Life has fallen into another sort of routine since starting school at Neve. I wake up every morning at 5:30am to give myself enough time for morning blessings, shower, and little yoga before dashing out the door around 6:45am to catch a ride into Jerusalem. I usually make it to the bus stop on the main road on the south side of Jerusalem called Derech Hevron around 7:05am and wait for the 74 bus to come. Usually by around 7:12am the bus pulls up and if I'm lucky I get a seat. The traffic at this time of day with students going to school and adults heading to work is intense. I, along with everyone else, am looking forward to the day that the light rail finally opens in the city hopefully lightening the traffic load significantly. I've been downloading audio classes for the Aish.com website so for the next hour I turn up my iPod, settle in and take an audio class while slowly making my way across town. My trip is about 13 km once I hit Derech Hevron and it takes me at least an hour to get to Har Nof on the other side of town. The 74 bus ends in Har Nof and from the Tachana (bus stop) to my school is an additional 15 minute walk. (Although I did just learn the secret short cut hike that cuts my walk in half.) So assuming traffic is forgiving I can make it to my 8:30am class on time. Typically, traffic is not forgiving so I've been making it to class about 20 minutes late. Thursday I tried leaving home at 6:30am and for the first time I was 15 minutes early, and I even stopped for a Cappuccino!
I have 4 classes at Neve that last from 8:30am to 12:45pm. Twice last week I attempted to take second half of the day classes at the Aish Center in the Old City. The first day my trip took me an hour and half so instead of taking 3 classes, I only made it on time for 2. The second day I took a different bus route and wound up making 3 afternoon classes. So my day ranges anywhere from 4 classes (which are mandatory at Neve) to 7 classes depending on what I'm interested in at Aish. My classes have a tendency to end around 6pm. Yes, it does make for a long day. Yes, it's totally worth it.
Having friends in and around the city has continually made the world of difference for me. I'm still meeting with them once per week to check out a new restaurant for dinner. Last week we went to a place called "Fish and Olive". It wasn't as exciting as the Moroccan feast we had last week, but it was the largest turn out of girls we've had so far. The core group consists of girls from Jewel from this past summer. We've each been involved with different programs and activities since then so the group has a tendency to expand and include new roommates and friends from all the new programs we're all involved in. This past week there were roughly 10 of us at dinner. Great food and 2 bottles of wine (for our half of the table) later, we were chatting away and comparing commentaries about life in Jerusalem.
I have to share a small triumph I had this past week. I went to grab some Felafel and Schwarma with some girls after class and I, Sarah Neal, was able to decipher the menu on the wall in Hebrew... by myself. Woo hoo! I know that Mair (my teacher) and Ulpan Aviv would have been proud of me. I was even able to order primarily in Hebrew. Guess the Ulpan worked.
After classes the next bus back to Tekoa doesn't leave the central bus station until 8:45pm (arriving at 9:30pm) so I wind up meeting with friends for a cup of coffee or a light dinner. Needless to say, I'm usually pretty tired so I read a little... write a little and by about 11:00pm I'm officially done for the day.
This next week I'm going to cut down the afternoon classes so I can focus more on my Hebrew and my writing. There's so much to know that I need to remember to pace myself before I just crash out in exhaustion. A few late nights in Jerusalem is amazing, but for sure... not everyday.
I've found that the more I've been writing the more I really love it. Writing and studying is like pure bliss for me right now. I can't think of any other way I'd rather be spending my time. So, I'm going to be changing up my blog in the next few weeks. I want to give more information about what it's like to be here; personally, religiously, and politically. I really feel like there is so much misinformation out there and what I'm experiencing can hopefully give everyone else a glimpse of what it's really like to be living in Eretz Yisroel. The challenges and the triumphs.
I have found that being 10,000 miles away from all that used to be important to me has helped me to gain clarity and insight to myself and to what's truly important. When people at home are hurting I can't just go and give a hug or even head in the other direction to avoid it. I'm privy to exactly what the information is that is filtered to me and I choose to respond in the best way I can. It's hard. Strength is a muscle like all the others I'm trying to develop over here. Strength, courage, intellect, patience, love, kindness.
As I'm sure you all have gathered (by way of all of my blogs) I spend a lot of time at the Kotel. I find clarity there. If I'm in the neighborhood, I like to stop by just to be able to spend a moment of time. Fortunately the Aish Center knows me now and I can go up to the roof and typically there are no more than 5 people up there doing the same thing I'm doing... thinking, praying, taking pictures, watching life go by in the Kotel Plaza below. The army does boot camp graduations at the Kotel and Thursday I got to see one from the roof. Night time at the Kotel with so many soldiers celebrating their graduation was outstanding. It is by far my favorite place to be and I hope that someday as people hopefully come to visit me I get to share this special place with them.
This week's Torah portion talks about Abraham leaving and going to the land of Israel which Gd promised to him. Lech Lecha. Go. Go for yourself. I first learned about this portion during Jewel and it really touched me then. When Abraham left his home he went first without knowing the destination. He knew it was time to go. I knew it was time to go. When I left Bakersfield I know that it was time to go. Go for myself. Lech Lecha. I want each of you who read this blog to know how much I appreciate all of the support, challenges, ideas, surprises, and love while I'm on my journey. I may not know my destination, but figuring it out is the most incredible part. Abraham's wife Sarah teaches us that internal development leads to strength of character. You don't have to sway on your values or self confidence. Sarah was a model of internal development, strength, and beauty. So do I hope to become the same.
Picture 1: I'm pointing to Tekoa on the map. The Dead Sea is the body of water to the right, Jerusalem is north past 2 blue dashed lines in larger block letters. See, now you know where I am.
Picture 2: The best dessert... chocolate milk. Yes, it's served in a bag not a box here.
Picture 3: IDF Soldier graduation at the Kotel
Picture 4: The model of the Temple with the Dome of the Rock in the background (which is where the Temple stood and will one day again stand).
Picture 5: The path where the girls are walking up is the route of my new short cut hike up to Neve.
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