Indipendence day part 2.

Well.. what a bummer..
I was really hoping to fins something that surprized me. as I often do in this city..
but alas.. this day has been really boring..
almost no one in the streets.. and everybody almost was doing bbq... couldn't really find anything special happening apart from an airshow this morning...

wouldn't think I had to plan ahead for getting in on celebrating an indipendence day..
ah well..guess I learned that at least today then...

Indipendence day part 1.

Israel is happy to have a birthday party, and everyone is invited (well, not the Arabs i guess..).
In my search for whats it like to live, work, learn in Tel Aviv, I had been really looking forward to this day, sitting on my 7th floor roof, I kind of get a good feeling of whats happening in the streets around. I was going to write a long text about this day, what it feels like, smells like, looks like..
but I've been told, that nothing happens. apart from the fact that everybody wakes up hungover, goes to the beach or a park, and has a BBQ.

So, off for the rest of the day, to walk the streets, and hopefully find something different..

stay tuned..

Sundayismondaysincefridayissaturdaybutwhenisthedayoff?

So.. guess the title actually told what I had to say...
I just can't get used to this waking up early on a sunday, and then starting to work.. I feel punished by higher powers when everyone at home is chilling out, having a nice day off, and I'm just starting my new and long week..
had a great day in the sun yesterday, but I'm used to 2day weekends, hardy had a day off since I got here.. not sure what I would do if I did have one, but, just lying on the beach, reflecting, sounds nice to me..

hoping to find out when I can take a little time just for small trips in the villages close to Tel Aviv.. have to see something apart from this city..

still think it is strange also how the day starts when it gets dark.. so shabbat/sabbath start on friday, everything closed.. and lasts untill saturday night.. basically, the one day you might have time to do something, everything is closed.. so you can't do it... strangé..

peace be with you friend or random person reading this blog.

drycleaning

ever used time to think about how much easier life is when you have a washing machine?
I'm really happy right now, I'm getting my stuff nice and clean now, but.. que stress!
Just noticed that I still have some stuff hanging and drying in the sun in Tsila's (thank you =>) garden. I picked up a shirt from drycleaning yesterday, and I have a load of clothes as a laundry service here around the street.. what a mess.. what an easy and comfortable life I would live with such luxury as a place to hang wet clothing to dry, or a shower with icecold water that I could use whenever I want..

fun to realize how much I take stuff like that for granted..

if you happen to be in the area and can't find me at the hub or in the many streets just walking around, look for me at "the little prince" my new favorite place in the world for sitting, looking smart, thinking stupid. que fantastico!

ps. check out a brand called sanük.. super sweet sandals, I'm in love
http://www.sanuk.com/
as they say, smile, pass it on

=)=)=)=)

more Tel Aviv and stuff..

Bats.....
just when you think that you have understood a city, realized that its like a slightly more exotic than normal european city, you take one wrong turn that leads you on a 4hour discovery bonanza, you see that crap, this place is just crazy..
and then, beeing happy knowing that you are in a place that is great but crazy and at times abit crap.. you might find youself walking down one of the main streets, then you see bats flying through the trees, swopping down at innocent passers by...
what city with millions of people wondering aroun had bats in their city centre?

its been a bit of an uncomfertable time for me, been reading about bomb factories found in the westbank underneath moskes.
The norwegian embassy strongly advising people to stay away from the Ghaza area, and from larger groups of people...not too easy when you are in a bigass city
standing waiting for a bus on a nice and silent evning, suddenly 20 police and what not cars with flashing lights and sirens fly past.. like som badass chase in the states that you can see on tv.

Have the feeling that I could be writing for hours, maybe days already, but not really sure what I would be writing about then, yes, I'm meeting lots of great people, seeing some very inspiering places etc, but, I*m missing something that I can't put my finger on what is yet.

anybody have a suggestion for what the perfect life could be? think that might be my holy grail.
devote my life to finding the perfect life, would be nice

easter irritation

a quick look at facebook gave me the impression that the percentage of people posting pictures every week has gone up 5fold during easter..
but why?!?!
in norway, the typical easter holidy is up to a cabin in a mountain, take some long trips on wooden planks fastened to your feet, then sit in and around the cabin, drinking and eating good stuff...
and thats great!

but why the hell do we take pictures of it so much?
everyody knows that you most probably will do this very thing, isn't a picture something you take to save a special memory? what so special about this cabin thing??!?!

I would like to ask that people celebrating easter in a very different way take and post some pictures instead, show me something that makes me think you are a person that is trying to bring something different to the world. Not that your a person that has to publish your a4 holiday pics, so that others won't think that you're socially unacceptable..

freezer pizza and chocco milk easter dinner 2010.. yes please!

The next phase

So...
We've been in Israel for a bit over 2 weeks, on the onw hand, it seems like 2 years, on the other, it seems like 2 seconds..

I've been looking for some pictures that can explain everything that is going through my mind, but, for some odd reason, I haven't been able to find the perfect one..

I'm starting to think that maybe there is something to Karma.. be nice, feel good about yourself, and good things will come to you..
the last couple of days, I didn't plan anything.. yet I had some great days!
was invited to go to a synagog (no clue how to spell that in English), it was a great experience!, I've been attending Jewish dinners (thanks Sara and Sarit!), getting massages in parks (thanks massage lady that I don't remember the name of), simply seeing a different side of the city.
Until now our class has been surrounded by people that are abit more left winged politically, great to get the perspectives of some people that look at things from a different side!
I've met random people that have totally surprised me. Like my taxi driver yesterday, he was suddenly speaking Danish (understandable danish, not the grumpy aggresive local stuff), and telling me about all his random encounters the last couple of days.. crazy how much unimportant, yet interesting crap we had in common. fantastic!

all in all, things are good, apart from the ongoing fight with some dam insects (think it might be flees) that are eating me upp.. about 20 new bites last night... auch!

The team (my class) just left for the westbank this morning, they are going to stay there for a month, while I'm staying alone in Tel Aviv since I'm scared as hell to go to the occupied terretories, have a feeling that if I go there, something really bad is gonna happen.
It's a great challenge and possibility for me to be here, work as the contact person between the team and the world! Also I have the mission of discovering what it is like to be part of a team, but in a different physical location, and what it is like to work, live and cope in a jewish society.

Yes, this will be good I think..

anything you want to know? about what I'm up to, what it's like here etc.. let me know..

stay tuned

ps, it really suckes not using snus anymore.. but, going on a month nicotin fri now!!!!

shalom

Israel take 2..

Still the same take.. but second week I guess......

some things that have made me smile the last week..

sitting on a bus, young girl with designer sunglasses, army uniform, pants halfway down her ass, and her gun pointing in every direction.. and the other passengers not even looking twice at her.. odd that people are so used to see weapons around them..

Saturdays.. Everything is supposed to be closed here on saturdays.. "on the 7th day he rested" as it says in the bible.. however, Tel Aviv is known as a bubble..always find some small sandwich shops open, 24hour shops, busses start driving again at 17:00 ... don't really get the point of it yet.. but, I'm sure I will..

This Saturday we spent the entire day (from 3 to 6 or 7 if your gonna be difficult...) at the beach.. fantastic to know that when it's getting all eastery at home, I can ly on the beach and get burned... it is niiice, really helps me chill out abit!

I.. was going to wright something funny .. don't remember what it was... ah well..
maybe it'll show up some other time..

gonna try and put up some pictures soon, found a crazy house with vacume cleaners strapped in the air all around it... strangé...

laters..