Lessons Learned
All our best Israel pictures are on our real cameras...so one day we'll get some of those up.
As I think about our last 7 weeks, I have to write a list. Well, a lot of lists. What to pack, what to put in the carry on, what i have to do when I go home...
But these are different lists...
My "lessons learned" list:
1. When petting a goat, they can raise their head and damage your child. (Poor Matan at the Jerusalem petting zoo who got "butted" by a goat).
2. I will not have time to exercise with two little kids, so there was really no point in bringing sneakers which I didn't wear once. (My croc sandles were the only thing I wore the entire summer--shabbat and every day).
3. When people said Israel was hot, why did I bother bringing jeans? I never wore them once.
4. If I'm going to pack over a long period of time, I need to keep track of whether or not I packed contact solution. Only I would go to Israel packing THREE bottles of contact solution. I wonder if I can sell mine off in the Old City tomorrow.
5. Salad dressing--they don't put salad dressing on salads in Israel a lot of the time. I think maybe it's because their vegetables actually have taste. And sometimes when they do, it's bad. I just prefer simple vinagrette.
6. Never come to Israel in the summer. Okay, so this is a tough one as a university professor. So, here are my solutions: 1) Move to Israel for the year. 2) Pay for one of those expensive winter break trips (tour bus, hotel and all) 3) Get a job at a South American university, so that summer will be winter in Israel. Or, if I'm going to come to Israel in the summer, I need to put the kids on a nocturnal schedule because it's best to go out at night.
7. Credit cards work at gas stations about 50% of the time.
8. Consider whether no foreign transaction fees are worth the extra attention your Chase Sapphire Preferred card will get. My credit card is really heavy. Metal inside I think. At least 9 out of 10 times the salespeople make some comment about my card...sometimes even calling someone else over to come see the card. At first I started explaining that this is a good credit card that is free for the first year...by the end, I just told people "yeah, I'm rich". If you want to fit in, you got to get a cheap credit card.
9. If you are going to bring pain/fever medicine to Israel, you should also carry it around you wherever you go. I ended up having to buy or borrow ibuprofen or tylenol for the kids 2-3 times, even though I had it, because they started running fevers when we were away from home.
10. Ask doctor if there is a way to expose your kids to all the Israeli bacteria and germs before coming...
11. If I don't speak much Hebrew for 8 years, it really gets bad. I think I better not wait 8 years to come again!!!
Top Memories that I will never forget.
1. The expression "Siyaya mad". Sivan spent a lot of the trip mad. I wouldn't say this is a great memory, but it has sort of become a motto lately.
2. Matan's quirks about going down slides and the color orange.
3. When we saw cows running up the highway next to us. I tried to entertain Sivan by having us go around and each of us tell one line of the story of how the cows got out (everyone takes a turn and adds to the story and then says "beep"). Matan demanded "My turn!" And then he talkled for the next 20 minutes straight about cows, bears, and I don't know what else. We couldn't get him to stop so Sivan could tell the story. She'd say 'beep, my turn" and he'd go "beep, my turn" and immediatley go on and tell more of the story. It was pretty funny.
4. All the quality time we had as a family. I got to know my kids so well and they got to know each other so well. Sivan can translate Matan when I don't even understand him. On the other hand, I'm wondering if my kids might fight less than they have in the last couple weeks when we go home (I hope?)
5. First time I took Sivan to the kotel. She asked to say "goodbye to the kotel" so we drove back to Jerusalem today for her.
6. The tunnel tours.
7. Sunset at Tel Aviv.
8. Shabbat in the park (our first one).
so much more, but I have to get packing...
What I will miss:
1. Hearing my dad's ulpan stories and helping him.
2. The great hospitality people showed us.
3. The Old City. Sivan loved negotiating in the markets. She was definitely in her element there.
4. The incredible diversity of this place--always stunning.
5. My kids learning Hebrew.
6. My kids eating salad!
7. EVERY SHABBAT.
8. parks and playgrounds.
9. the outdoor pool (Monroe, you suck).
10. sitting in a coffee shop, drinking my delicious drink while working and hearing Hebrew around me.
11. When Israelis do things, they don't half-ass. For example, when they make a salad for you at Holy Bagel, it is not 95% lettuce with some other things. They give you tons of the other stuff with a little lettuce too. Honestly, Salads N Such in Monroe just totally lost a fan after experiencing how Israelis make salads. Same thing when they squeeze your orange juice...they fill the cup all the way to the top. Hell, even when they topped off our gas once, I had no idea you could put that much extra gas in!
11. Although you can tell I have issues with heat, I do like not having to check the weather. It never rained or changed more than 1 degree celsius on average the entire summer.
12. Kilometers. I really like kilometers.
13. Kosher food.
14. Knowing I can stand up for myself without offending anyone else or it being a big deal. The fact that it's acceptable to stand up for yourself or express your impatience or be honest is something I'm getting used to. It's good for me. I too often worry what others will think and hear in Israel, I'm learning you can say "I would like more ice in my kafe kar" (which I did today). And I didn't even get slightly nervous asking!
15. Being in the Jewish homeland!! Even through all the challenges, every day that I was here, I felt like I was deep down where I belong.
Things I can't wait to have back in the US:
1. US toilets and bathrooms.
2. Kay.
3. Our washer/dryer.
4. My dishwasher
5. Knowing that if my kids destroy my house that there's no security deposit on the line.
6. Good service in restaurants. Service in Israel in restaurants sucks.
7. English.
8. my bed.
9. some different clothes.
10. NOT HOT WEATHER.
Things I should be doing now:
Packing to go home.
As I think about our last 7 weeks, I have to write a list. Well, a lot of lists. What to pack, what to put in the carry on, what i have to do when I go home...
But these are different lists...
My "lessons learned" list:
1. When petting a goat, they can raise their head and damage your child. (Poor Matan at the Jerusalem petting zoo who got "butted" by a goat).
2. I will not have time to exercise with two little kids, so there was really no point in bringing sneakers which I didn't wear once. (My croc sandles were the only thing I wore the entire summer--shabbat and every day).
3. When people said Israel was hot, why did I bother bringing jeans? I never wore them once.
4. If I'm going to pack over a long period of time, I need to keep track of whether or not I packed contact solution. Only I would go to Israel packing THREE bottles of contact solution. I wonder if I can sell mine off in the Old City tomorrow.
5. Salad dressing--they don't put salad dressing on salads in Israel a lot of the time. I think maybe it's because their vegetables actually have taste. And sometimes when they do, it's bad. I just prefer simple vinagrette.
6. Never come to Israel in the summer. Okay, so this is a tough one as a university professor. So, here are my solutions: 1) Move to Israel for the year. 2) Pay for one of those expensive winter break trips (tour bus, hotel and all) 3) Get a job at a South American university, so that summer will be winter in Israel. Or, if I'm going to come to Israel in the summer, I need to put the kids on a nocturnal schedule because it's best to go out at night.
7. Credit cards work at gas stations about 50% of the time.
8. Consider whether no foreign transaction fees are worth the extra attention your Chase Sapphire Preferred card will get. My credit card is really heavy. Metal inside I think. At least 9 out of 10 times the salespeople make some comment about my card...sometimes even calling someone else over to come see the card. At first I started explaining that this is a good credit card that is free for the first year...by the end, I just told people "yeah, I'm rich". If you want to fit in, you got to get a cheap credit card.
9. If you are going to bring pain/fever medicine to Israel, you should also carry it around you wherever you go. I ended up having to buy or borrow ibuprofen or tylenol for the kids 2-3 times, even though I had it, because they started running fevers when we were away from home.
10. Ask doctor if there is a way to expose your kids to all the Israeli bacteria and germs before coming...
11. If I don't speak much Hebrew for 8 years, it really gets bad. I think I better not wait 8 years to come again!!!
Top Memories that I will never forget.
1. The expression "Siyaya mad". Sivan spent a lot of the trip mad. I wouldn't say this is a great memory, but it has sort of become a motto lately.
2. Matan's quirks about going down slides and the color orange.
3. When we saw cows running up the highway next to us. I tried to entertain Sivan by having us go around and each of us tell one line of the story of how the cows got out (everyone takes a turn and adds to the story and then says "beep"). Matan demanded "My turn!" And then he talkled for the next 20 minutes straight about cows, bears, and I don't know what else. We couldn't get him to stop so Sivan could tell the story. She'd say 'beep, my turn" and he'd go "beep, my turn" and immediatley go on and tell more of the story. It was pretty funny.
4. All the quality time we had as a family. I got to know my kids so well and they got to know each other so well. Sivan can translate Matan when I don't even understand him. On the other hand, I'm wondering if my kids might fight less than they have in the last couple weeks when we go home (I hope?)
5. First time I took Sivan to the kotel. She asked to say "goodbye to the kotel" so we drove back to Jerusalem today for her.
6. The tunnel tours.
7. Sunset at Tel Aviv.
8. Shabbat in the park (our first one).
so much more, but I have to get packing...
What I will miss:
1. Hearing my dad's ulpan stories and helping him.
2. The great hospitality people showed us.
3. The Old City. Sivan loved negotiating in the markets. She was definitely in her element there.
4. The incredible diversity of this place--always stunning.
5. My kids learning Hebrew.
6. My kids eating salad!
7. EVERY SHABBAT.
8. parks and playgrounds.
9. the outdoor pool (Monroe, you suck).
10. sitting in a coffee shop, drinking my delicious drink while working and hearing Hebrew around me.
11. When Israelis do things, they don't half-ass. For example, when they make a salad for you at Holy Bagel, it is not 95% lettuce with some other things. They give you tons of the other stuff with a little lettuce too. Honestly, Salads N Such in Monroe just totally lost a fan after experiencing how Israelis make salads. Same thing when they squeeze your orange juice...they fill the cup all the way to the top. Hell, even when they topped off our gas once, I had no idea you could put that much extra gas in!
11. Although you can tell I have issues with heat, I do like not having to check the weather. It never rained or changed more than 1 degree celsius on average the entire summer.
12. Kilometers. I really like kilometers.
13. Kosher food.
14. Knowing I can stand up for myself without offending anyone else or it being a big deal. The fact that it's acceptable to stand up for yourself or express your impatience or be honest is something I'm getting used to. It's good for me. I too often worry what others will think and hear in Israel, I'm learning you can say "I would like more ice in my kafe kar" (which I did today). And I didn't even get slightly nervous asking!
15. Being in the Jewish homeland!! Even through all the challenges, every day that I was here, I felt like I was deep down where I belong.
Things I can't wait to have back in the US:
1. US toilets and bathrooms.
2. Kay.
3. Our washer/dryer.
4. My dishwasher
5. Knowing that if my kids destroy my house that there's no security deposit on the line.
6. Good service in restaurants. Service in Israel in restaurants sucks.
7. English.
8. my bed.
9. some different clothes.
10. NOT HOT WEATHER.
Things I should be doing now:
Packing to go home.
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