July 15
Hello Everybody!
So, last weekend, in Israel...we explored Tel Aviv. It is a a busy city with something to do 24 hours a day. From my experience, the average weekend in Tel Aviv (for a tourist) goes something like this...This is actually 2 days crammed into one, but you get the idea) Wake up (obviously) and grab a something delicious to eat at a cafe at the corner. The food here is definitely a highlight. Walk around the streets. I was lucky enough to have a friend with an apartment on Dizengoff (I can spell it in Hebrew...English, not so much), which is a main street in the city. We walked around on the port, located just a block away from us. This was comparable to parts of Baltimore by the bay, with restaurants and shops right on the water.
A long walk in the opposite direction brought us to Shuk Ha'Carmel (Carmel Market), the largest Market in Tel Aviv. Here you could find anything you wanted, from clothing to good falafel to exquisite hand-made crafts. It was a very lively place to be, and fantastic to just look around. We went later in the afternoon when everyone had to close down and there was lots of bartering going on and such. It was really interesting to watch and try to understand exactly what was being said. It is definitely something you must go see if/when you are in Tel Aviv.
Walking around all day makes one very hot. Luckily, Tel Aviv is located on the Mediterranean Sea, which is located just 4 blocks from our apartment. The Mediterranean Sea is absolutely beautiful. With soft sand and fairly warm water it is probably now my favorite beach. It somewhat reminds of the beaches in LA in that surfers crowd the beach, and there are plenty of sports to play on the beach from paddleball to volleyball. The difference in Tel Aviv is so much nicer. The water is clean and has a nice green-ish blue color, and the surrounding city is so clean compared to LA. There are parts of the water that are relatively calm and families play in, and there are parts with the big waves that surfers hang out in. It is a beautiful beach, the perfect place to spend a hot afternoon.
After the beach and dinner the sun starts to come down, and like any big city, Tel Aviv's night life possesses endless options. My group headed out to a popular place for Israelis to hang out, Ha Mosad. It was a 'really happening' place, with several rooms to dance and several different kinds of music, and a roof top filled with big comfy sofas and big projection screens to play video games on. Eventually, we headed out to the beach for a night walk in the sand.
All in all, I must say a weekend in Tel Aviv is rather enjoyable. There is plenty to do and see, and it is impossible to be bored. I must say though, it was nice to get back to Arad which now kind of feels like home. Back in Arad on Sunday camp started back up again. Camp is still really fun, but it is a real challenge to teach the kids English because they really don't want to learn it out of school. It is a good challenge and I like it a lot, I just wish the camp was longer so I would have more time to figure out what works and what doesn't (and the kids I have are in fourth grade and are absolutely ADORABLE. I like them a lot).
After most days of camp, the program takes us out to do see more of Arad. We have been to a glass museum, which was far more interesting then I thought. I was expecting bottles and plates and such, but what I got was an array of optical illusions and beautiful art. We were lucky enough to have the artist come around the museum with us and get our interpretations of the art and then hear his.
We also went to the Earth Museum, which didn't focus on the science of the earth but man's spiritual connection with the Earth. Once again, I was expecting something totally different, but was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of the trip. The museums were all great, but my favorite activity was by far meditation in the desert. We went to a building about 5 to 10 minutes outside of Arad so all you could see were the rolling desert mountains and the Dead Sea in the distance. The view was absolutely breathtaking. There we practiced Tibetan breathing exercises and some meditation. It was a very relaxing experience, and one that I could not see going so well anywhere else. That's all for now. Coming up next weekend we are going to the Dead Sea, Masada, and Ein Gedi.
Can't wait to tell you all about it.
Julie
Showing posts with label Julie France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Julie France. Show all posts
Friday, July 25, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Julie France- Eilat to Arad
July 8
Hey everyone!
The latest news from Israel is coming from Eilat and my camp in Arad. Eilat is a resort town on the southern most tip of Israel, so there wasn't a whole lot to do educational or anything, but it was gorgeous. We spent Thursday night through Saturday evening there. Much of the day was spent swimming in the Red Sea and lounging on the beach. Across the Red Sea I could clearly see Jordan.
By far the most memorable part of the trip was staying up to watch the sunrise over the mountains in Jordan. It was absolutely incredible. Once again, I have pictures that I will send out, but I doubt it will do it justice.
Another thing that has happened is camp has started. I worked 3 days already (Sunday is a work day in Israel) and I already love it. It is funny because everyone told my that Israeli kids are totally different from American kids. The way I see it, they are almost exactly the same. I have fourth graders and as long as they are entertained they are fabulous (as soon as they get bored it is very difficult...much like at home).
The hardest past about teaching them is that the whole camp is inside a science center. There is very little room to run around, and since we are in the desert it is not advised to take them outside for a long time. This is a huge challenge considering all my game ideas were for outside, but I like the challenge.
The first day went really well. We played a competitive game that all the kids liked. The second day was more of an art project with parts of the body. That did not go so well. I guess I learned that competition is a large driving factor here. Lesson learned.
On an individual basis the kids are a lot like my camp kids back home. The girls are very affectionate and the boys are a bunch of rabble-rousers. I have every basic kind of kid that I have back home. I have the ring-leader of the boys who is great when you talk to him one-on-one, but he loves causing trouble in the group. I also have the boys that follow him, the clingy girls, the whiny boy, and the girl who loves the boys. It is really funny how similar kids are on the other side of the world. Almost every kid I have here reminds of someone from JCC camp.
One thing that is very different from JCC camp is the language barrier. Only one of my kids here speaks English fluently, just about everyone else just only speaks Hebrew (I can talk to a few of my kids in Spanish because they are from Argentina). This makes things very difficult, but it is really fun.
Almost all of the kids try really hard to communicate in the little English they know, and I try really hard to use what little Hebrew I know. Over the past three days I have gotten a lot better. When I think about it, it is shocking how much better my Hebrew has gotten. I can understand a fair amount of what is said, even with my limited vocabulary. I can't wait to see where I am at the end of camp.
My free time in Arad is greatly enjoyed. Not going to lie, a lot of the afternoon is spent sleeping because of the heat and the lack of things to do in the day. When the sun starts to go down everyone starts coming out. My favorite thing to do here is all the sports (and by all the sports I mean basketball and soccer). There is a lit court with soccer goals and basketball nets. So far I have played basketball with the Ethiopians I live with and soccer with mostly Israelis. Both experiences were amazing. It is funny how little girls play sports here. When I first came out you could see the shock in their face that a girl was playing with them. By the end of the night I was getting pats on the back just like some of the boys. It's a good feeling earning respect and such.
The play here is very animated (particularly with soccer). Whenever you make a good move of score a goal there is lots of clapping and cheering (and the occasional playful taunting). I absolutely love it. That's all for now. Can't wait to see you all!
Lila Tov, Julie
Hey everyone!
The latest news from Israel is coming from Eilat and my camp in Arad. Eilat is a resort town on the southern most tip of Israel, so there wasn't a whole lot to do educational or anything, but it was gorgeous. We spent Thursday night through Saturday evening there. Much of the day was spent swimming in the Red Sea and lounging on the beach. Across the Red Sea I could clearly see Jordan.
By far the most memorable part of the trip was staying up to watch the sunrise over the mountains in Jordan. It was absolutely incredible. Once again, I have pictures that I will send out, but I doubt it will do it justice.
Another thing that has happened is camp has started. I worked 3 days already (Sunday is a work day in Israel) and I already love it. It is funny because everyone told my that Israeli kids are totally different from American kids. The way I see it, they are almost exactly the same. I have fourth graders and as long as they are entertained they are fabulous (as soon as they get bored it is very difficult...much like at home).
The hardest past about teaching them is that the whole camp is inside a science center. There is very little room to run around, and since we are in the desert it is not advised to take them outside for a long time. This is a huge challenge considering all my game ideas were for outside, but I like the challenge.
The first day went really well. We played a competitive game that all the kids liked. The second day was more of an art project with parts of the body. That did not go so well. I guess I learned that competition is a large driving factor here. Lesson learned.
On an individual basis the kids are a lot like my camp kids back home. The girls are very affectionate and the boys are a bunch of rabble-rousers. I have every basic kind of kid that I have back home. I have the ring-leader of the boys who is great when you talk to him one-on-one, but he loves causing trouble in the group. I also have the boys that follow him, the clingy girls, the whiny boy, and the girl who loves the boys. It is really funny how similar kids are on the other side of the world. Almost every kid I have here reminds of someone from JCC camp.
One thing that is very different from JCC camp is the language barrier. Only one of my kids here speaks English fluently, just about everyone else just only speaks Hebrew (I can talk to a few of my kids in Spanish because they are from Argentina). This makes things very difficult, but it is really fun.
Almost all of the kids try really hard to communicate in the little English they know, and I try really hard to use what little Hebrew I know. Over the past three days I have gotten a lot better. When I think about it, it is shocking how much better my Hebrew has gotten. I can understand a fair amount of what is said, even with my limited vocabulary. I can't wait to see where I am at the end of camp.
My free time in Arad is greatly enjoyed. Not going to lie, a lot of the afternoon is spent sleeping because of the heat and the lack of things to do in the day. When the sun starts to go down everyone starts coming out. My favorite thing to do here is all the sports (and by all the sports I mean basketball and soccer). There is a lit court with soccer goals and basketball nets. So far I have played basketball with the Ethiopians I live with and soccer with mostly Israelis. Both experiences were amazing. It is funny how little girls play sports here. When I first came out you could see the shock in their face that a girl was playing with them. By the end of the night I was getting pats on the back just like some of the boys. It's a good feeling earning respect and such.
The play here is very animated (particularly with soccer). Whenever you make a good move of score a goal there is lots of clapping and cheering (and the occasional playful taunting). I absolutely love it. That's all for now. Can't wait to see you all!
Lila Tov, Julie
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Jerusalem Trip by Julie France- written July 1
July 1
Hey guys!
So...last weekend I went to Jerusalem. It was definitely a trip to be remembered. I included some of the most important things in detail, but there is a lot more that I will have to tell you about when I get home.
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's holocaust museum. I don't really know how to describe how moving it was if you haven't been there, if you have been there you know what it feels like.
The most incredible thing about it is when you finish the museum part you come out to a balcony with an absolutely stunning view of the land. It means so much more when you are actually in Israel looking at all the artifacts and information. It serves as an important reminders as to why Israel is so important to Jews everywhere.
The Water Caves
One of the most interesting experiences in Jerusalem were the water caves. First, I have to give a little history because that is important to understand why they are interesting. Jerusalem's only natural water source is at the bottem of a valley, which in ancient times was very difficult to protect, so what people did was they built tunnels going to the spring so they could safely get to the water source in war times. They were also the caves that King David used to overtake the city (If I recall roughly 3000 years ago).
After we went through the first part of these caves we went through caves that King David ordered to be built when he had control of the city. These brought water into the city. Walking through these was a little scary because it was 500 meters of absolutely no light (I lied, I did use my cell phone light a little) and water up to your mid-calf (so places it came up to your waist) and most of the way you had to duck down so not to hit your head. Not going to lie, I was completely terrified, but it really was an experience I won't forget.
The Old City and the Western Wall
This was probably my favorite part of the city. We had a guide take us up on the wall surronding the the old city and show us the different quarters and a look at major land marks from a distance. The whole area is crampled with Shuks (market places) and holy sights.
Then we got to the Western wall. I don't know how to explain seeing something that means so much to the Jewish people, especially after the 40th anniversary of the Jews being allowed back into the old city. The kids I am here with also decided to wake up early on shabbat and go pray.
We walked there as the sun was still rising, which was amazing in itself. When we got there being able to pray along side of jews from all over the world and from multiple sects (although mostly orthodox) was absolutely incredible. The thought that this one wall could unite these people from all over the world is astounding. It is so much more than a wall, it is the symbol of the Jewish people and their unity.
Among more things that are worth mentioning are the Dead Sea Scrolls. Because of the 60th anniversery of Israel they have brought out one of the original scrolls. The coolest thing about this was the fact that I could recognize all the letters and even read some of the words. It is interesting that the Hebrew language has made it this far (the scrolls date back to around the 2nd century BCE) is an interesting point and made learning Hebrew even more worth it.
Another interesting thing that our guide pointed out was a part of town (the name excapes me right now) which is the only area the Jews and Arabs live side by side peacefully. Seeing this is a little upsetting realizing that in a city this large there is only one neighborhood where people can coexist, but it also shows that people can and gives some hope to the future.
I am sure there are things I am forgetting, but it was so much to take in at one time. Hopefully when I upload the pictures they can say more than I could.
More recently, in Arad, I met the Israeli counselors I will be working with. they took us out to the popular place (really the only place to go hang out). They introduced us to all of their friends and we got a feeling for the Israeli life style.I also meet my Israeli co-counselor. His name is Shai (pronounced 'Shy'). He is fabulous.
We have already started to work on plans for camp this summer, and we are making supplies for activities. He is fun to work with and we get along well. We have similar work styles and agree that a lot of what the adults running the camp say is fun is wrong, so we both tried to change the activities up a bit. He is creative and I can't wait to meet our bunk and start working. this is getting ridiculously long, and I feel like I should probably end for your sake, so I guess I will wrap it up.
Much Love,
Julie
Hey guys!
So...last weekend I went to Jerusalem. It was definitely a trip to be remembered. I included some of the most important things in detail, but there is a lot more that I will have to tell you about when I get home.
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's holocaust museum. I don't really know how to describe how moving it was if you haven't been there, if you have been there you know what it feels like.
The most incredible thing about it is when you finish the museum part you come out to a balcony with an absolutely stunning view of the land. It means so much more when you are actually in Israel looking at all the artifacts and information. It serves as an important reminders as to why Israel is so important to Jews everywhere.
The Water Caves
One of the most interesting experiences in Jerusalem were the water caves. First, I have to give a little history because that is important to understand why they are interesting. Jerusalem's only natural water source is at the bottem of a valley, which in ancient times was very difficult to protect, so what people did was they built tunnels going to the spring so they could safely get to the water source in war times. They were also the caves that King David used to overtake the city (If I recall roughly 3000 years ago).
After we went through the first part of these caves we went through caves that King David ordered to be built when he had control of the city. These brought water into the city. Walking through these was a little scary because it was 500 meters of absolutely no light (I lied, I did use my cell phone light a little) and water up to your mid-calf (so places it came up to your waist) and most of the way you had to duck down so not to hit your head. Not going to lie, I was completely terrified, but it really was an experience I won't forget.
The Old City and the Western Wall
This was probably my favorite part of the city. We had a guide take us up on the wall surronding the the old city and show us the different quarters and a look at major land marks from a distance. The whole area is crampled with Shuks (market places) and holy sights.
Then we got to the Western wall. I don't know how to explain seeing something that means so much to the Jewish people, especially after the 40th anniversary of the Jews being allowed back into the old city. The kids I am here with also decided to wake up early on shabbat and go pray.
We walked there as the sun was still rising, which was amazing in itself. When we got there being able to pray along side of jews from all over the world and from multiple sects (although mostly orthodox) was absolutely incredible. The thought that this one wall could unite these people from all over the world is astounding. It is so much more than a wall, it is the symbol of the Jewish people and their unity.
Among more things that are worth mentioning are the Dead Sea Scrolls. Because of the 60th anniversery of Israel they have brought out one of the original scrolls. The coolest thing about this was the fact that I could recognize all the letters and even read some of the words. It is interesting that the Hebrew language has made it this far (the scrolls date back to around the 2nd century BCE) is an interesting point and made learning Hebrew even more worth it.
Another interesting thing that our guide pointed out was a part of town (the name excapes me right now) which is the only area the Jews and Arabs live side by side peacefully. Seeing this is a little upsetting realizing that in a city this large there is only one neighborhood where people can coexist, but it also shows that people can and gives some hope to the future.
I am sure there are things I am forgetting, but it was so much to take in at one time. Hopefully when I upload the pictures they can say more than I could.
More recently, in Arad, I met the Israeli counselors I will be working with. they took us out to the popular place (really the only place to go hang out). They introduced us to all of their friends and we got a feeling for the Israeli life style.I also meet my Israeli co-counselor. His name is Shai (pronounced 'Shy'). He is fabulous.
We have already started to work on plans for camp this summer, and we are making supplies for activities. He is fun to work with and we get along well. We have similar work styles and agree that a lot of what the adults running the camp say is fun is wrong, so we both tried to change the activities up a bit. He is creative and I can't wait to meet our bunk and start working. this is getting ridiculously long, and I feel like I should probably end for your sake, so I guess I will wrap it up.
Much Love,
Julie
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Julie France- Written June 25
June 25
Hi Everybody!
So it is only my 2nd day in Israel and I absolutely love it. A lot has happened the last two days, so I will keep this short and to the point.
The Culture
The culture is fabulous here. The people are very helpful and most of them speak English. I did run into someone on the plane who spoke only a few words of english, but we managed to have a conversation in broken Hebrew. Seeing that I was able to overcome the language barrier was exciting and a little (I mean VERY) surprising.
We have been able to go to out the last two nights, and I was even able to catch the Turkey-Germany game in a pub.
They are much more interested in soccer than Americans (what a surprise). All the tables were full and they projected the game onto a big screen. The energy there was amazing. It was something I haven't seen before in the States.
The other cultural highlight was Israeli folk dancing. Our make-shift mom/sister, Shani, took us to her class the first night we were in town. Now, I have Israeli danced before at camp and sunday school which was always a little lame, so I thought that, like in the States, it would be a little dull. I was absolutely wrong. There were all kinds of people there from older hassidic Jewish
women to secular children. Once again, the Israelis brought incredible spirit. Being able to interact with the local Israelis has brought out the spirit of Israel. It is truly something unparalleled to anything I have ever experienced.
The Sights
I have only seen a few sights so far, but they are vastly different and equally fascinating. I landed in Tel Aviv which totally contradicted the typical image of Israel. The little bit that I saw was busy and very modern.
As a car ride continued to Arad you could see the terrain changing. Very shortly after seeing these busy roads and modern buildings, all of the surrounding area was farmland. Even more quickly it became desert. Before I knew it, the traditional vision of Israel was surrounding me. We saw several camels along the road and the occasional mosque in towns along the way. Then we were in Arad.
Arad is much larger than I thought. It has several large buildings (the building I'm in, 'WJUS' is 7 stories high). Despite the size of the town it does not feel metropolitan.
This evening we went to a look out point on the outskirts of the town. It was absolutely incredible. I cannot put into words how incredible this country is after seeing this. All I could see for what seemed like forever was desert. I was so entranced by my surrondings I almost felt dizzy walking out too the lookout point because of the endless sandy mountians. This area could give the grand canyon a run for its money. In the distance our friend Shani pointed out the Jordanian border. Seeing this in person made me realize why anyone would fight so hard for this strip of desert. I will send pictures when I get them on the computer, but it will not do it justice.
Safety
Contrary to popular belief, not all of Israel is a war zone. In fact, I feel far safer here any time of day than I do in Wilmington at night. I understand you need to be very careful in certain places, but the Israelis are doing their part to keep people safe when they can. We went to the mall to pick up some basic items, and before we entered someone was there to check our bags. This apparently is not uncommon.
That is all for now. Tomorrow I leave for Jerusalem until Saturday night (we will stay late because the program keeps shabbat, so we cannot leave until there are three stars in the sky Saturday night). I will also be going to Massada, Ein Getty, and the Dead Sea. I cannot wait to tell you all about it.
Much Love,
Julie
Hi Everybody!
So it is only my 2nd day in Israel and I absolutely love it. A lot has happened the last two days, so I will keep this short and to the point.
The Culture
The culture is fabulous here. The people are very helpful and most of them speak English. I did run into someone on the plane who spoke only a few words of english, but we managed to have a conversation in broken Hebrew. Seeing that I was able to overcome the language barrier was exciting and a little (I mean VERY) surprising.
We have been able to go to out the last two nights, and I was even able to catch the Turkey-Germany game in a pub.
They are much more interested in soccer than Americans (what a surprise). All the tables were full and they projected the game onto a big screen. The energy there was amazing. It was something I haven't seen before in the States.
The other cultural highlight was Israeli folk dancing. Our make-shift mom/sister, Shani, took us to her class the first night we were in town. Now, I have Israeli danced before at camp and sunday school which was always a little lame, so I thought that, like in the States, it would be a little dull. I was absolutely wrong. There were all kinds of people there from older hassidic Jewish
women to secular children. Once again, the Israelis brought incredible spirit. Being able to interact with the local Israelis has brought out the spirit of Israel. It is truly something unparalleled to anything I have ever experienced.
The Sights
I have only seen a few sights so far, but they are vastly different and equally fascinating. I landed in Tel Aviv which totally contradicted the typical image of Israel. The little bit that I saw was busy and very modern.
As a car ride continued to Arad you could see the terrain changing. Very shortly after seeing these busy roads and modern buildings, all of the surrounding area was farmland. Even more quickly it became desert. Before I knew it, the traditional vision of Israel was surrounding me. We saw several camels along the road and the occasional mosque in towns along the way. Then we were in Arad.
Arad is much larger than I thought. It has several large buildings (the building I'm in, 'WJUS' is 7 stories high). Despite the size of the town it does not feel metropolitan.
This evening we went to a look out point on the outskirts of the town. It was absolutely incredible. I cannot put into words how incredible this country is after seeing this. All I could see for what seemed like forever was desert. I was so entranced by my surrondings I almost felt dizzy walking out too the lookout point because of the endless sandy mountians. This area could give the grand canyon a run for its money. In the distance our friend Shani pointed out the Jordanian border. Seeing this in person made me realize why anyone would fight so hard for this strip of desert. I will send pictures when I get them on the computer, but it will not do it justice.
Safety
Contrary to popular belief, not all of Israel is a war zone. In fact, I feel far safer here any time of day than I do in Wilmington at night. I understand you need to be very careful in certain places, but the Israelis are doing their part to keep people safe when they can. We went to the mall to pick up some basic items, and before we entered someone was there to check our bags. This apparently is not uncommon.
That is all for now. Tomorrow I leave for Jerusalem until Saturday night (we will stay late because the program keeps shabbat, so we cannot leave until there are three stars in the sky Saturday night). I will also be going to Massada, Ein Getty, and the Dead Sea. I cannot wait to tell you all about it.
Much Love,
Julie
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