Tuesday, February 10, 2009

The Adventure Continues

I know it's been a while since my last post. There is just too much going on. We are settled into a sort of routine. Ayelet and I are in Ulpan Morasha in Yerushalaim. It's a great program. We came to Israel relatively fluent and we still have learned a lot in two weeks. Odeliya is in a daycare in the same building as our ulpan and she is enjoying it. Netanel is in gan near the absorption center.

The absorption center is alright. It is basically a large dorm. We have a small one bedroom apartment. The people here are nice. the kids have a lot of fans. But we would still prefer to have more room(s), more privacy, and to get our stuff from the port in Ashdod.

Here are some things to remind you why Israel is the place to be:
  • We went to the Kotel (Western Wall). There was a class there for their siddur party. My siddur party was in the beit midrash in my school and Ayelet went to her lunchroom to get her siddur. These kids get to go to the kotel.
  • There are signs in the supermarket saying "Chag Sameach" for T"U BiShvat. And you can wish the same to everyone you pass.
  • The bus driver owed me some change. When he had gotten the necessary bills he passed it back to me, and I got it.
  • Another new immigrant asked a bus driver where he was going. He used improper Hebrew. The bus driver patiently corrected him and then told him.
  • Random people help you with baby strollers, babies, gorceries, etc.
I'm out of specifics for now. But are all things that I have witnessed and/or experienced in just over one month. Israel is amazing, despite what the news may say. There is much to improve in this country, but I hope that we keep this attitude of areivut, unity.