I will start with pre-Israel departure. As it turns out, I have the most amazing, thoughtful, and sneaky family and friends who threw me a surprise going away party a few days before I left. It was amazing and perfect and I know I didn't have time to express as much gratitude towards everyone involved as they very much deserved, but it was not a reflection of how I realistically felt. So thank you! So much. Everyone. The piñata and pies were especially wonderful.
Bridget and me with my linguistically confused but beautiful farewell cake
Now, Israel! We spent the first few days of my program orientating ourselves in Ein Gedi by the Dead Sea. This mostly consisted of a hike, various discussions about expectations, and warnings about common Israeli tendencies (they wanted to prevent the inevitable shock Americans experience when lines for buses, stores, basically anything that would require a line, functions more savagely than sequentially). It was a really beautiful weekend and a great start to the year.
Ein Gedi Sunrise
Ein Gedi FaceTime with my favorite parents
During one of the first days I was in Israel, I decided to create and accept the challenge of reading the first book of the Harry Potter series during my year here. I thought a book with a familiar plot would ease the transition of reading a novel in a language I've never read a novel in before. Luckily, I found a friend to join me (Rachel) who made the endeavor more realistic than the (potentially) fleeting idea had previously been. After a week of letting Harry relax on my bedside table, he came with me to the beach where I proceeded to look up many more words than I had anticipated. However, I thoroughly enjoyed crawling through the first page and a half and look forward to the remaining 319.5.
Rachel & I with our new tedious buddies
During one of the first few days we arrived in Petach Tikva, our group went on a tour of the city organized by Petach Tikva's municipality (I think). We began at city hall and passed by the zoo, the mall, a few other things, and went on a tour of Petach Tikva's soccer stadium. The main source of pride seemed to be rooted in the impressively healthy and uniformity of the grass. When one of my co-fellows asked if he could run around on the grass, he was instructed that only barefoot running would be permissible due to the potential destructiveness of mysterious creatures living in the cracks of his sneakers (but perhaps not exactly in those words).
Josh & Ethan racing on the preened perfection
Another activity organized for us in the first week of arriving here was an AMAZING RACE, which was actually a really fun scavenger hunt around Petach Tikva, created in an effort to prevent the helpless/lost feeling that one sometimes has when plopping themselves in a strange new city. In order to achieve successful prevention of the lostness, we were instructed to go to various locations around the city dancing and taking selfies with locals (yesterday we found out that all of these pictures and videos were compiled into a film by our amazing madricha (counselor), Klil, for either enjoyment or blackmail but probably both).
My apartment with a cool local we found at Petach Tikva's shuk
I like eating this for breakfast
Israel Experience's two cities- Petach Tikva and Rishon LeZion at Ramat HaNadiv
For the past week we've been going to Tel Aviv to begin our Ulpan classes, but we've also been able to spend some time outside and explore some of the cool things around.
Spices at Tel Aviv's Shuk HaCarmel
One day after Ulpan we went to get falafel at one of the top rated falafel places on Trip Advisor (honestly, the fact that Israel does not use Yelp has been a bit of a struggle for me and my inability to make decisions in the absence of thousands of strangers' opinions. As a result, I've been trying/being forced to improve in this area). The falafel making man explained that all of the chickens hanging up were continuously brought by different people after the initial chicken was hung. Most of them make noise when squeezed. Apparently no further explanation was necessary because this is where it ended.
Serious falafel man with a serious assortment of toys
The friendliest/most willing to model cat in Tel Aviv
Souvenirs from Shuk HaCarmel
So the first time I did laundry here the cycle lasted for about 2.5 hours and all of the white-ish things I used to own are now more gray-ish. Also driers are not the most popular appliance, so in addition to my clothes now having a vaguely board-like texture, they've also gained an attractive horizontal crease that I proudly/inevitably display daily.
Talya (possibly) mastering the art of laundryhangage
Something I really like about Petach Tikva-- almost all the garbage cans and benches have the name of the city in the middle of a simple but nice design
New friend
Today's visit to Petach Tikva's shuk
Because who wouldn't want the man cleaning your fish to be simultaneously smoking a cigarette
The shuk's expansive color palette
Our apartment lacks an oven, and I was initially a bit skeptical about the fish cooking in the toaster oven ordeal, but it actually came out quite normal and nice
My favorite Coke bottle message so far
I may have gotten increasingly sleepy towards the end and neglected to cover anything particularly significant. I will try to try better next time.
