Jun 2006

... and what else is this week? Israel going back into Gaza after the kidnapping and/or murder of various Israeli soldiers and youth. I knew actually before this week, since my roommate's brother is one of the soldiers who is being sent in. But holy shit, if you'll pardon my language. What is going to happen, what will it look like, etc? I don't think anyone knows.

First week at the new job: completed.
How do I feel: like I got hit by a bus.

This has been one of the craziest weeks I have experienced while living in this country. I started working this week, with the understanding that I would just be there in the afternoons, to finish up this last week in Ulpan. Well. The executive board was in town this week, from all over the world, having all kinds of meetings. Important meetings. And who else had to be there? Oh yes, me. From like 9am to midnight or later, I ate, drank, breathed, watched football with these people. It was fun, but also intense and crazy and there was all kinds of balagan. Drama like you wouldn't believe, and now it is continuing in the aftermath of the meetings, which finished Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. And while it is intimidating to come into an organization when it is going through such tumultuous times, I also really get the sense of how much these people care about it, which is heartening. I'm still excited to be a part of something that people can devote themselves to and sacrifice themselves for. However I think I need to just sleep for the whole weekend, hah.

whew. Let the good times roll!

It's been a while since I updated, but I promise it's because there was nothing exciting happening - just the usual killing myself trying to fit in a normal life around intensive ulpan and working full time.

BUT NOW, things are changing. I got a job that I am SUPERexcited about, with a nonprofit that works with university students all over the world. So a) I'll be working with people ages 18-30, b) I'll be working with a nonprofit, c) I'll be part of an international community, d) I'll actually be putting my degree to use, and e) most of what goes on in the office happens in Hebrew. I won't be the richest girl in the world, but who cares, when I have all these other benefits? I am SO STOKED!!! Oh ya, and the office is a 5-minute walk from my house. No more hour-long bus rides through the most religious neighborhoods in Jerusalem.

yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

I didn't take the job. I couldn't. I couldn't quit Ulpan halfway through. I hope I made the right decision, but how will I know? They may be hiring in the time that I finish, and they might not be. I had to listen to my heart, and I don't care how hippie that sounds. It's true. At least if I end up a bum on the street, I'll be a bum who follows through on her commitments and who knows Hebrew.

Well,
the time has come,
to say Goodbye,
to telemarketing....

Sad, but true. My project ended Thursday, put on hold until the leaders decide whether to continue, since we were just in the pilot period until now. I had an interview this morning, that I had set up earlier in the week since I hated telemarketing anyways. Good planning, huh? It was with an international currency trading business. They offered me the job before the interview was even over! Craziness. It pays well and it would be good career-wise, but I would have to quit Ulpan and it would be a totally American experience, just located in Israel. So then this afternoon, I got confirmation that I am being considered for an editing position for the international news service (they translate articles from Hebrew and Arabic to English, so they need English-speaking editors). My roommate and another girl I know work translate for them, so I probably have a pretty good chance. That would be an evening job that I could do at home, so I could continue Ulpan an live a more "Israeli" life. Of course, it's not exactly something that would be impressive to Business schools in a few years, though.

WHAT SHOULD I DO???????????????????????????

p.s. I saw the Haredi (othodox) Humpty-Dumpty the other day. He was shaped like an egg - short and roundest in the middle, with his pants under his elbows. It was classic.

p.p.s. I did my good deed for the week yesterday, when I lent my cell phone to this random Haredi man on the bus. He just leaned across the aisle and asked if he could use my phone. I let him, thinking it would just be a quick call. But he had this whoooole conversation, and ended right before he got off the bus. But whatever, he was nice about it so it's fine. Funny, though.

p.p.p.s. Back to me - what should I dooooooooooooo?????

So last night around 7 or 7:30, I set out on a little stroll with my roommate and her boyfriend, thinking to have a little walk before finding some little hummus place or something to eat. Well, we forgot that we are living in Jerusalem, The Holy City. Shabbat doesn't end until there are 3 stars in the sky - and since it is summer, the sun doesn't set until like 9. We walked for hours, all over the whole city, until finally we had to stop and buy some burekas to keep us going until we found something. Finally we saw that the best baguette shop in Jerusalem (there aren't many, but still) had opened, and I swear it was one of the best meals of my life. I can't tell you if the baguette was that great, or if I was just so famished I would have loved anything. But we finally were fed. At around 9:30 or 10.

My new South African friend from Ulpan came to meet us, so we ended up sitting in some coffee shop, which was quite nice. There were about 144438358 people out and about, I guess in part because of Shavuot and all the good Jews who had made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, as they are supposed to. It kind of took me by surprise, though, since I tend to assume that Saturday night here is like Sunday night everywhere else, since there is work and whatnot the next day, but I guess not. Sometimes Western logic just doesn't fit in to this little part of the Middle East. (understatement, anyone? anyone else catch the -ahem- subtleness and underlying message of that one? just checking).

I've been pretty busy lately, going to Ulpan, the gym, and hating my job. Anyone want to hire me? anyone??

Anyhow. Things have been going fine. I got called "Upstairs" (to the 5th floor, where management is) the other day at work, where they picked my brain for a bit on how the project is going. I tried to hint that they need me up there, but they laughed. I think they thought I was joking. Not the reaction I was looking for.

Thursday was the start of Shavu'ot, a holiday that encompasses a lot of things, including the day that the Torah was handed down from Mount Sinai. It is also connected to the start of the harvest, and it is celebrated with eating just milk and other dairy, bread, and other grains. Although it's not one of the more famous Jewish holidays, it is one of the three holidays when it is customary for Jews to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

The weather is hot but not humid, which makes it all right. At work, though, they keep the air conditioner on superultramegacold, I guess so people don't fall asleep over the night shifts, but I hate it. oh well. We don't even know how long I'll be there, do we? And if I become a supervisor, well then maybe I can do something about the temperature situation. Haha ya right, but it's a nice thought.

I don't think I mentioned the other week, when there was a security threat to downtown Jerusalem. I was on the bus on my way to work, and my roommate called and was like, Are you at home? I told her no, and she was just like, Ok good, there's a security thing downtown and I don't think it would be very pleasant to be down there this afternoon. Apparently there were swarms of police and soldiers and whatnot. And then sometime last week, there was some kind of demonstration by one of the religious groups, and one of the main streets in the center of the city (the one I live right off of) was closed off. Again, there were all kinds of security peoples hanging out. It was kind of crazy. I have no idea what they were demonstrating about, so maybe they didn't do such a good job, huh? fun times.