Tel Aviv, New Host, and my how time fliiiiies

Bonjour mes cheries!

(in case you don't know...that was french). So what has happened in my life since we last met? Great question, I'm so glad you asked

1. I went to Tel Aviv for the weekend. A great mental health choice (my liver wasn't so sure, but it was one weekend). I needed to get away, go out at night, and just take a breather from Lakiya. If there is a place to go for a weekend to do that: it's Israel. I couchsurfed as usual, but with a guy named Vladi. He's Russian but came to Israel after the fall of the USSR.

Nice guy, showed me some classic heavy metal which i must say i liked (well Iron Maiden...which is poppy but w/e). Hung out with him in the evenings and got to see the Russian side of night life, which was fun. We had the usual local russian bars and russian cover bands of russian muscians (talk about obscure references!). As well as the hippy band that wore rastafarian clothes, recited poetry, and shouted songs. I was also a fan of the 10 NIS (aka 3 dollar) glasses of champagne there.

I found it ironic that I went from one subculture of Israel to another. I showed him the Simpsons episode on Israel as well as Zoolander (i may have been reciting the lines most of the time but it was cool) Certainly gave me another view on Israel!

I also went to numerous coffee shops, read the newspaper, and wandered around Tel Aviv. I can't say it was the most eventful weekend, but it was fun. I met up with another American who now lives/works in Tel Aviv. She was nice/gave me some great tips for tutoring. Hopefully we can meet up again next time I come to Tel Aviv.

2. So after a weekend away, I was ready to be back in Lakiya again. And then... i moved houses. It was a suprise for me too. But I'm glad I did. The new family.... ummm i don't know all of their names/their family  name yet. I'll get on that. Totally different part of town and a different clan. It's a beautiful house, I have my own room (once again...they are being way too nice but its the Bedouin hospitality). Here's more of a bullet pt breakdown of the family

• The dad has two wives. I'm not sure if the one I am with is number 1 or 2. His father has....SEVEN. Polygamy definitely still happens here but it's off the books.
• The mom is from the north, not exactly sure where. This means her dialect is somewhat different so i have a hard time understanding. The kids use a blend of bedouin/levantine accent. It's cool.
• The mom is also a teacher in middle school. 
• Seven kids, 5 girls, 2 boys. Ranging from senior in high school to first grade. They are super nice and I enjoy playing with them. More on that later.
• They have internet on a net stick. I'm trying not to abuse it... and reduce my need for it. 
• THEY HAVE A HORSE AND I AM GONNA GET TO RIDE IT. i'm so pumped

So it's been an easier transition to their house. I have also been super busy with work, and tutoring this week. I'm glad I'm doing it, but now getting to the house where I tutor is like an hour long walk. Not so bad when the sun is setting, but afterwards it's dark... so i'm gonna need to get rides back/take more time  because of it.

Other things: we had a giant BYU group come yesterday. Mostly amazing because their group from last semester had come when I was in Israel for just two weeks. where has time gone? I felt far more confident with this group, my arabic is a million times better, and I had more fun with this group. Also shows how much I've adjusted here: they were all saying thank you so much. All I could think of was "why are you saying thank you...wait. omg I'VE BEEN ADJUSTING TO ISRAEL WITHOUT KNOWING IT!?!?!?!" I knew this would happen, but it's rare when you get to see it in yourself on the ground until you go home.

So i'm enjoying my new host home. I was playing with some of the girls this morning, showing them yoga poses, soccer, pushups, and a bunch of other things. Super fun, but needed some time to myself/to write this before Shabbat. I'm trying not to use electronics on shabbat. it doesn't always work, but i enjoy it so much when i really take that day like that.

Not much else to tell right now.. Looove y'all and have a fab weekend!
~KAS

Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens” -Khalil Gibran

Hello strangahs! Hows life cookin for ya? I hope it's a delicious and hearty soup. From what I hear, it hasn't been a cold winter, but who doesn't love soup? I'm a bit hungry: it's lunch time here and I ate my snakc earlier :-( Anyways....

A few updates. I am tutoring now 2x a week, soon to be 3 days a week, and maybe the occasional weekend. It will be a nice little supplement to my income, get me off the computer, and get some more free food (Bedouins.. food, drinks, it happens). I enjoy it because I get to be creative (I'm going to be using Kid Cudi as a listening exercise today) and hang out with people (ok, kids, but they're people too).

I am also now on a cool site called cowbird. I will tell other stories from Israel, but it will be a different format. Take a peak here: http://cowbird.com/author/katie-simp/#/me

I also got a massage. Turns out there's a Russian lady people in Lakiya know who lives in Beersheba. Only issue: as a Russian immigrant she speaks like as much English as I do of Hebrew. So: I booked an appt with help from a random man on the other side of the phone. Hopped on the bus, grabbed a taxi and arrived at....a house in a random distant neighborhood. 

So: turns out she has a little (heated) shed behind her house with a bathroom and a table. She has all the oils etc, but it was certainly a different massage experience. Lights weren't dimmed, we listened to the radio. Cain and Lo (aka yes and no) got me through most of the massage. although... she left at one pt to get hot stones... and the door blew open. Thank god her backyard had a fence! All in all, for 45 USD, it was a well spent hour. I had neck pain like it's no ones business.

I'm gonna be honest: right now, I have not been as happy the past few weeks. Let me explain and why saying this (for me) is important. It's like my overall composition of emotions tends toward feeling sad/lonely. Which makes sense: I picked up my life, live in a small town where everyone has their friends and family, plus the language barrier which drives me CRAZAAAAY. 

Note for people picky with their words (ahem "you're cold? I'm Glenn" ahem): I know I am crazy. I delight in my insanity. I think it's awesome, unique, and who I am meant to be. most of you love me for it. Haters are gonna hate. My mother finds it hilarious (which I find hilarious). But for clarification: the language barrier irritates and frustrates me.

So, let me point out the things this doesn't mean

1. I do not regret my decision to come here. In fact: I don't believe in regret. You have to live to figure things out. Sometimes you learn the things you don't want before you learn the things you do. 
2. I don't want to come home right now. Yes, I miss my friends, family, my room, my animals and a dozen other things. But coming home early would be a terrible decision and be a hard adjustment as well.
3. I'm not paralyzed by this emotion: in fact I think it's been helpful to push me to do new things. It's pushed me to take on the tutoring in the afternoons, to travel more, get off my computer after work, and reach out to people.

What this does mean:

1. I'm seriously considering if I want to do the Peace Corps right after my time in Israel. I might need more than 3-4 months before going off again to a foreign country.
2. I need access to a Jewish community. I need that spiritual component in my life. Without it I feel...incomplete. Like I do if all I ate was french fries for lunch. You feel full, but not fed. Also, I miss it a lot.
3. I need to accept that I am not going to fully understand things in Arabic, but I can appreciate what I do get
4. It has provided a nice gauge of what is and isn't working for me, and the things I truly need in the long run. 
5. I am learning to deal with emotions and just being honest about them. Life is not always happiness and perfect. Even if I were in the states, working and surrounded by friends, family, and a Jewish community. Sometimes, I'm just sad. It's not a bad thing to be sad. In fact, it can teach me a lot (as you can see). But most importantly: emotions are fickle and changing. I can appreciate the moment, and know that it will pass, just like everything in life does. 

Number five is not easy. For a long time, being sad for me was A BAD THING. In American, we love happiness. I blame Thomas Jefferson ("pursuit of happiness" REALLY???). How many times have we said "I just want to be happy". I understand the desire, but being happy is a foolish goal. Chasing happiness is like chasing the wind: you have little control over it. 

And then, when you are sad, you are just trying to get rid of it, like ants that have infested your house. Instead of focusing on the food you leave spread around, all you see is OMG ANTS MUST KILL. So, wanting to please and be perfect: I chased happiness and tried to kill sadness. And hid it from friends and family (most of the time) because God forbid I should be unhappy. I swear there was a logic to it, but looking back, it does sound ridiculous.

What I have decided for now. Sadness, just like happiness, will come when it wants and leave when it wants. So I treat it with patience like an old neighbor I don't particularly like, but have come to respect. And it works for me. I do the things I love, and talk with friends and family, and enjoy what I can. Because this is it. Life. This moment. And I am determined to live it intentionally.

And so: I am going to Tel Aviv this weekend. Blow off some steam. Be a twenty something. Meet up with people, and talk only in English and broken Hebrew. I'll have more to tell you afterwards. But I have to say: writing this blog is HIGHLY enjoyable. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. If you don't: stop wasting your time. As always: feel free to leave comments, email me if you want to make this a conversation.

Much love!

KAS

“All real living is meeting,” -Martin Buber

Dear literate people,

Happy 2012! I hope that y'all had a good new years, and that you have health and happiness in the next year. But really: this blog is about me. 

So: if you have been keeping up to date: I went to Jerusalem. I actually went with very low expectation.s A city full of ultra orthodox Jews, religious tension, a barrier wall running through the city, and the only city in Israel to actually shut down (mostly on shabbat). Yet... I loved it.

Part of it I blame on all the Americans. Many of the Haredim are American immigrants. I would walk down Jaffa street, and hear mostly English. It was comforting after months of being on the street and hearing only Hebrew. Living in a foreign language can be exhausting, not having to work on that level for a bit was nice.

Second: I love Jerusalem stone. Its this light sandy color that is used in all of the buildings. It has this rough hewn texture, and keeps a consistency in the city despite over 2,000 years of architecture remaining in it. In a country full of ugly architecture: it was a relief seeing some pleasing asthetics. 

Third, I had a good time.Of course, it doesn't really reflect the city, but it affects my perspective. I never claimed to be objective :-) So here's what I did since Thursday.

Friday, I went hiking in a nearby park. My hosts were going to bury a friend's ashes, so i tagged along. It was beautiful and I'm glad I had an opportunity to hike for a bit. Afterwards, I met a couchsurfer from New Zealand (kiwis!). We grabbed lunch, walked around town, and proceeded to bar hop for the afternoon. It was nice to remember what its like drinking more than wine occasionally :-) New favorite bar drink: vodka and grapefruit juice.

Sarah is a interesting person. She had a kid young and has been working since. She had been working in Christ Church during the earthquake at a newspaper. Afterwards, realizing how mortal she was, she cashed her savings, said goodbye to her family and now grown son, and left. She ended up in Phuket, Thailand helping start an English paper there. Eventually quit, wandered in India and has now been in Israel for a few  months. She might even start volunteering teaching English in Nablus. She's a lot of fun, and I was glad to meet and have someone to hang out with during the day/have an excuse to drink in the day (it's rare that i get the opportunity these days... i appreciate it when i can).
 

Afterwards, I walked back to Lynne's home with her husband since Shabbat had started. It was a nice walk, and we had a good discussion about the Reform and Conservative movement, commandments, and doing things we do/don't like. He's a cool guy. Very sarcastic, but a lot of fun to talk with. We had a fantastic vegan dinner with some of their friends. I got an invite to spend a weekend up near Cesaria, and their friends were nice. Mostly american expats who had moved to Israel/Jerusalem. Which seems pretty common.

Saturday: A beautiful lazy day with Lynne and her family. I tried to keep shomer shabbat (although some work did crop up). I really just enjoyed relaxing with the kids, going for a walk and seeing the skyline of jerusalem, and chatting with Lynne (she kind of reminds me of my mom... although I think I have more patience for Lynne than my mom: sorry!). Eventually, I packed my bags, celebrated havdallah with their family, and hopped on a bus to my next hosts. 

I didn't realize how far out they live: it was in Ein Chemed a suburb of Jerusalem and just enough of a pain in the ass that I was uncomfortable trying to go out and meet Sarah the Kiwi for drinks. So it was an early night instead. Still, my hosts were nice, and I chatted with them. I found out that Gadi is a criminal lawyer who also writes music reviews for one of the main papers/writes his own music too. Tamar, his girlfriend, had lived in the US growing up and her mom still works for the Israeli Foreign Ministry. 

My last full day in Jerusalem: I saw the Kotel, Temple Mount, and more of the insides of the old city. Next time I want to do Mount Olives/Mt Scopus since i didn't get there.  It was nice going back to the Kotel. As i say this I have a lot of problems with it. The women's side is TINY and cramped and the men have an excess of space (another example of how separate is never equal). Women are not allowed to read Torah at the wall While I have mixed feelings about it

Still, the Temple Mount is a beautiful spot. The rabbis say its against Jewish law because the spot is too holy.  Its quite, wide open spaces (it's actually huge, I had no idea). I cansee why so many find it such a holy spot. I don't think I believe that there is one spot in the world to connect with God the way ancient Jews did. God is everywhere, and it is a matter of opening your heart and mind. Still, I think some spaces lend themselves to opening,and the Temple Mount is one. 

There are two gorgeous pieces of the height of Islamic architecture: Al Aqsa mosque (smaller, silver domed, and holier) and dome of the rock (famous golden dome). Arches, mosaics, caligraphy, color, YOU NAME IT. I was so happy, Islamic architecutre is some of the most beautiful and seeing the detail put in these buildings was breathtaking.

Afterwards, I met Sarah for a late lunch, drinks, and wandering around Jerusalem. We went to the super orthodox neighborhood (where they find women wearing pants offensive). On the one hand, it was fascinating, it felt like a shtetl. On the other hand, I felt like walking on eggshells. People were staring, and in the end we were offending (with wearing jeans). On the one hand, I thought they were ridiculous, and on the other hand, I felt like I was being super insensitive. If it were an indian village, I would understand. But because they are jews living in Jerusalem... I suppose it is different levels of acceptance.

Eventually, back to Ein Chemed for the evening, and then got up in the morning and went to the Central Bus Station. Caught an early bus back to Beersheba and was back in Lakiya by 1230 (wouldve been 1130 but it wasn't  because i missed my connecting bus by like a minute). 

Since then: work. Only other exciting news: I am going to start tutoring. It's the kids of Foud, the brother of my last host, Rogiya. They have 3 boys, one girl. I will be coming over 2x a week, one hour/visit with Basel, the eldest son, and 1/2 hour/week with their daughter Hanan. I'll be making (a little) money from it, plus its something to do in the afternoon and shouldn't affect my traveling schedule.

So that's life right now, love and miss you all,

KAS