Lost? Who's lost?

Everyone should find themselves lost in a foreign country at least once.  And to add to the fun, they should not know the local language(s).  I’m not sure why, maybe just so I won’t be the only one.  Once again, I thought I knew where I was going, and in the end, I wasn't really that far off.  But in the dark, walking up hill, with an abbreviated map…at least things didn't go horribly wrong, just not right.  I thought I had learned my lesson when it came to abbreviated maps when I found myself accidentally in Arkansas once, and then completely lost in Memphis.  But I digress.   So, there I am, I got on the right bus, got off at the correct stop, in my hand the annotated abbreviated map, the one I annotated with  the help of the google map online, my healing blisters securely taped and my hopes high that coming this far, I was finally going to the school to join in an official event, actually this event, http://www.timesofisrael.com/jews-and-arabs-take-a-walk/

But it was not to be.  Once again Google maps and the aforementioned abbreviated map, boasting itself as “the most up-to-date Jerusalem City Map” (undated) led me astray.  Not being familiar with meters, I just kept walking, sure that the turn was ahead.  When I did turn at the first road, it was into a Muslim neighborhood.  I stopped in at a little bodega (I’m sure that’s not what they call them but you know what I mean) and the nice man behind the counter called to the nice man in the car and because I knew to say Yad b’ Yad, his face lit up and he told me I’d come too far and would I like a ride.  Well, I promised several people back home that I specifically would not take rides from strangers and this seemed the right time to keep that promise.  I thanked him and said I could call my friends who were waiting for me which was true. 

I’ll spare you the uphill drama that came next, because as soon as I was able to reach the folks from the school, I turned around and walked downhill, just as far.  As I was coming across a bridge, I looked to my left and saw the soccer stadium that is my point of reference.  Turning to my right I saw, of course, the school where I stood last February looking at the Soccer Stadium and the parkway below, the park that follows the old railway line that shadowed the 1949 Armistice Agreement Line.  At this point the walk is almost over, the end point is somewhere else, and people have other places to go, but now I was on a quest.  Seeing my goal, I managed to find the little walk way that I had missed the first time past expecting a road.  I walked to the school, and this is what it looks like at night when no one is there…

Tomorrow, I will make the journey again but this time without the flawed maps of men.  I now know three bus lines that will get me there in plenty of time for the 11AM Opening Ceremony.  After the Opening of the new school year, I’ll be heading over to the offices to meet and visit with the staff.  I’ll have a guide this time, I’m fairly certain I won’t get lost. 

Groceries

It’s Thursday night, I’m sitting in my room having the best cottage cheese I can remember ever having.  Not only is it creamy and wonderful, it is flavored with olives.  I didn’t have a clue what I was buying at the supermarket, except that I like olives and it was in the dairy section near the package that I knew was regular cottage cheese because my roommate has some.   Cottage cheese and eggs seem to be the ramen noodle of Israeli students, at least the few I’ve met.  I approve.  Not that I dislike ramen noodles, but they sell cottage cheese and eggs here, I haven’t seen noodles.  I took a chance on a bag of what looked like pita chips, Score!  Not only are they pita chips but they are spicy, very yummy.  Had some with the Hummus that I didn’t guess on, I know what hummus looks like, plus it was in the same container we buy it in at home. 

As I was pondering the instant coffee selection, a nice German man said to me in English, the Jacobs Kronung was the best choice plus it was on sale.  If Germans made it, he said, it is the best. I took a chance, and Score again! For instant coffee it is very good.

So what you see before you are the fruits of my first solo shopping trip.  For a mere 108.24 Shekels or about $36.08 US and yes that’s a little Packer guy on the Olive Cottage Cheese. 

I visited with Noa at Hand in Hand again today.  I have directions that I’m pretty sure I can’t mess up to take the bus to the school on Sunday evening for an “Event” they have been having for a while, kind of a family walk in the park.  Then on Monday, I’ll go back to the school for the orientation and meet the staff at the office and start to find my place.  

Here’s a small world moment for you. I met a young man today who applied to Hand in Hand recently.  He said when he met with the principal he said “What is it about this school, everyone looks happy to be here?”  He said several times that this school is not what he expected nor is it typical but he thought it was wonderful. 

So that’s about it for today.  I hit the “three day wall” that my traveling friends reminded me would happen. I think that means that I am on the downhill slide to jet lag recovery.   

And in case you’re wondering? The folks in housing said the pomegranates are there for everyone.  Now I just have to figure out how to reach them.  

There’s a pomegranate bush outside my window,

and there is fruit on it, but too high to reach.  It reminds me of a neighbor years ago who rigged a can on the end of a pole that he used to harvest the high hanging fruit.  I’ll ask first, but I see potential!

Today was an interesting exercise in how segments of a University work when most of the University is on holiday.  I had before me what I thought was going to be a pretty light day, especially after yesterday’s mini marathon.  In fact, the walk between school and housing was refined to that 10 minute walk that nearly every walk here is described to be. 

I visited with the woman who so kindly shuttled me to the dorms yesterday to be sure I had no loose threads with her.  She then directed me to the office of the graduate department who had some questions and information for me, the keeper of my phone as well as the computer department who would give me access to the school computers as well as remote access.  Phone lady was out of the office till after lunch and computer guys were as well.   What a perfect opportunity to go to the Frank Sinatra student café for lunch!    

Once everyone was back I found myself traveling quite a bit within the building from the 5^th floor with the graduate lounge and computers, the 1^st floor with the computer guys, the 4^th floor and the phone/bus lady.  Should have brought a pedometer with me, cuz I’m pretty sure I’m setting some kind of record here.

It was nowhere near as much ‘fun’ as yesterday, only half of it uphill, although I had some wonderful conversations with students and staff.  I now have my phone, have spoken to Noa at Hand in Hand, and she will be getting back to me tomorrow (Thursday) about when it will be best for them for me to come.   School starts on Monday and we’re thinking that will be a good day to get a feel for the energy at the school.  I’m anxious to go, but I’m here to be a help, so I don’t want to be underfoot.  The office, which is not at the same location as the school is also moving this weekend, and so staff will be occupied with that and not sure it would be helpful for me to be there.  I’ll leave it to them.  If they decide that Thursday is not the best day for me to arrive, I have an alternate plan. We’ll see what happens. 

Oh and by the way? Noa thinks that I can ride the #19 bus from the Student Village north gate to within a 10 minute walk to the school.  Funny how that works!

First Impressions

Before I forget, if you are coming to Israel by yourself, and you need to accomplish things once you get here before you collapse, take the taxi.  I thought that that was my plan until I got here and with no taxi’s in sight (yes everyone finds that odd, maybe it was a sign) and the shuttle needing only one more passenger (ie: we would leave immediately needing no more passengers for a full complement) I gave in to my frugal gene and went with the shuttle.  Now, on the upside, the ride was a true adventure in Israeli style driving, complete with careening and squeezing and sudden stops, ignoring ambulances and yelling at other drivers (I don’t think I want to know what he was saying).

I also saw neighborhoods and vistas that I might have missed had I taken a cab, but our driver did pass the turn that would literally have taken a half a block to drop me in time at housing four times.  His choice was to drop me off next to last at the locked gate to the University telling me he was not allowed to drive in (this is actually because the school is on holiday and the front gate is closed).  After 17 hours traveling, bag and baggage, I followed my best instincts, keeping the University on my left I started off to find the open entrance I was assured was waiting for me. It was probably not as far as it felt dragging my luggage down and then uphill, until I found the bus underpass and entrance to the other end of the campus along with a simply delightful young man who carried my bags to the building holding the many offices that were my next step.  

Sadly, by the time I got there, the offices were officially closed and I received my first stern disapproving stare, but was instantly brought water, phone calls were made, I filled out a missing form for the University and then was driven the last half mile to the Student Village which will be my home until next July.

The housing staff was equally gracious, having stayed open to accommodate me, bringing me water, more forms, two leases since I’ll be here two semesters, a check in form to fill out after I’d seen the apartment and then pointed me towards my building, including directions to the elevator which would allow me to bypass about a half a mile of steps, just kidding, about the half mile. 

The apartment is classic college fare, noting fancy and really quite comfortable.  The apartments have from 2-5 bedrooms with shared kitchen and bath, this one has three rooms, so I have two dorm mates, Leah from Highland Park, IL, and Greta from Hungary.  I am actually in the safe room, so if there is a reason to go to the shelter, I’m already there and my dorm mates will be joining me.  No pressure to keep my room clean, right?  

Two buildings over is home to the internet café, a little restaurant, a convenience store I've been warned away from by no less than 5 students so far because of their high prices, and a Laundromat.  Pretty nice set up. 

Did I mention housing hadn't exactly been told when I was coming so the girls didn't know they were getting a new mate?  Again, all worked out.  Leah took me on the grand tour of the apartment and then, we went shopping.  Yes, shopping.  No, I hadn't had enough fun for the day, so off we went.  Out the gate that will deliver me to the bus each morning, and up another hill.  Everything is uphill here I think.  About two blocks up there are several stores.  A reasonable grocery store where I am assured I can purchase whatever I need.  A little house wares store which I was steered past and a couple of other shops.  Traveling past the shops a little over half a mile mostly still up hill but then downhill the rest of the way to the light rail station.  I didn't realize we were going for a ride, neither one of us was exactly clear on what we were doing but I learned how to navigate the ticket purchase and then we were off. I think Leah knew, I of course plead jet lag.

After buying a coffee mug and towel to use as a mattress pad at an ‘only-locals-would-know-where-this-incredibly-cheap-store-is store, Leah watched me purchase my return ticket, asked, “You know where you’re going right?”  I said I thought I did and she waved goodbye.  Well, I mostly thought I knew where I was going.  Don’t tell my family but I got off one stop too soon, and found the only people in Jerusalem who didn't speak English.  So I started walking again.  I knew we hadn't passed my stop and according to the map on the train there were only two stops left on the route.  Maybe a mile, and I’m really trying not to exaggerate, mostly uphill (how DO they do that?) a turn at the station where I should have gotten off another half a mile or so and the Student Village came into sight.

Next time I'm taking the taxi.