Oh the strangers you'll meet!

Last night was "Layla Lavan" - the White Night festival in Tel Aviv and Yafo which celebrates its UNESCO-given title as the "White City" with live music on open stages throughout the cities, along with art exhibits and a plethora of events.  The timing couldn't have been more perfect for those of us on the Ulpan who took our final exam yesterday and felt unquestionably deserving of a night of frivolous, careless abandon in Israel's party central.

Despite the fact that I am not the frivolous, careless abandon kind of person I succumbed to the peer pressure and joined my classmates on the bus we ordered to take all 25 of us to Tel Aviv.  To be entirely honest, I didn't enjoy the celebration all that much, but the following story deserves special recognition:

Having gotten separated from the few friends I had been sticking to, I found an unassuming spot on the edge of the beach and sat, half hoping my friends would come find me, half hoping to be invisible to the drunk and overconfident Israeli bachurim.  I started talking to someone when another guy about my age noticed I was speaking English and asked me where I was from.  He and his black friend (that is significant) were from New Jersey and had recently arrived in Israel with the tentative plans of volunteering on a kibbutz for the summer.  So we got to talking and I was enjoying the company of these two kind strangers when suddenly the black guy asked if I liked Disney movies.  When I said "of course!" he broke into song with a number from Aladdin and, without request or hesitation his friend and I joined in.  After a rousing rendition of "A Whole New World" we switched to "Part of your world" from The Little Mermaid, the black guy and I doing a fabulous impromptu duet.  Now, I emphasize his ethnicity because I found it rather humorous that I was sitting on a beach in Tel Aviv at 4:00 in the morning, singing Disney songs with a stranger from New Jersey who was half rapping some of the lyrics.  I'm sure Walt would've been thrilled!

His friend was feeling a little left out so for his sake we started singing "American Pie," which we and the people immediately surrounding us were thoroughly enjoying, until we got to the line "And moss grows fat on a rolling stone," after which we stopped, completely unaware of what followed.  None of us could figure it out.  We tried desperately and managed to muddle through a couple other lines here and there before succumbing to our bad memories, singing the chorus once more, and calling it a night.  We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways, never to meet again.

That single moment was, without a doubt, the most amazing and fun part of my whole evening in Tel Aviv, and I couldn't possibly let it go unrecorded. 

I'm not alone

I recently discovered a blog written by a women named Maya who made aliyah (moved to Israel) and writes about "How to be Israeli," giving tips and stories and fascinating insights into life in Israel and all its quirks.  (This is the blog that had a post about Israeli pickles which I referenced in my last post.)  She started the blog in 2009 and unfortunately hasn't written since last December, perhaps because she finally feels completely Israeli.  Congratulations to her!

I find her blog hilarious and intriguing because she writes about many of the same things I've either written about or thought.  When I read a post about how to drive like an Israeli entitled "Everyone ELSE on the road is an idiot," I kept mentally pointing at the computer screen while my inner dialogue shouted "That's so true!  That's exactly what they do!"  I may have even legitimately laughed out loud.  Her list of Things *NOT* to do if you want to seem Israeli made me chuckle and then feel a little sheepish as I realized I've actually done some of those things (ignorant American tourist that I am), and her post entitled "How do you pronounce שופרסל?" seemed to read my mind as I, too, have been wondering how to pronounce the name of the giant grocery store chain for five months.

In addition to her sense of humor and fluid, conversational writing style, I love her blog because when I read it I feel like I'm sharing an inside joke, laughing and wondering about all the curiosities of Israeli life from that unique perspective of an outsider spending some time as an insider.  It also gives credence to the things I've been noticing and questioning as if to say "Yeah, I saw that, too.  And I totally know what you're talking about!"

Hers is not the only blog of this sort.  A number of months ago I came across comedian Benji Lovitt's blog that makes a very similar commentary on Israeli life minus the "How to."  His yearly list of things he loves about Israel is especially hilarious to me.

Unfortunately, I realize that many of these things I'm finding hysterical and spot-on are things I may not be able to share with my family and friends who haven't been in Israel, much like how people outside Wisconsin simply don't get what's so important about cheese curds and bubblers (talk about a couple things I definitely can't get in Israel).  In coming here, temporarily living here, and finding my way around this vibrant, hilarious, and confounding culture, I feel as if I have been initiated into a not-so-secret society.  And with that membership comes access to all its inside jokes.

The thing I wonder, though, is if Israelis recognize this or if this is one of those things that only visitors and olim chadashim (new immigrants) talk about.  Do Israelis joke about their own tempers and lack of customer service?  Do they laugh about things that seem inherently funny to me, like English words and names adopted by Hebrew and used in their signs, like the Israeli fast-food chain Burgeranch?  (Never mind the fact that Israelis probably don't know what a "ranch" actually is, and they certainly don't have them here.)  There is no doubt that Israelis have a sense of humor and are constantly making fun of themselves and their lives, but I wonder if, for instance, a native Israeli would read blogs like Maya's and Benji's and find the same humor that I do.

If the blogosphere is any indication then there is a fairly significant community of non-native Israelis who like to comment on Israeli culture.  Apparently I'm not the only one who finds this country fascinating and worth writing about.  Little did I know that when I came here I would not just be joining the community that is Israel, but also the community of non-native Israelis and foreigners who love this country and notice all its faults, foibles, and feats with a loving and accepting eye.

I also wonder if this kind of community exists for new immigrants to other countries.  Are Hispanic immigrants to the U.S. laughing in Spanish about all the funny things in American culture?  Have Americans living in Europe created online communities to discuss and commiserate over those things that are shocking to the American system and psyche?

Or is Israel just that awesome?

Newsflash: Israel isn't paradise

For nearly five months I have regaled you all with stories of glorious experiences in this country, opportunities that I have sought or have seemingly been handed to me on a proverbial silver platter.  Between great food and kind strangers, breathtaking nature and a language that never ceases to amaze me, this experience has been better than I ever could have imagined.  But I don't want anyone to get the mistaken idea that Israel is a Gan Eden-esque paradise with people breaking into song on the streets (they're more likely to break out into arguments), so I present to you yet another list: Things I won't miss when I leave Israel (listed in no particular order).

Things I Won't Miss When I Leave Israel*

1. Bathrooms - I firmly believe Israelis have a lot of their priorities in order - artificial pleasantries low on the list while helping out a stranger is toward the top - but apparently bathrooms haven't even made it on the list.  Maybe I'm just a bathroom snob, but clean bathrooms are one of those little things in life I've learned to count on.  But with the exception of a few over-priced hostels, fancy restaurants, and private homes, good bathrooms in Israel are a rarity.   Especially in public transportation centers, usually they're small with disgusting floors, toilet seats that can give you hepatitis just by looking at them, and no hot water or soap in the sinks.  Toilet paper is a godsend, and believe it or not, sometimes you have to pay for these conditions!  Forget the shekel, where's the nearest bush?
2. Pickles - That's right, I will not miss the pickles.  More importantly, I am really looking forward to some good ol' Milwaukee's Baby Kosher Dill Pickles.  Apparently pickles here are traditionally made from small gherkins and pickled only in saltwater, and I just plum don't like them.  I must admit, I never thought I would actually miss pickles.
3. Intersections - I have yet to figure out exactly how intersections in Israel are engineered, but it makes getting to an opposite corner of a large intersection a time-consuming endeavor.  You see, in the middle of each major street there is a median, and on that median is a walk signal which means that on a single road you have to wait for two walk signals (and yes, you'd better wait for them if you're at all interested in making it to the other side).  If luck is with you both signals will be green at the same time, but otherwise, well, have fun waiting.
4. The Israeli concept of "waiting in line" - Rather, the nonexistent concept of "waiting in line."  You've heard me say that Israelis are impatient and nowhere is that demonstrated better than in any situation where you might expect people to wait in a line - ticket counters, getting onto a bus or train, getting food in the chadar ochel.  Once I had to buy a train ticket at the train station and there was one person in front of me and an old lady behind me.  The moment the person in front left, the 80-some-year-old lady cut in front of me then, mid-transaction, turned around and muttered an unapologetic "Slichah" (Forgive me).  I know that America may be full of false sincerity and superficial manners, but I kind of prefer that when it comes to queues.
5. Customer service - Again, this doesn't seem to rank high on Israeli's priority lists.  Besides, Israelis tend to show you exactly how they feel and if the girl behind the counter at the convenience store making minimum wage isn't interested in her job or her customers, she's not going to put on a smile just to make your Bisli-shopping experience a little more comfortable.  Unfortunately this mindset also extends to restaurants, shops, banks, phone companies, etc.  Oh gosh, could you even imagine the DMV?  The horror!
6. Tile floors - Whether it's because of the heat, the sand, or both, Israeli homes are devoid of carpeting.  Many people have area rugs, but the floors themselves are always tiled or made of some other cold, hard material.  Sure, it's reasonable, but I miss carpeting!  I miss walking around barefoot on fuzzy textures, and I miss not feeling sand under bare feet.  Israel, thumbs up for pragmatism, thumbs down for comfort.
7. Israeli bachurim - That is, guys about my age.  Cocky, over-confident, and ready and willing to hit on anything with a pulse.  I'll admit, the first couple times guys hit on me here I thought I was hot stuff, thinking "Wow!  He's interested in me? Well then, I'd better not turn this opportunity down!  Who knows when this will happen again?"  Turns out that if you're a girl under the age of 30, that opportunity can happen any time you're in public.  Case in point, a guy tried to get my number as I was getting into a taxi.  And it wasn't the taxi driver.  Furthermore, chivalry is utterly ignored here (probably because it doesn't get a guy very far with bullshit-intolerant Israeli women).
8. Ugly cities - Sure I enjoy the amenities of cities like Jerusalem, Haifa, and Tel Aviv, but to be quite honest, there are large portions of every major city that are just plain ugly.  Even the nice areas are replete with abandoned, crumbling buildings covered in graffiti.  It's one of the reasons I don't like spending time in the cities, though admittedly I've never been much of a city girl to begin with.  I've heard, though, that it's not entirely because of laziness to tear them down; apparently any time anyone does a construction project in Israel that would entail digging, there's a significant possibility they'll dig up something of historical or anthropological significance and when they do they have to stop construction, wait for someone to do an archaeological dig, then continue.  Like earlier this year when they were digging up a road in Jaffa and they found remnants of an ancient cistern or aqueduct.  It can end up being a waste of time and money, but that's the price you pay for living on ancient land.
9. Heat - Bet you didn't expect that one, eh?  I come from a cold state that celebrates sunny days and spends most of its year under cloud cover receiving some form of precipitation or another, so imagine my discomfort when in May all precipitation stopped and we were left with humid, boiling temperatures that will only get hotter as the summer rolls along.  Additionally the recommended amount of water per day is 3 liters at minimum, which if I were to even attempt would have me going to the bathroom a few times every hour.  Thank goodness for the lovely mazgan (air conditioner) found in most rooms.  But not all.
10. The incredible sadness that is missing my friends and family - Yeah, yeah, I'm getting sappy.  For as much as I love Israel and my time here, an 8-hour time difference and over 6,000 miles of distance makes for one very homesick traveler.  I have some friends I haven't had more than two conversations with since I've been here and some I haven't talked with at all.  And holidays are the worst because, as I've discovered, it's not where you celebrate, it's who you're with that makes it all worthwhile.  This is, and always will be, my greatest pull away from Israel.

So there we have it.  And y'know what?  This was a really challenging list to make and even required help from my roommate to come up with an even ten.  I can assure you, my list of things I will miss is significantly longer, but I'll save [some of] that for another time.  At least now you know Israel isn't entirely perfect.

______________________________________________

*I have deliberately ignored that whole "Our neighbors want to destroy us" issue.  It's not that I'm ignoring the elephant in the room, but that really it hasn't dampened my spirits while here.  Score one for carpe diem philosophy!

The Cottage Cheese Lesson

As my time left in Israel ticks away at a rate which I am convinced is faster than three months ago (thank you, Warped Perspective), I like to reflect on my experiences and make lists of the plethora of new things I've done, things I've enjoyed, people I've met, and so on.  One of my mental lists is "Foods Israel Taught Me to Love," and I would like to share this list with you, in all its glory.  Enjoy!

Foods Israel Taught Me to Love

1. Cottage Cheese - I'm told the dairy products and white cheeses in Israel are better than they are in the U.S., but I come from the Dairy State so I feel this is a blasphemous presumption.  Still, I never dared to try this lumpy stuff when I was at home but was convinced to try it here.  Turns out I love the stuff (5% is my favorite), and I'm warned I will be disappointed when I go home.
2. Peppers - I don't know why, but I never really appreciated red, orange, and yellow peppers at home. I would eat them, but I would never choose to put them in something on my own.  I just didn't enjoy them as much.  Now, however, I love peppers.  One of my favorite things to do is slice them up and saute them with olive oil and a little salt and eat them just like that.  Maybe it's just that I never cared for green peppers, which are significantly less tasty.  When I get home, no more of this "saving a couple cents on the cheaper green peppers" business.  Bright, colorful peppers all the way!
3. Israeli Salad - Keep in mind that this list is about things Israel taught me to love.  Ever since my taste buds have accepted vegetables as a permissible food group, I have learned to enjoy salad in one form or another.  Generally speaking I don't like lettuce (tastes bitter to me), so I can usually only enjoy a regular salad with at least a minimal amount of salad dressing.  Traditional Israeli salad, on the other hand, is made with a base of finely chopped tomatoes and cucumbers tossed in olive oil, then people add what they like.  I have decided that not only have I become a master of making Israeli salad but that mine is the best (please ignore the yelling Israelis behind me - they don't know what they're talking about).  In addition to the necessary tomatoes and cucumbers, mine must have yellow, red, or orange bell peppers and a little bit of onion, plus salt and pepper.  I can make a full plate of this stuff in a little over five minutes if I have a good knife (still working on cutting my time), and this is a staple I will be adding to my diet in the U.S.
4. Regular, unsweetened yogurt - The trick to enjoying this is mixing it with honey.  At the beginning of the Ulpan I found a big jar of unused date honey which I quickly appropriated as my own and use to make a breakfast of unsweetened yogurt with granola.  Add some finely chopped apples or pears and I have myself a most delicious and healthy breakfast.
5. Shakshouka - Admittedly there was no teaching involved in this one aside from the lesson of its existence.  How is it that I'd never before heard of such a simple recipe?  Chopped tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onions, and spices to make a sauce, then crack an egg into the middle of it and let it cook.  Fifteen minutes for heaven in a sauce pan.  
6. Tea - A year ago I hated tea.  Every single tea I ever tried I thought tasted like, well, hot flavored water, and that was not appealing to me.  Last semester I found an herbal tea that I fell in love with, but only because of its intense flavor and scent.  In Israel (and the Middle East in general), not liking tea is a sin even greater than not liking coffee (no matter the temperature outside), so in order to avoid the looks of shock and disgust upon turning down an offer for a cup of tea with dessert, I tried more.  As it turns out, it is actually quite permissible to add sugar and, if it's black tea, milk.  Tried a bit of that and Voila!  Another beverage in my diet.
7. Nana - Also known as spearmint, fresh nana leaves are added to either hot water or lemonade to make some amazingly refreshing drinks.  Though I like mint I never liked mint leaves in anything, but that's because the mint at home is usually peppermint.  Spearmint, on the other hand, is one of my favorites, and I love using it here.  Now to find a spearmint plant at home... At least I know that Wissotzky offers Nana Tea which, if not found in stores, I can order online.
8. Halva - I remember trying this sesame dessert once at home and hating it, but that was probably around ten years ago and I figured it might be worth trying again.  And y'know what?  If you can appreciate the somewhat gritty consistency it's actually really good.  Dangerously so.  The scale can attest to that.
9. Grated Tomatos - Yup, you read that right, and it's exactly what you think it is.  Take a few tomatoes, cut them in half, then run them up and down the side of a box grater.  What you get is a tomato-y pulp which is really good on its own or spiced with basil.  Unfortunately, the only contexts in which I've eaten this glorious condiment were with malawach and jachnun, and I'm not sure I'll be able to get those in the States.  But I'm sure I'll find some excuse to make grated tomatoes.  Maybe with blintzes?  A light tomato sauce for pasta?  A new chip dip?  Condiment for scrambled eggs?  The possibilities are endless!
10. Hard-boiled eggs - Just because this list needs an even ten, I'm including this.  I think this is one of those situations where my taste buds just changed, but Israelis love their hard-boiled eggs and now I do, too.  Interestingly enough, despite the fact that they often have hard-boiled eggs in their diet, I have never seen egg salad here.  Go figure.

So there we are, my list of 10 Foods Israeli Taught Me to Love.  Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go devise an intense workout plan and diet for when I get home...

Jump in!

In an effort to get as much out of my last few weeks here, a friend and I went on a great trip Friday afternoon through Saturday to the Nahal El Al (El Al Stream) in the southern Golan Heights, near the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee).  On Friday we rented a car, drove to a campsite near the hiking trail, pitched a tent and enjoyed a dinner of grilled hot dogs and peppers with a bottle of wine and a loaf of challah (it was Shabbat, after all), and copious amounts of conversation ranging a wide variety of topics both erudite and mundane, philosophical, introspective, and just plain fun.

Mapal Shachor

The next day we had a light breakfast then packed up and headed to the beginning of the Nahal El Al trail.  Being a weekend the trail was packed with hikers and families seeking a dip in the cool waters of the stream.  We started by descending into the river's ravine then hiked along its bank - fighting thistles and reeds the whole way - until we reached the first of two waterfalls, the Mapal Shachor (Black waterfall).  The area surrounding the pool was crowded with people and we eagerly joined them, though had to scale a rock wall to do it (thank goodness for metal handles driven into the stone).  My friend wasted no time in wading into the frigid water, and I hesitantly followed him.  Finally he convinced me to jump in, so I stripped to my swimsuit, left my camera at a safe distance from the water, and after a little more convincing, submerged.

It was freezing, but absolutely wonderful.  Do you know, this is the first time I have ever swam in a waterfall-fed pool of fresh water?  It was amazing!

I made the jump!  (Even though my
friend couldn't get evidence
of the jump itself.)

We got out, dried off a bit, then continued on our hike until we reached another deep pool further along the river.  Here, the best way in was to jump from the rocks on the side directly to the middle of the pool which was just deep enough to do a decent cannonball.  Again, it took a little convincing, but I managed to add yet another first to my growing list of experiences in Israel: jumping into a natural pool from a rock ledge.  Not very high, but still an accomplishment and worthy of comment in my mind.

After drying a bit on the hot, white stone ledge and talking with an Israeli hiker, we picked ourselves up and kept going until we reached the Mapal Lavan, the White Falls.  This was a significantly more impressive waterfall in terms of its height, but had less shade surrounding it in comparison to the Black Falls.  To reach the pool below we had the convenience of stairs that had been carved into the descending path, and when we got to the bottom we found a spot to enjoy a lunch of peanut butter, fruit, granola bars, and tuna.  A lovely combination, don't you think?

Mapal Lavan

After the White Falls we turned around the way we had come and without stopping the return hike was very short.  But we were tired and we had a three-hour drive ahead of us (which turned into more because of heavy traffic).

The entire weekend I couldn't stop thinking about how happy I was to be experiencing all this.  Hiking, swimming, seeing waterfalls, road-tripping - all these things I never do at home.  Why is it that it isn't until I travel halfway around the world that I push myself to have these experiences, many of which I could have at home?  I can only hope that I continue to push myself to explore more of my own home once I return and discover similarly wonderful things.

How's Israel?

My favorite question, and the hardest to respond to, this is the one thing my friends and family are sure to ask every time we talk.  "How's Israel?"  How can one possibly respond to that succinctly?

I realize most of my posts of late have been about holidays or history (or both) with little description of the daily activities that make this experience what it is, and some of you may be reading this thinking "Sure, that's all well and good, but how's Israel?"

(At least I like to pretend that's what you're thinking.)

Before answering that question I have to make one very simple but very significant distinction:  Israel is not the same as the Ulpan - they are two different worlds entirely, complete with different languages, types of people, experiences, and various other qualities, separated by this thing called a "kibbutz" in the middle.  To give you an idea of the differences, a simple list should suffice:

Ulpan (based on averages and overall impressions)
Primary Languages: Spanish, English
Median age: 18 years
Popular music choice: Kumbia, Latin pop
Free time activities: sunbathing, partying, napping, yelling
Most common meals (outside of dining hall): anything heated up from a frozen package (schnitzel, pizza, etc.);     pasta; rice; hard-boiled eggs; anything with chocolate

Israel
Primary Languages: Hebrew, English (Arabic and Russian, too)
Median age: 29.4 years
Popular music choice: American pop, Mizrahi, anything on the Galgalatz radio station
Free time activities: having not spent too much time off the kibbutz, I'm not so sure.  Napping?  Shoe shopping?  Yelling?
Most common meals: hummus; falafel; shawarma; Israeli salad; schnitzel; anything with chickpeas, sunflower seeds, or sesame; hard-boiled eggs; anything with chocolate

As you can tell, there are some similarities between the two.  In either case you can generally count on some amount of English by most of the population, schnitzel and chocolate are loved by all (though not at the same time), and yelling seems to be something of a favorite pastime for Israelis and Ulpanistim alike.  But the two are definitely different and at times - when I'm in class or at lunch or sitting in my room blogging - I am convinced the Ulpan is not even part of Israel, and that it is not until I get away from the Ulpan, cross the kibbutz, and step off of it that I enter into the country I thought I'd been in all along.

I am feeling the undeniable urge to be brutally honest and the truth is, I'm getting a little sick of the Ulpan.  Don't get me wrong, I love my teacher, my work, and learning a new language, but learning, working, eating, and (trying to) relax[ing] with 24 of my not-always-closest-friends is getting a little tiring.  Alright, a lot tiring.  I'm sure you can understand such frustrations, especially coming from the unsociable nerd I am.  (I still don't understand how Kumbia and cheap Vodka are still so appealing to some of my comrades.)

Israel, on the other hand, is awesome.  It's getting hotter so I am incredibly thankful that the kibbutz pool is open and I've been making great use of the area roped off for laps.  I am still in love with the rude and gruff Israelis who surprise me at every turn and I'm looking forward to doing more traveling in my last seven weeks in the country (wow, can't believe that's all that's left!).  As my Hebrew improves I get increasingly more eager to test myself among the natives, and my favorite compliment is, unquestionably, "You've only been here over three months?!  Mitzuyan!  Where did you learn Hebrew before?  You didn't?  That's impressive!" . . .or any variation thereof.

I'm happy with the things I've done, the people I've met, the experiences I've had in Israel thus far.  Let's add some of them up, shall we?

• Been to the Tel Aviv Opera
• Saw Victor Wooten perform in Tel Aviv
• Hiked two portions of the Israel Trail
• Stayed in hostels in Jerusalem and Haifa
• Been through at least four "Old Cities" (Jerusalem, Akko, Yafo, Ramla)
• Bought three wrap skirts and two pairs of Thai Fisherman's Pants (which I'll just refer to as "Israeli pants" even though they're not)
• Eaten plenty of falafel, shawarma, pita, and hummus, but I'm nowhere near done tasting all of that
• Traveled to and stayed in a few kibbutzim and moshavim around the country
• Met, talked to, and befriended complete strangers
• Hitchhiked
• GOTTEN TAN!  BY ACCIDENT!

The kibbutz itself has also afforded me some wonderful experiences, such as meeting Shoshi and her family, and more recently the Nadav family, all of whom feed me gratuitously and offer me unsolicited hospitality in ways that only Israelis know how:  "Just come over for some nes cafe any time you want!"  And just in case my mom or any other Jewish mommies back home are worried I'm not eating enough, fear not: the Jewish imahot here wouldn't dare let such an atrocity happen.  (I've come to terms with the fact that I've got some serious gym-work ahead of me when I get home.)

Another wonderful kibbutz surprise:  On Thursday night I went to the pub (which I just about never do) and serendipitously met a Canadian girl turned Israeli who just finished her army service and is living on the kibbutz for another month before going home to visit, then moving to Jerusalem.  Turns out she's been here the whole time, at least when she wasn't on her base, and I never met her!  Well, I suppose it's not that much of a surprise; after all, it is a pretty big kibbutz and she was only home on weekends.  Anyway, she's a little older than me and, well, I think I made a friend :).  (Funny how no matter what age I am a new friend always makes me a little giddy.)

And these recent kibbutz surprises come right when I needed it most, just as I was reaching my threshold of patience for the Ulpan and some of its members.  I guess if you're patient enough, some of the things you need in life can find their way to you.  You just have to keep your eyes, mind, and heart open.

So how's Israel, you ask?  

It's wonderful!

Just as long as I don't have to spend too much time on the Ulpan.

Israel- Defying the Odds

I fully admit this video is entirely about bragging rights. Feeling pretty proud of this country I'm in :)

Israeli Humor

Gotta love it!

Lady Macbeth of OMG I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR

If my Israeli shopping experiences are any indication, there are two things Israelis love more than life itself:

1.  Chocolate
2.  Shoes

Crazy Baby Mama, do you concur?

Tonight I went out on a mission with my roommate:  To exchange a few more of my Traveler's Cheques and to find an outfit suitable for the opera.  Perhaps it was because we were pressed for time, or maybe it's because I'm cheap, but this turned out to be a much more challenging endeavor than I originally envisioned.

First, opera?  Yes, opera.  The Tel Aviv Opera is performing Shostakovitch's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk  at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center for the next two weeks, and I decided this would be a wonderful way to initiate myself into the world of opera which, before my music history classes, was a terrifying and entirely foreign world (not just because they're all in foreign languages).  After hearing my professor's fantastic explanation of Lady Macbeth and the trouble that ensued for Shostakovitch, I realized I had no choice but to see it as soon as possible.  When I found out it was playing in Tel Aviv, I quickly decided I must go, so next week Thursday (barring a sold-out theater) a friend and I will take a bus there to see Shostakovitch's thrilling and incendiary opera which, I might add, won him his first denunciation in Stalinist Russia.  Though only after a few weeks of great success.

Now my problem is wardrobe.  I nearly kicked myself when my internal monologue whined "I have nothing to wear!"  But it's true.  I packed for Israel - and more specifically for a kibbutz - knowing that I probably wouldn't need black satin or nice sweaters.  Well, now I need precisely that and I don't have it in my limited closet.   So off to Rehovot we went, and back I came without shoes, a skirt, or a top.  Though I did get fresh dates and dried kiwi!

I was also unable to get to Bank HaPoalim because they have hours which easily confuse an American.  Only open until 1:ish most days of the week, until 6:30 pm Mondays and Thursdays...that makes it very challenging for an Ulpan student on a kibbutz to get over there.  Still, I'll make it work.  Maybe this Thursday.

It fascinated me, though, how on a single street, on a single block, I passed four shoe stores.  At least I know that if I need to buy a cute pair of black shoes I won't be at a loss.

And Israeli fashion is very different from American fashion.  In some ways I love it and it's just what I've wanted to find, but for the most part what I've found here seems to be heavily influenced by European styles that quite frankly make no sense to me.  Really, there are some kinds of clothes I simply don't know how to wear.  And I'm not terribly interested in paying fifty dollars for a shirt that can only be worn with at least two other shirts at the same time.  I just don't get it.

Still, what I wear to the opera is much less important than actually going.  If I show up in a black cotton knee-length skirt with sandals and a cute top, nobody will kick me out, and with Shostakovitch's opera playing in a dark theater, not a person will notice me.  Unless they really don't like Shostakovitch.  In which case I wonder "Why are they there?"  Really, it's not the end of the world if I don't find something.

It also gives me an excuse to go out again, find some new places, walk around, and finally get that cup of gelato I've been craving since I got here.

P.S.  About the Israeli obsession with chocolate:  In addition to there being tons of candy and chocolate pastry everywhere, there's this chocolate spread (like Nutella minus the hazelnuts) that is like crack to Israelis.  Kind of like Americans and peanut butter, I suppose.

Chocolate Cows

Even in Israel, in a Jewish country, Valentine's Day found me.  Two weeks later.  And in the form of a package from home.

I won't deny that I squealed like a little kid at summer camp.

Thank you, Mommy and Daddy.  I love you!