Israel, making the plans!

#FulbrightIsrael   #HashemTakeTheWheel  #ChallengesHelpUsGrow

Well, it's official.  Tickets are bought and we are headed to Israel for a year-long adventure. How did this happen?  Well, let's start by saying, this plan was cooked up at least a decade ago.  If I wasn't going to live in Israel, I always said I'd live there for a year when I became a professor and did my sabbatical there.

Adam and I were lucky enough to get married (at least I was lucky--I won't speak for him here), and both manage our sabbaticals at the same time.  I applied for a Fulbright, as I only get half-salary and needed some extra money.  I also needed a little career "kick" and this was a good one.  Adam does not need to apply for anything.  (FYI, I also applied for Semester at Sea, and was selected just as I was submitting the Fulbright.  It was a tough decision, but we felt it would be better for the kids to do Israel.  And so, application submitted last August.)

In March, I found out I was selected for a Fulbright.  I am working with Dr. Miron-Shatz of Ono Academic College in Kiryat Ono.  She is director of a Center for Medical Decision Making.  How did I connect with her?  A few years ago, I scoured the internet, found her, and tracked her down.  We met in Aroma Cafe in Jerusalem, and I essentially told her that I planned to come to Israel for my sabbatical year and I wanted to work with her.  Fast forward 3-4 years later, and I get the Fulbright.  My focus is on women's medical decision making related to childbirth.  I would tell you more, but I haven't had a lot of time to think about it.

Relatively speaking, getting a Fulbright was "easy".  It was within my control.  

On the other hand, trying to rent your house and relocate for a year abroad is not exactly simple.  And everything feels out of control!  It is all-consuming to say the least.  Pretty much, if anyone wants to do this, let me know, and I'll hand you my lists.

Renters don't think about renting until a month before.  This seems to go for both countries, which makes everything very difficult.  Why?

Well, I can't pick where I'm going to live until I find a place.  I can't pick schools until I find a place.  I can't know when I'm getting there until I rent my place.  

The first question was how long to go for?  My Fulbright is officially 4 months, although I'd rather work over the course of a year on something at a more relaxed pace.  On the one hand,  six months didn't seem so scary.  If we don't like it, hey, we aren't there that long.

And when my anxious side was in control, I began liking this option.  

But the "you'll regret this" side of me kept telling me, this is it.  Your once-in-a-lifetime chance to live the entire Jewish calendar in Israel with your family.  For the kids to learn Hebrew.  It's now or never.  I don't like to let my anxious side make decisions.  And so I began assuming we'd go for a year unless we couldn't rent the house.    

And finally, about one month before we had to leave, we rented the house.  Lease signed yesterday!

We bought tickets which will allow us to catch the solar eclipse, and get us there Aug 23, about a week before school starts.

Now we are working on a few other hurdles.  

1. Renting an apartment in Israel

2. Finding a home for Maya

3. Figuring out what to do with my cars.

4. Getting a one year Visa.

5. Trying to get the kids in school in Israel.

6. Deciding on car in Israel.

I'd like to spend the rest of this post addressing problem #4.

Countries send representatives to the U.S. who work in consulates or embassies.  I think their goal is to improve relations between countries.  Hmm.  It's a good thing I already love Israel.  If I didn't, my experience would have probably led me to call Fulbright and beg to go to Italy instead.  I can arrive in Israel on a tourist visa, but I have to leave the country (and return) in three months.  Or, deal with bureaucracy in Israel of getting a visa extension.  My feeling given what I've heard is to get it done before i go.

I am also an Israeli citizen theoretically because my mother is born in Israel.  However, I was never registered and don't have a passport.  I discovered many things would be much easier with a passport.

I'd like to discuss this with someone but....consulate and embassy don't answer their phones.  Not only that, but their voicemail is full.  Literally, I'm stuck on problem 4.

The other challenge of trying to do manage hurdles is the time zone difference.

SEVEN HOURS is a lot.  Get my kids up, give them breakfast, get them to camp, and guess what? Work day is over in Israel.  So, my rhythm of my day is getting a gazillion emails and texts in the AM.  At night, I stay up way too late, sometimes until people in Israel are getting up, trying to deal with problem # 1 mostly.  Then I go to bed, sometimes checking my texts in the middle of the night.  I can't wait to be on the same time zone as Israeli people.

What am I dreading?

The plane flight

That first week where I'll probably cry and fall apart.

My kids possibly not wanting to go to school in a different language (can't imagine why!)

What am I looking forward to?

Every Jewish holiday.

Not being a minority.

Having a year to challenge myself and grow and try new things!

Getting a break from teaching and getting to throw myself into a project.

Having time (I hope) to contemplate my directions in life.

Being on a learning curve in terms of learning to live in Israel, learning Hebrew (better), and just feeling (I hope) by the end of the year that I belong a little. 

Watching my kids grow and learn.

My new cell phone plan 

Well that's a long enough first post.