take along some of your favorite things, cause you're gonna need 'em

In about a week I will be moving to Ashkelon with Michelle and Maytal. Originally we were told that we would be teaching English in high schools, where at that point, the students are learning reading comprehension. We have recently been told that Ashkelon doesn't need any help at all in their high schools, and therefore we are being placed in elementary schools. We visited three schools today, where the three of us will be split up into, to teach. Every conversation that was held in every meeting, both the principals, as well as the english coordinators for the schools, were held in Hebrew. I felt completely left out of the equation, and that they didn't even take into consideration my low level of Hebrew, and I am completely terrified that I will not have as great an impact as I originally invisioned with these kids, especially if they don't understand what I am trying to convey to them.

After our visits today, I have become more nervous than I initially was, concerning the language barrier. I am in Hebrew classes, but by the time they end (tomorrow) my Hebrew will still not be good enough to be able to communicate with my students. I don't know how I am supposed to explain a lesson or game rules, when they didn't even understand me when I asked them how old they were. When the English Coordinator wouldn't speak English, I felt really disheartened, like I will be on my own, wondering if I would even be able to communicate with the faculty. The three of us haven't yet decided which schools we want to be placed in, but the first school informed us that they want a fluent Hebrew speaker, which leaves me out once again. The other two girls I will be living with are fluent, and should have no problem in any school they will be placed in.

Everyone I have voiced my concerns to has told me, "it will be fine, don't worry, the best way to learn a language is to be completely immersed in it, and to not hear their native langauge at all." Maybe that's true, but I am still worried about how I am supposed to explain to them what I want them to be doing, whether it's a game, a lesson, or simple instructions. It is very possible that I am being over emotional, and over thinking the situation, as I tend to do quite often, but I am still scared.

On a lighter note, starting Friday we have sukkot break. It is a week long break that the whole country takes. I am going to Arad with several other people in my program for a three day long music festival that is spread throughout the entire town, in the middle of the desert. I am very excited about this, live music being a major influence in my life, and I think this will help releive a lot of my anxiety about my teaching situation. Most of the bands that are playing I have never heard of, however, Monday night, the first night of this festival, The Wailers will be playing at a stage in the town that overlooks the Dead Sea. I have seen them once before, and they put on a great show, and I will feel a little piece of home, except for the view of the Dead Sea, which I am sure will be gorgeous, especially at sunset.

A View from the Top

So the past week or so has been spent in Ulpan classes, Hebrew lessons. We spend about five hours a day in class, and it's pretty hard but I think I'm starting to get it....Maybe. We have speakers come in almost every day speaking to us about Israeli culture, and immigrants, poverty, society, and the school systems that we will be teaching in. The speaker that has been with us for the past two days gave seminars on "teaching out of the box," demonstrating acting techniques that we could use while teaching. He was pretty cool, an old hippie dude with long gray hair that looked like he hadn't brushed it in years.


We have an Israeli contact person here in Be'er Sheva, who comes to most of our meetings and hangs out with us, gives us advice on what's going on in town. She took us all out last night, to a disco (or a club, but Israeli's call them discos), and we stuck out like sore thumbs. People were coming up to us asking "are you students or just tourists?" We were of couse standing in a big circle in the middle of the dance floor bopping around to the music, and of course any time a song in English came on, we all got really excited. In Israel, there is no max capacity for people, so it was jam packed, smokey, and pitch dark, with the occasional laser light that would flash all over the crowd. I was completely out of my comfort zone; this is not my kind of bar at all. If I want to dance, I will go see live music, not a DJ in a crowded bar with a laser light show. But I embraced the new experience, and actually had fun.

And Israeli boys are very cute.

So many miles, and so many roads...

Hi! So after an excruciating long wait at the airport in JFK, losing my ticket, then finding it, the ticket counter finally opened so I could check in. They asked me so many questions, and kept looking at my passport, and going to show someone else my passport, I got nervous that they weren't going to let me into their country. But they did.

Everyone is really nice. There are 9 other people in my Israel Teacher Corps, and they are all really cool. There are 40 other people in the regular Otzma volunteer group, who are also all really nice.

We went on two long hikes, the first through creeks and streams in Ein Gedi, right by the Dead Sea, where we got to swim afterwards. I did not go in because I think the Dead Sea is absolutely disgusting and it burns my skin. The second hike was so much fun! We climbed up a desert mountain and it was amazing. We had to climb up ladders, ropes, and boulders to get to the top and it was so exciting. When we got to the top we could look over what we had just climbed up, with the Dead Sea far off in the distance. It was beautiful. I have a pair of Keens that I got specifically for hikes in Israel, and they are the most comfortable things I have ever put on my feet, they are amazing and I think everyone should get a pair. They were great during climbing, as well as the treks through the streams, they dried really quickly, and best yet, they let your feet breathe so no stink!!

We arrived today in Be'er Sheva where we will be spending the next month living in two 3 bedroom apartments, 5 to an apartment. I am living with 2 girls and 2 boys, and the girls played rock paper scissors to see who got the single room, and I won! So I have my own room for the next month. In October, I will be moving with 2 of the girls to Ashkelon, (on the beach, bitches!) and I am really excited.

So far I am having a lot of fun, and I like everyone a lot, we have already become really good friends, and we are having a great time.