I want to apologize for trailing off on my Israel posts. They get less interesting, despite the sites getting more interesting. Therefore, I recommend you check out my photos on Facebook if you're actually interested, they're a lot cooler.
My semester has started, and it's crazy so far. Lots of stuff, lots of work, nothing unexpected. My classes are cool, and I'm still looking for a summer internship. Once again, nothing unexpected.
A bit of random, and next entry will probably be about roleplaying games, I promise. But if you know someone making the same mistake over and over again, what the hell do you do? I mean, no amount of telling someone does fuck all of anything. But yet...
Eh. Drama, drama. I know how long it takes for someone to figure it out. I'm just sick of watching people I care about fail to.
As I said, next time, RPGs. Watch this space, I'll be starting a campaign in the next couple weeks, it should be good.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Israel: Day 5
1/1/08
Happy New Year!...Ugh. Four hours of sleep. Went to Kineret Cemetery, a beautiful place, and in essence, a monument to Zionism. After that, went to Tzippori, a town from the Roman period. Interesting. Spent a four hour drive sandwiched between two couples (karma is a bitch), then, ate some good shwarma. Got to a Bedouin village in the middle of the desert. Rode a camel (oh man, that was fun, or at least interesting). Staying in a Bedouin tent tonight, which will most definitely be one of the more interesting places I've spent the night. Now, I have a humza, which will make my necklace symmetrical again (or not).
By far one of my favorite nights of the trip. We walked out into the desert at night, we all sat around a fire, and we were deprived of sleep for the second night in a row. This was the point of no return, and we all knew it. More later!
Happy New Year!...Ugh. Four hours of sleep. Went to Kineret Cemetery, a beautiful place, and in essence, a monument to Zionism. After that, went to Tzippori, a town from the Roman period. Interesting. Spent a four hour drive sandwiched between two couples (karma is a bitch), then, ate some good shwarma. Got to a Bedouin village in the middle of the desert. Rode a camel (oh man, that was fun, or at least interesting). Staying in a Bedouin tent tonight, which will most definitely be one of the more interesting places I've spent the night. Now, I have a humza, which will make my necklace symmetrical again (or not).
By far one of my favorite nights of the trip. We walked out into the desert at night, we all sat around a fire, and we were deprived of sleep for the second night in a row. This was the point of no return, and we all knew it. More later!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Israel: Day 4
12/31/07
Today was spent in the Golan Heights. We went offroading in Land Rovers, and visited the ruins of some Syrian bunkers from '67 and before. The conversation with the driver about Israeli foreign policy was enlightening, in a manner of speaking.
We visited a mall for lunch (woo! Israeli fast food!) and went to a mountain bunker, which was neat and interesting. We saw a movie about the Yom Kippur war, and also got to climb on tanks.
In the evening, we had a Hillel New Year's party. They had a bar (Israeli beer = not bad)and music and food, and we rocked out.
More to come on day 5. I will say that the idea of being near the border of a hostile country is something new for me. This was also the first time I was less than ten feet away from an active minefield. Now that's a reality check.
Now the tour is in full swing. In a few days, we'd head south, and things would get even more interesting.
Today was spent in the Golan Heights. We went offroading in Land Rovers, and visited the ruins of some Syrian bunkers from '67 and before. The conversation with the driver about Israeli foreign policy was enlightening, in a manner of speaking.
We visited a mall for lunch (woo! Israeli fast food!) and went to a mountain bunker, which was neat and interesting. We saw a movie about the Yom Kippur war, and also got to climb on tanks.
In the evening, we had a Hillel New Year's party. They had a bar (Israeli beer = not bad)and music and food, and we rocked out.
More to come on day 5. I will say that the idea of being near the border of a hostile country is something new for me. This was also the first time I was less than ten feet away from an active minefield. Now that's a reality check.
Now the tour is in full swing. In a few days, we'd head south, and things would get even more interesting.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
A brief intermission
This is the most amazing thing ever.
http://jalopnik.com/340827/how-to-escape-microcar+attacking-ninjas-on-roller-skates
http://jalopnik.com/340827/how-to-escape-microcar+attacking-ninjas-on-roller-skates
Israel: Day 3
12/30/07
Everything about yesterday was amazing. We were at an Israeli engineering college in the morning, then a kibbutz called Eshbal. We met 8 Israeli soldiers who will be travelling with us, then went to lunch (many people went to Burger King or KFC, but I opted for something a little less familiar). After that, we visited the city of Tzfat, where the Zohar was studied and where famous Kabbalists lived. After was dinner, and then a boat ride with dancing. To top it all off, our bus broke down on the way back with much fanfare and burning rubber.
More later.
I guess one of the things I got out of going to Tzfat was a different way of thinking about religion. The Kabbalists approached faith in a different way, and some of the stories made me think about how I approach God. My concept of God continues to diverge, but my belief gets stronger.
We also had a chance to discuss the idea of being a 'chosen' people. I guess that really clinches it for me. There is no doubt that Jews persist despite hardship, and rise to the top of any society they live in. This means we have quite a bit to live up to with all this visibility. Sure sign that Israel is doing something. By now, I'm convinced I won't know what until the end.
Tzfat was an amazing city. This was the first day of really going out there and doing things, and the impact is already apparent from this writing. Tune in next time for more of my biblical adventures in the holy land.
Everything about yesterday was amazing. We were at an Israeli engineering college in the morning, then a kibbutz called Eshbal. We met 8 Israeli soldiers who will be travelling with us, then went to lunch (many people went to Burger King or KFC, but I opted for something a little less familiar). After that, we visited the city of Tzfat, where the Zohar was studied and where famous Kabbalists lived. After was dinner, and then a boat ride with dancing. To top it all off, our bus broke down on the way back with much fanfare and burning rubber.
More later.
I guess one of the things I got out of going to Tzfat was a different way of thinking about religion. The Kabbalists approached faith in a different way, and some of the stories made me think about how I approach God. My concept of God continues to diverge, but my belief gets stronger.
We also had a chance to discuss the idea of being a 'chosen' people. I guess that really clinches it for me. There is no doubt that Jews persist despite hardship, and rise to the top of any society they live in. This means we have quite a bit to live up to with all this visibility. Sure sign that Israel is doing something. By now, I'm convinced I won't know what until the end.
Tzfat was an amazing city. This was the first day of really going out there and doing things, and the impact is already apparent from this writing. Tune in next time for more of my biblical adventures in the holy land.
Israel: Day 2
12/29/07
I'm starting to feel a difference, though slight. When I look for it, it's pretty clear this is a foreign country. I don't know what else to look for, though.
My stomach was bothering me still this morning, though it seems to have passed. Only dinner will let me know for sure.
Got much needed sleep today, and am continuing to meet new people, which is great.
I still don't know what to expect from this. It's obviously religious, no surprise there, but I don't know if I'm feeling "Holy Land". I'm getting the hint of something special, but I don't know what, yet.
As part of the whole Shabbat 'thing', we took a walk on the beach today. In retrospect, it was really peaceful. That felt more like a day of rest than anything else. Well, excepting maybe the sleeping.
Addendum:
The Druze restaurant was quite an experience. Authentic food (and Israeli kool-aid) and a culture/religion I barely knew existed.
Here, I'm continuing to copy down word for word what I wrote in my journal. The first Shabbat was still one of anticipation, of not knowing what to expect. Little did I know how things would come together even only one day later.
I'm starting to feel a difference, though slight. When I look for it, it's pretty clear this is a foreign country. I don't know what else to look for, though.
My stomach was bothering me still this morning, though it seems to have passed. Only dinner will let me know for sure.
Got much needed sleep today, and am continuing to meet new people, which is great.
I still don't know what to expect from this. It's obviously religious, no surprise there, but I don't know if I'm feeling "Holy Land". I'm getting the hint of something special, but I don't know what, yet.
As part of the whole Shabbat 'thing', we took a walk on the beach today. In retrospect, it was really peaceful. That felt more like a day of rest than anything else. Well, excepting maybe the sleeping.
Addendum:
The Druze restaurant was quite an experience. Authentic food (and Israeli kool-aid) and a culture/religion I barely knew existed.
Here, I'm continuing to copy down word for word what I wrote in my journal. The first Shabbat was still one of anticipation, of not knowing what to expect. Little did I know how things would come together even only one day later.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Israel: Introduction and Day 1
I got back from Israel this morning.
I got back from one of the most amazing experiences of my life this morning.
I'm not going to try and start. So much happened, so many questions were answered, so many more were asked. Things are flying around my head, and I don't know what to make of it. At the very least, I have great memories, and lots of new friends, both halfway across the world, and also right next door in Pittsburgh.
Instead of trying to sum it up in one entry, I'll be intermittently posting the daily entries I made in my journal during the trip. Day one was very short:
12/28/07
Tired. Carsick. Meeting people, which is cool.
A combination of the plane ride and some food item made me sick at the beginning of the trip, but Thank God I didn't let it get the best of me. It took through day 2 to really get it out of my system, and I continued to be judicious about my digestive habits from then on out. The first day was us taking it all in. As you'll see later, I had no idea what was really in store yet.
I got back from one of the most amazing experiences of my life this morning.
I'm not going to try and start. So much happened, so many questions were answered, so many more were asked. Things are flying around my head, and I don't know what to make of it. At the very least, I have great memories, and lots of new friends, both halfway across the world, and also right next door in Pittsburgh.
Instead of trying to sum it up in one entry, I'll be intermittently posting the daily entries I made in my journal during the trip. Day one was very short:
12/28/07
Tired. Carsick. Meeting people, which is cool.
A combination of the plane ride and some food item made me sick at the beginning of the trip, but Thank God I didn't let it get the best of me. It took through day 2 to really get it out of my system, and I continued to be judicious about my digestive habits from then on out. The first day was us taking it all in. As you'll see later, I had no idea what was really in store yet.
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