Milestones and Life-Changing Events

It is amazing how fast time can just fly by and how much one can accomplish in such a seemingly short amount of time. This month will mark my 18-month anniversary of making aliyah. I can honestly say I have no regrets. Have things been easy? Absolutely not. Have there been struggles? Absolutely. These things come along with any new situation. There are so many great things that have happened to me as well.

I was lucky enough to have met my now fiance the day I made aliyah. We got engaged after a year together. He is Israeli and has been so supportive of me throughout this whole journey. He has helped me through so much and it is always helpful to have an Israeli on your side. I still haven't developed the tough Israeli side so it's good to know I can get him on the phone to demand the service I need. He understands it can be hard here for me sometimes but he is always there for me.

I have also started a job in the tourism industry (let me know if you are planning a trip to Israel!). I came to Israel 13 times before I moved here. It was those trips that made me fall in love with this country and I am so fortunate to be able to plan trips for others. I hope they leave Israel with a new understanding and love for Israel. I love discovering new things to do and see in Israel!

I felt it was finally time to write a new post because I received my Israeli passport in the mail today (you are entitled to a full passport 1 year after aliyah). This is a HUGE milestone for me. When I boarded my plane to Israel on May 18, 2014, I sat there thinking that I only have to get through six months and then I can go back. I always would have regretted not moving to Israel but did not have much confidence in it working out for me. Well here I am, 18 months later, and still going strong. There are still struggles and fights (like with the guy who tried to cut in front of me in line who told me Israelis don't stand in line on Fridays...he got an earful from me...in Hebrew!). My Hebrew has really improved! When I call for customer service - an oxymoron in this country - in English, the person who picks up almost always does not speak English but it forces me to have the conversation in Hebrew and I am successful.

So much has happened and so much is still yet to come. Now I have more traveling to do since I just doubled the number of passport pages that need stamps :)

Elections or 3rd Grade Science Fair?

Today I witnessed democracy at its best. As an Israeli citizen (even a new one) I was able to cast my vote in the elections today. My mom is currently in Israel to visit me and I was so proud to take her to my polling station and have her watch me have a voice in the only democracy in the Middle East. You go find your group number and line up. I found out the reason for the groupings is because everything is MANUAL! One person goes at a time up to the registration desk where they find your name and cross you off the list with a red pen.

Across the room is what looks like the three-sided poster board you used for your 3rd grade science fair project. This one is blue and had the Israel emblem on the front. When you walked around the board, there was a box with papers with random Hebrew letters on them. A giggle definitely came out as I rounded the science fair poster and came upon the box of paper. Israel creates the world's most advanced technology and they can't figure out how to create a computerized voting system with multiple options?! The letters don't even have anything to do with the party associated with it!

I studied before I went to vote (and thank goodness for all the organizations that help olim - immigrants). I received an e-mail in the morning with a guide to voting. It listed all the parties and their associated letters. You pick the paper of the party you are voting for and seal it in your envelope you received at registration. Drop that envelope in the sealed box and you have completed your civic duty! I walked away believing I voted for the best option.

On my way out, I was stopped by a Canadian news reporter who asked for an interview (he liked that I already spoke the same language). He wanted to know why I came to vote and my opinion of Bibi. Voting is the only way you are guaranteed to have a voice and I felt proud as an Israeli to cast my ballot. While I normally don't shy away from talking Israeli politics, I didn't get too political during the interview. We talked about last-minute changes by politicians in the elections - Bibi changed his stance on a two-state solution late last night and Livni announced yesterday that she would not take over as Prime Minister after two years in a rotation with Herzog. I don't remember if changes like this were ever made in US elections I took part in, but these changes still didn't impact my choice.

Voter turnout has been very high for this election for both Israeli Jews and Arabs. People want change. I'm pretty sure there were no Bibi supporters at my polling station because everyone was sharing their choice while on line. Polls are closing in less than two hours and I am anxious to see the results. There is still time before coalitions are finalized and announced but I am proud to have taken part in this democratic process.

Proud to be Israeli

Well a lot has happened since my last post. There have been many new experiences but none like the one I am currently experiencing.

Some may wonder if I would prefer to be living in the US right now instead of here in Israel during this unsteady time. My answer is no. Living here now and worrying about sirens going off when I'm outside or in the middle of the street has made me feel like a true Israeli citizen. When the first siren sounded in Tel Aviv two days ago, I was definitely scared and part of me wanted to cry. I had been following what was going on in the South but never thought the sirens would go off in Tel Aviv. People talk about Medinat Tel Aviv (the Country of Tel Aviv). We live in a bubble here. We are (usually) sheltered from what happens in the North and South of Israel. Now it has hit home. There is no Medinat Tel Aviv and we are all one facing the same issue of having to run and find shelter when the siren starts blaring. Luckily the Iron Dome has been very effective at intercepting many of the rockets aimed at Israel. This morning I was literally in the middle of the street when the siren went off. I was too shocked that I couldn't think about what to do. A few seconds later, I heard and felt an explosion. A few seconds later, there were three more explosions one after another. I saw the cloud of smoke in the air from the Iron Dome missile intercepting the rocket and exploding it in the air. I wasn't afraid that I was out in an exposed area but was shocked by the proximity of the blasts and the fact that I felt each blast run through my body.

I have been telling my family and friends not to worry about me or my safety. This is the reality of living in Israel. We have neighbors who hate us and want to destroy us. They will attack and send rockets at any time on any day. Hopefully this IDF operation will be a swift one and we can get back to our version of normalcy. I made the tough decision to move here and I do not regret it. I am so proud to be an Israeli citizen and hope my friends and family won't be afraid to visit. Am Yisrael Chai!

Time flies when you're having fun!

I have now been in Israel for a month and cannot believe it has been that long already! It does not seem like that much time has passed but then I start thinking about everything I've accomplished during this time. I have finally moved in to my apartment! I started furnishing and decorating it to make it look more like a home. I have an amazing Israeli roommate who is the nicest guy in the world. I hope my Hebrew will improve and I can help him with English. My new apartment is close to all transportation and the beach. I also took my placement exam for ulpan (intensive Hebrew class) and will begin taking classes on the 23rd. I crammed the night before and did a little grammar refresh. I had to change sentences into different tenses, answer reading comprehension questions and write a short essay about one of three topics. When the teacher went over the exam with me, she placed me in the advanced class and I hope my conversation skills improve quickly. I am so excited to begin my new Israeli life here!

We are now celebrating the Jewish holiday, Pesach  (Passover). My cousin from Atlanta who is here volunteering for a few months came down to Tel Aviv for a few days to celebrate with me. We went to my friend's family's house in Herzliya for the seder. It is always fun celebrating holidays in Israel because it feels so special.

The one thing I wasn't expecting while celebrating a holiday here, was that it would actually be hard to keep Passover (no bread or legumes). So many restaurants are still serving their delicious-looking bread baskets and you see people happily eating their falafel in pita. I walked for an hour the other night looking for a restaurant that would not serve hametz and I only found two pizza places. It is a little discouraging moving to a Jewish country and have to try so hard to observe a holiday. I know there are parts of the country where it is much easier than it is in Tel Aviv, but I still would not expect it to be this hard. There are only a few days left and I enjoy cooking for Passover. This has been an amazing month so far and I know there is so much more to look forward to.

Progress...finally!

This has been an interesting week for me in Israel. I have continued the apartment hunt and realize just how easy we all have it in America. In the US, you find a place you like, the leasing office either has something available or not, and if it is available and you want it, then you sign and you move in. Here, everything is through the owner of the apartment and there are no leasing offices to deal with. It doesn't matter if you were the first person to see the apartment or the last because the owner decides who they like the most and gives it to that person. Apartment hunting here is a popularity contest which is why it takes so long for people to find a place to live. I know people who have searched for one month or two months so I am lucky that it took me only a week and a half. I am moving into an apartment in the center of Tel Aviv with an Israeli roommate! I couldn't be more excited! The other thing I had to get used to was the idea that apartments basically come empty. You have to bring your own refrigerator, stove, oven, microwave, etc. You are responsible for getting whatever you want for the apartment. When I was looking at apartments in Atlanta, I made sure to get an apartment with a full-sized washer and dryer and not the stacked ones. Here, that is the last thing I have to think about because the apartment either has the hookups or it doesn't and you have to buy them yourself. I was spoiled in the US but my apartment here will be great too (and close to the beach!).

I am never amazed by the crazy things that may happen in Israel. As I walked down the street the other day, I spotted something interesting. There was a horse parked on the street attached to a little buggy that carried building supplies. People joke that they commute to work on camels here but some still use horse and buggy. Also, in America we are very conscious about using cell phones at the office and using work time to have personal conversations that last a while. As I was checking out in the grocery store (no self-service lines here), the cashier got a call. Of course she didn't think twice before answering the phone because I am sure it was very important.

I spent Shabbat in Herzliya with my Israeli family. I have known my friend Einat for 10 years now and whenever I would come to Israel, we would see each other. I would also stay with her family in Herzliya so I know them well and it is so great to be back with them! We had an amazing Shabbat dinner consisting of just about anything you could think of. Einat and her sister Nofar made fresh sushi, which was amazing! Her mom knows I love schnitzel so she made some special for me. There was also soup, salmon, vegan lasagne, potatoes, cauliflower, salad and pad thai! It was a delicious meal (definitely had to eat the leftovers the next day) and they made a special vegan chocolate cake for dessert that said "brucha haba'ah" (welcome). Einat showed me a beautiful national park, Hof HaSharon, right along the coast with incredible views of the Mediterranean. We stood on top of cliffs overlooking the beach and the sea and it was just breathtaking! We said we will go back one evening for the sunset which is probably even more amazing. It's nice to know that I will get to see her more often than just once a year if I would visit Israel.

Today I had an appointment at the Ministry of Absorption to finalize the rest of my paperwork. You have to make an appointment to go and being the American that I am, I arrived 15 minutes early. Bad idea. The woman I was supposed to meet walked out of her office, asked when my appointment was and was shocked because she couldn't believe I would sit and wait. She was not going to start early, which I expected. She then got her coffee and went to go chat with the woman down the hall in her office. Believe me, I understood what they were saying and it wasn't business. Eventually it was time to meet with her and I did all the paperwork. Even though I already had my Teudat Zehut (Israel ID card), now it was really official that I was here and made Aliyah. I got my voucher for ulpan (intensive Hebrew classes) and will start in April.

Some days have been a little rough since I arrived on the 19th. It has been frustrating at times but I have managed to make it through. There is an adjustment period and I am just starting this new life. I have already met some great people here and I know I will meet many more. I am also starting a list of all the little tiyuls (trips) I want to go on within Israel. There is time to get through that list but let me know if you want to join :)

Attempting to get settled in

Wow! That is all I can say after these past few days. There have been ups and downs but gotta love Israel! I will start with the apartment hunting experience in Tel Aviv. I knew my standards would have to change because the good apartments here are close to bad apartments back in Atlanta. I have gone to see apartments where someone is looking for a roommate and ones where I would move in with my own roommate. One room I saw didn't even have a real door and the curtains blocking it "would not be here anymore" once I moved in...great! Needless to say, I am not moving in there. The neighborhood you are in is very important. Being in the center of Tel Aviv (I cannot give a description because everyone will tell you that is the center no matter where you are) is the place to be. I saw a few beautiful places with amazing views of the Mediterranean. I also saw some great places that weren't right on the beach. It's a tough decision process and I have to find the place that is right for me. Hopefully that will happen very soon (fingers crossed!).

On another note, I had a little family reunion in Tel Aviv this weekend! I got to spend time with my cousin Marissa who is in Israel doing a volunteer program. She came down to Tel Aviv for the weekend with her entire group. We walked through Nachalat Binyamin which is a street that has an artists market every Tuesday and Friday. We also stopped to grab a real Israeli breakfast featuring shakshuka, eggs, salads and spreads. It was so nice getting to be with family during this time. I am still adjusting to being here and being an Israeli so it's good to be with family and have a piece of home with me.

I was finally able to have my first schnitzel last night! My Israeli friend Einat, who I have known for over ten years, came to meet me for dinner and that is all I wanted to have. The meal was great but it was so nice to reconnect with my friend.

 Today I was with another friend from Atlanta and walked around Shuk HaCarmel where they have so many people selling fresh baked breads, fruit, cheese, meat and candy! I of course had to pick up some fresh pita with za'atar, which is a spice you can really put on just about anything. You can find anything you could imagine at the shuk including household items. It is so much fun walking around and seeing what everyone is selling. It gets very busy on Fridays when people are buying things for Shabbat. It is also crazy in the summer when every Taglit Birthright group comes to visit as well.

I love that this city is always so alive! There is so much to do and so many places to explore. It doesn't matter how many times I have been to the artists market or shuk because every time I discover something new.

I'm Israeli and it's scary!

I landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel yesterday. It was a rough flight because I was thinking about what I left behind in America and didn't know what I was going to in Israel. I didn't sleep well but did get to watch one of the Oscar-nominated films that I missed  - Philomena. I kept thinking about having to find an apartment, a job and figure out my life in a foreign country alone. Right before dinner was served, one of the flight attendants came over and we figured out we knew one another but we could not figure out from where. She happened to be an Israeli who I got to meet a few weeks ago while she was visiting in Atlanta. Knowing someone on the plane and having her support (and that of the other crew members she told my story to) was really encouraging.

As soon as I got off the plane, there was a sweet older man waiting for me at the top of the escalator with a sign welcoming me to Israel. He is a volunteer who goes to the airport once a week to greet new olim (immigrants) to Israel and help them navigate the airport and government offices. I walked up to passport control to get my border pass and then was welcomed again by a woman from the absorption office. My first stop was to get my Israeli ID number and of course they could not resist taking a picture of me since everyone looks great after a 10-hour flight. That picture is now all over every important Israeli document I have. Since this is Israel, the other office I had to visit figured they did not need to be open yesterday. Luckily, a man from the office came back after lunch to help finalize all my paperwork. I was given my Israeli ID with the beautiful picture along with many other things I cannot afford to lose.

The first thing I did after dropping off my stuff at my friend's apartment in Tel Aviv was walk over to Dizengoff Center to get an Israel cellphone plan and make a quick stop at the grocery store. I got a great deal on a cellphone plan (American plans are so expensive!) and then picked up a few necessities at the grocery store.

There is nothing like Israeli dairy products. You can't even compare them to the American versions because they are just so different and so much better! The chocolate milk is so delicious and the cottage cheese is amazing! I am already running low and there will be another trip the grocery store tomorrow. I love going Friday mornings when there is fresh-baked challah and everyone is shopping for Shabbat.

Apartment hunting begins tonight and there is so much to look forward to! I am excited about getting my own place and getting settled instead of living out of suitcases. I am enjoying just being in Tel Aviv and walking around and exploring. I know I will meet many new people and get to reconnect with old friends. I will eventually find a job, but for now, I am just going to have fun.