On Blogging

Dear all,

I apologize for my scant updating of late. There are reasons for this, and all of them I deem to be good reasons.

• The Holy Land of Israel is keeping me busy. I'm learning new things, having fun with new people, etc. This is, of course, good.
• I have become accustomed to living here, to an extent. When I started this blog, I intended, in part, to create a space where I could make my observations on a foreign land. Despite the language barriers (which are still quite serious), Israel doesn't seem all that foreign to me, anymore. As I begin to understand Israeli life even more-so through my own eyes, it becomes harder to communicate those feelings here, despite how relatively easy blogging can come to me.
• Finally, I miss home. If anyone has watched my blogging at The Burnt Orange Report, they might observe that I've posted there more than I have posted here. That is, in part, because studying abroad has made me realize how much I belong in America, especially Texas. The Burnt Orange Report is often my main portal back to the homeland.

Now, I am working on a post on Switzerland (yes, I know, I have procrastinated way too much with those Europe posts!). I do have some other post ideas brewing in my head, too. But as many people who have blogged before know, good ideas don't always transfer into something real on the Internet. But we'll see. Let's keep our fingers crossed?

I took a midterm in my class, "Peace and Conflict Honors Seminar: The Dynamics of Conflict." It was quick; I was the first to finish. Hopefully, I did well. I also have a Hebrew midterm on Thursday -- yes, I know; a test on Thanksgiving. I'm just as aghast as you. But it could be worse, I guess.

Leia Mais…

So Much Progress, Yet So Far to Go

I now fully understand advisers' recommendations that when studying a foreign language abroad, one should plan their trip after two years of study at home. I studied two semesters of Hebrew at the University of Texas last year, and I have made a lot of progress since arriving in Haifa. Yet, I find myself frustrated, anyways.

I have been in classes that have stretched my abilities as far as my efforts will allow. My confidence and ability at speaking the Hebrew language, therefore, far surpass my skills with any other foreign language. Although I studied Spanish for five years from middle school to high school, I still think my Hebrew might now be better than ever was my Spanish. I find myself confident to speak in Hebrew with Israeli strangers, and I can probably get where I want any day without using a word of English (if I truly tried, that is.)

But that doesn't come near fluency. When I hear my Israeli roommates speaking to each other, I feel lost. I still don't understand everything even when I do execute a full conversation in this alien language. Towards fluency? I'm not even close.

In retrospect, this should not surprise me...

But most of my friends here will return home to America ready to continue Hebrew full speed ahead; I will not. They have motivations I don't have. Some are International Relations students interested in the Middle East. Some want to "make Aliyah" - they hope to emigrate to Israel. Others still are just that passionate about their Judaism. I am none of these: I am a Government student interested in everything while concentrating more on the United States, I wish to live in Texas for most of my life, and I am a moderately religious Jew at best.

I am jealous of their motivation and their work ethic, and I am jealous of some people's natural ability to learn languages. I just care about so many other things. Life will go on, as normal, without the Hebrew language, and I would miss a life without politics infinitely more than a life without Hebrew.

So, I'm at an annoying place in my educational development with regards to Hebrew. I would love to keep up my Hebrew and perhaps even become fluent once I return to the United States, but is it worth it? I want to do so much more with my life, too.

Leia Mais…

Classes!

Finally: well into the semester! Although yall recently celebrated the Purim-like holiday of Halloween, I only just finished my third week of classes. Yes, I know; that's weird to think about! (For those who do not know: Purim is a Jewish holiday in the Spring when people traditionally dress up.)

I figure, then, that now's a pretty good time to describe my classes. I actually only finalized my registration for these classes this past week, so I will have relatively little to say, and you should hear more later.

My schedule is as followed:
Monday
Hebrew: 10 AM - 12 PM
Economics of the Middle East: 12 PM - 3 PM
The Dynamics of Conflict: 3 PM - 6 PM

Tuesday
Hebrew: 8 AM - 10 AM

Wednesday
Hebrew: 10 AM - 12 PM
Terrorism and Response: 3 PM - 6 PM

Thursday
Hebrew: 8 AM - 10 AM

As you can tell, Hebrew requires some early mornings that clearly aren't too enjoyable at the start. As I am not yet in the work force; I would rather wait a year or two before waking up at 7 AM on any regular basis. Alas, I've had to settle with twice a week. One of those earliest mornings falls on Thursday, unfortunately, and a lot of people have been inclined to go out and have a good time Wednesday nights. I haven't followed yet, but I guarantee I will be tempted. That will make that Thursday even more unendurable! Also, Hebrew classes take up 8 hours in the week, which is more than I have had before in a regular semester setting. I think I'm beginning to see at least a few dividends...

Also of note, all the other classes have three hour blocks only once a week. Due to my choice of classes, then, when I have a case of the Mondays, it's not just because Monday's the day of the week. Meanwhile, Tuesdays and Thursdays often feature a nice nap after my really early class, followed by some laziness and perhaps a bit of study.

Additionally, the "Dynamics of Conflict" class is a 4 credit class, even though it meets only for 3 hours. The Hebrew class gives 6 credits, although it meets for 8 hours. Total, I will receive 16 credits for a semester where I attend class for 19 hours per week.

I'll end with a brief overview of the classes.

• At times, I still chore through my Hebrew classes. I have improved tremendously since I arrived in early August, but I am still far from fluent. So far, we have focused most of our time reading stories, an "easy" newspaper, and holding conversation, but next week we will start on some grammar. My teacher, Mina, seems really good, and our textbook utilizes more interesting stories than my summer Ulpan book.
• "Economics of the Middle East" is one of those economics class that requires only minimal math and economics knowledge. The information keeps my attention, but the teacher unfortunately does little more than make her power point presentations. Her lectures are little more than regurgitation what she put on the slides. Alas, I want an economics minor, so I will stick with this course despite any bursts of boredom.
  
• "The Dynamics of Conflict," my Peace and Conflict Honors class, started with basic overview of International Relations theory. That's nice, since I have never taken a formal class in the subject. The professor seems very knowledgeable. This class, probably more than any other class I will take as an undergrad, should give me a good overview of thought through the lens of International Relations as a discipline.
• Lastly, "Terrorism and Response" stands as my most intriguing course this semester. The professor has studied terrorism since the 1970s, and he still works as a Reserve Officer in the Israeli Defense Forces, at times helping them somehow regarding terrorist activity. He has taught while in uniform, and he says he is not supposed to, but he "has rank." He is my only professor without a PhD, but apparently he has an awesome reason for his lack. His original dissertation, he tells us, was taken up by the Israeli army as confidential information. Last class was actually canceled, because he was called to reserve duty that week. The educated guess is that he was helping the IDF in the aftermath of a rocket hitting some random Israeli land from Lebanon.
  

Leia Mais…

Eurotrip: The Beer and the Beauty of Prague

I will only give a few brief historical points, afraid to smudge the truth too much...

The Czechs were largely ignored by much of the world, but somewhere along the way Prague gained some interest. Prague was a city that had been placed in the middle of some beautiful countryside, and it produced nothing of note besides good beer and some rowdy Protestants that really annoyed the Catholic Church well before Martin Luther and the English Reformation. Two Holy Roman Emperors (a Charles and some other guy) happened to place their center of government in Prague. As you can tell, Charles is the more remembered of the two - landmarks were given his name, including the Charles Bridge and the Charles University. The city is smack dab in a beautiful countryside, which may have been part of the emperors' decisions -- we had some great views on the train ride from Berlin.

We got arrived in the evening, so we did not have time for any touring the first night. So, we would party. As we walked towards a noted club, one of the center squares of town was scattered with workers from strip clubs and prostitution joints trying to take advantage of the tourists. We continued walking, though, and we saw the first glimpse of the city's beauty when we hit the river. Seeing a lit up Prague Castle on a clear night is a wonderful thing, and something our cameras were unfortunately unable to truly capture. Finally, we got to the club, which was a bit too ridiculous for us (~5 floors with different themes, but not worth the cover charge or the line), but we found out that once again, like Berlin, beer was available cheap.

The next day featured one of those great New Europe tours, where we had a good and brief Prague overview while also meeting a few other backpackers. From that tour, we went to see Pargue Castle. The castle itself was barely impressive when standing at it, but the church within was absolutely amazing. The church had enormously elaborate stained glass windows and some pretty cool statutes, too. (Prague happened to have a lot of statues, this place being just one example.) Perhaps the most interesting feature was that, since the church took about 1000 years to reach completion, some of the outside facade actually features people wearing suits - not something one would expect of a "Medieval" church.

With them were some fellow travelers we befriended at the earlier tour, and one of them in turn actually befriended the tour guide. That night, the tour guide and some of his friends showed us a cool bar, a beer garden, and a cool club which we would later return to. We had a wide variety of cheap beers that evening. I have had one of those beers in America, Pilsner Urquell: the Pilsner was invented by the Czechs, so this one was particularly well known. Another was Budweiser Budvar, a beer that is apparently in an ongoing lawsuit with the American Budweiser about some sort of marketing conflict. Well, the Budweiser there sold me in favor of the Czech version -- it was as smooth and cheap as Keystone Light and about ten times better tasting than the American Budweiser. Can't we have that in America, please?

The next day, we spent some time in the Jewish Quarter. A large number of Jews once lived in Prague, but they were greatly segregated. Even as their population boomed, they were not allowed to move away from their corner of town. But synagogues were erected, a cemetery was squeezed into what would become a beautiful site, and the Jews successfully lived there until one smart governor decided that the area was too crowded. Eventually, many of the buildings were demolished, but we still saw many synagogues and that one cemetery. Some of the synagogues had a quiet elegance of their own that was clearly different than the allure of old churches. One synagogue had transformed into a Holocaust memorial, where the names of every murdered Czech Jew was put on the walls, giving us one of the only clues that these people ever existed, and the walls were plastered with names, too. I had to step back and then remember that this endless list of names was only a fraction of those who actually perished. Then, we attended Friday night services at the oldest active synagogue in Europe, built in the 13th century, but by then I had begun to sniffle here and there, and the acoustics of the place were absolutely horrid.

As I became infected with a cold, I wearily enjoyed some more food and beer with our remaining time in Prague. We went out again that night, and the next day we simply walked around the city. Prague is a wonderfully beautiful place, but you can see the sites relatively quickly. We went to the top of a tower for a fabulous view, and we saw more great buildings. But our time was nearing an end. We were about to leave the cheap beer and extravagant architecture for something entirely different: the Alps of Switzerland!

Leia Mais…

Bureaucracy Exists Everywhere

Author's Note: I have realized that writing about Europe without my notes is no easy task.  Writing about anything in the past is much harder than writing in the moment.  So, the project of telling about my adventures in Europe may take a while.  I would like to also proceed with posts about my in the moment here in Israel.  So, until I finish the task, you will see a mix of posts about stuff in September with missives regarding the relative present.

A story first and then a complaint.

We had been told we would probably stay in our same room for the entire semester.  Told that we would not have to move between the Intensive Hebrew Ulpan and everything else.  The attempts were to keep us where we were, but there were no guarantees.

On October 1, I received an email informing me that I had to move.  So the Dormitory Staff had decreed, and so the International School was informing me.  I wished to know why.  My roommate, Evan, particularly wanted to fight it., too  For a while, though, all we accomplished was delaying the process until the Dormitory Staff became available.  We couldn't fight with the middle man, especially when the middle man could not tell us why we were moving.

This morning Evan finally spoke with the Dormitory Staff.  There were some Israelis who had lived in the 411 flat last year, they wanted to follow suit this year, and they held priority.  Therefore, the move was on.  We were off to another place at the bottom of the dormitories, which was nice, because it was close.  But then another problem arose.  

I saw sheets on the bed.  A suitcase rested on the ground.  A passport sat on the desk.  Someone was clearly living in my new room.  So, as Evan begins moving his stuff over, the staff works to figure things out.  They want to keep us together, so apparently this is a problem again.  After Evan brings over about half his belongings, I receive a phone call informing that we will move to an entirely different flat.  Again; the third in a day.

I'm still at the bottom, but it surely was a hassle to stay down here.  And tomorrow, we have to deal with moving the Internet to our new place.  That will contain loads of fun, I'm sure.

Not to mention another item on tomorrow's agenda, too: here is the complaint.  Every international student taking Hebrew courses this semester must take the placement exam.  That includes those of us who took a course in the Ulpan.  I made an A- in the Bet-2 level (or B2), so I should just move up to Gimmel-1 (C1).  I went to Europe, so I have not improved enough to possibly skip Gimmel-1.  And I will refuse to no end to retake Bet-2 if I happen to bomb the test.  I see no other course for me except Gimmel-1, so please remind me why I will sit for hours during a meaningless exam?

Bureaucracy, oh bureaucracy!  You are everywhere.  And you are just as annoying here, too.

Leia Mais…

Eurotrip: A City of History, Berlin

We arrived on a cold Sunday morning. Definitely much colder than expected.  During the first moments of my three weeks on a different continent, I worried I had not brought warm clothes to last. After my friends and I managed to find the hostel, though, we ate some breakfast and the climate became just slightly warmer.  And so, we were off.

We started our trip off with a little bit of Judaism. We sought out the "New Synagogue," which was an ironic name for a synagogue that was actually kinda old. When people named synagogues back then, they must not have thought with the hindsight that it might still exist today. It was mostly a museum now, though, and I learned a lot about the Berlin Jewish community before World War II.  That community might have actually been one of the most liberal of its time, trying to mingle into society before anti-Semitism became a major threat to their very existence.  There was an organ in the synagogue, and I even read about a female rabbi (although she was not allowed to give sermons).  

Afterwards, still tired from a bad red-eye flight (they served breakfast at the start of the overnight trip and the seats did not recline!), we opted for an early lunch. Then we heard about a company that would improve our entire time away from the U.S. and Israel.  Sandeman's New Europe is a European tour group that offers free tours in many European cities. These tours are tip-based, and they allowed us to watch our budget while setting an entire tone for a few of our city visits!

During the tour, the idea settled in that Berlin is a city that had taken part in some of the greatest history of the world. As the capitol of Germany during both World Wars, and as the center of the Cold War, one can argue that Berlin was the most important city in the 20th century. Twenty years ago, the Cold War ended, but instead of running away from some sad history, the city seems to have embraced it.

Berlin realizes the evil of its country's ways during World War II, and therefore the city remains real cautious towards the Jewish community. In front of the synagogue we earlier went to, there was a guard stationed 24-7. And the same was true for every Jewish establishment in the city. The city also hosts the largest Jewish museum in Europe, detailing much of our people's plight in the continent and explaining Jewish life to all visitors. Meanwhile, there is a relatively new Holocaust Memorial that stands prominently on a big square of ground. Berlin's Holocaust Memorial is a bunch of large, black blocks of different sizes in the sloping square. As I walked through the memorial, I was prompted to think of how the Nazis refused to differentiate between the Jews they killed. Victims came from all sorts of life, from different levels of wealth and different levels of talent.

The Nazis' evils started within, though, and not  with Jews, when arson probably destroyed the parliament building. The Reichstag was rebuilt with a new crystal dome so viewers can look down and watch politicians debate from above, symbolizing the ideals of democracy that first materialized for Germans in the failed Weimer Republic earlier in the century. Because of the country's even greater evils, Berlin got bombarded during World War II, which set the city up to stand center-stage during the Cold War. They thrive on this history. There is a church that has its pulpit lower than the normal ground - they kept the hole there that a bomb created. The three places where the Berlin Wall still stands remain, and a couple turned into spots for artists of different sorts to show their talents. Some of this became such a trend that graffiti is a normal and an even beautiful art-form to view in the city.

But Berlin's love for history did not start in the 20th Century. The two most recognizable landmarks of the city are covered with historical significance. The Victory Column was built to commemorate victory in the Danish-Prussian war. The Brandenburg Gate is a great structure that has stood for centuries, and Napolean stole a statue from it before it  served as a Nazi symbol, and before multiple United States presidents spoke in front of it discussing the Cold War.  

Our tour guide also told us that Berlin has more museums than Paris, London, or Manhattan.  (This might be a product, in part, of Germans being prominent in archeology once upon a time.)  We also had a day trip to the nearby Potsdam, where a good handful of German kings and emperors had lived.  

Berlin was a  city with history at its core, but twenty years ago the city was released from the harsh grasp of history.  The city loves its history, though, so it continues to cling to it.  This clinging is not like a person who cannot move forward in life because they are too attached to their old life, however, because the city also grows.  The clenching to history, therefore, reminds me more of a person that realizes their past makes them who they are.  Through their growth, Berliners have managed to still produce good architecture, good beer, and a liberal sense of history, just as they often had.  And yet they grow so much - Berlin might look very different the next time I go there.  But no matter how different the look may be, I feel certain that stories of the past will still sit everywhere still.  What a wonderful time it was, and what a wonderful time it will be next time.

Leia Mais…

Eurotrip: Pictures!

I apologize for not yet posting much about Europe. I promise I will arrive at that task relatively soon. Until then, I hope you will enjoy some pictures from the trip.

My camera died in the first days in Europe, while we were still in Berlin. So, a vast majority of the pictures were taken by Evan, who probably owns a better camera than I do, anyways. These links, consequently, are all to pictures he has taken.

• Berlin Proper - my favorite city of the trip
• Potsdam, outside of Berlin
• Prague; There used to be so many Jews here that there was actually a Jewish Quarter.
• Switzerland - BEAUTIFUL, and my favorite day was here.
• Paris
• Munich, which was mainly Oktoberfest but included a trip to Dachau

Leia Mais…

Dachau: My Visit; the Potential of Human Evil

As I sit here on the Day of Atonement, I reflect on many different topics. But among other issues, I am reminded of my visit only this past week to the Dachau Concentration Camp, my first ever visit to such a camp. This was a reminder of how far human evil can go. On this Day of Atonement, the prayer books have lists of many sins that we, as a community, apologize for -- encompassing a large range of potential evil that we atone for. But even those large lists do not encompass how evil human actions can become. As a world, there are some events that require greater atonement, specifically inhumane slavery and slaughter.

I now will reproduce the thoughts I wrote down when I sat in the middle of the Dachau Concentration Camp. These thoughts are barely edited.

“Arbeit Macht Frei” – I read these words upon the entrance as thousands of prisoners once had. The now-famous phrase which had mocked the ground’s inhabitants introduced me to the original reminder of the Holocaust – the reminder of human evil’s almost limitless potential. For almost 20 years I have studied the concentration camps from Nazi Germany. Raised in a remembering Jewish community, I have read numerous survivor accounts and seen many pictures. I have visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington and Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. But today I am at tone of the Camps themselves. And Dachau, too. Although only a small fraction of those murdered by the Nazi actually perished here, Dachau was the first concentration camp and a model for others.

What struck me quickly upon entering was how greatly efficiency could be paired with evil. I see the rectangular roll call area where tens of thousands of prisoners would join together for group suffering. I saw the fence with its guard towers that could so neatly keep thousands inside. I saw the blocks where the barracks once stood in systematic fashion. All so orderly. All so smoothly fashioned for slavery and murder. So perfect fof such evils, and yet Dachau being the 1^st Concentration camp, it was built even before an even greater perfection was reached by the Nazis for the act of murder.

I walk through and emotions run through me in a way I am not sure I can adequately describe in words. Renewed thoughts of Astonishment, Horror, Fear, Anger, and Sadness come to me as I again remember the Holocaust. I walk through trying to imagine thousands cramped into this slavery as I walk through. My imagination proceeds to depict Disgusting images of those who might have lived here as zombies, and yet I am sure my imagination is still insufficient to picture the whole picture in entire horrid truth.

I then walk to the 2 crematoriums. The 2^nd was built because the 1^st was not enough. When man discovered fire it could not have been for this purpose! I also see a gas chamber. Original disguised as showers, this chamber was apparently never in regular use – perhaps there was the slightest bit of divine intervention on grounds where one can now see, among the many memorials, some memorials for religions: This camp, among other purposes, was the one designated for all priests taken captive. And yet despite the gas chamber’s unuse, I still feel the most uneasy energy in the square room. Its design must have retained its vast sense of evil. It was in this room where the idea of efficiency I mentioned earlier was magnified at least tenfold.

And as I sit here contemplating this place, one thought prevails in my mind. At the left end of the main monument of this site, above the ashes of an unknown prisoner, reads the exclamation: Never Again.

Leia Mais…

Back in Israel!

I thought I would inform yall that I am back in Israel. My trip to Europe was great, and now I have a couple weeks to update this blog, get updated on news and friendships, and ponder random life questions before the semester officially gets going here at the University.

I hope to give as much detail as possible on my trip to Europe, but I lost my notepad on my last leg of my trip. Unfortunately, I will write prose with less accuracy due to a memory crowded with events of an exciting trip.

That's it for now. With any luck, you might actually see a substantial post in the next few days.

Leia Mais…

Off to Europe and Hook'Em Horns!

Two events will occur within the next 10 hours. First, I will board a flight to Berlin, Germany. Second, the #2 ranked Texas Longhorns (also known as the Best Team in College Football) will begin thrashing the University of Louisiana at Monroe football squad.

So, you probably will not hear from me for the next three weeks. When I return, however, I will write on the following itinerary:

• Berlin for a few days
• Prague for a few days
• Interlaken for a couple days
• Other parts of Switzerland for a couple days
• Paris, and maybe other parts of France, for up to 6 days
• Munich, including Oktoberfest (!), to finish the trip

Meanwhile, the Texas Longhorns plan to make the Warhawks, [Wyoming] Cowboys, and Red Raiders all eat shit before I return.

Leia Mais…

August Observations

Welcome to September, everybody. Welcome to a new month that means a few things for me:

1. Upcoming are 20 days in Europe!
2. Hook'Em Horns! Make 'em Eat Shit on that football field!
3. 1/5 of my time abroad has passed.

With the ending of that first month, I find an ample opportunity to report some observations that failed to make their own posts on this blog.

• Every time I enter the land of Israel, security becomes easier. It is one of the oddest feelings, too. When I arrived August 1 to Tel Aviv, security was an easy breeze. Perhaps every Israeli government stamp that appears in my passport adds significant credibility to my visit.
• Good Public Transportation is Awesome. We seem to have a problem with this idea in America. We like our cars A LOT. But I can get from place to place pretty darn easily in Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem without a car. Trains and busses provide easy transport between these cities, too. On longer distances, I can whip out my book and read instead of focusing on the road. The shorter bus rides cost me 5-6 shekels (about a dollar-fifty, I believe), but I don't have to worry about gas expenses or car maintenance. True, cars can be great, but they are better when coupled with other modes of transit.
• They Don't Like Paper Money As Much as Us. The smallest paper bill in Israel is worth 20 shekels, or a bit more than 5 dollars. Meanwhile, some cashiers dislike customers using the 100-shekel bill (one worth a bit more than $26), even though that is the bill the ATM spits out every time. Coins are much more popular here than in the United States, with the 10-shekel piece popping up everywhere. Essentially, if my change falls out of my pocket, it's a matter of dollars that I would likely lose; not a matter of cents.
• Oh, the Solar Panels: Some of you may have heard me talk about this before, but it is entirely incredible to see so many buildings with solar panels placed upon the roofs. I am envious, and I am glad that the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1937 this past session. Texas cities should make like Berkely pronto.
• Beaching in Haifa is Nice and Easy. The Galveston beach was always within an hour or hour and a half drive of my Houston home, but I think we always thought that an hour was too much for an afternoon of sand and sea that can be described as "average" at best. By bus in Haifa, though, I can get to the beach within 30 minutes, and the beach (or ḥof in Hebrew) is nicer. The water is clear and wavy. The sand is soft. Chairs are free to use. Moreover, Israelis have a wonderful beach game called Matkot that has made beach time evermore enticing -- I love the game so much, I might dedicate an entire post to it later.
• There were Honored Seats on the Bimah in the 300s! In modern Jewish synagogues, the bimah (the elevated platform from where prayers are led) has seats to the side for honored persons. One would think this to be an entirely present-day invention. When we visited the ruins of an ancient synagogue in Ein Gedi, however, there was a seat to the side for an honored member of the congregation! Who would have thought they had the such ingenious displays of vanity back then, too!
• Why Do Israelis So Dislike President Obama? Last I heard, only 4% of Israelis think Obama is pro-Israel, according to a recent Jerusalem Post Poll. That fact alone does not bother me, because an American President should be neutral. Somehow, though, a majority seem to believe Obama is more pro-Palestinian. I have seen this sentiment in a few people here, too. There was a lecture here at the University that was advertised to teach about Obama's Middle East policy, but I just heard a rant, and the lecturer failed to show the slightest bit of academic prowess that I expected. Later, an Israeli asked me at a party how I could have supported a Muslim for President. Really? I thought under-educated American Rednecks were the only ones still ignorant about Barack Obama's faith -- NOT intelligent and educated Israelis. I imagine anti-Obama propaganda finds itself in Israel just as easily as it does in the United States, and I also imagine that the Israeli public was simply shocked that Obama started his presidency with a stiff in-the-middle stance instead of the "I like Israel just oh so very very much" stance that they are used to receiving from the United States. Hopefully, President Obama will make successful strides towards a real peace and Israelis will recognize that real peace, even by means of tough compromise, is pro-Israeli.

Leia Mais…

The Ulpan: Excursions

I discussed most of the Ulpan before the program abruptly ended a few days ago. I did not, however, find the time to touch on the excursions. The International School here planned multiple trips for their Ulpan students. I did not attend all of them, but I still had some good experiences.

I will quickly list the outings I attended and write some brief notes about them.

• A Hike in the Golan Heights: This was pretty cool. I had been to the Golan Heights twice before, but my previous trips focussed more on the history and importance of the mountain range to the State of Israel. I would see how there were still mines planted throughout the mountains, I would see old military encampments, and I would look off the edge to see Syria and Lebanon. This trip was different, though. We hiked, and I got to see the Golan Heights from a "wow, this is beautiful!" perspective. We stopped at a couple small waterfalls, and I even swam a little. Sometimes, these mountains' beauty is overshadowed by their geopolitical importance.
• Caesarea: The ruins of Caesarea are another touristy spot that I had visited twice before. Once again, though, I managed to see a different view (although for the Golan Heights, I chose the different view -- Here, I just got lucky.) I was placed in the tour that was guided by a University of Haifa archeology professor -- a man who was taught by some of the very people who excavated these ruins. I definitely learned some interesting tidbits on that trip.
• The Nearby Druze Village: Some of us took an afternoon trip to a nearby Druze Village, which is something I might do again without any guidance -- the Saturday markets are supposed to be great. But this time, I saw a Druze museum that memorialized the Druze who had died in Israeli wars. Part of the Druze's religious belief is loyalty to one's home country, so the Druze men fight in the Israeli Army by the same guidelines as Jewish Israeli men. They have also been some of the best fighters in Israel's storied military history, from what I understand... We happened to visit this village the day after a special municipal election, and there was quite a sight to see: cars were driving throughout the street and people were screaming celebratory shouts. We don't have celebrations like that for municipal elections in America; we only barely have celebrations like that when we elect a charismatic black president...
• Jerusalem: And, of course, I went to the holy city of Jerusalem. At the Western Wall, I got blessed (and then asked for tzedakah [charity]) twice, which would normally be fine. Unfortunately, one man asked me for charity as I was at the wall praying, and I feel that significantly tarnished my experience. I also saw "King David's Grave," which really wasn't his grave, but people have visited it for centuries as if it is. The main part of the trip, though, was through the Christian Quarter of the old city -- I had already seen Yad Vashem and the City of David, so I wanted something new. Unfortunately, the tour guide was mediocre at best, and the Christian Quarter was pretty bland until the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the place where Catholic and Orthodox Christians believe Jesus Christ was executed and buried. You could tell that this place was immensely historical, if not holy, too. There were actually two old graves that had been found in the Church! After this historical excursion, we went to the marketplace (or Shuk) in Jerusalem -- and I bought some wonderful rugula and some good olives!

Leia Mais…

An Aside From My Trip Directly: RIP Teddy Kennedy, Israeli Style

During a break from class today, I learned that Senator Edward M. Kennedy had passed away, and it has been occupying much of my thoughts today as I prepare for a final exam tomorrow. Hence, I have obviously been very busy. I can report now that the Ulpan is almost over -- it will be completely over in about 12 hours. I still have more to tell you all about it, though; I will get to that once the end has allowed me to relax.

For the time being, I wanted to share a write-up by M.J. Rosenberg that remembers The Lion of the Senate through a little-told story about the funeral of Yitzhak Rabin. I felt it was appropriate for this blog. Here is his post in full:

It is a small part of his great legacy but it should not go unmentioned that Ted Kennedy was one of the few senators who rarely, if ever, yielded to the pressure to join the Israel-is-always-right caucus. The mindless jingoism of his colleagues was not his way (nor is it John Kerry's) and when he addressed the Israeli-Palestinian issue, he was compassionate and even-handed. He was not your standard "liberal on everything but Israel" type.

Professor Leonard Fein from Boston (of Americans for Peace Now) -- who has spent a lifetime struggling for Middle East peace -- offers this beautiful remembrance of Ted Kennedy today. He describes a small incident in Kennedy's long life but one that tells us a lot about the man.

"On the morning of the day before the funeral of Yitzhak Rabin, Senator Ted Kennedy called the White House to inquire if it was appropriate to bring to the burial some earth from Arlington National Cemetery. The answer was essentially a shrug: Who knows? Unadvised, the senator carried a shopping bag onto the plane, filled with earth he had himself dug the afternoon before from the graves of his two murdered brothers. And at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, after waiting for the crowd and the cameras to disperse, he dropped to his hands and knees, and gently placed that earth on the grave of the murdered prime minister.

No spin, no photo op; a man unreasonably familiar with bidding farewell to slain heroes, a man in mourning, quietly making tangible a miserable connection."

Miserable it is. But how much more miserable it would be if we never had these heroes at all?

Leia Mais…

The Ulpan: A Whirlwind of Friendships

Some Ulpan students are just that. Some will move to a different program in Israel once the Ulpan is over. Some will return to their respective home countries and continue with their regular lives.

Yet some of those are pretty awesome people, too.

This is an unfortunate occurrence for any short-term program. One makes many good friends and then rarely communicates with them afterwards. We just aren't allotted the time to build strong, lasting relationships. Beyond the shortness of this program (4 weeks), we have Hebrew classes that occupy a vast chunk of our time away from the larger group. In some ways, I have less time to bond with people during the Ulpan than during my Birthright trip a year and a half ago or during my three week trip to Oxford in 2006. There are some friends that will, eventually, only be considered "good acquaintences."

That I lost my phone has only made a difficult situation even harder. I lost my phone two Fridays ago, and, in part due to my hopes of finding it, I did not receive a new phone until Thursday. The new phone, however, only lasted me several hours before losing all signal with the world. For over a week I have had to rely on my roommate and on luck to plan afternoons or evenings with some of my friends.

Thankfully, fortune has granted that most of my new companions will remain in Haifa for the semester. I will travel with a few in September, and then I will have a full semester to build on many friendships I have already created.

One of the coolest aspects leaving all friends behind for a long-term trip is that one easily meets some of the most fascinating people. I say this due to my experiences through three weeks, but I've only experienced the tip of the iceberg. There will be less international students at the University in the Fall than there are now, but there will be many more Israeli students and a lot more time. I'm looking forward to that.

Leia Mais…

The Ulpan: Rigorous Foreign Language Training

For those of you who did not know, this is my basic timeline for my time in Israel:

1. From when I arrived, and for another week onward, I have been participating in the University of Haifa's "Ulpan" program, which is an intensive foreign language course. The International School has also planned trips once or twice a week for the Ulpan participants.
2. Then, I have a break between the Ulpan and the semester. The intention is to use this break to travel. I have tentative plans to go to Greece for a few days, Turkey for about a week, and some parts of Europe for longer.
3. Finally, after the high holidays and Sukkot have passed, the semester will start. This will be a normal semester.

As mentioned, I am currently in stage 1: The Ulpan. My scarce amount of updates to this blog have been due to the whirlwind of activity given to me by the Ulpan. I will, however, work hard in an effort to get you all the important stories and details of this first month in Israel.

I am busy primarily for academic reasons. The Ulpan attempts to fit an entire semester of Hebrew into 4 weeks, which is a very ambitious idea. Four days a week, I am at class from 8:30 AM to 1 PM. I have a 30 minute break at 10 and a 10 minute break at 11:50. This is Monday through Thursday. Sunday, I am at school for the same amount of time -- just an hour later: 9:30 to 2.

The Ulpan programs in Israel have received much acclaim, and they are almost definitely some of the most effective fast methods to learn a foreign language that are offered. That isn't to say it is perfect, though. Four weeks of super intense learning is clearly no substitute of a full semester combined with practice. The largest academic downside I have encountered has been the time I have to practice. Normally, I would study much more per hour of class than I have been doing during the Ulpan. I simply do not have much time here. Unless I want to render myself without a social life to learn Hebrew, it is hard to keep up like I should.

That has helped me with some other things, though. My study habits are improving some, I think. At least, when I do homework I try to learn the entire homework beyond how it encompasses the lesson of the day -- it is a time saver, and I think I will be glad of this when I return to normal-semester speed.

I have kept up with the grammer pretty well; that has always been an odd strongsuit of mine (although on the last test I made some stupid grammar mistakes). The vocabulary has been much harder to keep up. Always more of a memory game, vocabulary is something that will only come to me with more practice - something that is much easier for me to do during a regular semester.

I have been asked if I am conversant in Hebrew yet, and the answer is a definite "no." I think that will only come with more time and practice, something of which the the Ulpan can only offer so much, especially because all the Israeli students I hope to interact with later this year are still on summer break. That said, though; I now have a firm grasp of active and reflexive verbs in all three basic tenses; past, present, and future. My knowledge of the future tense was limited when I came here, and I feel one must have confidence in all three basic tenses before conversation can thrive. I now have achieved that basic requirement.

Despite its downsides, the Ulpan is definitely worth the time and money. I'll be a strong step ahead by the end of it, and it is a good setup for the real Hebrew practice that I will more often encounter when I immerse myself more with Israelis during a normal school term.

Leia Mais…

Living Conditions

The walk from the taxi to my room's door was probably the most tenuous part of my journey to Israel. Lugging multiple suitcases down a bunch of stairs, even with elevator assistance, has the ability to frustrate any traveler, especially a jet-lagged one. And so began my stay in Haifa: on the very bottom floor of the university's Talia Dormitories, suite 411. Nine floors separate my room from the main floor of the dormitory-area.

And that's just the dormitories. The University of Haifa is placed at the top of The Carmel Mountain (Har HaCarmel in Hebrew), and the campus is designed linearly on a slope. My suite-mate Evan Lacher and I estimated that we probably walk up 17 flights of stairs to get to class in the campus's Main Building. We are usually a bit winded by the time we walk into the lesson.

Speaking of the University's hilly location, one cost I had not factored in when estimating money necessities was that of transportation. I am not normal walking distance from anywhere significant in the city. I must take a bus, and students still have to pay, unlike in Austin. The cost is relatively low, but it is a cost I did not have previously.

The cost of transportation might be offset by food prices, though. All the restaurants on campus are subsidized, so I can buy lunches for reasonable prices. And vegetables here appear much cheaper than in America. I came to the quick realization that while a normal Israeli's diet might not be healthier than a normal American's (though it probably is), one would certainly have an easier time eating healthy here.

So, we are trying to cook some. We have prepared pasta several times, eggs several times, and a couple varieties of chicken. Unfortunately, we have yet to obtain a working toaster and our other cooking appliances are just...hotplates -- and only 2 small ones work. This complicates matters because only part of the pot or pan heats up decently, and a hotplate is much less efficient than a stove no matter which way you slice it. Right now, though, we just have to make due. And despite our amateur cooking abilities, we have received compliments from dinner guests. We'll get better at cooking, too.

When we have had those guests over for meals, the body heat and the cooked food seems to make it hotter than usual. See, there is no air-conditioning in the dormitories. Thankfully the summer heat here isn't quite the summer Austin or Houston heat, but I can't currently wear a pair of shorts more than 2 or 3 times before declaring them "dirty." We don't get much of a breeze into our room, either. The university is built on a wonderful spot for breezes, but the lack of them in my life probably reflects poor architecture for this building.

This constant heat, combined with a nearby beach that is much nicer than the one in Galveston, definitely encourages more showers. One would think that with such water problems as they have in Israel, the government would fork over money for air conditioning. Certainly, the government is less capitalist than our own in the United States, and an air-conditioning policy just seems like a good idea to me. Not to mention that the showers are graced with a ridiculous water pressure that I don't think I have even found in America. Even more reason to take more showers, not to save water!

Despite an oddly powerful shower, my material quality of life is not close to where it is in America. Then again, my cost of living is much cheaper, too. I don't remember exactly what the difference is, but the money I have paid to live in these dorms is ridiculously cheaper than it is in America. As I mentioned, there are advantages in food pricing, too. Besides, the sacrifice of a few material pleasures is completely worth the greatness of an experience studying abroad. I'm having a great time.

Leia Mais…

Statement of Welcome and Purpose

Friends, Family, and Curious Internet Surfers:

Welcome to "Hurta for Haifa," a blog that, despite the sound of its name, is not a campaign website. I thought the name had a nice ring to it, and it does reflect my politically inclined personality. More so, the purpose of this blog is to share my experience while I am stationed in Haifa, Israel to study abroad.

I have been in Haifa about a week now; just the beginning of a 5 month period where I will be away from the United States. I am studying right now in the Hebrew "Ulpan," which is an intensive 4-week course to improve my Hebrew skills. This course ends August 27, and then I will travel some in this area of the globe until the actual semester starts in October. I plan to take Hebrew plus 3 other classes during the semester.

I intend to write reflective and descriptive posts about my time here in Israel. Some of you might know me for my political blogging at the Burnt Orange Report, but this blog will be entirely different (even if I do once or twice opine on Israeli politics). I will not list every little thing I do every day; that would be boring and tedious. Instead, I will write on my general life in Haifa, trips and events that impact me, and anything else that helps communicate the essence of this stay in Israel.

I will later write more significantly on some of the happenings of this first week, but I will let you know that I have been busy and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I have settled into a dormitory-apartment that lacks air conditioning in the Israeli heat, met interesting people, been to a fantastic beach, partied, seen the Bahai Gardens, and (oh yah) learned some Hebrew.

Assuming my busy schedule does not induce the death of this blog, I hope you enjoy what I have to say! Welcome, and thank you for your interest.

Leia Mais…