures on this blog and hearing your opinions (I am a vain masochist).
Being that it is Wednesday night in Izzy, there is one day before the weekend! Against my better judgement, I am going on a shabbaton. I am pretty sure it will be nothing like NCSY, but committing to spending time with a group for a fixed amount of time in a random place is always a risk. Still, it should be good fun and a new chavaya (experience).
There are some very vocal cats in the street outside who seem like they're having themselves a grand old time. I love hearing a good hiss and meow and there is certainly no shortage of cats in Israel. Rowr!!
Computer Dude is coming any minute (unless he is operating on Israeli time, which means that I have a good 2 hours), so I must go powder my nose. Please sit back in your easy chairs, enjoy smoking your pipe by the fireplace and have yourself a lovely evening (of Masterpiece Theater).
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Pilates?? Bueller??
Shavua tov, everyone. Hope you're enjoying your lazy Sundays. Here in Israel, it's the start of the work week, and...
You heard me correctly - Israelis work on Sunday!! That is such a hard thing to get used to and I have not yet wrapped my mind around it. I do have a job (and for that I thank G-d every day) but will not be starting it for a few weeks, so for me, it's the normal 'Post Shabbos/Saturday Night Revelry Recovery,' co-sponsored by Acamol/Tylenol and a huge breakfast that hopefully features an omelet.
Part of living the early oleh (new aliyah) life is trying to find an apartment, unless you are lucky enough to have a relative that lets you live in their apartment rent-free (lucky brats). I am not one of those privileged leprechauns, so I thusly have been hopping from friend to friend, feeling like a hobo with a bag on a stick (nevermind that my bag is pink, utterly feminine, completely adorable and has a huge Adidas logo). Everyone has been really nice about accomodating me but of course, I have had to adapt to their lifestyles and be as unintrusive as possible.
This morning, my friend's roomate was having a Pilates class in their living room from 8-9am. Hmm. In any case, it was important for me to be quiet for that hour and let the human pretzels do their thing. I tried, oh how valiantly I tried. I was a quiet little mouse until 9am, and at 9:12 I picked up my Pele phone and got down to business, patting myself on the back for waiting 12 extra minutes to give the roomate time to clean up.
As it turns out, the class went on longer and I was yapping so loudly into the phone the roomate had to ask me to pipe down. I can just imagine what the Pilate-ists thought of my convos. In any case, of course I lowered my voice, and then resumed my apartment hunt with new fervor.
My food intake has also been frighteningly affected by all this hopping about. Now, you all know that I need my food, and massive quantities of it, or I turn into Little Miss CrankyPants (who is a Debbie Downer at every party or random life event). For the past few days, I haven't been in one place for more than one night, and consequently, have to take it meal-by-meal. It's very hard for me not to have a refrigerator I can attack at random intervals, and this morning, I find myself in a stuation wherein it is 11am and I have not yet eaten. (Cry me a river!)
This is unheard of for me of on any day that's not a fast day, just ask any family member/friend/someone who has spoken to me for more than one minute. So I am dashing off this blog entry to you - which sadly is STILL not Part II of my aliyah (sorry Tammar) - and then I'm headed out for a huge Israeli breakfast. Which I will enjoy immensely and during which, I will not think of calories, fat grams, dietary fiber or any annoying nutritional value of the sort.
Hope you're staying warm with chestnuts roasting on an open fire and Swiss Miss hot choco warming up in your microwave.
You heard me correctly - Israelis work on Sunday!! That is such a hard thing to get used to and I have not yet wrapped my mind around it. I do have a job (and for that I thank G-d every day) but will not be starting it for a few weeks, so for me, it's the normal 'Post Shabbos/Saturday Night Revelry Recovery,' co-sponsored by Acamol/Tylenol and a huge breakfast that hopefully features an omelet.
Part of living the early oleh (new aliyah) life is trying to find an apartment, unless you are lucky enough to have a relative that lets you live in their apartment rent-free (lucky brats). I am not one of those privileged leprechauns, so I thusly have been hopping from friend to friend, feeling like a hobo with a bag on a stick (nevermind that my bag is pink, utterly feminine, completely adorable and has a huge Adidas logo). Everyone has been really nice about accomodating me but of course, I have had to adapt to their lifestyles and be as unintrusive as possible.
This morning, my friend's roomate was having a Pilates class in their living room from 8-9am. Hmm. In any case, it was important for me to be quiet for that hour and let the human pretzels do their thing. I tried, oh how valiantly I tried. I was a quiet little mouse until 9am, and at 9:12 I picked up my Pele phone and got down to business, patting myself on the back for waiting 12 extra minutes to give the roomate time to clean up.
As it turns out, the class went on longer and I was yapping so loudly into the phone the roomate had to ask me to pipe down. I can just imagine what the Pilate-ists thought of my convos. In any case, of course I lowered my voice, and then resumed my apartment hunt with new fervor.
My food intake has also been frighteningly affected by all this hopping about. Now, you all know that I need my food, and massive quantities of it, or I turn into Little Miss CrankyPants (who is a Debbie Downer at every party or random life event). For the past few days, I haven't been in one place for more than one night, and consequently, have to take it meal-by-meal. It's very hard for me not to have a refrigerator I can attack at random intervals, and this morning, I find myself in a stuation wherein it is 11am and I have not yet eaten. (Cry me a river!)
This is unheard of for me of on any day that's not a fast day, just ask any family member/friend/someone who has spoken to me for more than one minute. So I am dashing off this blog entry to you - which sadly is STILL not Part II of my aliyah (sorry Tammar) - and then I'm headed out for a huge Israeli breakfast. Which I will enjoy immensely and during which, I will not think of calories, fat grams, dietary fiber or any annoying nutritional value of the sort.
Hope you're staying warm with chestnuts roasting on an open fire and Swiss Miss hot choco warming up in your microwave.
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