Israel, and much of the Middle East, is right now in the thick, humid stomach of a dust storm. This haboob - Arabic for "violent wind" - is wreaking havoc on asthmatics, endurance athletes, and those who enjoy seeing things. Visibility is currently about half a kilometer. Though the dust was brought in by strong winds, … Continue reading The Heat and the Haze
Category: Israel
Have you wondered just how Israeli elections work? Perhaps you're an Oleh Hadash (עולה חדש), or simply someone following the Israeli news from abroad. I watched all the election coverage, went to the polls, talked to people, and still didn't fully understand. So I did some research, and I'll take you through the process step-by-step.* The … Continue reading How Israeli Elections Work
Well, it's Bibi again. Frankly I'm disappointed that Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu's Likud party won the election. I was excited to see what a more liberal leader could have done for the country, a leader like Isaac "Bougie" Herzog or Tzipi Livni, the center-left leaders of the Zionist Union party. The Zionist Union was the Likud party's strongest … Continue reading Election Day
Here's a post I wrote back in the summer, when I worked as an aupair for an Israeli family: Aupairing is a risky business. First, the advantages: Your family is a ready-made community and a wealth of in-country information. You get to practice the local language and adjust to the culture. Truly, the family-as-mentor aspect … Continue reading Your Guide to Aupairing Abroad
No, not like that - My employers aren't paying me a legal wage. They aren't paying me at all. Just tips. I have recently discovered that, in Israel, it's illegal to replace a salary with tips. Back in January, when I first started working as a waitress, indeed, I was shocked to find that employers … Continue reading I’m Working Illegally.
Another bureaucratic saga. (consider each bolded phrase a new bureaucratic obstacle) Some of you will remember that I was certified as a medic with Magen David Adom (MDA) back in November. I persisted for months against dead-end email addresses, voice mail messages, wrong numbers, and disconnected phones, to register for the month-long intensive course. It … Continue reading What Happened With Magen David Adom?
I'm generally an optimistic person. I need to be - I throw myself into new situations all the time. Without optimism I'd quickly give up, because adaptation can be mind-blowingly difficult. New challenges pop up each day, from homesickness, to cancelled bus routes, to bureaucracy mind-melts, to the ever-persistent language barriers. And yet, I still keep … Continue reading Escaping the Rat Race
I am so depressed. Working in Israel feels futile. If I were in the U.S., I could make twice as much at a minimum-wage job. I'm working at least 50-hour weeks. I'm getting paid about $5 per hour (before taxes). I am stuck on a kibbutz 1.5 hours from the nearest good-sized city, which means … Continue reading Israel: The Fount of Self-Despair and Poverty
I want to introduce all of you non-Israelis to some Israeli music. Welcome to Israeli Song of the Day! Today's selection is from 1983. It's called "It's Cold Out There," by the singer Rami Kleinstein. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae3MahlYW3s I dive again into your eyes, I press your hand once more. If only your dreams one day would … Continue reading Song of the Day – קר שם בחוץ (It’s Cold Out There)
In Israel, you hear a lot of strange noises. Sonic booms that rattle the windows (air force training runs), missile sirens (thank you, Operation Protective Edge), the roar of low-flying military jets. Hey, it's a militarized country. This evening I hear a pop-boom outside. I ask the boyfriend what it is. "Fireworks," he says. "Hamas. Maybe … Continue reading Pop-BOOM
In Mutual Weirdness 