Old Campus

Just to be fair to the University. Although some of the buildings are this ugly 50s or 80s box style, (these are the ones that look like an airport on the inside). The campus also has a few amazing older buildings and little grass/tree enlclaves. Built in the true stone style, these buildings would make a nice addition to many architectural coffee table books. I took these pictures a few days ago when it was nice and sunny. Yesterday it hailed and today it rained. The weather out here seems to be as unpredictable and volatile as the politics. Thankfully there are no earthquakes here.. thoughts go out to Haiti and Chile.

Back in School

I just finished my first week of classes. In the true college fashion it was a crazy 5 days of going to many different classes and meeting with advisors to add and drop classes on my schedule. Where this week differed from my UC experience is my biggest class was only 16 kids compared with the 100+ lecture hall classes at UC. I take most of my classes at the international school but I went to this one economics masters class at the regular university. The inside of the regular Hebrew U, looks like a South American airport: wide hallways, white coated concrete walls and painted pillars, food stands.... I also have to go through security, bag check and metal detector every time I enter, which only adds to the airport feeling.

Time in Israel

Israeli's have clocks but I'm not sure they use them. Its interesting that for a country where everyone goes to the army, a country that uses military time (ex. 19:30) people are always late. I had this interview for an internship today that after 3 time changes prior to the meeting, I'm told to come back in an hour and a half. By the way the internship seemed it would probably be a waste of time. Buses never run on schedule, waiting in line is optional, people seem to always be late... others agree. I'm not trying to complain but time is a important part of culture. For example my Japanese roommate is always early to class. He will be leaving the apartment while I'm making breakfast. One time I'm walking to class and he comes running by me sprinting so as not to be late... Isrealis could learn from Shohei Yoshida.

Super Duper

I think names like this come from a desire to westernize but only a 70% understanding of English. Far from the super duper size of Americas department store warehouses. This little corner store is trying to stand out. Even if its only the name thats big. Or perhaps the owner just has a sense of humor. Who knows this is Israel.

Negev

Went on a 2 day hiking trip in the Negev, the Negev is the southern half of the state. I was in the Judean Desert about 2 hours south of Jerusalem. We stayed in a hostel in Arad, this small city in the desert for the night. The desert out here is not the rolling sand dunes that you see in the "Lawrence of Arabia" Movie. Rather its a much more rocky desert. Rather it reminded me of a mix between Utah and how I imagine the planet Mars.

Recycle

They don't have the personal recycle bins in the houses but they got them on the street (see below). Also I finished Ulpan today and the semester starts sunday... I'm going on this one night trip to the desert for the weekend.

Warning

Israelis are known to be very direct people. There signs and warnings are straight forward and more blunt than those in the U.S. also. No second chances...

Green in the Desert

Driving back from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem I went by areas of green fields and trees. Jerusalem is also a higher evaluation so the roads had turns. The drive reminded me a little of the drive on the 17 to Santa Cruz. There were not nearly as many trees and there was alot more stone and rocks but we see the world through our own perspective/ by what we know. The last few days I been missing home so thats probably why I made the connection.

Dinner with distant cousins

Had dinner with some fourth cousins tonight. Thats a pretty distant connection. But anyways it was an adventure trying to figure out the buses to their house as well as interesting to see the family dynamic in Israel. The 14 year old son told me that sometimes he drinks wine, although he didnt at this dinner. There other son is at a boarding school in the states. Also at 18 the kids go to the army not college which is a story in itself. Ate at neighborhood resteraunt. Learned some Hebrew slang and tried to order in Hebrew. But anyways good to eat at a table with people who knew/ know of my family.

Life Size Legos

What I've been told is the bricks on this building are numbered because the building was moved and rebuilt brick by brick. The building was in a religous neighborhood, so I would guess the building has some significance to be worth moving but I don't know what it is. I'll try and find out.

Tel Aviv

For the birthday night I took a Sherut (shared taxi 10 people) to Tel Aviv. Checked in at the hostel and walked along the water then went to a restaurant/club after. The next morning me and two others walked along the beach to Jaffa(a historical area of Tel Aviv on the coast. I thought that the physical make up of Tel Aviv kind of reminded me of Cuba from the hostel, buildings and the walk along the beach. Jaffa felt a little like the presidio in S.F.

Hostel

Walk along Water, Tel Aviv

2/12/89

Midway through 21st birthday.... went to Ein Gedi springs and Dead Sea this morning going to Tel Aviv for the night... here are two pictures from my morning. I'm getting older but so much is attitude and mental that really we can be what ever age we want to be. For this next year I plan to not get caught up on the small things and always choose happiness.

Omlet

When I have time in the morning I try to do breakfast right. Most important meal of the day....

Omlet with potato, onion, pepper, garlic, spinach...

simple and satisfying. Also living with people from around the world I'm always trying to think of good "american" foods. Although my roommate claims omlet comes from a french word.

Cat Statue

This piece is a little abstract but also speaks to the historical tale and presence of cats in Israel.

Missing Cat?

In light of how I said theres cats everywhere, I saw a missing cat sign. Is this a joke are they serious? This is like looking for the needle in a pile of needles. I guess on the bright side theres so many cats they can probably find a street cat that looks like their lost one.

Languages and Sushi

Last night I went out to dinner with two of the other guys in my apartment: Hillel a 25yr old French/Israeli film student and Shohen a Japanese exchange student around my age. We went to this sushi place called Japanica where we met Hillels cousin and his friend. The cousin spoke a little Japanese and his friend spoke only French and a little Hebrew. Not everyone spoke the same language so the dinner was like a long distance game of "telephone" with Hebrew, English, French and a little Japanese. One of the most interesting linguistical talks I've ever been a part of. The food was pretty good also.

Cats

When the British had control over present day Israel before 1948 their was a huge rodent problem. The country of Sherlock Holmes could not let this problem go unattended so they brought over thousands of cats to get rid of the mice. The Tom and Jerry plan worked to get rid of the rodents but now there are thousands of stray cats in the country. Today there is also a cat lover society in Israel to advocate for the welfare of our friendly little tigers.

"Kar" is cold in Hebrew

So even though I was told Jerusalem can get cold, on some level I refused to believe it. I thought all year I would be under the sweltering sun, watching camals search for water. Today it hailed. Looking at the forcast its supposed to be below freezing which means if it rains it will snow. Don't worry I got a beenie and a rain jacket but come on its supposed to be hot in the land of milk and honey.

Unless theres icicles stuck to your face or a snow field its hard to capture cold in a photo...

It looks like even in the holy land cars can hydroplane.... see totaled bus stop below... given the drivers out here I'm surprised there isnt more auto damage

Todays Breakfast

I think the typical Israeli breakfast is cucumber and tomato salad with this cheese stuff. I just had some oats today. Kept it simple. I think the guy on this bag looked more genuine than Mr. Quaker I'm used to.

The Clubs

Sorry techno club Euro trash supporters... I can't say I'm hella excited to see you all next weekend. I'm gonna give the whole scene a few more tries, but you all need to move on past 90's pop samples....

So while I didn't have a taste for the remixs and expensive mixed drinks the eclectic mix of people I saw was surprising. There would be yushiva boys and arabs walking around, young kids, older people etc...

I was at the main street in downtown Jerusalem but plan to explore more of the city

Safety

So each apartment in the building has one safe room. The rooms like a mini fort knox with a metal door and doubled glass window with metal shades. In fact all the bedrooms have metal shades. Its funny though because if you think about it building design is really dictated by fear. The building has mini bomb shelters but no sprinklers. You would think kitchen fires would be more common then missile strikes but I guess a burning pita starting a fire doesn't evoke the same fear.