Ani lo mi Israel, aval akhshav ani be Israel

I am not from Israel, but now I am in Israel.

Hebrew classes have begun! Today was our second day.

I absolutely love being in the class. It is taking a very long time to jus

t get one word to stick and our teacher goes over the phrases a million times, but it feels like I am using my brain in a way that I WANT to. After the first day, I learned how to say "where" which is "eyfo". Later on that day, I was at the mall shopping for the apartment and I used "eyfo" probably five times.

I had my job "interview" yesterday. Below are two pictures I took. One is of the hotel and the other is picture at the beach which is right across the street. It was so beautiful, and shocking that I was even there.

I took the bus to the hotel! It was a bit nerve racking because I wasn't sure exactly what I was doing, but I had instructions from Career Israel on which one to take. After I put my sheckles to pay, I started to walk away and the driver started yelling at me. What he was saying sounded a bit like "receipt" in french, and then I noticed a piece of paper sticking out where I put in the sheckles. Sure enough, a receipt comes out every time you pay for the bus that you need to take.

The interview went well. I met with the operations manager over coffee at the hotel bar. Her attitude was very Israeli. She said that hotel is "Fluid" and that I can pretty much work wherever I want, however they really need help in Jaffa Court. Jaffa Court is where the guests can have breakfast and lunch. I would manage the waitstaff and act as "the face" of the hotel in the restaurant, and be the go-to person when any conflicts arise. That sounds fine, and it would be good experience, but I told her I want to do events.

We decided that I would work for 3 weeks in the banquet department, and then if I want I can try out Jaffa Court. She walked me down to the meeting space, and the instant I was down there I felt like I was home. The air, the energy from the conference that was going on, the set up, and seeing the conference managers run around, was where I wante

d to be. It could be because that is what I am just used to doing for the last two years, or because I do genuinely love it. I still am not sure, and not sure if I will ever know.

 As I think many of you know, I am in an apt with 3 other girls but I am sharing a room with 2 of them. The room we are in is technically the living room. I took pictures of the apartment so you can have an idea of what it looks like! My bed is the one with the red comforter (I bought this at a store after having help from a woman that could translate for me to the sales woman)

Sometimes I think "I can't believe I am sharing a room like this for 5 months without privacy" but at the same time it doesn't really bother me. It could be because while I am here I have this mentality as if anything goes. Below is a picture of the bathroom, the kitchen/dining room/entrance to the apartment.

I have so much more I want to write but I have to go. While many people do speak english here, it isn't enough where I am not confused or feel out of place on a daily basis. 

Tomorrow I have ulpan and then I am going to a lecture Career Israel organized about the darfur refugees here in Israel. There is a volunteer opportunity to help out at the refugee camp, so hopefully I can sign up and start working there asap.

Shalom!